Critérium du Dauphiné 2014: Stage 4, Montélimar - Gap 167.5 km

[christopherrowe]

Critérium du Dauphiné 2014: Stage 4, Montélimar - Gap 167.5 km

Breakaway stays away? Makes for difficult predictions. On the other hand, if it's all together (or close to such) at the top of the Col de Manse then the descent into the finish could be exciting.

Does this route go around that famous hairpin turn? You know the one I'm talking about.

 

[Netserk]

 

[Afrank]

What happened to putting the maps of the stage in the stage threads too? We've always done it in the past. Unless you mind it Christopherrowe, I'm going to edit it in.

Anyways, hope to see Nibali and Contador test Froomes descending out a bit. If Froome isn't good enough on the descent, these are the types of stages where they can bridge the difference to him in the Tour.

 

[Netserk]

2013 Tour (and the usual AFAIK) descent route:

2014 Dauphiné descent route:

 

[cineteq]

Is the final descent fast and technical?

 

[Jack_89]

It seems more difficult than tour...

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Hopefully we will see some balls and not just wheelsucking.

As a minimum Belkin should use Kelderman's current form and setup an attack.

Hesjedal for Talansky as well.

 

[indianfanboy]

Nibali to attack on the descent tomorrow

 

[christopherrowe]

What happened to putting the maps of the stage in the stage threads too? We've always done it in the past. Unless you mind it Christopherrowe, I'm going to edit it in.

Sorry about that! No problem at all with the editing, I thank you for it.

 

[christopherrowe]

2013 Tour (and the usual AFAIK) descent route:

2014 Dauphiné descent route:

So it looks like they don't come down over the Cote de la Rochette, which is where Beloki went down and Armstrong went cross country. Okay.

 

[BeagRigh]

Looks pretty technical on street view. Quite a narrow road.

Should be good. Nibs to attack ... obviously!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Nibali to attack on the descent tomorrow

lol, forgot him.

Where have you been hiding all season, Nibali?

 

[HappyLoser]

Tinkoff to turn "Fuente de" mode on,
SKY to go crazy,
CNforum to crash again but...

...the reason will be different this time.

 

[MBotero]

Froome to attack on descent to show his amazing descending skills,but i don't think the forum will resist to such a blasphemy

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I don't think there's any chance that Contador gaps D) Froome on the descent. Froome's quite a good descender, probably as good as Contador.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't think there's any chance that Contador gaps D) Froome on the descent. Froome's quite a good descender, probably as good as Contador.

Meh, I don't think so.

I hope Contador attacks.

And I think Kelderman will win.

 

[Netserk]

I don't think there's any chance that Contador gaps D) Froome on the descent. Froome's quite a good descender, probably as good as Contador.

Check column D: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ao5-isr01pbpdG81eEVVbTdnZm9RVEFoV3Z2Wl95RkE#gid=0

 

[del1962]

Check column D: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ao5-isr01pbpdG81eEVVbTdnZm9RVEFoV3Z2Wl95RkE#gid=0

Time trial where Froome had no reason to take risks on descent, don't see many risks taken tomorrow by any of the main contenders, they will wait for if/when they need to at the tour for that.

 

[Netserk]

Time trial where Froome had no reason to take risks on descent, don't see many risks taken tomorrow by any of the main contenders, they will wait for if/when they need to at the tour for that.

But Sagan obviously had lots of reasons to take huuuuge risks

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Check column D: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ao5-isr01pbpdG81eEVVbTdnZm9RVEFoV3Z2Wl95RkE#gid=0

Remember how it went last time Froome and Contador went head to head on the descent to Gap?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Remember how it went last time Froome and Contador went head to head on the descent to Gap?

Even the best descenders crash at times

 

[Netserk]

Remember how it went last time Froome and Contador went head to head on the descent to Gap?

And Nibali crashed on a Giro descent and in Lombardia. Does that mean he is a bad descender/worse than Froome?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

And Nibali crashed on a Giro descent and in Lombardia. Does that mean he is a bad descender/worse than Froome?

Does it mean that Contador is a better descender than Froome?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Does it mean that Contador is a better descender than Froome?

No, that crash doesn't mean Contador is a better descender

 

[Netserk]

Does it mean that Contador is a better descender than Froome?

That he crashed? Obviously not. The ITT? I think it's the best indication we have (and the fact that Contador previously has gapped others on a descent, Froome not so much).