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

[Alexandre B.]

First Jean-Marie Leblanc stage.

 

[Jagartrott]

Most of the course will have a sidewind, bar the final 20 or so.
And it will be windy, with some rain, so if some teams want to make it hard (Astana...) they could.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Re:

Forecast is for rain and relatively strong wind but it is a westerly. So headwind for the last part of the stage.

Agreed. A lot of riders are going to hate the weather forecast. Damp and windy. There appear to be enough sections that would be x-winds. Another day of wreckage

 

[Squirbos_19]

Sagan shouldn't have to protect Contador too much, so he's my pick for the win. He's been very strong and he's had to work a lot more than other sprinters, so tomorrow should be a bit even in the effort before the sprint.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

Sagan shouldn't have to protect Contador too much, so he's my pick for the win. He's been very strong and he's had to work a lot more than other sprinters, so tomorrow should be a bit even in the effort before the sprint.

There are chances of crosswinds, so it's definitely possible that he'll be required to put in some effort before the sprint for Contador

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Sagan shouldn't have to protect Contador too much, so he's my pick for the win. He's been very strong and he's had to work a lot more than other sprinters, so tomorrow should be a bit even in the effort before the sprint.

There are chances of crosswinds, so it's definitely possible that he'll be required to put in some effort before the sprint for Contador

True, although on stage 2 he was just hanging at the back of the group for most of the time, if Tinkoff-Saxo are in the front group with several domestiques I guess we'll see more of the same

 

[Richeypen]

The profile looks innocuous enough for an off camera crash to wipe out one of the big 4.

 

[Gigs_98]

This stage could actually be pretty interesting in terms of cross wind. There will be pretty heavy west wind and because there are many turns the direction of the riders will change often which leads to some chances for echelons.

I am curious

ps: guys, when you make a stage thread its a shame when you can't even put the map into the opening post.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

So is Cav going to work for Martin tomorrow or the other way around?

Etixx is here for stage wins. They will probably do whatever it takes to win a stage. The most likely way for that to happen is to ride for Cav. It will probably be a bunch sprint. Surely other teams will help control the breakaways. Tony should be there in the final and should be able to keep the jersey even if he rides some for Cav...imo.

 

[SafeBet]

Re: Re:

Is Kristoff going to start racing in this Tour at some point? Does anyone know what he's targetting?

I was wondering the same.
Dominant season and then he comes to the Tour and he's almost invisible.

Time to pick it up.

 

[Squirbos_19]

Re: Re:

Sagan shouldn't have to protect Contador too much, so he's my pick for the win. He's been very strong and he's had to work a lot more than other sprinters, so tomorrow should be a bit even in the effort before the sprint.

There are chances of crosswinds, so it's definitely possible that he'll be required to put in some effort before the sprint for Contador

True, although on stage 2 he was just hanging at the back of the group for most of the time, if Tinkoff-Saxo are in the front group with several domestiques I guess we'll see more of the same

Damn, he better get some stages with absolute freedom this tour. Contador better deliver otherwise I'm not sure Sagan will be happy after the tour of he had to ride everyday for him.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

Is Kristoff going to start racing in this Tour at some point? Does anyone know what he's targetting?

I was wondering the same.
Dominant season and then he comes to the Tour and he's almost invisible.

Time to pick it up.

Bad luck today, and on stage 2, I don't know what went wrong for him. Tomorrow is for Kristoff. Expecting a classic Paolini lead out

 

[ggusta]

Re:

What race threads have consisted of.

[quote is altered, i feel a ban coming on!]

80% complaining about opening post

13% wishing Cav will crash/ not get contract/ fail/ moan

3% actual race content

40% moaning about content of thread. (That's me)

FIXED

Threads have had an inordinate amount of pompous whiny b!t#@s and that is compared to prior years which had no shortage of same, and some who cannot admit that you can't have 136% when there is only 100%.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Heart want's Cav to win but my head wants Greipel as ive picked him the GGTG

 

[manafana]

thinking cavendish too, maybe degenkolb if team does it better

 

[Poursuivant]

1 cav
2 sagan
3 bouhanni

 

[BigMac]

Bryan looked nice today until Cav jumped from behind. Maybe he can come within the three best.

 

[TommyGun]

So everybody is thinking mass sprint?
If the wind forecast is accurate, I am seeing a stage the like of the 2013 St Amand Montrond one, with Tinkoff making a power move to create echelons, both for Sagan's win and Contador regaining some time. It is becoming clear, now, from we what we have seen in the Grand Tours in the last few years, that you can gain much more time in the plain than on MTFs (minutes vs seconds).

 

[togo95]

The wind might be strong enough, but its direction doesn't seem to be very favourable as predicted atm. That would be headwind most of the time in the final and even in the parts with crosswind, it should be rather cross-headwind than cross-tailwind which is the best for echelons.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Could you also adjust the font, provide relevant links on the history of each town, and provide minutes of the meetings between ASO and the towns when they were signing the contract to be in this years tour. Also, would it be too much to ask for Eddy Merckx singing Bohemian Rhapsody in a South African accent, I mean come on mate, pull your finger out.

A little humor never hurts, and after the awful three days I and Pinot had, it is welcome. I'm trying to imagine Eddy right now . I like the Sagan 2nd and green prediction. For the win? Greipel. I have a bad feeling about Cav this year.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

So everybody is thinking mass sprint?
If the wind forecast is accurate, I am seeing a stage the like of the 2013 St Amand Montrond one, with Tinkoff making a power move to create echelons, both for Sagan's win and Contador regaining some time. It is becoming clear, now, from we what we have seen in the Grand Tours in the last few years, that you can gain much more time in the plain than on MTFs (minutes vs seconds).

I doubt it. They will save energy for the other days to come which look hard enough.
Maybe if they see Froome in bad position. Otherwise I don't think so.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

Is Kristoff going to start racing in this Tour at some point? Does anyone know what he's targetting?

I was wondering the same.
Dominant season and then he comes to the Tour and he's almost invisible.

Time to pick it up.

The heat is his kryptonite.

 

[The Hitch]

Thank god its men's quarterfinal day then. Tomorrow is a better stage though right?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Thank god its men's quarterfinal day then. Tomorrow is a better stage though right?

Yes, a little more up and down with an uphill finish and a chance of crosswinds.

 

[movingtarget]

Cavendish and the Gorilla to fight it out. Renshaw won't move aside until 50 metres to go this time !