71st Tour de Romandie - April 25th-30th

[fauniera]

Re:

I get that the courses design is a bit different in this race (and weather conditions), but man, I really hope the action picks up. I have the sad feeling it'll probably not occur until Saturday though I hope I'm proven wrong.

Nothing much will happen on Saturday.

(Skipping the flat first part.)

 

[SafeBet]

Re: Re:

Nothing much will happen on Saturday.

(Skipping the flat first part.)

Give them this weather and I'm pretty sure it will be carnage.

 

[fauniera]

Re: Re:

Give them this weather and I'm pretty sure it will be carnage.

Sunny weather is predicted.

 

[GraftPunk]

Re: Re:

Give them this weather and I'm pretty sure it will be carnage.

Sunny weather is predicted.

I was more speaking to my opinion that if any of the favorites want to get a few seconds in on their opponents before the TT, this will likely be the stage they are saving their matches for. As opposed to an ambush tomorrow, that is.

 

[yaco]

Fauniera got it right with their post - You gotta get in the break in inclement weather conditions - Some teams will be kicking themselves.

 

[Red Rick]

I keep wondering every year why Romandie is WT. It's usually a good field producing relatively boring racing, with the sole purpose of having Albasine win 7 out of 6 stages without winning the GC, but this is another level of boring.

 

[silvergrenade]

Re:

I keep wondering every year why Romandie is WT. It's usually a good field producing relatively boring racing, with the sole purpose of having Albasine win 7 out of 6 stages without winning the GC, but this is another level of boring.

Bad weather + No Tough Mountains = BAD RACE!

 

[Velolover2]

I don't mind rain but snow is a bit over the top.

 

[May0maniac]

Apparently Brajkovič suffered Frostbite.
Don't click if you don't wanna see that kind of stuff: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTZnLhjARhq/
In the end it's bad, but not that bad and at least to me it's kinda surprising that it's mostly the ankle area while his toes seem to be ok, frostbite on your toes can be nasty.

 

[Robert5091]

"local boy does good"! - racing in the Alps in April is a risk.

 

[May0maniac]

"local boy does good"! - racing in the Alps in April is a risk.

I still remember the 2004 Dolomiti Superbike (a big local MTB Marathon) when they had to stop the race because of a snowstorm in the middle of july. Back then dozends of riders suffered from (mostly) mild hypothermia and were taken to the hospital.

 

[movingtarget]

This race needs a shake up. It used to be much better. The weather hasn't helped but that's only part of the problem. This is one of the blandest stage races of the year.

 

[Escarabajo]

This is truly a pathetic race this year. It has nothing to be excited about!!

 

[Tonton]

Re:

This race needs a shake up. It used to be much better. The weather hasn't helped but that's only part of the problem. This is one of the blandest stage races of the year.

That's because Tibopino is not there . He's the new Valverde after all...

Seriously, the action will take place. It's wayyyyy too early to feel bad.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re: Re:

Seems like a very boring parcours, but at least a big one week race isn't favouring the climbers for a change. Also this race never attracts the GC Giro contenders, so not much point in including high mountains for a warm up for that. Instead those riders have the Tour of the Alps.

Ilnur, Tejay

Well he did say contenders, not people stating they are riding for GC

Nice one

I think that historically whoever wins this race never does well at the Giro (if they even start it), and that the winners of the Giro never ride Romandie. I could be wrong, but feel as if I have read this somewhere. And it's surprising, because it is right before the Giro. Unlike the Dauphne which is a longer time before the TDF.

 

[fauniera]

Re:

I keep wondering every year why Romandie is WT. It's usually a good field producing relatively boring racing, with the sole purpose of having Albasine win 7 out of 6 stages without winning the GC, but this is another level of boring.

And CQ has it as 2.WT1, while Euskal Herriko Itzulia is only 2.WT2. Don't get that at all.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

I keep wondering every year why Romandie is WT. It's usually a good field producing relatively boring racing, with the sole purpose of having Albasine win 7 out of 6 stages without winning the GC, but this is another level of boring.

And CQ has it as 2.WT1, while Euskal Herriko Itzulia is only 2.WT2. Don't get that at all.

I think looking at the GNP of Switzerland compared with that of Basque Country might offer an explanation.

 

[WKA311]

Really hoping Schachmann can hold it tomorrow and produce a good time trial after. There should be a good placing in reach.

 

[Robert5091]

So who has any body heat left to win today?

Sprint finish or maybe a big break will stay away... mmm... BMC get it from the breakway. There's my prediction FWIW!

 

[WheelofGear]

So who has any body heat left to win today?

Sprint finish or maybe a big break will stay away... mmm... BMC get it from the breakway. There's my prediction FWIW!

The only one.

 

[SafeBet]

I don't really understand the complaints about yesterday's stage. It was an epic ride by both Kung and Grivko.
It was also the first long distance break winning a stage at WT level in 2017, which is good for a change.

 

[samhocking]

Yep, was a pretty epic ride given the conditions. I'm pretty sure the no feeding in last 20km rule would have been reduced/abolished by the comms at the start of the race given the extreme conditions too.

 

[klintE]

So who has any body heat left to win today?

Sprint finish or maybe a big break will stay away... mmm... BMC get it from the breakway. There's my prediction FWIW!

The only one.

Not gonna happen. CB is lost since he left AG2R

 

[Laplaz]

Break of the day:
Davide Martinelli (Quick-Step Floors), Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Toms Skujins (Cannondale-Drapac), Victor Campenaerts (LottoNL-Jumbo), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Hugo Houle (Ag2r – La Mondiale) and Nikita Stalnov (Astana)

 

[johnymax]

Re:

Break of the day:
Davide Martinelli (Quick-Step Floors), Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Toms Skujins (Cannondale-Drapac), Victor Campenaerts (LottoNL-Jumbo), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Hugo Houle (Ag2r – La Mondiale) and Nikita Stalnov (Astana)

Solid break. Some good roulers in there.