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2019 Tour de France, stage 2: Bruxelles - Brussel 27,6 km TT

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Re:

Jagartrott said:
So, did Ineos do this on purpose? The wind may play in their favour a little bit - but they have no time splits to compare to. Ineos favourites according to the bookies, but I'd say Jumbo and DQS.

Also, I don't get why Michelton is considered 3rd favourite. They have both Yates' and Haig, that three guys that are of little use in a TTT. It's all about Watts and big guys, guys that weigh 55-65 kg are just not helping the rest.

Maybe because they destroyed the opposition in Tirreno-Adriatico with Adam the day before Simon Yates won a flat TT in Paris-Nice.

Just maybe.
 
Re:

infeXio said:
What's peoples opinion on Quickstep for this one?

I have tipped them to win.

Asgreen and Lampaert are absolute monsters, that will both be in contention for winning the individual TT.

Further, it's a fairly technical and hilly TT for the first half, where Alaphilippe and Mas will also be able to contribute greatly, until Asgreen and Lampaert take over on he second half, where it is flat, wide roads.

I also think them starting after all the good teams, bar Jumbo, will give them an advantage against Ineos starting first, who will probably be sitting in the winners seats for a good hour and 45 minutes at the finish.

It should also be noted, that because of the Groenewegen crash, and everyone getting the same time on the line, they don't need to bring Viviani/Richeze all the way, they can put Alaphilippe or Asgreen in yellow instead, which allows them to ride that little bit faster.

Last, the TT being on home turf in Brussels, with all the crowds cheering them on the entire way, will put them that last bit over the line, to take the win.
 
Re:

happytramp said:
What sort of time gaps are we looking at.? A minute?

Between to top teams, it will be 5-10 seconds, unless conditions change dramatically during the race.

But for teams like Movistar and Astana, it will be more like 30-40 seconds..... though we are yet to see how much trouble Fuglsang is in after yesterday - today may be a catastrophe for Astana.
 
Re: Re:

Broccolidwarf said:
infeXio said:
What's peoples opinion on Quickstep for this one?

I have tipped them to win.

Asgreen and Lampaert are absolute monsters, that will both be in contention for winning the individual TT.

Further, it's a fairly technical and hilly TT for the first half, where Alaphilippe and Mas will also be able to contribute greatly, until Asgreen and Lampaert take over on he second half, where it is flat, wide roads.

I also think them starting after all the good teams, bar Jumbo, will give them an advantage against Ineos starting first, who will probably be sitting in the winners seats for a good hour and 45 minutes at the finish.

It should also be noted, that because of the Groenewegen crash, and everyone getting the same time on the line, they don't need to bring Viviani/Richeze all the way, they can put Alaphilippe or Asgreen in yellow instead, which allows them to ride that little bit faster.

Last, the TT being on home turf in Brussels, with all the crowds cheering them on the entire way, will put them that last bit over the line, to take the win.

This like the script to a Disney movie
 
Re: Re:

glassmoon said:
Lequack said:
hmm, kinda looks like he could've avoided that. yeah, easy to say from behind the keyboard but the Bahrain dude dodged it nicely...

Yeah, because "the Bahrain dude" was in front of Fuglsang. He saw it and could react. Fuglsang saw it too late and the dudes bike on the ground came across and stopped any way of dodging it.
 
Re: Re:

glassmoon said:
Lequack said:
hmm, kinda looks like he could've avoided that. yeah, easy to say from behind the keyboard but the Bahrain dude dodged it nicely...
(sorry for dwelling into off-topic)

I thought so too, he could have jumped onto the sidewalk, but from his perspective, it looks like he can clear the guy on the outside...... and then he swings the bike around..... and BOOM, face to asphalt.

Btw, I do not fault the Bahrain guy for swinging the bike round, he is clearly trying to get it out of the way of the peloton.

Just bad luck - it's not like anyone is questioning Fuglsangs bike handling skills, after Liege ;) - but it could have been avoided, if Astana knew how to ride GTs from the front, like Ineos :mad:
 
Re: Re:

tobydawq said:
Jagartrott said:
So, did Ineos do this on purpose? The wind may play in their favour a little bit - but they have no time splits to compare to. Ineos favourites according to the bookies, but I'd say Jumbo and DQS.

Also, I don't get why Michelton is considered 3rd favourite. They have both Yates' and Haig, that three guys that are of little use in a TTT. It's all about Watts and big guys, guys that weigh 55-65 kg are just not helping the rest.

Maybe because they destroyed the opposition in Tirreno-Adriatico with Adam the day before Simon Yates won a flat TT in Paris-Nice.

Just maybe.
Only 4/8 from that team are here, and Jumbo (also different squad) were 2nd at 7 seconds, so 'destroyed' it was not. We'll see, but small guys like the Yates' are a disadvantage in TTT.
 
Re: Re:

Broccolidwarf said:
Rollthedice said:
Ineos riding at the front didn't prevent Thomas crashing, it cost them starting first in the TTT.

Sure, but it is simple math, the further towards the front you are, the less likely you are to crash...... unless you sit at the very back, where you lose time instead, when a crash occurs.

Ineos was not riding in the front when Thomas crashed, there was at least 60 riders in front of them. So in the middle of bunch.

It kind of proves the theory right of course, but also makes a pretty funny note to original post that was baching Astana of not driving like Ineos who always keeps they key riders in safe in front. Everyone is occasionally bit furher back, but of course you minimize the odds of bad luck when you spend more time in front. *** just hits the fan sometimes regardless.
 
Re: Re:

Jagartrott said:
tobydawq said:
Jagartrott said:
So, did Ineos do this on purpose? The wind may play in their favour a little bit - but they have no time splits to compare to. Ineos favourites according to the bookies, but I'd say Jumbo and DQS.

Also, I don't get why Michelton is considered 3rd favourite. They have both Yates' and Haig, that three guys that are of little use in a TTT. It's all about Watts and big guys, guys that weigh 55-65 kg are just not helping the rest.

Maybe because they destroyed the opposition in Tirreno-Adriatico with Adam the day before Simon Yates won a flat TT in Paris-Nice.

Just maybe.
Only 4/8 from that team are here, and Jumbo (also different squad) were 2nd at 7 seconds, so 'destroyed' it was not. We'll see, but small guys like the Yates' are a disadvantage in TTT.

It was comparative destruction. Only five teams within a minute and Jumbo have lost van Emden and Roglic compared to that stage.
 
Re: Re:

bambino said:
Broccolidwarf said:
Rollthedice said:
Ineos riding at the front didn't prevent Thomas crashing, it cost them starting first in the TTT.

Sure, but it is simple math, the further towards the front you are, the less likely you are to crash...... unless you sit at the very back, where you lose time instead, when a crash occurs.

Ineos was not riding in the front when Thomas crashed, there was at least 60 riders in front of them. So in the middle of bunch.

It kind of proves the theory right of course, but also makes a pretty funny note to original post that was baching Astana of not driving like Ineos who always keeps they key riders in safe in front. Everyone is occasionally bit furher back, but of course you minimize the odds of bad luck when you spend more time in front. **** just hits the fan sometimes regardless.

Because it was inside the 3 k limit, where GC teams let up, to not get engrossed in the sprinter teams fight for position.

That is entirely different..... that is a decision that makes sense.

Astana letting Fuglsang sit with 1 guy on his wheel (and the rest of the team nowhere to be seen), in the middle of the peloton, with 15 k to go, is amateurish.
 

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