- Feb 9, 2013
- 7,195
- 8,564
- 23,180
- Feb 9, 2013
- 7,195
- 8,564
- 23,180
Depends on what age you currently are, I suppose. For you young'uns YOLO is still a go... I can relate, back when I was younger my body still could do what my brain assigned it to do. Nowadays you just learn how to navigate your life through all the physical aches and pains due to injury...
Anyway, I think us older athletes (and/or spectators) just view things differently. That's not to say we can't still be incredibly stupid, it just means we view sport in general differently.
I didn't post yesterday because I had no idea about the sprint, but I have a pretty clear view on this one.
Again, I say MVDP is not for me. Apart from the lack of cooperation that plagues him, the final climb is a little too long . There will be riders with him who will be stronger (now that more riders are out of contention the breaks will to get stronger) and it will be hard for him and his team to pull anyone back in the last 30km without cooperation. I mean, he's a freak so who knows, but not for me and certainly not at the price the market has him.
It could also be a Bouwman and Kamna stage but they both have KOTM ambitions so perhaps they save their energy for later stages rather than one that only offers three measly Cat 3s.
Obviously it's an open stage but I am quite strongly with SIMON YATES (25-1). Bike Exchange is desperate and will look to get multiple riders in the break. Yates looked frisky on Stage 10, suggesting he's on the way back after the Blockhaus disaster. If he gets in the break with a helper or two then he can win it on the final climb, much like he did twice recently in Asturias. Those climbs where he rode away from everyone (weaker field, true) were 3km at 9% and 2.2km at 9.2%, so not terribly different to this one (4.3km @ 7.9%). Admittedly there's a bit further to the finish after the climb here but with his time trial form this ought not to be a problem. Also, the heat, which has been a problem for him, shouldn't be a problem here (cloudy, mid 20s, chance of rain late).
So, yeah, Yates is a strong play for me, with small plays on other Bike Exchange riders (Howson at 200-1) is particularly appealing.
Won't be a GC day but could still be quite entertaining.
Again, I say MVDP is not for me. Apart from the lack of cooperation that plagues him, the final climb is a little too long . There will be riders with him who will be stronger (now that more riders are out of contention the breaks will to get stronger) and it will be hard for him and his team to pull anyone back in the last 30km without cooperation. I mean, he's a freak so who knows, but not for me and certainly not at the price the market has him.
It could also be a Bouwman and Kamna stage but they both have KOTM ambitions so perhaps they save their energy for later stages rather than one that only offers three measly Cat 3s.
Obviously it's an open stage but I am quite strongly with SIMON YATES (25-1). Bike Exchange is desperate and will look to get multiple riders in the break. Yates looked frisky on Stage 10, suggesting he's on the way back after the Blockhaus disaster. If he gets in the break with a helper or two then he can win it on the final climb, much like he did twice recently in Asturias. Those climbs where he rode away from everyone (weaker field, true) were 3km at 9% and 2.2km at 9.2%, so not terribly different to this one (4.3km @ 7.9%). Admittedly there's a bit further to the finish after the climb here but with his time trial form this ought not to be a problem. Also, the heat, which has been a problem for him, shouldn't be a problem here (cloudy, mid 20s, chance of rain late).
So, yeah, Yates is a strong play for me, with small plays on other Bike Exchange riders (Howson at 200-1) is particularly appealing.
Won't be a GC day but could still be quite entertaining.
- Aug 6, 2010
- 6,884
- 6,216
- 23,180
Vincenzo Nibali will win this bike race.
On the off chance that The Barb is wrong.
On the off chance that The Barb is wrong.
- Jul 10, 2014
- 14,992
- 25,987
- 28,180
Caleb Ewan will not start, as planned.
View: https://twitter.com/Lotto_Soudal/status/1527152505591074816
View: https://twitter.com/Lotto_Soudal/status/1527152505591074816
Last edited:
- May 19, 2012
- 5,449
- 2,737
- 23,180
MVP will be closing gaps and trying pointless premature attacks... somebody else will win.
