2015 Tour de France Stage 8: Rennes-Mur de Bretagne, 181.5km

[PremierAndrew]

Potentially one for the breakaway. Possibly too steep for the likes of Degenkolb & Sagan, and anyone who wishes to contend for GC needs to be alert on this one. Similar to stage 3, though the Mur de Bretagne is not as steep as the Mur de Huy. Nonetheless, at 2km, it is 700m longer too.

 

[Arredondo]

1. Sagan
2. Dan Martin
3. Purito

Valverde not good enough at the moment. Would be a perfect finish for him.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Re:

1. Sagan

Bretagne is not in California.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Cav will go back to back.

 

[BYOP88]

Froome to win.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

Last winner here was Evans in 2011 right? Definitely not for sprinters, though Sagan has a somewhat different skillset. Still, I'm calling this one for Purito.

 

[murali]

1. Dan Martin/Stybar
2. Sagan
3. Stybie/DM
4. Jrod
5.degenkolb

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Last winner here was Evans in 2011 right? Definitely not for sprinters, though Sagan has a somewhat different skillset. Still, I'm calling this one for Purito.

Hushovd was 6th back in 2011. So it's possible for Sagan.

 

[Miburo]

I mean yea degenkolb can survive but he'll be spend for the sprint i think like with hushovd 4 years ago

A froome can win this for sure, if contador almost won it in 2011 then yea. But i'll go for sagan

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I'd be super happy to see Styby take this.

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: 2015 Tour de France Stage 8: Rennes-Mur de Bretagne, 181

Contador to make amends after losing to Cadel last time out.

Last time this was the result.

Evans
Contador
Vinokourov
Uran
Gilbert
Hushovd
Schleck
Sanchez
Van Den Broeck
Kloden

So you would think unless Froome gets away (which is possible), that a group of 5 or so riders will contest it. So you will have Froome, Rodriguez, Uran, Contador, maybe Arredondo and Valverde up there. Nibali. Sagan could hold on as it will be hard to get away like last time, but I can't see him having the kick to win. Degenkolb won't survive it.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

I'd be super happy to see Styby take this.

I think it's a bit too steep and long for him, i don't think he can do this at the top level. I hope i'm wrong and i know what he did 2 days ago but this is harder

 

[Baldinger]

I don't think the last km is steep enough for Purito to make a difference. Froome would take him in a man to man sprint I guess, so he'll need to go from the bottom of the Mur.

 

[Ramon Koran]

Breakaway, i think no one will want to chaise before the ttt.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

I don't think the last km is steep enough for Purito to make a difference. Froome would take him in a man to man sprint I guess, so he'll need to go from the bottom of the Mur.

Froome to take Purito in a man to man sprint?

It's not Oman.

 

[Supimilian]

Van Avermaet to go top-3.

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

I don't think the last km is steep enough for Purito to make a difference. Froome would take him in a man to man sprint I guess, so he'll need to go from the bottom of the Mur.

Froome to take Purito in a man to man sprint?

It's not Oman.

Purito's sprint is way weaker on flatter parts than steep. And on this thing the strongest wins, if contador played it out better 4 years ago he would have beat hushovd, gilbert and evans in a rather flat sprint. Ever saw that one happening? yea

 

[Sasquatch]

Re:

Breakaway, i think no one will want to chaise before the ttt.

Giant will chase if they think Degenkolb can make it up there.

Ettix will definitely chase for Stybar/Uran/Kwiatkowski

Lotto will chase for Gallopin/Wellens

 

[Dog]

Re: 2015 Tour de France Stage 8: Rennes-Mur de Bretagne, 181

Simon Yates.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

I don't think the last km is steep enough for Purito to make a difference. Froome would take him in a man to man sprint I guess, so he'll need to go from the bottom of the Mur.

Froome to take Purito in a man to man sprint?

It's not Oman.

Purito's sprint is way weaker on flatter parts than steep. And on this thing the strongest wins, if contador played it out better 4 years ago he would have beat hushovd, gilbert and evans in a rather flat sprint. Ever saw that one happening? yea

Purito won flat sprints against guys like Sammy Sanchez, Chavanel, Brochard, Contador, Henao, Quintana in the past. His sprint on the flat is good enough to win races. Of course not as strong as someone like Valverde or Kwiatkowski, but better then guys like Froome, Contador, Nibali and Quintana.

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

I don't think the last km is steep enough for Purito to make a difference. Froome would take him in a man to man sprint I guess, so he'll need to go from the bottom of the Mur.

Froome to take Purito in a man to man sprint?

It's not Oman.

Purito's sprint is way weaker on flatter parts than steep. And on this thing the strongest wins, if contador played it out better 4 years ago he would have beat hushovd, gilbert and evans in a rather flat sprint. Ever saw that one happening? yea

Purito won flat sprints against guys like Sammy Sanchez, Chavanel, Brochard, Contador, Henao, Quintana in the past. His sprint on the flat is good enough to win races. Of course not as strong as someone like Valverde or Kwiatkowski, but better then guys like Froome, Contador, Nibali and Quintana.

Is gilber or hushovd their sprint better than Contador's sprint? If yes how did Contador then beat them?

The answer to that question makes your whole point of froome almost never beating purito tomorrow questionable.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Tour_de_France_2011_Stage_4_Mur_de_bretagne

hmm, you could lose seconds here but not nearly as much as Mur de Huy

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

I don't think the last km is steep enough for Purito to make a difference. Froome would take him in a man to man sprint I guess, so he'll need to go from the bottom of the Mur.

Froome to take Purito in a man to man sprint?

It's not Oman.

Purito's sprint is way weaker on flatter parts than steep. And on this thing the strongest wins, if contador played it out better 4 years ago he would have beat hushovd, gilbert and evans in a rather flat sprint. Ever saw that one happening? yea

Purito won flat sprints against guys like Sammy Sanchez, Chavanel, Brochard, Contador, Henao, Quintana in the past. His sprint on the flat is good enough to win races. Of course not as strong as someone like Valverde or Kwiatkowski, but better then guys like Froome, Contador, Nibali and Quintana.

Is gilber or hushovd their sprint better than Contador's sprint? If yes how did Contador then beat them?

The answer to that question makes your whole point of froome almost never beating purito tomorrow questionable.

But then you comparing Purito with the likes of Hushovd and Gilbert, and saying Purito will be more tired then Froome after the steep slopes of the Mur de Bretagne, so that Froome will be fresher then Purito for the sprint.

But Purito is better then Froome on these kind of climbs. So it would be logical that he would be fresher then Froome in a sprint for the stage win.

 

[Miburo]

That was gilbert in his godlike '11 form.

 

[Sasquatch]

Voeckler will get in his first breakaway today.