Critérium du Dauphine Stage 5: Parc des Oiseaux - Les Gets

[BillytheKid]

Perhaps a stupid question, but if Gesink is only here to soft pedal his way through the race, couldn't he have done some training rides alone and open a spot to a Rabo rider that really cares? I would think that the idea behind doing a "preparation race" is to get kilometers in your legs as well as testing yourself in a competition environment. Gesink is obviously 100% uninterested in the competition.

He's most likely is looking for the stage win. They let him go if he's no real threat on the GC.

 

[Frosty]

Perhaps a stupid question, but if Gesink is only here to soft pedal his way through the race, couldn't he have done some training rides alone and open a spot to a Rabo rider that really cares? I would think that the idea behind doing a "preparation race" is to get kilometers in your legs as well as testing yourself in a competition environment. Gesink is obviously 100% uninterested in the competition.

Ive wondered this before. Maybe its good prep to ride in a group, get used to travelling between stages etc? Mind you if the group you are in is a bunch of people not interested in racing 100% then it doesnt quite replicate the tour.

 

[Oreknan]

He can attack like Gesink, AS,et have done before to anticipate and start Cauberg with some bonus time.

Let's be honest here, for the years to come there will only be one winner of AGR.

Horner, his progression is good, he is better each year

 

[Frosty]

I can understand Gesink in a way. Not wanting to go too deep, in light of the TDF. On the other hand, isn't he overdoing it? This is the final reference, the last test to see where you're at. Even if he wins tomorrow, it still isn't a point of reference, as the other "favorites" didn't softpedal the first 5 days and obviously he won't have this luxuary next month. Combine that with the fact that this is really the first time he is softpedalling during a preparation... i feel this is a big risk in order to interpret his current form and how to schedule his last training weeks before the TDF. I hope it works out for him.

Was Evans bad this climb (i couldn't see it, i was home too late)? Did he lose time? How was VDB and Basso?

Results here

http://www.letour.fr/2011/CDD/LIVE/fr/500/classement/index.html

Evans was in the main group, as was Basso. VDB was there too. Only guy to drop out of the top 10 was Thomas who finished four minutes back, he's got work to do for Wiggins over the weekend so there wasnt much point in him trying to stay there.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

He's most likely is looking for the stage win. They let him go if he's no real threat on the GC.

That thought has crossed my mind - so I'm hoping he'll impress me tomorrow or sunday.

 

[Mambo95]

Roche finished 25.06 down with two team mates. Did he fall or get ill?

Degenkolb still holds the green jersey but not by much. Maybe J-Rod to take it tomorrow? He is 4 minutes down overall so the leaders may let him go and the steep finish should suit him.

Roche had a really nasty crash. He did well to finish.

 

[BillytheKid]

I can understand Gesink in a way. Not wanting to go too deep, in light of the TDF. On the other hand, isn't he overdoing it? This is the final reference, the last test to see where you're at. Even if he wins tomorrow, it still isn't a point of reference, as the other "favorites" didn't softpedal the first 5 days and obviously he won't have this luxuary next month. Combine that with the fact that this is really the first time he is softpedalling during a preparation... i feel this is a big risk in order to interpret his current form and how to schedule his last training weeks before the TDF. I hope it works out for him.

Was Evans bad this climb (i couldn't see it, i was home too late)? Did he lose time? How was VDB and Basso?

I think the top three GC guys just sat in. The final climb was not the steep but the tempo was fast. Wiggins was always foremost in the front chase group. He looked easy. I can't say as for Evans and JBraj, but they were there in front a group of 12 to 15. The top three GC remains the same.

 

[Anonymous]

purito and samu will be prominent tomm, me think

 

[BillytheKid]

purito and samu will be prominent tomm, me think

Yep, them climbers will be on the go. : adios!

 

[patrick767]

Basso lost over 6 minutes on the time trial and 3 minutes on a relatively easy hilly stage 1. Now he's riding with the race leaders. Talk about inconsistency. I have no idea what he's doing.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep, them climbers will be on the go. : adios!

and Bob would say they will climb like they do the fandango dance

 

[maltiv]

Basso lost over 6 minutes on the time trial and 3 minutes on a relatively easy hilly stage 1. Now he's riding with the race leaders. Talk about inconsistency. I have no idea what he's doing.

He had a 1 week break due to injuries after falling so it's only natural that it takes some time for him to get back into shape again.

 

[El Pistolero]

He had a 1 week break due to injuries after falling so it's only natural that it takes some time for him to get back into shape again.

Basso himself was worried about his form, so...

