2015 Tour de France Stage 5: Arras-Amiens 189.5km

[Jagartrott]

Sagan had to start from way back, but Greipel as well (compared to Cavendish, Kristoff). Greipel more in the wind than Sagan of course, so speeds are a bit deceiving.

 

[burning]

I think that Sagan is not that confident in fighting for positions that he used to be in 2012. He lost Gorilla's wheel around 500m to go.

 

[pedromiguelmartins]

Re:

Cavendish doing a fine job as Greipel's leadout man this tour. Maybe he can join Lotto next year?

Maybe that's the only contract he can get.

And that is sad, for such a legend.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Sagan has the speed. Sagan has the handling skills. He is by far the fastest sprinter in this race. People kept saying how he lacked top speed, and forget that he is just 25 yo. In my opinion he is faster than Cav at 24/25.

Anyway, he lacks timing. Some good teammates would help with that so much... He could've won 3 stages (2 where the slower Greipel won, the one Tony won) with at least 2 or 3 guys dedicated to win and not having to babysit Alberto.

It's frustrating.

He's certainly got his top speed back in the last few weeks. It was looking like he may have lost some of the raw speed in the last couple of years, but on this form he's probably 2nd only to Kittel in acceleration and top speed.

 

[Punkan]

Good to see EBH up there again. He could be dangerous tomorrow.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Damn, if Sagan didn't have to play domestique role he would have won 5-8 stages this Tour......
And this way Tinkoff is going to come out of this Tour with nothing (btw, Majka crashed today :/ )

Sure try and create a conflict since you can't play the majka card anymore. Sagan was in perfect position but he lost greipel's wheel.

Tomorrow he'll win anyways, then you can stop with the trolling.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

Damn, if Sagan didn't have to play domestique role he would have won 5-8 stages this Tour......
And this way Tinkoff is going to come out of this Tour with nothing (btw, Majka crashed today :/ )

Very true - but he's only got himself to blame. He could have gone to pretty much any team he wanted, but he chased the Tinkoff euros instead of maximising his chances in classics/GT's.

TCS was not a bad choice for the classics, but clearly it's been a little suboptimal in the Tour so far. Cannot understand why TCS doesn't dedicate Bennati to help Sagan in the sprints (perhaps he's afraid of big sprints??).

 

[AICA ribonucleotide]

Re:

Renshaw going to get another awkward night in that hotel room tonight.

Cavandish was behind him and then lost his wheel. Then he turned left into the group and found Greipels wheel beside sagan. Then he lost that and went to the left. Thats where he sprinted from way back having to coming around everyone.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

Re: Re:

Cavendish doing a fine job as Greipel's leadout man this tour. Maybe he can join Lotto next year?

Maybe that's the only contract he can get.

And that is sad, for such a legend.

He's not going to have any problem getting a contract next year but he will have to accept a big drop in pay.

 

[Knutsen]

Re:

Tbf, Sagan started a lot later, and given the massive headwind, it's no surprise he was so fast coming out of the slipstream late. Not taking anything away from him, but I think Greipel's sprint was stronger than Sagan's

this.

 

[SeriousSam]

and again sagan was by far the strongest

Impressive how he keeps turning his great strength into second places.

 

[Eagle]

Any GC time gaps? Looked like a gap towards the back

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Renshaw going to get another awkward night in that hotel room tonight.

Cavandish was behind him and then lost his wheel. Then he turned left into the group and found Greipels wheel beside sagan. Then he lost that and went to the left. Thats where he sprinted from way back having to coming around everyone.

I don't particularly blame Renshaw but he did continue leading everyone else out for, what - 500m+ after Cavendish lost the wheel?

 

[Happy dude]

Re: Re:

Renshaw going to get another awkward night in that hotel room tonight.

Cavandish was behind him and then lost his wheel. Then he turned left into the group and found Greipels wheel beside sagan. Then he lost that and went to the left. Thats where he sprinted from way back having to coming around everyone.

Etixx always go too early, and to be honest cav is always gonna look weak sprinting from 300(I think) again into a headwind

 

[pedromiguelmartins]

Re: Re:

Damn, if Sagan didn't have to play domestique role he would have won 5-8 stages this Tour......
And this way Tinkoff is going to come out of this Tour with nothing (btw, Majka crashed today :/ )

Sure try and create a conflict since you can't play the majka card anymore. Sagan was in perfect position but he lost greipel's wheel.

Tomorrow he'll win anyways, then you can stop with the trolling.

Cav had 5 guys with him. Coquard had 2 or 3. Greipel had 1 guy guiding him until he started sprinting. Maybe kristoff was alone but he was murdered.

Sagan was all alone in the last KM. In fact you can see from a heli pic where at 1.2 to go (or close) a tinkof teammate is blocking him to go to Cav's wheel.

 

[Gigs_98]

LeMond just said that sagan has absolutely no chance against greipel on flat sprints. Is this guy blind or something

 

[barmaher]

Cavendish sprinted very well, but his positioning was muck. He was in the wind for ages.

 

[TMP402]

Re:

Any GC time gaps? Looked like a gap towards the back

Not a gap but Sagan leapfrogs Gallopin because of time bonus.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

Cavendish doing a fine job as Greipel's leadout man this tour. Maybe he can join Lotto next year?

Maybe that's the only contract he can get.

And that is sad, for such a legend.

He did spend a fair bit of energy getting back after his mechanical tbf, and obviously had to start his sprint early due to his bad original position. He'll still win a couple of stages this year

 

[Eagle]

How long was Kristoff on the front? Monster sprint from him again

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Cavendish doing a fine job as Greipel's leadout man this tour. Maybe he can join Lotto next year?

Maybe that's the only contract he can get.

And that is sad, for such a legend.

He did spend a fair bit of energy getting back after his mechanical tbf, and obviously had to start his sprint early due to his bad original position. He'll still win a couple of stages this year

Pretty optimisitc assessment given his current form. There's only about two stages left that he has a realistic chance in.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

Greipel is just the best sprinter this Tour. Cav not good enough.

But Sagan, what a sprint!

How is he the best sprinter when you see sagan pull out that sprint?

Because he wins. Duh.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Greipel was the fastest sprinter today. Enjoyed his victory before crossing the line.

 

[damian13ster]

Re: Re:

Damn, if Sagan didn't have to play domestique role he would have won 5-8 stages this Tour......
And this way Tinkoff is going to come out of this Tour with nothing (btw, Majka crashed today :/ )

Sure try and create a conflict since you can't play the majka card anymore. Sagan was in perfect position but he lost greipel's wheel.

Tomorrow he'll win anyways, then you can stop with the trolling.

wtf are you talking about? How would I be able to create conflict by forum past? Sagan wastes energy that otherwise he could have spent on going for stage wins. Don't you agree with that? So being in Tinkoff must absolutely suck for ambitious rider like him and seeing his work go to waste won't help the cause

 

[goggalor]

Germany's killing it atm