2016 Eneco Tour (WT): Sept 19 - 25th

[liamito]

Re:

The thing is, if Dennis, Phinney and Quinziato are all dropped early(ish) on i.e roughly twenty to go because Etixx have forced the pace, then GvA can't afford to sit on Sagan's wheel. If Dennis is distanced, then Sagan becomes the overwhelming favourite. However, if Rohan has a Zohan like day and stays in the main group all day, then Sagan has very little to no chance as GvA will likely follow him and sit on his wheel, and then outsprint him and take a few seconds too, if he attacks with 500 to go or so. GvA ofc has every right to do so, for obvious reasons.

Who should force the pace for Etixx? They also have some hard choices to make, who is going to be their main man for sunday? And how much are they willing to sacrifice? On paper they have 4 or 5 riders who could or maybe should finish top-10 in GC.

 

[Tank Engine]

No problem. Sagan has isolated BMC and Etixx and will deliver the final blow this weekend

Seriously, it is an intriguing situation. When on form (as undoubtedly he is now), Dennis is a decent power climber, but this field is a notch above what he would meet at e.g. the US Pro Challenge. In their favour, BMC have a couple of cards up their sleeve (most obviously, GvA, but also their dark horse Quinziato). Etixx have several players in the mix, but honestly speaking they have to get someone away from Sagan and the BMC guys. Sagan is the strongest rider, but he has a weaker team than BMC and Etixx. Sagan will be looking for bonuses, but it will be difficult to set up a situation where he can attack to win the golden kilometer sprints. Sagan will have to do something special to pull this one out of the bag.

The Lotto teams will be very active, particularly Soudal. Wellens will want to attack tomorrow and several of his team mates could provide a springboard (Greipel, Benoot, Roelandts and Debusschere are all within 2 minutes). Nearly 70 riders are within 2 minutes, so the make up of the break will be very important.

I think the start of tomorrow's stage will be manic. The profile at the start looks fairly easy, so it's likely that there will be a number of attempts to break away and the pace will be high until finally a break goes clear.

The profile is rather underwhelming for the Ardennes stage, but I hope the racers will make up for that (at least to some degree).

 

[Sandisfan]

There are several riders especially from BMC who I expect will send one or two guys (Quinziato, GVA or Phinney Probably 2 of 3) into the break and try to make Sagan chase. With other teams riders, like Martin, to go at some point I expect even if everything keeps getting brought back I expect a fast strong peloton all day and there is a good chance the peloton will be a reduced group well before the final 10 to 30 km.....That being said I hope Sagan can get this, 1st place and 10 sec. bonus, plus some seconds bonus either through a broken up field golden bonuses and get to within a 5 or so seconds of the GC.

 

[MacBAir]

Can we all agree that Eneco can be a fantastic race? First time watching it. Clearly the most awesome stage race on the calendar, besides the 3 GTs and the obviously always awesome Grandíssima Volta a Portugal.

 

[SKSemtex]

One thing is sure. This race with shitty parkur will bring us some amazing racing these two days and more GC attacks and GC tension then 5 years of Tour

 

[Jagartrott]

Should be sunny, around 25 °C and little wind the coming two days. So the weather will not make the race exciting, it's up to the riders.

 

[SKSemtex]

We might be as well be very negativly surprised with Sagan conservative riding just to secure his and Tinkoff UCI lead.
Can anybody update the current standing and points available?

 

[F e r o x]

Good for the race that Sagan can't wait until the sprint on Muur. Too bad GVA rides in the same team as the current leader. He won't be allowed to ride full gass together with Sagan.

But with Etixx in the mix and the doubt about Dennis Flemish riding skills, this could be fun. But I'm still butthurt about no real Ardennes ...

 

[LaFlorecita]

We might be as well be very negativly surprised with Sagan conservative riding just to secure his and Tinkoff UCI lead.
Can anybody update the current standing and points available?

With a 4th place he won't help Tinkoff much at all. One of their riders would have to finish 4th or better in Lombardia with Movistar scoring 0 points.

 

[SKSemtex]

We might be as well be very negativly surprised with Sagan conservative riding just to secure his and Tinkoff UCI lead.
Can anybody update the current standing and points available?

