Criterium du Dauphine (2.UWT), 3-10 June

[Laplaz]

Re:

I can easily see Thomas or Kwiatkowski losing 2+ minutes in the final stages - This is a tough dauphine.

Same here. Bardet said he wants to win here, so he will surely attack them as much as he can.

 

[dick the quick]

Time differences between the current leaders and pre-race GC contenders (extended list) – please see below.
Geraint Thomas has been taken as a reference point, as it may be seen that most likely he is (or will be) primary Sky candidate for the overall GC win. Reason: Kwiat has not been tested (this year, at least) as to his climbing capacities in the real mountains, especially in the role of GC leader, so I would expect that he might crack somewhere between 4 MTFs to come (even if I personally root for him very much).

Kwiatkowski SKY (- 21)
Thomas SKY 0
Caruso BMC +31
Jungels QST +47
Yates MTS +56
Soler MOV +1:30
Bardet ALM +1:31
Zakarin TKA +1:46
Bilbao AST +1:48
Rolland EFD +1:50
Buchmann BOH +1:56
Nibali TBM +2:07
Herrada COF +2:32
Martin UAD +2:36
Barguil FST +2:53

Still a wide open race, methinks.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

I can easily see Thomas or Kwiatkowski losing 2+ minutes in the final stages - This is a tough dauphine.

Same here. Bardet said he wants to win here, so he will surely attack them as much as he can.

Maybe he should go talk to Soler. Soler proved at Paris-Nice he's more than willing to go all in to get time back and try to win.

 

[Gigs_98]

You can surely gain a lot of time on four mountain stages. If Thomas or Kwiat aren't among the strongest climbers even their head start won't get them anywhere. The thing is, with none of the three amigos from Movistar and no Porte I don't know who can be significantly better. Bardet has never been superb in the Dauphine, Soler still isn't a top level climber and I can't see Zakarin or Yates gaining that much time either.

 

[Robert5091]

G -

It’s probably one of Team Sky’s best time trials ever.

This was a flat, straight TT with a tailwind. The TdF TTT is a loop with more up and down and the other teams should be stronger (and 8 men not 7). Even so impressive from Sky but as Nibali said you don't want to be 100% now with the TdF a month away.

Tomorrow's stage 4: Chazey-sur-Ain - Lans-en-Vercors 181 km starts 11.50 CET TV 15.15 CET

Col de Mont Noir climb

Lans-en-Vercors climb & finish

 

[MartinGT]

Bardet?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Nice stage tomorrow, that Mont Noir looks like a more than solid climb. Have they raced on that before? There is lots of potential in that climb, it reminds me of Grand Colombier, the side they raced in 2012.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

What happened with Bob Jungels' bike? Interesting comments here.

https://twitter.com/BobJungels/status/1004324815136870400

From UCI's website http://www.uci.ch/inside-uci/rules-and-regulations/equipment-165067/

The rules for TT bikes -
http://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/...Equipment-bicyclemeasuringjig-ENG_English.PDF

 

[The Barb]

I think some are underestimating Geraint Thomas’s climbing. When he’s on form (as he appears to ge) he’s as good as guys like Bardet and Yates. He will be incredibly difficult to drop, especially with strong team support.

For Stage 4, I see Alaphilippe taking it with a late attack.

 

[The Hegelian]

Yeah - Thomas in the box seat for sure. If he can stay upright. If.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

I think some are underestimating Geraint Thomas’s climbing. When he’s on form (as he appears to ge) he’s as good as guys like Bardet and Yates. He will be incredibly difficult to drop, especially with strong team support.

For Stage 4, I see Alaphilippe taking it with a late attack.

Something tells me Bardet is better in Dauphine this year (Mind you, he wasn't terrible in 2017 either), the way he's been talking about the importance of winning the race. If, however, Bardet is far from his best, I would also tend to think that Thomas can keep up with him over 4 mountain stages, where the gradient doesn't get too high at any point.

But there's not a doubt that Bardet, Zakarin and Yates are all better climbers than Thomas, when everyone of them are at their best.

 

[HelloDolly]

Sowho is going ot attack SKY ?

Simples :Bardet , Nibali & Martin .....

But can Thomas hang on ....yes he can ...just about

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Sowho is going ot attack SKY ?

Simples :Bardet , Nibali & Martin .....

But can Thomas hang on ....yes he can ...just about

Don't forget Soler in that list. He showed at Paris-Nice he's more than willing to try something.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

So we have some wishful thinking here..
Let's wait a few hours.. I think Sky train should work properly..

 

[Robert5091]

Interesting to see how the "other" Yates does, and Bardet after his Spring 1 day races. Hope they go on the tougher beginning of the climb. Nibali to sit and watch Sky then try a jump to the summit. Sky to TT the whole day - G, Kwia & Moscon come in together - interesting to see how the new, "lighter" Sky "Three Amigos" do on the climbs.

 

[dacooley]

if thomas recovers from crash and has a decent climbing form the race is almost in the bag. nibali is not up there so far, bardet is just too limited in skills, he's neither froome nor contador to deliver repeated attacks and long-distance solo escapes.

 

[SafeBet]

I don't really understand why people even mention Nibali as a potential threat. He has never performed particularly well in this race and he's more than 2 minutes down. He's more likely to be in a break like in 2015 than fighting for the overall win.

 

[Robert5091]

CdD's Twitter post sums up stage 3
https://twitter.com/dauphine

 

[Alexandre B.]

Do not expect to see much of Mont Noir this afternoon.

This race and its broadcaster do not respect the viewers.

 

[Robert5091]

https://racecenter.criterium-du-dauphine.fr/#/stageprofile

Four non-starters: Manuele Mori (UAE Team Emirates), Floris De Tier (LottoNL-Jumbo), Roy Curvers and Johannes Fröhlinger (Sunweb).

Sunweb down to 3 riders :sad:

 

[Flamin]

Re:

Do not expect to see much of Mont Noir this afternoon.

This race and its broadcaster do not respect the viewers.

When does live broadcast start?

Edit: nvm, 15.15 on Sporza.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

Do not expect to see much of Mont Noir this afternoon.

This race and its broadcaster do not respect the viewers.

When does live broadcast start?

Edit: nvm, 15.15 on Sporza.

(message deleted)

 

[Laplaz]

The average speed after an hour of racing is 52.1kph.

 

[DNP-Old]

Split in the peloton, 33 men in front including Kwiatkowski.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

Do not expect to see much of Mont Noir this afternoon.

This race and its broadcaster do not respect the viewers.

We could very well see no footage of Mont Noir with the current speed.