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Can Groenewegen get over the climbs for a sprint win on any stage?
Also, will it be a repeat of this?
JV said they are going to approach the race as a training ride. But somehow i read that as the likes of Roglič, van Aert, Vingegaard, Dennis to target GC, points, climber, young, combativity and team award.
I wouldn't take Groenewegen to Dauphine - Better he rides Slovenie or the ZLM Tour - Reckon Matthews can snare a stage win on this parcours.
But who'll go for young? They're all too old.
That is the best aspect to the parcours this year by a long way. If teams want to they have some options to cause chaos as soon as the flag drops.There's some interesting hard starts to a few days there. Even day 1 could be fun, obviously Jumbo are coming in with all the horses but doesn't look like an easy route to control on.
Started the Giro undercooked and probably feels like the shape is there now?Feel like it's slowly losing it's appeal as a proper TdF warm up. At least Roglic and Vingegaard are here this year but again no Pogacar, no Martinez, no Vlasov, no Quintana.
Last year was mainly entertaining because of Padun, GC battle pretty average. Stage design also used to be more creative, why not a MTT up to Granon? (Only half joking)
Also, does Keldermann really do this? If yes, why exactly?
Quite similar? Two MTFs and an ITT. At least in Dauphiné you have CdF directly connecting to Vaujany, and the ITT comes before the mountains.The Tour de Suisse route is a masterpiece in comparison to this.
Tour of Switzerland has the best route out of all major tours this year!The Tour de Suisse route is a masterpiece in comparison to this.
From what I remember of the post stage interviews, Padun couldn't stop thanking Jesus so there probably was a planetary alignment and a good dose of divine intervention............Padun to show up out of nowhere and smoke the Galibier and Croix de Fer record.
Cancellara winning the TDS was the beginning of the end for that race. Used to be much tougher but I guess not all riders want a difficult race pre Tour the same way the TDU is an ideal opener to the season for some riders.Tour de Suisse is moderate balance very vanilla with one TT 2 bigly MTFs.
No I think training and buildup methods by riders changed, amd the Schlecks retired. Most riders always preferred the DauphineCancellara winning the TDS was the beginning of the end for that race. Used to be much tougher but I guess not all riders want a difficult race pre Tour the same way the TDU is an ideal opener to the season for some riders.
Back in the 90s Tour of Switzerland had a stellar field and even slightly contested the Giro d'Italia during its weaker 1996 & 1997 editions.No I think training and buildup methods by riders changed, amd the Schlecks retired. Most riders always preferred the Dauphine
Cancellara winning the TDS was the beginning of the end for that race. Used to be much tougher but I guess not all riders want a difficult race pre Tour the same way the TDU is an ideal opener to the season for some riders.
How was the route for TdS back in those days? The last 10-15 years it has really been underwhelming. They neither use the potential for steeper and shorter climbs in some parts of the country, nor the combos/sequences of high climbs in other parts. It has been far too many mono climb stages with an underwhelming MTF in these years.Back in the 90s Tour of Switzerland had a stellar field and even slightly contested the Giro d'Italia during its weaker 1996 & 1997 editions.
Tour of Switzerland really died when they stopped selling pan-european TV rights to Eurosport. That really catapulted the race outside of the public eye in many countries. With hence the Dauphine overtaking it swiftly.
Remember the Giro d'Italia actually was first aired by Eurosport in 1998 after RCS Mediaset deal expired.