2019 C du Dauphiné stage 7 St. Genix - Les Sept 133.5 km

[woodburn]

Very possible TJ can get his third Dauphine podium after 2010 and 2015.

 

[JosephK]

The final stage could make for interesting racing. Hope the weather is better. Fuglsang has to be the favorite, now . . . but not a lock.

 

[Anderis]

Re:

Tejay surprisingly good. I'd like to see him on the podium again.

This climb was perfect for him but yes, it's the first time since 2017 he was in the mix in any race bigger than Tour of California so a good sign.

 

[movingtarget]

Fuglsang looked strong and should hang on. Seems his earlier form hasn't deserted him. Quintana and Porte not so good. Nice ride by Tejay, still a chance for the podium.

 

[Simurgh]

The stage had potential, but my uneducated guess is, that the weather made the riders feel less confident in themselves and felt they had more bad legs than they actually had. The time gaps weren't that big, and only Kruijswijk and Quintana (his attack was clearly a feint) were one level below the Fuglsang, Buchmann and the leader's group, who were close to each other. I don't have too high hopes on the stage tomorrow, unless Poels doesn't have his usual off-day.

 

[Robert5091]

Everyone who finished today deserves a mention - terrible weather. Poels wins - Ineos's dom(!) - Fuglsang gets yellow, all the TdF hopelfulls? ... ok, we'll blame it on the weather, but there's work to be done.

 

[tobydawq]

This was only Ineos' second WorldTour win of the season after Bernal's overall win in Paris-Nice.

Shockingly low tally.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

This was only Ineos' second WorldTour win of the season after Bernal's overall win in Paris-Nice.

Shockingly low tally.

Master tacticians.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

This was only Ineos' second WorldTour win of the season after Bernal's overall win in Paris-Nice.

Shockingly low tally.

Master tacticians.

With all that climbing and GC talent they've hoarded they've basically let everyone but Bernal and sorta Kwiat completely tank the WT spring races.

 

[RedheadDane]

Uhm… Wout (Van Aert), most people take their helmet off before going to the podium. :lol:

 

[Rollthedice]

Looking how this field looks like, Thomas should win the Tour fingers in the nose. Very disappointing climbing level compared to fourth Skineos man. Even Teejay could take a top 5 like in the good old days.

 

[Lequack]

Quintana, Porte and Kruijswik really need to put some magic into the training to be ready for the Tour, they seemed to have lost more than expected today. Especially Quintana with his big attack I actually saw him maybe winning the stage and overall at first.

Very nice surprise by Teejay to be up there, he was showing some form already at Tour of California. Also Sepp Kuss seemed to have found his legs again, 1 month too late unfortunately, and he's not doing the Tour as well which is a shame.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Looking how this field looks like, Thomas should win the Tour fingers in the nose. Very disappointing climbing level compared to fourth Skineos man. Even Teejay could take a top 5 like in the good old days.

Maybe Nibali can jsut think of the Tour as the 9th week of the Giro

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re:

Looking how this field looks like, Thomas should win the Tour fingers in the nose. Very disappointing climbing level compared to fourth Skineos man. Even Teejay could take a top 5 like in the good old days.

If Uran hits 2017 shape he actually has a chance, his team is looking pretty strong on all kinds of terrain.

 

[Lequack]

Can Bernal rebel against Geraint or is he forbidden to?

 

[RedheadDane]

Well, just because I'm silly, here's the race report from Cofidis, with a little help from FB auto-translate:

it was the apocalypse on the road to the Critérium du Dauphiné. Under the storm it is wout poels who triumphs at the top of a stage marked by the breakaway in the long course of Jesper Hansen. Our Danish climber resisted the race, ONLY 8 km away from the line. Stéphane was also on the attack today! Nico Edet gave it all but couldn't follow the rhythm of the favorites in the final. Hat Gentlemen the runners for braving with courage these conditions conditions!

Love the last bit...

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

Looking how this field looks like, Thomas should win the Tour fingers in the nose. Very disappointing climbing level compared to fourth Skineos man. Even Teejay could take a top 5 like in the good old days.

Maybe Nibali can jsut think of the Tour as the 9th week of the Giro

Unless Quintana and Porte are preparing with Slongo, I really don't see them anywhere near the podium in Le Tour.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Can Bernal rebel against Geraint or is he forbidden to?

I think it depends on how Suisse turns out. If Thomas' level is as good as Bernal, Thomas will likely be the man, but no matter what Bernal will be protected in Le Tour and then it only requires one misstep and Bernal will be the man.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Kruijswijck underwhelming as well.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Looking how this field looks like, Thomas should win the Tour fingers in the nose. Very disappointing climbing level compared to fourth Skineos man. Even Teejay could take a top 5 like in the good old days.

Maybe Nibali can jsut think of the Tour as the 9th week of the Giro

Unless Quintana and Porte are preparing with Slongo, I really don't see them anywhere near the podium in Le Tour.

At least Porte has some excuses with illness and missed racing. Quintana is an enigma these days performance wise although it all seems to be heading in one direction........

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re:

Looking how this field looks like, Thomas should win the Tour fingers in the nose. Very disappointing climbing level compared to fourth Skineos man. Even Teejay could take a top 5 like in the good old days.

I don't think you can use a stage like today, with the weather being what it was, to make that conclusion.

Cold/wet vs warm/dry is very different indeed.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

Looking how this field looks like, Thomas should win the Tour fingers in the nose. Very disappointing climbing level compared to fourth Skineos man. Even Teejay could take a top 5 like in the good old days.

I am starting to believe it as well! LOL.
Maybe the weather had something to do with it.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

Quintana, Porte and Kruijswik really need to put some magic into the training to be ready for the Tour, they seemed to have lost more than expected today. Especially Quintana with his big attack I actually saw him maybe winning the stage and overall at first.

Very nice surprise by Teejay to be up there, he was showing some form already at Tour of California. Also Sepp Kuss seemed to have found his legs again, 1 month too late unfortunately, and he's not doing the Tour as well which is a shame.

I don't know what is wrong with Quintana these days either. At some point he was just more focused on the computer than riding hard like if it was a training. Either that or they need to get him out of his home country for training.

Porte has an excuse. Kruijswik is a diesel engine. He needs more days to warm up.

 

[RedheadDane]

So, Fuglsang actually attackted partially because of the rain:

“When we started, it looked like it was going to be a nice day. We were hoping for a good weather the whole day but in the last climb it was so cold… Half of me was just saying ‘okay let’s get to the finish as fast as possible”, that was the only thing I wanted to do,” Fuglsang explained.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Sepp Kuss is seemingly finding his form now.