Can Rojas win green?

[Fowsto Cope-E]

Rojas continues to be right up there in every sprint. I'm really starting to think he can it. Tomorrow he should get a further advantage on all of the pure sprinters. So, what do you guys think?

 

[Havetts]

Yes I hope so, he hardly ever wins stages but is always so very close. I think he can do it if he keeps on finishing like this and gathering points in the mountains .

 

[Jamsque]

He has a really good chance but he cannot afford to miss a single sprint.

 

[jobiwan]

Wait, the thread says "Can he?" but the poll says "Will he?"

He CAN, but I'm still undecided on whether he will. EDIT: Made up my mind, he won't.

 

[Trev_S]

Yep, he has a good shot and clearly riding well and scoring good points consistently and I think given some of these sprint finishes he may come up with a win. Stage 6 he'd would have a good chance I think.

 

[dabaideschbi]

i hope not because i prefer true champions to win the competition and not riders like him! let's go Gilbert!

 

[tofino]

No longer in green-Gilbert in Green

Rojas and Boonen just lost their points from mid-race sprint. Commie decision to much swerving.

Gilbert in green.

We'll see if this ****es Rojas off to much, maybe he'll get even more motivated.

 

[will10]

Not now he's lost today's points.

 

[Kwibus]

I didn't see the mid-race sprint, but can anyone tell me if the racecommisaries are being sissies like they were with Hushovd and Cavendish?

 

[Fowsto Cope-E]

I didn't see the mid-race sprint, but can anyone tell me if the racecommisaries are being sissies like they were with Hushovd and Cavendish?

During the sprint, Rojas swerved all the way across the road as Boonen and Cav were trying to pass, cutting of Cav. Then, Boonen swerved all the way back across the road and pinched out Rojas.

Does anyone know the revised Points classification?

 

[nvpacchi]

He was my pick before the Tour started, and he has more than surpassed my expectations thus far.

 

[Mambo95]

Does anyone know the revised Points classification?

Gilbert 120
Rojas 112
Evans 90
Cavendish 84
Hushovd 82
Farrar 68

 

[Fowsto Cope-E]

Gilbert 120
Rojas 112
Evans 90
Cavendish 84
Hushovd 82
Farrar 68

I still think he can do it. . . as long as he holds his line from now on

 

[icefire]

He'll be 2nd or 3rd as usual

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If he can go on some raids on intermediate stages and some stages Cavendish won't score he has a chance, but whether he'll do it I don't know.

 

[Finn84]

Regarding intermediate sprints, I would rate stage 9 the most interesting. Eight climbs in total, six (3 3rd, 3 2nd) of them before the sprint which is only 30 km from the finish. That is probably best chance for Rojas to take gap on Cavendish if he can survive those climbs in the peloton and Cav not.

 

[Praetor]

Regarding intermediate sprints, I would rate stage 9 the most interesting. Eight climbs in total, six (3 3rd, 3 2nd) of them before the sprint which is only 30 km from the finish. That is probably best chance for Rojas to take gap on Cavendish if he can survive those climbs in the peloton and Cav not.

I think you're forgetting Gilbert, he can take points on the same stages.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Regarding intermediate sprints, I would rate stage 9 the most interesting. Eight climbs in total, six (3 3rd, 3 2nd) of them before the sprint which is only 30 km from the finish. That is probably best chance for Rojas to take gap on Cavendish if he can survive those climbs in the peloton and Cav not.

Rojas can easily get through those, IMO he climbs well enough to be a good GC rider if he wanted it.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think you're forgetting Gilbert, he can take points on the same stages.

Yes, but could he outsprint Rojas to the line? Gilbert could definitely, definitely protect a lead there, but if Rojas pulls level or gets ahead with a couple of sprints, could he take it back? Gilbert showed an interest in last year's Vuelta points jersey for quite some time so I think he'd be willing to get in a number of breaks for it, and probably get it by outlasting Rojas if that's the case.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Yes, but could he outsprint Rojas to the line? Gilbert could definitely, definitely protect a lead there, but if Rojas pulls level or gets ahead with a couple of sprints, could he take it back? Gilbert showed an interest in last year's Vuelta points jersey for quite some time so I think he'd be willing to get in a number of breaks for it, and probably get it by outlasting Rojas if that's the case.

Don't think Movistar will let Gilbert go in any of the breaks, at the Giro Astana guys had to break their backs to get one rider in the break even in the 3rd week, after all the *** thrown at Movistar in the last few months points jersey is the only thing achievable for them at the tour and they'll put all able guys on it to help Rojas.

 

[patrick767]

I think you're forgetting Gilbert, he can take points on the same stages.

Thor has proven surprising in the past on some of the mountain stage sprints too. IIRC that's how he beat out Cav in 2009 for the green jersey despite Cav's six stage wins.

Gilbert, Rojas, Hushovd... with all due respect to Cav, I think these three guys have the best shot at the green.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Thor has proven surprising in the past on some of the mountain stage sprints too. IIRC that's how he beat out Cav in 2009 for the green jersey despite Cav's six stage wins.

Gilbert, Rojas, Hushovd... with all due respect to Cav, I think these three guys have the best shot at the green.

Hushovd is not going for green.

 

[patrick767]

Hushovd is not going for green.

That surprises me. I looked it up and sure enough, he wants to support Farrar. That's absurd, IMO. Thor has won green before and could do it again. Why support Farrar? It looks like the course favors the likes of Rojas, Thor, and Gilbert over pure, flat finish sprinters. Besides, Farrar will be unlikely to beat Cav, let alone Rojas and Gilbert.

Crazy team strategy by Garmin...

 

[killswitch]

The yellow jersey is really helping Thor's quest for the green. Garmin/JV can't just tell him to lead out Farrar and lose yellow.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Don't think Movistar will let Gilbert go in any of the breaks, at the Giro Astana guys had to break their backs to get one rider in the break even in the 3rd week, after all the *** thrown at Movistar in the last few months points jersey is the only thing achievable for them at the tour and they'll put all able guys on it to help Rojas.

Movistar themselves continue to state that stage wins are their goal and they weren't expecting to defend green too strongly. JJ is free to go for green, but the others are free hands for the time being. Now, if we go through another week or so and he's got the jersey back and looking good for form as the race heads into the mountains, that's when you might see them pulling back breaks with Gilbert in and so on.

I think they could target the GPM in the right breaks, but ultimately like last year they'll fall just short, this time because a secondary GC rider takes it.