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sir fly said:It's not exactly a climb, it's a high speed rise finishing on a false flat.
3-4% won't be enough to shake off the heavyweights.DFA123 said:sir fly said:It's not exactly a climb, it's a high speed rise finishing on a false flat.
I don't agree with that. If it came at the end of a fast straight, with the peloton starting it at 60km/h it would be.
But it doesn't; according to the map it looks like most of the climb comes after a tight corner, so everyone will have to accelerate up it from a relatively low starting speed. That massively favours the puncheur/climber types over the sprinters.
sir fly said:It's not exactly a climb, it's a high speed rise finishing on a false flat.
sir fly said:3-4% won't be enough to shake off the heavyweights.
Yes...BigMac said:sir fly said:It's not exactly a climb, it's a high speed rise finishing on a false flat.
Those gradients hardly look like a false flat. And 850m is well enough a long wall to make the approaching speeds decrease drastically, giving room for attacks. The stage is not easy either, and remember how fast riders come into Valkenburg only to bonk on the first slopes of the Cauberg, which is no more than one and a half this climb is. We'll see.
sir fly said:3-4% won't be enough to shake off the heavyweights.
It averages 7% and reaches 12%, though.
BigMac said:sir fly said:It's not exactly a climb, it's a high speed rise finishing on a false flat.
Those gradients hardly look like a false flat. And 850m is well enough a long wall to make the approaching speeds decrease drastically, giving room for attacks. The stage is not easy either, and remember how fast riders come into Valkenburg only to bonk on the first slopes of the Cauberg, which is no more than one and a half this climb is. We'll see.
sir fly said:3-4% won't be enough to shake off the heavyweights.
It averages 7% and reaches 12%, though.
sir fly said:Yes...BigMac said:sir fly said:It's not exactly a climb, it's a high speed rise finishing on a false flat.
Those gradients hardly look like a false flat. And 850m is well enough a long wall to make the approaching speeds decrease drastically, giving room for attacks. The stage is not easy either, and remember how fast riders come into Valkenburg only to bonk on the first slopes of the Cauberg, which is no more than one and a half this climb is. We'll see.
sir fly said:3-4% won't be enough to shake off the heavyweights.
It averages 7% and reaches 12%, though.
Interesting, really.
Positioning will be vital through the zig-zag. The GC crowd at the front won't be helpful.
I fear the moment Froome attacks at the first MTF will evoke this responseMerckx index said:Also, if he can gap the others, it will further send the message to be afraid, very afraid, when the real climbs begin. Contador in particular would not want to be embarrassed again.
Dazed and Confused said:Froome will take it.
But I hope Coquard finds his way to the line first.
FoxxyBrown1111 said:sir fly said:Degenkolb.
Would it be too much?
No.
SeriousSam said:Hasn't Sagan got the better of Degenkolb in every terrain so far?
Brullnux said:FoxxyBrown1111 said:sir fly said:Degenkolb.
Would it be too much?
No.
It shouldn't, but Degenkolb doesn't look that good to me. Today he wasn't great and yesterday although he won the sprint for second and was strong on the cobbles, in the slightly uphill intermediate sprint he looked terrible, really slow compared to the other ones. Degenkolb of March/April then he would be favourite, but July? Not too sure.
Sagan worked a lot for contador yesterday, you can't compare there performancesFoxxyBrown1111 said:SeriousSam said:Hasn't Sagan got the better of Degenkolb in every terrain so far?
Like yesterday for example?