2015 Tour de France Stage 13: Muret > Rodez 198.5km

[Billie]

Re: Re:

How did Kristoff manage to lose 45 seconds when he was at the front with a km to go though? Last chance for Kristoff, Degenkolb and Sagan seems to be stage 15.

well, stage 15 will be for break imho, and as far as sagan is concerned, he will survive that cat2 climb before finish of stage 16 to gap to come second just to prove the tradition.

Cat. 2 climb this close to finish is too much for today´s Sagan (heavier than usual) imo.

Disagree. I think several sprinters like Degenkolb and Kristoff will still be there and Cavendish will try.

If Tinkoff set a good pace on the climb with Rogers, Kreuziger and majka it seems unlikely. Depends how its raced ofcourse

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Great sprint from Bakelants, congrats to GVA.
Sagan waited for too long, such a shame.

How did he wait too long? GVA was just better today.

 

[barmaher]

If Sagan were a racehorse, you would say he didn't find much off the bridle today.

It was like watching Harchibald in the 2003 Champion Hurdle.

 

[jmdirt]

Re: Re:

How did Kristoff manage to lose 45 seconds when he was at the front with a km to go though? Last chance for Kristoff, Degenkolb and Sagan seems to be stage 15.

well, stage 15 will be for break imho, and as far as sagan is concerned, he will survive that cat2 climb before finish of stage 16 to gap to come second just to prove the tradition.

Cat. 2 climb this close to finish is too much for today´s Sagan (heavier than usual) imo.

I haven't seen the scale, but have heard and read that he is actually down a few kg. which might explain his (slight) less punch in the final 100 m. PS was good, GVA was just better today.

 

[tomorrow]

Re: Re:

GVA Nice win!!!! Sagan Fail Again!

How is this a fail? He did everything right, GVA were just stronger in the end. I know it's a popular thing mock Sagan and call it a fail whenever he doesn't win, but honestly not a single one of his podium places this Tour has been a result of a 'fail' or dumb tactical move.

By not winning......Again.

So if you give everything you have, does all the right things but just isn't strong enough, it's a fail?

Thats not the way I would use the word fail.

well, it's true he hadn't had the kick enough to beat him in the sprint, he was faster, but he was not fast enough, so he gave up.
On the other had, from the overview camera it's obvious that could have gone faster up the hill. When he got to GVA's wheel, he eased a little bit, cause he thought he would do GVA in the sprint. GVA, on the contrary, was certainly going full genius up the hill, cause he certainly didn't count on beating sagan in the sprint. Had sagan continued at the same speed he would have got margin enough on GVA to win. so actually it is some kind of fail, which he admitted in the interview too. I think he would have beat GVA also in the sprint hadn't he been closed in the corner and then having to go from the other side

 

[Happy dude]

Re: Re:

How did Kristoff manage to lose 45 seconds when he was at the front with a km to go though? Last chance for Kristoff, Degenkolb and Sagan seems to be stage 15.

well, stage 15 will be for break imho, and as far as sagan is concerned, he will survive that cat2 climb before finish of stage 16 to gap to come second just to prove the tradition.

Cat. 2 climb this close to finish is too much for today´s Sagan (heavier than usual) imo.

I haven't seen the scale, but have heard and read that he is actually down a few kg. which might explain his (slight) less punch in the final 100 m. PS was good, GVA was just better today.

No, Sagan has never had such a good punch

 

[Gigs_98]

Oh Peter, why can't you just win something
However well deserved win by GVA, he was just the strongest rider today
ps: Wow that finale was great. Great to watch

 

[Kwibus]

This has to be a joke, Mollema gains time on Barguil, Talansky, Pinot by not competing on the final climb...

Yeah, that doesn't seem fair. If I were one of his GC competitors I would definitely complain.

You only mention one GC guy. The others are allready waaay behind.
It's certainly an awkward situation, but my guess is that Mollema most definately would've ended up in the group he got the time from.

 

[Sophistic]

This has to be a joke, Mollema gains time on Barguil, Talansky, Pinot by not competing on the final climb...

Yeah, that doesn't seem fair. If I were one of his GC competitors I would definitely complain.

You only mention one GC guy. The others are allready waaay behind.
It's certainly an awkward situation, but my guess is that Mollema most definately would've ended up in the group he got the time from.

ok, then add frank & rolland but it doesnt matter, this is about principle. "my guess" "most definietly"...says who, may be he would have been with van avermaet, may be he would have bonked. they guy gained time & saved energy by not competing, how in the world is this possible. it was a big mistake by the organisers to keep the 3k rule on such a finish, where splits occur because of performance differences rather than crashes. imagine this would have been one of the podium contenders and these seconds make the difference at the end.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

GVA Nice win!!!! Sagan Fail Again!

How is this a fail? He did everything right, GVA were just stronger in the end. I know it's a popular thing mock Sagan and call it a fail whenever he doesn't win, but honestly not a single one of his podium places this Tour has been a result of a 'fail' or dumb tactical move.

By not winning......Again.

So if you give everything you have, does all the right things but just isn't strong enough, it's a fail?

Thats not the way I would use the word fail.

He admits it himself!

"I lost the race for my mistake," he added, "I don't like if I lose due to my legs. I can accept that. But today I waited too long. I got on Greg's wheel and sat down and then I ran out of legs. It's not bad luck. That was my mistake because I needed to carry on pushing so that I could win."

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

GVA Nice win!!!! Sagan Fail Again!

How is this a fail? He did everything right, GVA were just stronger in the end. I know it's a popular thing mock Sagan and call it a fail whenever he doesn't win, but honestly not a single one of his podium places this Tour has been a result of a 'fail' or dumb tactical move.

By not winning......Again.

So if you give everything you have, does all the right things but just isn't strong enough, it's a fail?

Thats not the way I would use the word fail.

well, it's true he hadn't had the kick enough to beat him in the sprint, he was faster, but he was not fast enough, so he gave up.
On the other had, from the overview camera it's obvious that could have gone faster up the hill. When he got to GVA's wheel, he eased a little bit, cause he thought he would do GVA in the sprint. GVA, on the contrary, was certainly going full genius up the hill, cause he certainly didn't count on beating sagan in the sprint. Had sagan continued at the same speed he would have got margin enough on GVA to win. so actually it is some kind of fail, which he admitted in the interview too. I think he would have beat GVA also in the sprint hadn't he been closed in the corner and then having to go from the other side

I dont agree. If Sagan couldnt pass GVA in the last 100 metres there is no way he could have dropped him earlier IMO.

I do think that Sagan maybe could have won had he not gone the wrong way around GVA at first, though. But that stuff happens and I wouldn't blame him for it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Re:

Van Avermaet on the final climb to go for it (at least that is what I hope)

Two tips right this Tour

 

[auscyclefan94]

Just watched the finish and I don't really understand how you could say Greg closed the door on Sagan. I am shocked how Greg attacked away with 450m to go and then kicked again to beat Sagan. Super impressive and strong. I hope to see him do this in one of the big spring classics and win it.

 

[movingtarget]

Sagan admits he made a mistake by sitting back down. GVA was super strong with a great win. When Sagan came off the wheel he had nothing left.

 

[42x16ss]

Huh? Sagan was the one who got second, GVA messed up

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

Great sprint from Bakelants, congrats to GVA.
Sagan waited for too long, such a shame.

How did he wait too long? GVA was just better today.

What Movingtarget said.