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

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

Thomas has this race in the bag.

The worst part of this race is what it is telling us about the TDF. Assuming Froome is there it threatens to be a procession. If he’s not there, or if he’s fading post-Giro it could be great, but those possibilities seem increasingly unlikely.

I fail to see how Thomas riding well in Dauphine has anything to do with Froome's recovery ability

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I hope Hotsteppers with Ala and Jungels goes all in on some of the upcoming stages.

 

[shalgo]

Re:

Benoot finishing 8 seconds behind in a stage featuring a HC climb suggests the peleton was taking it easy for the next three days.

It was not a very steep climb, and Benoot can climb quite well. Look at his results from the Dauphine last year.

 

[drebelo]

Re:

Benoot finishing 8 seconds behind in a stage featuring a HC climb suggests the peleton was taking it easy for the next three days.

Benoot was 4 in Tirreno, is climbing skills are way above average

 

[Gigs_98]

Nibali? What happened 2 him?

He's racing Dauphine. This is exactly what happens to him. Every time.

He was decent in 2014, really.

Yeah, this is more like his 2015 level where he got 23rd, 24th and 16th on the three big mtf's. But considering the tour is one week further away this time I'm not panicking yet.

 

[Red Rick]

It's not like Nibali was bad in the 2015 Tour before his crash

 

[VO2 Max]

So...

Basically, we're going to watch a different SKY rider being in yellow until the end of the race....

Their smart tactic would be to bore us even more than usual to make sure they have first and second place, in case Froome does get DQ'ed.

 

[hazaran]

Re:

It's not like Nibali was bad in the 2015 Tour before his crash

Actually, he was

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

It's not like Nibali was bad in the 2015 Tour before his crash

Actually, he was

On the stage 1 ITT he beat the other gc riders. On the Mur he beat Valverde, Quintana, and Contador, despite such a punchy finish. It's only in the crosswinds he didn't do well, but that was pretty much to do with how his team positioned him. He was more than fine on the cobbles.

So where was he bad before the crash?

 

[Vasilis]

Re: Re:

How did Kirby come up with "Aleppo" as a nickname to Alaphilippe?

Who even knows what goes on inside his head

I don't think Kirby came up with it, I've heard it before and I was surprised then too, but I don't know where it did come from.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re: Re:

It's not like Nibali was bad in the 2015 Tour before his crash

Actually, he was

On the stage 1 ITT he beat the other gc riders. On the Mur he beat Valverde, Quintana, and Contador, despite such a punchy finish. It's only in the crosswinds he didn't do well, but that was pretty much to do with how his team positioned him. He was more than fine on the cobbles.

So where was he bad before the crash?

He also lost time on Mur de Bretagne, iirc

Edit: what crash are we talking about? La Havre stage?

 

[dacooley]

erm, was nibali really falling in the 2015 tour? you mean that subtle touching on the stage where martin lost the yellow jersey?

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

erm, was nibali really falling in the 2015 tour? you mean that subtle touching on the stage where martin lost the yellow jersey?

Tbf, it only looked like a subtle touching for Martin as well but he had to abandon. Generally I agree though. There isn't any prove that he got injured in that crash and afaik he also never made the crash responsible for his shape.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I’m a bit surprised by Kwiatkowski getting dropped in that kind of finale, given his prologue form.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

I’m a bit surprised by Kwiatkowski getting dropped in that kind of finale, given his prologue form.

Perhaps his high-speed crash from two days ago is hampering him a bit.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Benoot finishing 8 seconds behind in a stage featuring a HC climb suggests the peleton was taking it easy for the next three days.

Benoot was 4 in Tirreno, is climbing skills are way above average

Benoot can climb well but let's see him after four tough mountain stages against some quality climbers. A top 10 will be a good result

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Benoot finishing 8 seconds behind in a stage featuring a HC climb suggests the peleton was taking it easy for the next three days.

Benoot was 4 in Tirreno, is climbing skills are way above average

Benoot can climb well but let's see him after four tough mountain stages against some quality climbers. A top 10 will be a good result

He was 20th in the TDF last year. Why would you be surprised he finishes top 10 in a "weak" Dauphiné? He climbed pretty amazingly in last years Dauphiné as well (with a tougher competition, he still finished 12th), and he was very good in the Tirreno two months ago. He showed he has climbing skills two or three years ago in TDS and Poland. He's still figuring out what type of rider he is or wants to be. This is not some "GVA 2.0".

 

[macbindle]

Re: Re:

I’m a bit surprised by Kwiatkowski getting dropped in that kind of finale, given his prologue form.

Perhaps his high-speed crash from two days ago is hampering him a bit.

Yes, I think you are right. Sometimes injuries get worse before they get better, don't they

 

[hazaran]

Re: Re:

I’m a bit surprised by Kwiatkowski getting dropped in that kind of finale, given his prologue form.

Perhaps his high-speed crash from two days ago is hampering him a bit.

Still put 15 seconds into Nibali. Did that one crash, too? :lol:

 

[DNP-Old]

Re: Re:

I’m a bit surprised by Kwiatkowski getting dropped in that kind of finale, given his prologue form.

Perhaps his high-speed crash from two days ago is hampering him a bit.

Still put 15 seconds into Nibali. Did that one crash, too? :lol:

Nibali is never *that* good in prep races these days.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

I’m a bit surprised by Kwiatkowski getting dropped in that kind of finale, given his prologue form.

Perhaps his high-speed crash from two days ago is hampering him a bit.

Yes, I think you are right. Sometimes injuries get worse before they get better, don't they

Also quite surprised, especially having in mind his abilities, TdF'2017 performance.
No interviews in Polish media.
Maybe that's because of his crash, maybe undercooked - he is just a month before TdF.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Is Bernal really going to the Tour?

 

[dick the quick]

Kwiat about himself and GT chances for the overall GC (after prologue he won):

“If there's an opportunity to win the overall, EITHER with myself OR Geraint, WE will try to win the race. There's no pressure”.

GT about himself and Kwiat in the context of GC battle (after stage 4):

„I've always said from the start, it just happens like that naturally. Someone will be better and YOU just go with that. Hopefully HE [Kwiatkowski] can still be there or thereabouts anyway – it's not like HE's going to sacrifice HIMself and sit up and lose minutes, but for sure it will give a bit more of a… whatever the word is."

English is not my first neither second language, but… I feel there is a huge difference in the approach between them.

And yes, I fully realize that GT is better climber, possibly better TTer (case by case depending) and he performed today better than Kwiat in the very last meters of today stage.

 

[Robert5091]

Chapeau Ala & QS - again! Cataldo man of the day though.

Friday's stage 5: Grenoble - Valmorel 130.5 km start 12.45 TV from 15.15 CET

In the first 20 kilometres the riders tackle Côte de Naysord (3.7 kilometres at 8.5%) and Col de Mouilles (3.8 kilometer at 7.2%). Following the second KOM the road does not descend straight away but continues to rise in false flat fashion before the drop eventually appears at kilometre 30. Back in the valley another short climb leads to 60 kilometres on the flat. Then the last climb looms.

Climb to Valmorel

Those two early climbs will catch a few riders out. 130 km is not long but the last climb is one long steady grind whcih could well fit the Sky train. (Froome wins at Valmorel in 2013 - http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/criterium-du-dauphine-2013/stage-5/results/ ).

Breakaway nearly won in 2013, so maybe De Gendt will give it a go.

 

[Laplaz]

Sky train until the last km and than uphill sprint like today i fear...