2019 Tour de France, stage 11: Albi > Toulouse 167km

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Apparently Bol is getting his chance today

 

[Screecher]

Re:

Apparently Bol is getting his chance today

Why? Did Sunweb lose hope in Matthews's green jersey hunt?

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Re:

Any chance of cross winds today?

After the intermediate sprint the direction brings x-winds into play for 30 km. The wind forecast doesn't seem quite as strong as it did on monday. But the biggest problem is that the last 40 km of the stage turn into a headwind so there may not be so much point in teams attacking

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Any chance of cross winds today?

After the intermediate sprint the direction brings x-winds into play for 30 km. The wind forecast doesn't seem quite as strong as it did on monday. But the biggest problem is that the last 40 km of the stage turn into a headwind so there may not be so much point in teams attacking

I agree with the conclusion that nothing will happen today, but I have an issue with the bolded part.

Imagine that splits occur like on Monday in the crosswind. Then it wouldn't exactly be easier for the people who have been spat out of the peloton to come back if there is a bout of headwind later.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

For those not watching danish TV, Cort said in the pre-stage interview, that Astana had used the rest day, to define who was supposed to do what on the team, to help the captain during the tour.

The journalist then (logically) asked: "Should you not have done that before the tour started?"

Cort: "Yes"

Journalist: "Why have you not done it before?"

Cort: "Good question"

I'm truly shocked how unprofessional the Astana leadership is

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Re: Re:

Any chance of cross winds today?

After the intermediate sprint the direction brings x-winds into play for 30 km. The wind forecast doesn't seem quite as strong as it did on monday. But the biggest problem is that the last 40 km of the stage turn into a headwind so there may not be so much point in teams attacking

I agree with the conclusion that nothing will happen today, but I have an issue with the bolded part.

Imagine that splits occur like on Monday in the crosswind. Then it wouldn't exactly be easier for the people who have been spat out of the peloton to come back if there is a bout of headwind later.

Usually what happens is nobody really fancies riding into a headwind for an hour when they can just spend half the energy sat off the front - so co-operation tends to break down. But let's see

 

[Bolder]

It's definitely windy but I can't see anyone burning candles today with the Pyrenees stages coming up. But I've been pretty wrong about when the action would occur so far...

 

[tobydawq]

I don't think it's windy at all.

 

[search]

even if so, there's a headwind for the the whole final 50k or so, which will kill all action anyway

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re:

It's definitely windy but I can't see anyone burning candles today with the Pyrenees stages coming up. But I've been pretty wrong about when the action would occur so far...

You say it is "definitely windy", but in the live pictures, we barely see leaves move on the trees........ I think you are wrong

 

[Jagartrott]

Re:

For those not watching danish TV, Cort said in the pre-stage interview, that Astana had used the rest day, to define who was supposed to do what on the team, to help the captain during the tour.

The journalist then (logically) asked: "Should you not have done that before the tour started?"

Cort: "Yes"

Journalist: "Why have you not done it before?"

Cort: "Good question"

I'm truly shocked how unprofessional the Astana leadership is

Unprofessional as a team, but I'd say it's also up to Fuglsang to put this on the table before the Tour's start if the sports directors don't take action.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

Apparently Bol is getting his chance today

Why? Did Sunweb lose hope in Matthews's green jersey hunt?

It's just more of a Bol type sprint than Matthews, and I think they never believed in green to begin with

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

It's definitely windy but I can't see anyone burning candles today with the Pyrenees stages coming up. But I've been pretty wrong about when the action would occur so far...

You say it is "definitely windy", but in the live pictures, we barely see leaves move on the trees........ I think you are wrong

You're not watching through the same window.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Apparently Bol is getting his chance today

Good idea. I've been wondering how come he didn't get a chance to ride the flat sprints.

 

[search]

Nikias Arndt will be the last leadout man for Bol btw. That's what the team said at least (Kragh - Matthews - Arndt - Bol is the order they want to go for)

 

[brownbobby]

Re: Re:

For those not watching danish TV, Cort said in the pre-stage interview, that Astana had used the rest day, to define who was supposed to do what on the team, to help the captain during the tour.

The journalist then (logically) asked: "Should you not have done that before the tour started?"

Cort: "Yes"

Journalist: "Why have you not done it before?"

Cort: "Good question"

I'm truly shocked how unprofessional the Astana leadership is

Unprofessional as a team, but I'd say it's also up to Fuglsang to put this on the table before the Tour's start if the sports directors don't take action.

Maybe...but if the DS's aren't giving direction and taking action, then what are they doing??

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

Nikias Arndt will be the last leadout man for Bol btw. That's what the team said at least (Kragh - Matthews - Arndt - Bol is the order they want to go for)

It will be interesting to see how Bol does. He has probably been the most successful “minor” or “up and coming” sprinter recently, so he deserves a shot against the big boys. It’s not as if Matthews has a chance in a real bunch sprint.

 

[sir fly]

The breakaway has wrapped it up.
The gap expanded for 50 % in the last 10 kilometres, and it's after half of the stage.
The peloton's cooked!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re:

The breakaway has wrapped it up.
The gap expanded for 50 % in the last 10 kilometres, and it's after half of the stage.
The peloton's cooked!

Hmmm... ok.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

The breakaway has wrapped it up.
The gap expanded for 50 % in the last 10 kilometres, and it's after half of the stage.
The peloton's cooked!

Hmmm... ok.

Doesn't sound logical?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

The breakaway has wrapped it up.
The gap expanded for 50 % in the last 10 kilometres, and it's after half of the stage.
The peloton's cooked!

Hmmm... ok.

Doesn't sound logical?

Hehehe, let's just say i doubt the break will make it

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

The breakaway has wrapped it up.
The gap expanded for 50 % in the last 10 kilometres, and it's after half of the stage.
The peloton's cooked!

Hmmm... ok.

Doesn't sound logical?

Hehehe, let's just say i doubt the break will make it

Look!
Peloton's taking the food.
Told you they're spent.

 

[search]

Re: Re:

Nikias Arndt will be the last leadout man for Bol btw. That's what the team said at least (Kragh - Matthews - Arndt - Bol is the order they want to go for)

It will be interesting to see how Bol does. He has probably been the most successful “minor” or “up and coming” sprinter recently, so he deserves a shot against the big boys. It’s not as if Matthews has a chance in a real bunch sprint.

definitely. Bahrain may also go for Cortina instead of Colbrelli by the way (to whom applies the same, basically)

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

The breakaway has wrapped it up.
The gap expanded for 50 % in the last 10 kilometres, and it's after half of the stage.
The peloton's cooked!

Hmmm... ok.

Doesn't sound logical?

Hehehe, let's just say i doubt the break will make it

Look!
Peloton's taking the food.
Told you they're spent.

The stage is too long obviously

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

For those not watching danish TV, Cort said in the pre-stage interview, that Astana had used the rest day, to define who was supposed to do what on the team, to help the captain during the tour.

The journalist then (logically) asked: "Should you not have done that before the tour started?"

Cort: "Yes"

Journalist: "Why have you not done it before?"

Cort: "Good question"

I'm truly shocked how unprofessional the Astana leadership is

Unprofessional as a team, but I'd say it's also up to Fuglsang to put this on the table before the Tour's start if the sports directors don't take action.

Maybe...but if the DS's aren't giving direction and taking action, then what are they doing??

Another titbit from Astana (heard on the radio today):

Apparently all their radio communication is in italian, despite not a single italian DS or rider being at the race