Arctic Race of Norway 2019 - 15/18 Aug

[Sestriere]

Eiking... Did not expect that at all. VDP definitely messed up his pacing. Probably cost him 20 s or more.

 

[tobydawq]

Not the brightest approach by Mathieu I must say.

 

[Bolder]

Glad that he cracked

Why?

Steep climb, not many grimpeurs in the race, but good to see Barguil has some of his mojo back.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Stage

GC

 

[Bolder]

Eiking... Did not expect that at all. VDP definitely messed up his pacing. Probably cost him 20 s or more.

Agree,he seemed to go too hard at the bottom.

 

[eric_vv]

Not the brightest approach by Mathieu I must say.

That depends on his goals. His stated goal was to see how far he could go, not too loose the least time possible. For the gc he should have paced himself, but his goal was to learn

 

[tobydawq]

That depends on his goals. His stated goal was to see how far he could go, not too loose the least time possible. For the gc he should have paced himself, but his goal was to learn

I would assume his goal was to win the race. Maybe that would have been impossible either way but he definitely gave himself the smallest chance of doing so.

 

[Nirvana]

I've seen Gasparotto around, a shocker seeing him outside the Ardennes week.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Agree,he seemed to go too hard at the bottom.

Didn't help he had a headache all day. He might not start tomorrow as a result.

 

[eric_vv]

I would assume his goal was to win the race. Maybe that would have been impossible either way but he definitely gave himself the smallest chance of doing so.

VDP is really an all or nothing kind of guy. If he ever becomes a gc racer that would have to change. As prep for his goal (worlds) this is more valuable. He could maybe have limited his losses, but not enough to keep 1st.

 

[Alexandre B.]

I don’t see Barguil holding to the jersey tomorrow against Astana’s strength.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

I would assume his goal was to win the race. Maybe that would have been impossible either way but he definitely gave himself the smallest chance of doing so.

It seems to have become a habbit of MvDP, although the strategy of going too deep too soon worked out bizarrely well in Amstel, strangely enough. When all is said, he was probably close to chanceless today, regardless of how he had tackled Storheia.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Great finish on the Norwegian Mont Ventoux today! They had an average speed of around 16 kmph up that climb. And quite a few interesting results - Eiking winning, Cort 6th (finally improving!), van der Poel losing out.

 

[tobydawq]

Great finish on the Norwegian Mont Ventoux today! They had an average speed of around 16 kmph up that climb. And quite a few interesting results - Eiking winning, Cort 6th (finally improving!), van der Poel losing out.

Cort was 10th but sits 6th in GC.

 

[Red Rick]

Shame VdP was on a terrible day now I still feel like we know nothing about his climbing on tougher climbs

 

[jaylew]

Apparently MVP got sick last night and may not start tomorrow. Decent performance considering but all the more reason for him to pace the climb differently.

 

[EganArley]

Apparently MVP got sick last night and may not start tomorrow. Decent performance considering but all the more reason for him to pace the climb differently.

Why?
It doesnt matter whether he looses 50 or 80 seonds.
This boy is a bike racer and aims for the stars.... its pretty refreshing considering the last years when almost everybody races for placements.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

VdP said if he had his normal wattages he'd have done far better today. He really was sick.. I still don't think he would have done top 5 though. Climb was too hard for that. It was way harder then i imagined

 

[geisterhome]

Eiking... Did not expect that at all. VDP definitely messed up his pacing. Probably cost him 20 s or more.

I surely wasn't thinking of him as a possible winner before the stage today either, but he has finished 5th and 6th in GC of Arctic race before and been 8th at the Tour of Oman in 2018 so this came out of nowhere.

VDP is really an all or nothing kind of guy. If he ever becomes a gc racer that would have to change. As prep for his goal (worlds) this is more valuable. He could maybe have limited his losses, but not enough to keep 1st.

I haven't been paying much attention to him before, but could he really ever become a GT contender? he seems much too big of a man, assuming he might be able to shed a few kilos, I guess he would still totally look out of place finishing with the best at a TdF mountain stage.

 

[eric_vv]

I

I haven't been paying much attention to him before, but could he really ever become a GT contender? he seems much too big of a man, assuming he might be able to shed a few kilos, I guess he would still totally look out of place finishing with the best at a TdF mountain stage.

I wouldn’t rule anything out with him, but he would have to shed some weight (mostly muscles). I wasn’t specifically talking about GT’s, but just GC for smaller races.
I doubt he would ever try for GC in a GT, but then with him nothing is impossible.

 

[KZD]

A pity that Van der Poel got sick.
This way its impossible to know his true climbing ability.

Good win by Hoelgaard. He has quality to be on a better win.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

So, Luts got the bonus seconds + there was a gap to Barguil (but was it 1 second?)

 

[TourOfSardinia]

that was no gap

 

[Sestriere]

That was some great racing, I have to say. Barguil lost it on bonusses?

 

[Danskebjerge]

Another day of splendid racing in Norway! I don't think Lutsenko did everything right in the end - too many attacks - but very entertaining.