 

[jens_attacks]

well well well so how many have thought that basso is dead?he's not and in july he'll be up there in the mountains,always at the front i'm sure.he stayed with them just to make a point."hey i'm fuccin ivan basso i used to stay in the mountains with lance armstrong,now i can't stay with wiggins?"

this stage was superfast,they did the final climb at 30-31 km/h.lots of attacks,great show just like it should be.well done to kern,monster effort...europcar showed indeed very strong.voeckler fresh like a sicilian red orange,arashiro strong as a bull.watch out for the french teams at le tour.

wiggins with that cadence and power i'm sure he can make the podium at le tour if he stays in this form or he even improves it.untouchable.
vino is climbing like in his best years maybe even better.cadel might finally do the right thing and not going into red in dauphine,damaging the program.

tomorrow it will be amazing if purito attacks from long range,the gaps will be huge.

 

[Peccio89]

Nice to see some improvemente from Basso, i still think that he will be hot when it counts in the last week and a half of the Tour.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Europcars first win from someone other than Voeckler?

Yohann Gène, Seb Chavanel, David Veilleux, Vincent Jerome, Yukiya Arashiro, Said Haddou and Anthony Charteau disagree.

Europcar has more riders winning this year than BMC, Saxo Bank and Quick Step combined.

 

[The Sheep]

Don't overdo it. This is the 1st stage-race I can ever remember where Gesink didn't even try.
Ofcourse he had some stage-races that didn't went superb, but he never soft-pedalled on purpose before. That was 1 of the things i liked most, that he gave it a try in every race.

Now hopefully he won't become another AS/LA/typical TDF rider clown. Otherwise I'll jump on the JvdB bandwagon

Maybe we should hope he doesn't do well this tour else he might feel vindicated and turn in to one of them.

 

[theyoungest]

We were kind of talking AGR not the Hel van het Mergelland...
In AGR Gilbert will rename him Kruipkelderman.

Wijnkelderman will bottle Philippe like he's a Cuvee Gilbert.

(he doesn't seem like a future classics guy though )

 

[boomcie]

Wijnkelderman will bottle Philippe like he's a Cuvee Gilbert.

(he doesn't seem like a future classics guy though )

Touché youngest, touché...

(he really doesn't look like a future classics guy though.)

 

[Winterfold]

Jens_attacks I always enjoy your posts they are enthusiastic but sane at the same time and it sounds like you ride bikes.

30+kph up 5% is proper racing.

We did that on my chaingang on Tuesday - it lasted one or two minutes

I love this race, every stage is properly contested even allowing for passengers like Gesink...

<ducks>

 

[Matty_Tucks]

Nice to see some improvemente from Basso, i still think that he will be hot when it counts in the last week and a half of the Tour.

I'm sure he'll pull out all the stops in the meantime in order to get ready properly. Its LeTour after all!

 

[ferryman]

well well well so how many have thought that basso is dead?he's not and in july he'll be up there in the mountains,always at the front i'm sure.he stayed with them just to make a point."hey i'm fuccin ivan basso i used to stay in the mountains with lance armstrong,now i can't stay with wiggins?"

this stage was superfast,they did the final climb at 30-31 km/h.lots of attacks,great show just like it should be.well done to kern,monster effort...europcar showed indeed very strong.voeckler fresh like a sicilian red orange,arashiro strong as a bull.watch out for the french teams at le tour.

wiggins with that cadence and power i'm sure he can make the podium at le tour if he stays in this form or he even improves it.untouchable.
vino is climbing like in his best years maybe even better.cadel might finally do the right thing and not going into red in dauphine,damaging the program.

tomorrow it will be amazing if purito attacks from long range,the gaps will be huge.

You made me chuckle:

"hey i'm fuccin ivan basso i used to stay in the mountains with lance armstrong,now i can't stay with wiggins?"

And then you made me laugh:

wiggins with that cadence and power i'm sure he can make the podium at le tour if he stays in this form or he even improves it.untouchable.

 

[jens_attacks]

i'm always exaggerating a little bit but wiggins 09 was one of the most impressive things i've seen since a long time,the transformation and all of that.there are signs that he still can reach that form.and what if he can even go beyond that form?

we still have to wait until luz ardiden,the day of truth but i feel there will be some big big surprises there.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

i'm always exaggerating a little bit but wiggins 09 was one of the most impressive things i've seen since a long time,the transformation and all of that.there are signs that he still can reach that form.and what if he can even go beyond that form.

And what exactly are you basing that on? That he did a good TT and survived two second category climbs with half the tour podium candidates? Contador, Schlecks aren't even participating here. Sanchez, Gesink, Basso can only get better. So by that logic, should we count Voeckler as a tour podium candidate as well?

I'd wait a couple of days before jumping to any conclusions.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

i'm always exaggerating a little bit but wiggins 09 was one of the most impressive things i've seen since a long time,the transformation and all of that.there are signs that he still can reach that form.and what if he can even go beyond that form?

we still have to wait until luz ardiden,the day of truth but i feel there will be some big big surprises there.

I wonder how Wiggins does in the Galibier stage, with altitudes above 2500m+

Not much like that in tour 09, where basically 3 mtf's were softpedalled up and the only real difference was made in the downhill mountain stage finish (when schlecks + contador teamed up), and the ITT(s)