55th GP Frankfurt, 1st May 2017, 216 km, 1.UWT

[Squire]

Re:

Sagan abandons.

It better have been a good party! :lol:

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He's on a German-sponsored and registered team and it's Germany's biggest one-day race, so probably the sponsors wanted it.

 

[Laplaz]

Kittel and Greipel dropped.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

He's on a German-sponsored and registered team and it's Germany's biggest one-day race, so probably the sponsors wanted it.

It was more a question of why he rode it since he is obviously not feeling well. Unless it really is because of a hangover, he shouldn't really ride in this kind of weather if he is sick (and to suddenly be the worst rider in the team is quite strange for him even if he is in bad shape).

 

[Akuryo]

That toddler-race just now was too cute

 

[RedheadDane]

They get younger and younger those riders.

The Danish commentator was actually commentating the toddler race.

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

He's on a German-sponsored and registered team and it's Germany's biggest one-day race, so probably the sponsors wanted it.

It was more a question of why he rode it since he is obviously not feeling well. Unless it really is because of a hangover, he shouldn't really ride in this kind of weather if he is sick (and to suddenly be the worst rider in the team is quite strange for him even if he is in bad shape).

Well Libertine already answered it...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

That toddler-race just now was too cute

Apparently John Degenkolb's son was among them

 

[Squire]

Who are the two Quicksteppers in the front group? The commentator says Degenkolb is the only top sprinter in there. Wouldn't the two Quickstep riders drop back if Gaviria is in the second group? I thought one of the two in the front group looks a bit like Gav.

Edit: Oh, forget it. It's coming back.
Edit2: Apparently it was Serry & Vakoc.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cobbled tramline crossings on corners, lethal in this weather. Lots of nostalgia for me in this part of run-in.

 

[Vroome.exe]

Lol this moto near the leaders is ridiculous.

 

[Squire]

Bennett, Ackermann, Kristoff, Degenkolb, Swift, Lobato, Naesen & Matthews are there, I think. Don't know about Gaviria.

 

[tobydawq]

Am I the only one who cannot see the finish line? Did they forget to draw it? I only see four fields with sponsor writing.

 

[shalgo]

Re:

Lol this moto near the leaders is ridiculous.

It is getting so close that I have been worried about a collision a couple of times.

 

[saganist]

Re:

Am I the only one who cannot see the finish line? Did they forget to draw it? I only see four fields with sponsor writing.

It's probably covered until the last lap

 

[LaFlorecita]

49 riders in the first group (at least some minutes ago). Names here: https://twitter.com/ProCyclingStats/status/859067475027251200

 

[Vroome.exe]

What was that finish? Just delete this race.

 

[sir fly]

What a dominance!

 

[Scarponi]

Destroyed everyone

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Comical

 

[SKSemtex]

Waw, what a finnish by Katusa

 

[tobydawq]

The most boring sprint in the history of sprints... What was Stuyven doing?

 

[saganist]

Re: Re:

Am I the only one who cannot see the finish line? Did they forget to draw it? I only see four fields with sponsor writing.

It's probably covered until the last lap

Nope, there was no line

 

[the asian]

Good result for Zabel.

His most impressive performance?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Monster sprint from Kristoff. Brutal leadout from Zabel too. Demolished the field completely there, should be a timegap from them before Degenkolb even.

This is Germany's biggest one-dayer, and I get that the top German names are sprinters at the moment (at least among one day racers), but with Hamburg and Köln both being sprinter-friendly I think with Frankfurt now going World Tour, the following things need to be considered:

- After the first long circuit, instead of doing the additional Mammolshainer circuits over again, instead go over Mammolshain the first time, descend to Oberursel-Hohemark, climb Großer Feldberg again, descend through Königstein to do Mammolshain before the return to Frankfurt - sure, there are fewer of the steeper obstacles, but climbing the short steep Mammolshain almost immediately off the back of a lengthy if not steep climb's descent might help dislodge a few more sprinters more comprehensively than they have been lately.
- Fewer highways on the run-in; once you get to Rödelheim there's nothing wrong with the route, but if they cut the Sossenheim section out of the run-in, instead leave the main road near Limesstadt and take the smaller road into Eschborn centre, they can create a route which, though not narrow, gives an escape more chance of getting out of the group's sight.
- Perhaps run the closing circuit in reverse for the same reason. If they're trimming the size of the group that's arriving in Frankfurt to contest the sprint, then it's not going to be as dangerous to have several corners in the circuit as if there's a péloton of 100+. The curves on Bockenheimer Anlage offer more opportunity for somebody to get a bit of a gap in the immediate run-in than coming along Taunusanlage.