Criterium du Dauphine 2014: Stage 3, Ambert - Le Teil 194 km

[christopherrowe]

One for the sprinters? Who, in fact, are the sprinters here besides Arnaud Demare?

 

[christopherrowe]

After a little research, it seems that some of the potential protagonists for any finishing field sprints in this race are the five riders listed below. Who am I leaving out, both in general and for tomorrow's stage in particular?

Arnaud Demare | FDJ.fr
Yannik Martinez | Team Europcar
Gianni Meersman | Omega Pharma - Quickstep
Giacomo Nizzolo | Trek Factory Racing
Julien Simon | Cofidis, Credit Solutions

 

[Linkinito]

Just a little note: there are TONS of uncategorized climbs in this stage that could have been 3C or 4C.

But well, the pancake-flat final is just going to give this stage to a sprinter.

Anyway, I've been in Le Teil a couple of times. Pretty bland city, however it has a nice climb (Col de la Sabliere from the south using Chemin du Chateau - Rue Camille Claudel) which is a 1.5 km bump at 8 % average and peaks at 12 %. The summit would have been at 5 km from the finish which could have mimiced the Nancy stage in the TDF.

Here's a variant of the pancake flat section:

With the Col de la Croix de Cruas (2C - 4.3 km @ 6.6 % average with 13 % stretches) 29 km from the finish and of course, the Col de la Sabliere (3C - 1.5 km @ 8 % average with 12 % stretches) 5 km from the finish.

 

[Red Rick]

Froome will try to win the sprint and he'll obviously say something ridiculous if he doesn't win

 

[Arkaitz]

After a little research, it seems that some of the potential protagonists for any finishing field sprints in this race are the five riders listed below. Who am I leaving out, both in general and for tomorrow's stage in particular?

Arnaud Demare | FDJ.fr
Yannik Martinez | Team Europcar
Gianni Meersman | Omega Pharma - Quickstep
Giacomo Nizzolo | Trek Factory Racing
Julien Simon | Cofidis, Credit Solutions

Arnaud Demare will win this to convince the team director he has to be the sprinter of Le Tour and not Bouhanni.

 

[SafeBet]

Arnaud Demare will win this to convince the team director he has to be the sprinter of Le Tour and not Bouhanni.

So if Nizzolo wins, they take Bouhanni?

 

[christopherrowe]

Nizzolo had a strong Giro but has to be frustrated with his year so far. He's gone second in five races (three at the Giro) and his sole 2014 win was posted all the way back in January at the Tour de San Luis.

Demare, on the other hand, is flying. Five sprint wins, I think, and four of those were in May, with the pair each he took at Dunkerque and Picardie also earning him the overalls in those races.

The TdF sprinter controversy at FDJ.fr seems done and dusted to me with the published long list of thirteen riders including Demare's leadout men Bonnet and Delage (they're here at the Criterium with Demare) and none of Bouhanni's preferred train. I'll actually be interested to see where and how Bouhanni races for the rest of the year, since he's auditioning for a hoped-for million Euro contract on another team (good luck, Nacer!) but maybe not in the best graces of Marc Madiot.

Anyway, for tomorrow, yeah, I tip Demare. I'll have to think about a complete top ten--I anticipate that will be harder to generate in a likely sprint finish than on the mountaintops!

 

[hfer07]

Voeckler is meant to win this stage- is written all over it






....Unless of course the Alien has other ideas

 

[christopherrowe]

Voeckler is meant to win this stage- is written all over it

That would be awesome, and I hope to see it happening this week, but tomorrow is the sole day in the race that seems to (almost) guarantee a sprint. I like Stages 4 and 5 for breakaways a lot, though, and Stage 6 for a late stage attack from a mostly intact peloton at that roughly kilometer rise starting at 2K to go, which has a 15% section in it. I think the GC boys will be content to sit in the pack until then, if not until Saturday and Sunday.

 

[jaylew]

After a little research, it seems that some of the potential protagonists for any finishing field sprints in this race are the five riders listed below. Who am I leaving out, both in general and for tomorrow's stage in particular?

Arnaud Demare | FDJ.fr
Yannik Martinez | Team Europcar
Gianni Meersman | Omega Pharma - Quickstep
Giacomo Nizzolo | Trek Factory Racing
Julien Simon | Cofidis, Credit Solutions

I'd put Howard and Hushovd ahead of a couple of those guys but yeah, it's a really weak sprint field. Nizzolo ftw if we get a field sprint.