With a 4th place he won't help Tinkoff much at all. One of their riders would have to finish 4th or better in Lombardia with Movistar scoring 0 points.

Good.
I prefer to see him loosing the race and overall uci standing to see him defensivly riding for second or third place.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Can we all agree that Eneco can be a fantastic race? First time watching it. Clearly the most awesome stage race on the calendar, besides the 3 GTs and the obviously always awesome Grandíssima Volta a Portugal.

They did use an underwhelming course this year, but it's a really nice race for sure.
First Eneco Tour years were really bad as well, but last years they always used the 1 day races courses in the stage race which is good ofcourse.

 

[MacBAir]

Re: Re:

Can we all agree that Eneco can be a fantastic race? First time watching it. Clearly the most awesome stage race on the calendar, besides the 3 GTs and the obviously always awesome Grandíssima Volta a Portugal.

They did use an underwhelming course this year, but it's a really nice race for sure.
First Eneco Tour years were really bad as well, but last years they always used the 1 day races courses in the stage race which is good ofcourse.

I'm also against TTTs, but since otherwise Peter would have this under the bag already, it has created some nice drama. Heck, the TTT itself was really nice.

Cycling this year has been fantastic, besides the Tour GC "battles".

 

[Gigs_98]

Today is the Ardennes stage right? So is this the day where Wellens is will to win?

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Today is the Ardennes stage right? So is this the day where Wellens is will to win?

Well, today is more like an underwhelming AGR. Something might be possible today if it's raced right, there are a few decent hills on the road, but they're probably too easy and too few and far between to do much damage. I wouldn't expect too much.

Actually looking at the stage again, it's a decent enough stage. There are a few nice climbs out there. But it's a shame we get this instead of a proper Ardennes stage. I don't think it's hard enough for somebody like Wellens to make a difference.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Also, Gougeard is in the break. Game over peloton!

Break is Gougeard, McNally, Haga, De Vries, Van Lerberghe and Pibernik.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Can we all agree that Eneco can be a fantastic race? First time watching it. Clearly the most awesome stage race on the calendar, besides the 3 GTs and the obviously always awesome Grandíssima Volta a Portugal.

They did use an underwhelming course this year, but it's a really nice race for sure.
First Eneco Tour years were really bad as well, but last years they always used the 1 day races courses in the stage race which is good ofcourse.

I'm also against TTTs, but since otherwise Peter would have this under the bag already, it has created some nice drama. Heck, the TTT itself was really nice.

Cycling this year has been fantastic, besides the Tour GC "battles".

I'm not 'against' TTT's, if used properly. The course should be a bit more challenging. This time were safe by an extremely good Sagan.

 

[Keram]

Todays stage pretends to be ardennes but IMO it is harder sprint stage and I wouldn´t be surprised if Greipel would won. I don´t expect anything special today. But tomorrow stage remind me of E3 Harelbeke so if it is raced properly should be fun.

 

[Velolover2]

This is the hardest climb on the route. Not long but kinda steep.

 

[MacBAir]

Re:

This is the hardest climb on the route. Not long but kinda steep.

When is that? How much from the finish? If close, Sagan will go for it. I smell it.

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

This is the hardest climb on the route. Not long but kinda steep.

When is that? How much from the finish? If close, Sagan will go for it. I smell it.

Cote Bois Le Dame with about 50k to go. Hopefully Wellens will try something. If Sagan wants to try something, he'll have to wait until the Helambaye climb (800 m at 8,6%) with 25k to go.

 

[MacBAir]

Where is the rest of the Tinkoff team, FFS? I see all BMC, all Sky and all Ettix, there. But there's no Tinkoff.

Thank God Sagan will have a better team, next year.

 

[Samamba]

No WC for Sieberg

 

[Alexandre B.]

Hard blow for Sieberg and Germany.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Peloton in pieces on that 12% climb now, will probably come back together. Benoot, Oss and a Canondale guy breaking away. Another (easier) climb to come soon......

EDIT: DD guy bridged, Bauer, Benoot, Haas and Oss away now.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Some attacks, nothing really sticking, but at least they got rid of Kittel