2019 Tour de France, stage 3: Binche - Epernay, 215km

[Rollthedice]

Third stage, classics type, fairly long, up and down last 50 km or so on narrow roads, crash alert, one murito and the last 500 m at 8%. Could be interesting even for the GC contenders. For Cote de Mutigny there are bonus seconds, the winner will receive eight seconds, the runner-up five seconds and the third-placed finisher two seconds.

 

[Robert5091]

https://netstorage.lequipe.fr/ASO/cycling_tdf/rules-reglement-tour-de-france-2019.pdf

Time bonuses are awarded at the end of every road stage and, therefore, not in the individual or team time trial. The first three riders receive 10, 6 and 4 seconds, respectively. Time bonuses, known as Bonus Points, are awarded on passes or the summit of hills at key locations on the route. There is 8 Bonus Points distribute in the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th, and 19th stages. The bonuses awarded are 8, 5 and 2 seconds to the first three riders classified.

I assume it's the Cote de Mutigny that has time bonuses. Also there's 3, 2 and 1 second at the intermediate sprint according to https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2019-route/stage-3-tdf-2019/

Edit - according to the rule book it's only points on offer at the intermediate sprint, so forget that!

at each intermediate sprint, 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points to the first 15 riders;

 

[Koronin]

Should be a stage for the puncheurs.

 

[JosephK]

Re:

https://netstorage.lequipe.fr/ASO/cycling_tdf/rules-reglement-tour-de-france-2019.pdf

Time bonuses are awarded at the end of every road stage and, therefore, not in the individual or team time trial. The first three riders receive 10, 6 and 4 seconds, respectively. Time bonuses, known as Bonus Points, are awarded on passes or the summit of hills at key locations on the route. There is 8 Bonus Points distribute in the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th, and 19th stages. The bonuses awarded are 8, 5 and 2 seconds to the first three riders classified.

I assume it's the Cote de Mutigny that has time bonuses. Also there's 3, 2 and 1 second at the intermediate sprint according to https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2019-route/stage-3-tdf-2019/

Wow, time bonuses for select hill summits before the finishes. This is new, yes? I like it.

 

[Robert5091]

Yep, only 15km from the finish so would not be surprised if Ineos gets the train rolling for those bonus seconds - Thomas got some last year, and Froome went for them too in the Vuelta.

 

[Rollthedice]

Bonus seconds here:

Stage 3 (Epernay): cote de Mutigny
Stage 6 (La Planche des Belles Filles): col des Chevreres
Stage 8 (Saint-Etienne): cote de la Jailliere
Stage 9 (Brioude): cote de Saint-Just
Stage 12 (Bagneres-de-Bigorre): Hourquette d’Ancizan
Stage 15 (Foix Prat d’Albis): mur de Peguere
Stage 18 (Valloire): col du Galibier
Stage 19 (Tignes): col de l’Iseran

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Should be a stage for the puncheurs.

There's no fooling you

Very interesting final part of the stage. It should hopefully be better than the Quimper stage from last year.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Should be a stage for the puncheurs.

Bottom of the final rise.

 

[Velolover2]

GVA has told the press that he is targeting this stage. Perhaps from a break if he doesn't want to sprint against Matthews and Sagan and defend his polka dot jersey.

I'd also like to see attacks from Wellens, Bennoot, Bettinol and Schachmann (if he isn't locked in his role). And I'm sure Ala both want the bonus seconds on Mutigny and the stage win.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Should be a stage for the puncheurs.

There's no fooling you

Well we also had someone from M-S interviewed after today's stage on our broadcast and he was saying it could be a good stage for Adam Yates. Chris Horner and Christian VendeVelde also think it's one for the sprinters who can climb and the puncheurs.

 

[Robert5091]

https://twitter.com/AstanaTeam/status/1147876522902130688

@jakob_fuglsang: “I expected that I could just sit in the final wheel today, but I was able to pedal without too much pain and I did my turns. We did a decent team time-trial, I’m happy with this performance!”

Hopefully Fuglsang will be o.k.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Second day is usually worse than first day after a crash. But I do not believe this profile will cause even an injured Fugl any problems

 

[Blanco]

It's Valverde vs Alaphilippe stage...

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

It's Valverde vs Alaphilippe stage...

Maybe for second.

This is going to be Sagan's win. He may not relish the very steep Mutigny but he has plenty of time to get back, should he be dropped (which is unlikely).

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re: Re:

It's Valverde vs Alaphilippe stage...

Maybe for second.

This is going to be Sagan's win. He may not relish the very steep Mutigny but he has plenty of time to get back, should he be dropped (which is unlikely).

Final climb is tough enough for them to drop Sagan.. Especially if he's just had to expend energy to catch the leaders if he's dropped on Mutigny.

 

[Velolover2]

The thing is, Mutigny comes 17 km before the finish.. so there has to be some serious GC action if they want to eliminate Sagan and Matthews.

Wout van Aert could win a stage like this if he survives the wall. The final should be quite technical with two sharp turns. Perfect for a cross-rider.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

Bonus seconds here:

Stage 3 (Epernay): cote de Mutigny
Stage 6 (La Planche des Belles Filles): col des Chevreres
Stage 8 (Saint-Etienne): cote de la Jailliere
Stage 9 (Brioude): cote de Saint-Just
Stage 12 (Bagneres-de-Bigorre): Hourquette d’Ancizan
Stage 15 (Foix Prat d’Albis): mur de Peguere
Stage 18 (Valloire): col du Galibier
Stage 19 (Tignes): col de l’Iseran

Pathetic. If they designed courses to be less terrible, they wouldn't need to add yet further artificiality to encourage action. Hopefully this doesn't just lead to the favourites hanging together and sprinting out the summits in stages they don't expect to take an attack to the line in.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Actually you don't need any bonus on a finale like that. Looks like Tirreno to me.

 

[markene2]

Time to unleash Luts

 

[Red Rick]

Forgot about the bonus seconds on the hills

 

[Laplaz]

Balaphilippe

 

[Gigs_98]

Hopefully some guys attack on those hills then it could be an interesting stage. Wouldn't be surprised though if it ends in a reduced bunch sprint

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Hopefully some guys attack on those hills then it could be an interesting stage. Wouldn't be surprised though if it ends in a reduced bunch sprint

I am bit suprised to see the finish line in some random quartier résidentiel outside of the city.

 

[JosephK]

Could this be a stage for Wonder Wout?

 

[Wvv]

C'mon Greg, get some of ur 2015-2017 mojo back!