- Feb 18, 2015
- 13,820
- 9,810
- 28,180
As much as I hate the changes to the stage, it does make it extremely hard to judge who will win. That final climb is pretty tough and almost certainly hard enough to drop the likes of MvdP. But it's probably also too far out for a climber to win solo and the bigger engines will have a lot of flat road to make up time lost earlier. Really hard to predict the winner.
- Jul 10, 2014
- 14,992
- 25,987
- 28,180
- May 9, 2010
- 11,070
- 2,540
- 28,180
Good take! Yates could definitely be in the mix today and if he decides to go for it - and ends up in the break - he's for sure one of the favorites. However, there's a chance that he saves himself for the weekend and the risk that he doesn't manage to get into the break due to the flat start (he's usually pretty good at that, though).
I get that after 4 or 5 hours on the bike, the last thing a rider wants to do is to crouch to open a bottle. If you're giving them a large heavy bottle, put it on a table!
- Aug 9, 2021
- 5,982
- 6,475
- 17,180
I really appreciate this race. Such an even field, old men's comebacks, historical wins, twists and drama, yet not those really serious injuries. Unexpected, plus MVdP as a joker.
The field is so open. The teams more even.
And hopefully no one will ever get hurt by a Prosecco again. I would have appreciated Biniam in the race today for sure.
Oh I forgot; Landa is still in the race, which is yet another bonus!
The field is so open. The teams more even.
And hopefully no one will ever get hurt by a Prosecco again. I would have appreciated Biniam in the race today for sure.
Oh I forgot; Landa is still in the race, which is yet another bonus!
Last edited:
- Apr 10, 2019
- 12,075
- 15,990
- 23,180
If Yates isn't entering the breakaway BEX should try sending Sobrero in the breakaway. I guess Diego Rosa will be there again to sprint for soome KoM points. Would be nice to see some big engines in the breakaway, since not too many teams will be confident that their fast man will make it over the climbs and Lotto no longer have Ewan in the race to randomly pull for, just before he gets dropped...
I guess Cofidis will be riding to bring it all back together for Consonni after yesterday.
I guess Cofidis will be riding to bring it all back together for Consonni after yesterday.
- Jan 7, 2012
- 194
- 249
- 9,230
- May 14, 2009
- 3,275
- 1,138
- 16,680
A rider of Yates calibre I think would aim bigger than for a stage like the one today. I would much rather put my money on him on Sunday than today.
- Feb 20, 2012
- 53,927
- 44,316
- 28,180
With 30km of flat it just makes it a useless breakaway stage 95% of the time if not more.
- Aug 6, 2010
- 6,884
- 6,216
- 23,180
- Aug 6, 2010
- 6,884
- 6,216
- 23,180
- Feb 1, 2011
- 9,403
- 2,275
- 20,680
- Sep 20, 2017
- 12,408
- 23,458
- 28,180
56 km/h in the first 36 minutes on what's mostly been an uphill false flat... surely they can't keep this up much longer?
- Feb 21, 2019
- 4,347
- 6,981
- 16,180
- Feb 16, 2010
- 15,334
- 6,031
- 28,180
TRENDING THREADS
-
World Championship 2025: Men’s RR, September 28- Started by Berniece
- Replies: 2K
-
Teams & Riders The Remco Evenepoel is the next Eddy Merckx thread- Started by DNP-Old
- Replies: 36K
-
Teams & Riders Tadej Pogačar discussion thread- Started by Lequack
- Replies: 41K
-
Il Lombardia 2025, monument, October 11- Started by Krzysztof_O
- Replies: 792
-
Teams & Riders The Great Big Cycling Transfers, Extensions, and Rumours Thread- Started by RedheadDane
- Replies: 13K
-
European Championship 2025: Men’s RR, October 5- Started by Berniece
- Replies: 854
-
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram