85th Tour de Suisse (2.UWT) // June 12th - 19th 2022

[RedheadDane]

If Richie Porte can finish third in a Tour in his mid thirties, that puts quite a few riders including Thomas in the picture although some would argue that Porte always had more raw ability than Thomas and race craft isn't a strong point for either rider. Plus Thomas was team leading at Sky/Ineos while Porte's team leading years were at Trek and BM.C. The difference in team quality is noted. I tend to think that Thomas is edging closer to Porte/ Froome territory as an older GC candidate who has seen better days but still good enough to win a one week stage race and compete for a top 5 at the Tour. I still think O'Connor and Haig could finish ahead of him and they also tend to avoid crashes more than Thomas but the TT is still a strength for him over the other two.

Yeah, but nobody walked naked anywhere after Porte podiumed the Tour.



(At least I don't think so...)

 

[gregrowlerson]

Yeah, but nobody walked naked anywhere after Porte podiumed the Tour.



(At least I don't think so...)

Jancouver should have had to.

 

[Tim Cahill]

When healthy, Thomas is a better tter than all but Pogacar and Roglic, has a better team than all but JV and has the experience to limit well enough in the mountains. That cobble stage might even be a good place to attack with Van Baarle/Rowe/Ganna in the lineup.

If he stays upright and isn't being used as a domestique then top 5 is very realistic, he's being underrated a little I think. (It's a big if though to be fair, he's like Bambi on ice at times)

 

[glassmoon]

3rd covid. Cant catch a break

"covid easier to catch than a break" confirmed

 

[roundabout]

Faulkner averaged over 48 km/h, I wouldn't be too surprised if the winning speed in the men's race will be over 53 km/h maybe even close to 54 km/h

 

[RedheadDane]

"covid easier to catch than a break" confirmed

To be fair, I think he usually has people catching the breaks for him.
Getting people to catch covid for you, would be tricky...

 

[gregrowlerson]

I'm camping in a remote area, occasionally you get Internet on a hilltop or in a cafe , so I could see the results but not understand the race situation. I heard Fausto got in the breakaway but had bad legs . And that's it

Social distancing from Fausto in these dangerous times.

Now that's true love.

 

[samhocking]

When healthy, Thomas is a better tter than all but Pogacar and Roglic, has a better team than all but JV and has the experience to limit well enough in the mountains. That cobble stage might even be a good place to attack with Van Baarle/Rowe/Ganna in the lineup.

If he stays upright and isn't being used as a domestique then top 5 is very realistic, he's being underrated a little I think. (It's a big if though to be fair, he's like Bambi on ice at times)

Thomas is always underrated for some reason, I think it's more an underrating based on those not wanting Ineos to win though, rather than an actual rating. He's won Le Tour and podiumed on it when not a clear leader which is more than Roglic has done for 4-5 years trying and a whole team behind him.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Thomas is always underrated for some reason, I think it's more an underrating based on those not wanting Ineos to win though, rather than an actual rating. He's won Le Tour and podiumed on it when not a clear leader which is more than Roglic has done for 4-5 years trying and a whole team behind him.

You started your argument in an intriguing fashinon and after went on and strangled it yourself.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Thomas is always underrated for some reason, I think it's more an underrating based on those not wanting Ineos to win though, rather than an actual rating. He's won Le Tour and podiumed on it when not a clear leader which is more than Roglic has done for 4-5 years trying and a whole team behind him.

Thomas is underrated by some, but he's not quite on Roglic' level, in 1 or 3 week races (though he's still high level in both).

Little lucky in Tour. Very unlucky in Giro. Good lot of results in smaller stage races.

 

[bob.a.feet]

It's not a very good point, is it? His two top 10s actually being 1st and 2nd in the Tour...

That's my point - high ceiling but rarely actualised over the course of three weeks.

History shows he's either top 2 (rarely), or 15th and below. A big reason for this is crashes and the fact that if he's not the strongest rider on his team he will ride for whoever is. This year I see 15th as more likely than top 2.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Damn, I genuinely feel bad for Sagan man. That guy cannot catch a break. Hope he recovers well and gets to be somewhat relevant in the Tour

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

The argument about whether Thomas can top 5 at the Tour is silly. Anyone who has ever finished top 10 in a GT can get lucky and top 5 the Tour and so can some riders who haven’t yet done a top 10 in a GT. So of course Thomas can do a top 5. He probably won’t, ut he could. He could even win it if the right seven or eight guys get the plague and he doesn’t.

 

[samhocking]

We

Thomas is underrated by some, but he's not quite on Roglic' level, in 1 or 3 week races (though he's still high level in both).

Little lucky in Tour. Very unlucky in Giro. Good lot of results in smaller stage races.

Well the context here was 'underrating' not 'level'. If we are rating the chances of winning Le Tour, Thomas trumps Roglic who has only podiumed once in his entire career so far.

 

[Andre]

Damn, I genuinely feel bad for Sagan man. That guy cannot catch a break. Hope he recovers well and gets to be somewhat relevant in the Tour

I think he'll be ok. I've had the corona 6 or 7 times...the latest one lasted about 4 hours. The bug gets weaker each time.

 

[Red Rick]

Well the context here was 'underrating' not 'level'. If we are rating the chances of winning Le Tour, Thomas trumps Roglic who has only podiumed once in his entire career so far.

I'm pretty sure you got it the wrong way around.

 

[will-10]

Thomas has been underrated on here his entire career, including when he won the Tour and especially the year he was 2nd. Even last year when he was at the front of the 1-week WT stuff it was as if that never happened. Why should this year be any different.

The Meintjes comparison is probably my favourite so far though.

 

[RedheadDane]

Sagan out on the route, according to the PCS live graphics:

LiveStats for Tour de Suisse 2022 Stage 8 (ITT) (procyclingstats.com)

And here's a list of all the teams that still have all riders in the race:

Teams still complete.

#		TEAM
1		AG2R Citroën Team

 

[gregrowlerson]

Any chance of Lutsenko pulling one out of the bag here like he did in last year's Dauphne?

Always trust in Vino.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

According to Knox, the last 10k, there is a fierce headwind.

 

[RedheadDane]

Not well-timed by Jack Bauer.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Not well-timed by Jack Bauer.

It's not a 24 hour race.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Matthews getting some motopacing.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Van Wilder fastest time at the intermediate.

 

[search]

Van Wilder fastest time at the intermediate.

almost 1 minute in front can't be correct though. He'd be about to pass Arndt already then, and that's not the case

edit: SRF has access to another split time just before, and van Wilder was 2s slower than van Baarle at that point