Critérium du Dauphiné May 30-June 6 2021

[Anderis]

I was rooting for him, but he was clearly going to get caught on the final climb, and it turned out to be not even close. I don’t see what’s unlucky about that; there are dozens (hundreds?) of riders who spent a lot of time in breakaways and never get a win.

But not many who came relatively close to winning a stage on 2 consecutive days in one of the biggest stage races out there and still haven't got a single pro win at the time they were 29.

It's not so much that he was particularly unlucky today but that he is generally unlucky to have never lucked into a right breakaway for such a long time as he clearly demonstrated today he has the capabilities to win from a break even in a big race, let alone a smaller one. There are not many riders as good as him who have never got a win.

It's not only about breaks, the guy has 8 top8 finishes in World Tour ITTs + 6th in WC ITT but the stars have never alligned for him to win an ITT in a smaller race somewhere.

 

[Sciatic]

Here we go again

Speaking of dropped, there was a funny moment when Porte was dropped for a bit on the final climb. When the group slowed for a bit Porte caught back up and was heading straight to the front to join the train. At which point one of the French Eurosport announcers switched to English and said, in his best Arnold/Terminator voice, “He’s coming back”

 

[Lequack]

 

[Broccolidwarf]

10s behind Paret-Peintre's front wheel or back wheel is still a 10s gap, which means they were probably (at least) 50m back when APP crossed the line, and probably 100-150m behind when Valverde crossed the line. I just think if they were likely to be a threat over the weekend, they should have been able to stay in the wheels on that final push.

We'll have to wait and see.

I remember plenty of instances where riders - especially youngsters - have shown a little weakness on the first stage with long climbs, to then bounce back in the days after.

We also have to remember, that the next two days are a different altitude and different gradients, which will also impact who can hack it.

All 4 are riders with something to ride for, so the motivation will also be there.

 

[Vasilis]

If I was the ISN DS - which for obvious reasons I am not - I would not go for GC with Woods, I'd go for stages and the Polka dots instead.

As you mention, he is a terrible TT rider, and even in top shape, he will be hard pressed to do better than maybe 8th-10th - with injuries for front runners maybe 6th.

I would much rather have such a rider win stages and a secondary jersey - while freeing up the rest of the team to make results as well - than going after a minor GC place.

Yeah fair enough, although you gotta aim high if you wanna get anywhere. He could go for yellow on those punchy opening stages, he has been in good climbing form this season and then who knows. If you don't even try for GC you won't get it, but if you do and you fail, you can still go for stages. Dan Martin style at this Giro. He finished 10th but in the end I think it was a good Giro for him.

 

[Bolder]

Speaking of dropped, there was a funny moment when Porte was dropped for a bit on the final climb. When the group slowed for a bit Porte caught back up and was heading straight to the front to join the train. At which point one of the French Eurosport announcers switched to English and said, in his best Arnold/Terminator voice, “He’s coming back”

Ha, I heard that too! Excellent commentary.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Yeah fair enough, although you gotta aim high if you wanna get anywhere. He could go for yellow on those punchy opening stages, he has been in good climbing form this season and then who knows. If you don't even try for GC you won't get it, but if you do and you fail, you can still go for stages. Dan Martin style at this Giro. He finished 10th but in the end I think it was a good Giro for him.

Sure, everyone goes for yellow in the opening stages - in principle every single rider in the peloton does

But once we get into week 2 and 3, staying with the GC is a far different proposition..... and if the sacrifice you make is, that Greibel only gets a half baked lead out, because you need more climbers to support a GC effort, I question the logic.

I'm saying that for a team of ISN's quality, it doesn't make sense to invest your entire tour squad into 1 guy getting 8th in Paris, when you could get a couple of stage wins instead, by setting the team up for sprints and stage hunting in the mountains.

- and yeah, I know "what if" is always a thing in cycling. I know that every 5 years or so, we get that GT result which is an anomaly.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So Grandpa schooled these weaklings, congrats!

Tomorrow's stage will be a big test for TdF contenders: Col du Pre is very steep (it includes 7 km at 9.4 %) and La Plagne is a big MTF.

 

[Vasilis]

Sure, everyone goes for yellow in the opening stages - in principle every single rider in the peloton does

But once we get into week 2 and 3, staying with the GC is a far different proposition..... and if the sacrifice you make is, that Greibel only gets a half baked lead out, because you need more climbers to support a GC effort, I question the logic.

