Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 3

[jaylew]

Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 3

Didn't see a thread yet.

Long TT should create some huge gaps. AC wants to check out the new TT bike so he should be a factor. Who else? Millar, Menchov, Gusev, Brajkovic, Sanchez (though his prologue was quite bad)? Is the climb too much for Grabsch?

 

[Kazistuta]

I'm hoping Tejay Van Garderen can keep himself within sight of the leaders today. Will be interesting to see how he copes with the long distance, as well as Geraint Thomas, who imo is being overhyped by TeamSkyFans (but would love tobe proven wrong).

Other guys to look out for:
Patrick Gretsch - young, brilliant TT'er, but mostly on plain flat time trials.
Artem Ovechkin - Russian TT champ
Ruben Plaza, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Chris Horner, EBH (How decent IS his form now, he looked good yesterday).

The winner should be Alberto Contador (surprise!), top3 rounded off with Brajkovic and Millar.

 

[blaxland]

I'm hoping Tejay Van Garderen can keep himself within sight of the leaders today. Will be interesting to see how he copes with the long distance, as well as Geraint Thomas, who imo is being overhyped by TeamSkyFans (but would love tobe proven wrong).

Other guys to look out for:
Patrick Gretsch - young, brilliant TT'er, but mostly on plain flat time trials.
Artem Ovechkin - Russian TT champ
Ruben Plaza, Jean-Christophe Peraud, Chris Horner, EBH (How decent IS his form now, he looked good yesterday).

The winner should be Alberto Contador (surprise!), top3 rounded off with Brajkovic and Millar.

Some good choices there Kazistuta ,i am also looking forward to seeing Van Garderen but another young rider to watch will be Bobridge.(My mistake he is not riding)Top 3 stage 1st=Contador 2nd=Millar 3rd=EBH

 

[Sasquatch]

1. Grabschy
2. Contador
3. Millar

 

[python]

all good name were already mentioned.

i'd stress brajkovic.

also gusev was not bad in a prologue and given his zeal to prove himself and the aptitude in longer itts, perhaps top 5.

 

[miha1234]

1. Contador
2. Brajkovic
2. D. Miller

 

[Jamsque]

Contador to win with ease.

Millar needs to put up or shut up.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

why isn't the top of that climb on the top of the climb?

 

[Roland Rat]

Contador to win with ease.

Millar needs to put up or shut up.

Preferably shut up. I realised after his "Flandis is disgusting" comments recently that a leopard can't change its spots. Still encouraging Omerta despite being holier than thou.

 

[Roland Rat]

why isn't the top of that climb on the top of the climb?

And why is there restaurant stop at 24.5k?

 

[theyoungest]

Contador to win with ease.

Don't know if it's going to be that easy... has he ever even done such a long TT?

 

[shadowblue]

livestream sources

http://www.cyclingfans.com
http://www.steephill.tv
http://www.bvls.eu/cycling.php
http://www.myp2p.eu/competition.php?competitionid=&part=sports&discipline=cycling
http://www.procyclinglive.com/livestream/
http://www.fromsport.com/c-9.html
http://www.worldlivetv.org/

 

[Jamsque]

Don't know if it's going to be that easy... has he ever even done such a long TT?

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[search]

Don't know if it's going to be that easy... has he ever even done such a long TT?

last years TT at the spanish championship had ~48km - and Contador won

 

[ErmOkk]

wasn't last years dauphiné ITT also about the same lenght? AC probably wins again, but only with 10-15 sec or so, since he'll only ride at 99%.

 

[theyoungest]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

That's about 10 k shorter (i.e. this one is 25 % longer).

 

[Sasquatch]

Lots of wind. We know how Contador rides in the wind. He won't win this with ease.

 

[Jamsque]

That's about 10 k shorter (i.e. this one is 25 % longer).

Buhhhhhh hurrrrrr

 

[Eyeballs Out]

The local forecasts suggest wind could play havoc today especially in the more technical first half of the course

 

[theyoungest]

Buhhhhhh hurrrrrr

What's your point? He's won a much shorter TT, and a TT of admittedly the same length but against lesser TT gods than he's faced with here?

 

[Sasquatch]

michelkreder Start time today: 13.44 and #BertGrabsch start 1min behind me! That will be fun

RussDowning 49km tt in dauphine with lots of wind perfect for me

Gotto love Kreder's tweet. He knows Grabsch will catch him. haha.

 

[Jamsque]

Whatever. Length is not going to be an issue here. If Contador wants to win today I suspect no-one will be able to stop him. I may be wrong. I think David Millar was right when he said that Spartacus is pretty much the only guy out there who is consistently a better TTer than Contador right now.

 

[Sasquatch]

What's your point? He's won a much shorter TT, and a TT of admittedly the same length but against lesser TT gods than he's faced with here?

Don't worry about it. Grabsch will finish ahead of him!

 

[Sasquatch]

Whatever. Length is not going to be an issue here. If Contador wants to win today I suspect no-one will be able to stop him. I may be wrong. I think David Millar was right when he said that Spartacus is pretty much the only guy out there who is consistently a better TTer than Contador right now.

Contador was in the same form last year in the Dauphine and still came fifth on a shorter course with no wind.

I respect and like Alberto. However to say he's going to win with ease today is a bit too much!

 

[Jamsque]

Honestly I will be ecstatic if Contador doesn't win, but I've taken to just assuming he will dominate every race he enters to save myself from disappointment.