April 28th, Tour de Romandie - Stage 2: Romont - Romont, 171.8 km

[jobiwan]

Interesting stage. Cat 1 Climb 16 km from the finish.

Top 10 GC After Stage 1:
1 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team 4:31:26
2 Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) Lampre - ISD 0:01:00
3 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) Movistar Team 0:01:22
4 Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:01:31
5 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana 0:02:04
6 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:02:06
8 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:02:08
9 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD
10 Beñat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:09

 

[cineteq]

Who's gonna pay, from the leaders, for the efforts made in yesterday's stage?
Should we cut it to half? It's Bobridge in that group?

 

[auscyclefan94]

This is a tough stage. It's possible that the breakaway riders will lose their advantage. I like Evans on this finish and Cunego.

 

[greenedge]

This is interesting now Bobridge is in the top half. I think he could ride himself into form for the ITT and just cling on in the mountains/ hills. Cadel and Morabito can do 1-2 attacks and their team shall be relied upon to do most of the chasing. Verdugo and Vino look dangerous too, i think vino for tommorow as he can descend well.

 

[auscyclefan94]

This is interesting now Bobridge is in the top half. I think he could ride himself into form for the ITT and just cling on in the mountains/ hills. Cadel and Morabito can do 1-2 attacks and their team shall be relied upon to do most of the chasing. Verdugo and Vino look dangerous too, i think vino for tommorow as he can descend well.

Well the fact that Bobridge (Garmin) and Brutt (Katusha) have good chances to win it is definetly in their interests to chase today. I guess it will also depend on how Brutt is feeling. Katusha might decide that Brutt is feeling bad so they will set a false tempo. The final km is 7.5% which looks fun! Der Panzerwagen also has a chance to redeem himself today. Bavarian Rider is starting turn into me with his continual pumping up of Martin.

Other than the first 10km's of the stage, there is pretty much no flat at all. Today seems like the queen stage imo.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Other than the first 10km's of the stage, there is pretty much no flat at all. Today seems like the queen stage imo.

Not if you read this detailed Romandie analysis:

http://plataformarecorridosciclistas.org/

All the climbing looked at. Basically says all the climbs have been over rated.
The second cats should actual be third and since when is a 5.5km ascent gaining 300 metres or so a first cat?

On the other hand , we must warn that the organizers have blatantly inflated ports categories , with several 1 st that are no more than 2
It is incomprehensible that the Grand Tours bet by many high mountains and reduce until almost ridiculously km time trial, yet stage races a week, as Romandie, Paris-Nice or the Basque Country to do just the opposite: little or no high mountains and time trials of 20 km or more, being too critical

Having said that, this is the sort of undulating course that can make a mess of a peloton..................if they ride hard and ride early.

Also disputes the finish:

riders will face a last slope of 1.3 km at 6%

 

[dlwssonic]

time for redemption for the Bothersome Mediocore Cadelboys

 

[Mellow Velo]

What I find really weird is that the Shack sent Kloden to Trentino, with 3 MTFs and a short ITT, instead of here.
This is another race where he could have taken the overall, by doing what he does best: follow wheels and beat them against the clock.

 

[Ferminal]

Also disputes the finish:

Yeh the final km (exact) is @ 6.5%. Plus a bit (presumably 300m) which would be 5-6%.

Cunego vs Cuddles.

 

[Campionissimo]

Hopefully riders like Vino, Evans and Cunego going to try something on the 1st cat climb. Otherwise the Tour de Romandie will be for Brutt.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Likely to be another selective stage with more rain forecast and a tough parcours

It's similar to this stage in 2004 when Garzelli won from a favourites group of 27. The main difference this year is that the summit of the final climb is 16km from home instead of 50km so this year should be more selective

Looks set up for Cunego if Lampre can control it which is questionable

 

[jens_attacks]

i don't think evans and especially vino will go for it if it rains.and i don't think they will drop brutt either...

 

[hughmoore]

What time is the internet coverage, Steephill says 16:00 CET.

When is that? FRom World Clock its about midday in London, is CET central European Time, does that mean its about 1pm CET now being 1 hour more than the POMS.

Thanks


Hugh
On the other side of the world with crap internet.

 

[roundabout]

You are correct, it's in 3 hours from now

 

[taiwan]

What time is the internet coverage, Steephill says 16:00 CET.

When is that? FRom World Clock its about midday in London, is CET central European Time, does that mean its about 1pm CET now being 1 hour more than the POMS.

Thanks


Hugh
On the other side of the world with crap internet.

I think it's 3pm UK time, yes.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Not if you read this detailed Romandie analysis:

http://plataformarecorridosciclistas.org/

All the climbing looked at. Basically says all the climbs have been over rated.
The second cats should actual be third and since when is a 5.5km ascent gaining 300 metres or so a first cat?




Having said that, this is the sort of undulating course that can make a mess of a peloton..................if they ride hard and ride early.

Also disputes the finish:

Well doing the maths on the offical profile of the final km, it is 7%. Still looks quite undualting even if it is over exaggerated.

 

[theyoungest]

Good luck making up two minutes on Pavel Brutt on this course. He has this race in the bag.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Good luck making up two minutes on Pavel Brutt on this course. He has this race in the bag.

you're probably right but it is always fun to speculate.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Good luck making up two minutes on Pavel Brutt on this course. He has this race in the bag.

If Brutt can lose less than a minute today after his effort yesterday he deserves to win the GC. Doubt it will happen though. I think Cunego or Vino in yellow tonight

 

[will10]

Vino for the stage, Brutt hanging on to jersey.

 

[El Pistolero]

Good luck making up two minutes on Pavel Brutt on this course. He has this race in the bag.

I don't know, Vino could definitely do something here on that stage. But the profiles are probably a joke again, so I can't be sure. It's going to make the race interesting I think because now they'll have to attack if they want to win.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I expect Tony to Bounce back today. If he can hang in the groupes of the fas today, and they can drop Brutt by 1 Minute he can still win this one

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I expect Tony to Bounce back today. If he can hang in the groupes of the fas today, and they can drop Brutt by 1 Minute he can still win this one

but what a colourless victory that would be. Not being able to hang with the best, what, 20? In the queen stage...

 

[dlwssonic]

I expect Tony to Bounce back today. If he can hang in the groupes of the fas today, and they can drop Brutt by 1 Minute he can still win this one

is the only person you talk about tony martin?

 

[hrotha]

It's irrelevant, Brutt is not going to be dropped unless he's completely spent from yesterday. Not the way he's climbing this season.