I'm saying that for a team of ISN's quality, it doesn't make sense to invest your entire tour squad into 1 guy getting 8th in Paris, when you could get a couple of stage wins instead, by setting the team up for sprints and stage hunting in the mountains.

Ohh but that's not the same thing. Woods can still go for GC without his entire team riding on the front the whole race, only top teams like Ineos and Jumbo (can afford to) ride like that.

 

[jaylew]

But not many who came relatively close to winning a stage on 2 consecutive days in one of the biggest stage races out there and still haven't got a single pro win at the time they were 29.

It's not so much that he was particularly unlucky today but that he is generally unlucky to have never lucked into a right breakaway for such a long time as he clearly demonstrated today he has the capabilities to win from a break even in a big race, let alone a smaller one. There are not many riders as good as him who have never got a win.

It's not only about breaks, the guy has 8 top8 finishes in World Tour ITTs + 6th in WC ITT but the stars have never alligned for him to win an ITT in a smaller race somewhere.

Yeah, I felt for him as well. I hope he can get that monkey off his back at some point. I've ridden with him and even raced with him a couple times and he's a super nice guy.

 

[Bolder]

Tomorrow could separate the contenders from the pretenders. The only thing that might keep the action relatively subdued till the final climb is the long descent from the Cormet de Roselend. But I think someone will go on the attack on the kicker after Col de Pré.

 

[Red Rick]

Let's be real there will be no real action before La Plagne

 

[Escarabajo]

Let's be real there will be no real action before La Plagne

I just don't want 130 riders to get to the bottom of the climb. So it is OK. And maybe a four time Tour de France winner could be dropped before La Plagne.

 

[Velolover2]

I'm smelling a Thomas win. That little jump on stage 5 is actually pretty telling. Wait and see.

 

[BlueRoads]

Gaudu will win tomorrow!

 

[johnymax]

I really liked Movistar's perfectly executed teamwork today.

For tomorrow I think Lopez vs Kuss vs Gaudu vs Ineos. Kelderman looked also strong today, he should be in the mix. Maybe Nairo too.

 

[Red Rick]

I'm smelling a Thomas win. That little jump on stage 5 is actually pretty telling. Wait and see.

Think it's less telling than him fading so badly in the ITT and going backwards in the uphill sprint today.

 

[Lequack]

What's with the blue tires?
Also Vingegaard not going for the GC it seems.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Ohh but that's not the same thing. Woods can still go for GC without his entire team riding on the front the whole race, only top teams like Ineos and Jumbo (can afford to) ride like that.

It's impossible to do a serious attempt at GC, without a team to back you up.

It would make no sense, to just have one guy do GC, and the rest hunt stages.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

What's with the blue tires?
Also Vingegaard not going for the GC it seems.

New tire they are testing ahead of the Tour.

Vingegaard was never riding GC here, he is only here to prepare for the Tour.


He will work as a dom tomorrow.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Large chance of rain tomorrow, which means the long decent from Roseland can become quite dicey.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Also Vingegaard not going for the GC it seems.

What gave it away?

 

[IndianCyclist]

Crunch time Queen stage- We will know if any rider will be able to stay within touching distance of the thermonuclear attacks that will come in TDF

 

[Vasilis]

It's impossible to do a serious attempt at GC, without a team to back you up.

It would make no sense, to just have one guy do GC, and the rest hunt stages.

As a secondary GC contender, I think that it is possible. Having one guy with you in the finals can be enough if you only need to follow. Not every other guy can hunt for stages at the same time anyway, so then you can have some people around you. It's not an all or nothing situation. Take a look at the Giro. I already mentioned Martin who was "only" 10th on GC, but had no one to support him and still managed to win a stage. Carthy is an example of how a team can support a guy for GC with just one guy (or maybe two) to stay with him (Guerreiro before he abandoned, and then Carr or Bettiol), how that one guy can be crucial (Bettiol towed Carthy to the line on stage 17) and then they still managed to win a stage through Bettiol too.
The team that is 9th on GC isn't going to control the stage, isn't going ride on the very front on sprint stages to keep their leader at the very very front or dictate the pace on the final climb, but it's still possible to support that rider without dedicating all resources within your team to it.

 

[JRanton]

Think it's less telling than him fading so badly in the ITT and going backwards in the uphill sprint today.

Agreed. It wouldn’t shock me if Tao is the strongest Ineos rider this weekend.