2015 Paris-Nice, Stage 7: Nice - Col d'Èze 9.6km ITT

[greenedge]

Re:

You could see as soon as Gallopin rode down the ramp that he was very nervous.

Even on the start ramp he looked very nervous.

 

[greenedge]

Re: Re:

Chapeau to Gallopin, for yesterday's ride and attempting to defend his jersey today.

What else was he going to do?

Abandon the race?

And attempting to valiantly defend it... I was really tired at that point of the night.

 

[johnymax]

Really amusing to see how Špilak is world class in this sort of conditions, and how he goes nowhere to be seen in the races with normal weather. A case worth studying. What's his next race? Catalunya to support Purito? Will he lead at Pais Vasco? I expect he will pull his best year yet and win Romandie again.

First, define normal weather. If you are talking about 30°C and more than I agree with you. But if we are talking 15-25°C then I don't. He has shown that he can be up there with the best in those conditions, too. It's just that when the conditions are really bad (rain, 10°C or less) he is not affected by them as much as other riders and he suddenly becomes the strongest (or almost) climber in the peloton. When the weather is normal, he is still up there but maybe with the second tier climbers. Then when it gets really hot his body just doesn't react the same way so he can't perform in the Tour or Vuelta. This is why I would like him to go to the Giro this year and see what he could do before completely write him off in the GT's. I'd also like to see him in LBL because I think he could do well there. But it looks like he'll just do his normal Pais Vasco and Romandie double and then who knows.

Also it's funny how every time in early season at the start of these one week races almost everybody is hyping other riders as podium contenders such as Talansky, van Garderen, Majka... And hardly anyone mentions Špilak when he beats them I'd say 70% of the time. Tour the Suisse I'd understand, but PN, Vasco, Romandie give me Špilak and Costa above those 4 times out of 5.