 

[Anderis]

After a little research, it seems that some of the potential protagonists for any finishing field sprints in this race are the five riders listed below. Who am I leaving out, both in general and for tomorrow's stage in particular?

Arnaud Demare | FDJ.fr
Yannik Martinez | Team Europcar
Gianni Meersman | Omega Pharma - Quickstep
Giacomo Nizzolo | Trek Factory Racing
Julien Simon | Cofidis, Credit Solutions

Navardauskas could stand a chance although I can't see him beating Demare or Nizzolo on flat sprint, but I can see him beating riders like Simon.

 

[christopherrowe]

Thanks for giving me some more guys to look at jaylew and Anderis!

So here is my prediction for the Top Ten in tomorrow's stage three.

Arnaud Demare | FDJ.fr
Giacomo Nizzolo | Trek Factory Racing
Thor Hushovd | BMC Racing Team
Julien Simon | Cofidis, Credit Solutions
Leigh Howard | Orica GreenEdge
Ramunas Navardauskas | Garmin Sharp
Gianni Meersman | Omega Pharma - Quickstep
Marco Marcato | Cannondale
Yannik Martinez | Team Europcar
William Bonnet | FDJ.fr

My biggest worry is that in this case the "sprinters' teams" won't want to burn matches by putting in the work to control and chase down the inevitable breakaway, which I'm guessing needs to be caught on the ascent of the Col de la Mure.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A break will take it.

Sky's team needs to save a bit of energy and will give the right break 10-12 minutes.

Limited sprinter power means less effort to bring the break back.

Voigt or Millar FTW. Old man's game.

 

[Jagartrott]

Does Gallopin still sprint?
Very surprising ride by him today, btw.

 

[Brodinski]

I'd put Howard and Hushovd ahead of a couple of those guys but yeah, it's a really weak sprint field. Nizzolo ftw if we get a field sprint.

Wouldn't put Hushovd ahead of many sprinters today. He's way past it.

Quite fancy Meersman tomorrow.

 

[Jspear]

Going with Demare for the win....Nizzolo will probably place 2nd. IF a breakaway manages to stay away the only one who could win is Jens.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Nizzolo vs Demare as anyone else writes. How good do we fancy Alaphilippe's chances to be? He looked good in the TT. Should he perhaps be given a leadout train given there's no OPQS riders worth protecting for GC or will they only favour Meersman?

 

[trevim]

Hushovd to save BMC's Dauphine with a solo breakaway win

 

[Kazistuta]

Sanz & Tsatevich might also contend for the top10 placings tomorrow. But Demare is the man to beat, no doubt!

1.Demare
2.Nizzolo
3.Meersman (pretty disappointing the last couple of months)
4.Sanz
5.Howard/Impey

 

[murali]

Bakelants to win from a break/



Nizzolo ftw if its a bunch sprint.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Because of the lack of a strong sprinter team here, gonna hang my hat on a breakaway FTW.

 

[xanadu]

Oooh er, what a day. The sky bots faltered and `berto stuck to Froome, i like it. The up coming tour of Yorkshire ( with a little bit of France thrown in) may not be the procession that many forecasted. Froome clearly set out to make a statement on today`s stage and Contador was up for the challenge.
Just how much the two protaganists have left in the locker is unclear, but I have feeling that june is going to be great and July even better.

 

[manafana]

nizzollo has to have a good here he would have been upset at his giro

 

[xanadu]

Voeckler is meant to win this stage- is written all over it






....Unless of course the Alien has other ideas

A bit of a Voeckler fan myself but that pancake flat run into the finish will have the sprinters licking their lips. Gotta think their teams will be all over a serial escapee like Voeckler with a finish as sprinter friendly as this one.
Besides Voeckler climbed well yesterday and is riding high in the GC, the peloton wont let him don the leaders jersey, once he gets one of those yellow bibs he wont give it back.

 

[christopherrowe]

A bit of a Voeckler fan myself but that pancake flat run into the finish will have the sprinters licking their lips. Gotta think their teams will be all over a serial escapee like Voeckler with a finish as sprinter friendly as this one.
Besides Voeckler climbed well yesterday and is riding high in the GC, the peloton wont let him don the leaders jersey, once he gets one of those yellow bibs he wont give it back.

Agreed. Also, Europcar is likely planning instead to send Kevin Reza up the road with the morning breakaway in search of more mountains jersey points. I anticipate him being among the first over the Cote de Lavet, at least, and maybe the break will stay away all the way to the day's only other categorized climb, the Col de la Mure, 120 undulating kilometers later. Though I also kind of think the sprint teams will want to be back in control of things by that point and so time their catch for that ascent.