Deutschland Tour 2023 (August 23rd - August 27th)

[nightowl]

Jez Cox. One of the worst commentators in the business.

He really is completely clueless as to what’s actually happening on the screen in front of him. But then that seems to be an affliction that affects GCN commentators a lot

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Did Cox actually convince himself Zimmermann had beaten the fastest time by 50 seconds because he (incorrectly) thought it said so on the screen?

Awful time for Hayter.

 

[search]

should normally be a perfect distance for Vernon. Let's see if he can deliver

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Absolutely insane gap from first to second for a prologue that is very nearly over.

Not as insane anymore now, though...

 

[search]

good to see Bernd das Brot around for the stage

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

What's the point with making everyone drag a TT bike to Germany to do a 2 km race?

 

[search]

What's the point with making everyone drag a TT bike to Germany to do a 2 km race?

there's none. That's why they did it on road bikes.

 

[KZD]

Good win for Vernon but a 2.3k prologue is basically wasting a stage.

 

[Escarabajo]

This is really bad parcours. Horrible.
Movistar sent Sosa who just lost 25 seconds in 2.3 km. You can't beat that.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

there's none. That's why they did it on road bikes.

Thats good!
I just saw the average speed and assumed it was on TT bikes, but I seen now there was slightly downhill after that small hill and not flat as i thought, my bad!

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Last year's route was really good so I don't know what happened that they didn't built on that (money only can't be the answer because you could still create better stages in these areas). Surprised at the gaps between the first 3, expected even less.

 

[search]

on top of a not particularly thrilling route, there are also transfers of multiple hours after two of the stages. Reason for that is money indeed, I guess, but it's really not a great look.

 

[Billie]

Good win for Vernon but a 2.3k prologue is basically wasting a stage.

no no perfect way to start a stage race. Nothing better than a prologue. Especially these short ones. And normal bikes so good. Every race should do this. start he race with a city prologue.

 

[tobydawq]

no no perfect way to start a stage race. Nothing better than a prologue. Especially these short ones. And normal bikes so good. Every race should do this. start he race with a city prologue.

Every race?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Every race?

I suppose he means stage race. It would be a bit weird to have a GC at Roubaix.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Quite high level in the prologue…

Sosa and Dawit weren’t this bad - the others were just surprisingly good!…

Five corners! And nevertheless, all but three riders rode >50kph average…

That‘s surprising. There were CT riders averaging 50kph or more, and I would have bet, that these guys would have problems to accelerate a bike to 50kph, at all!…

 

[tobydawq]

Quite high level in the prologue…

Sosa and Dawit weren’t this bad - the others were just surprisingly good!…

Five corners! And nevertheless, all but three riders rode >50kph average…

That‘s surprising. There were CT riders averaging 50kph or more, and I would have bet, that these guys would have problems to accelerate a bike to 50kph, at all!…

Lol...

 

[KZD]

no no perfect way to start a stage race. Nothing better than a prologue. Especially these short ones. And normal bikes so good. Every race should do this. start he race with a city prologue.

To each their own but for me any TT with a distance below 4k, belongs in a velodrome.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

To each their own but for me any TT with a distance below 4k, belongs in a velodrome.

Totally agree…

I think it‘s Oberösterreich Rundfahrt, where they have this 700m prologue, every year, in Linz. It includes a steep cobblestone climb, OK - but these very short prologues make me feel sad, somehow.

A 700m or 2.3km prologue actually have nothing to do with road cycling. A good prologue has 5-15kms…

 

[RedheadDane]

A 700m or 2.3km prologue actually have nothing to do with road cycling. A good prologue has 5-15kms…

Prologues have to be under 7 kms... otherwise, it's just a TT.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Prologues have to be under 7 kms... otherwise, it's just a TT.

*Under current rules, but you know very well that SJR likes to think outside the box.

I think it's alright to have these short prologues once in a while. The alternative would have been fewer stages. However it's pretty stupid to have it and stage 1 so far away from where stage 3 takes place.

 

[SafeBet]

These short prologue are gimmicks but I don't mind to see a couple of them in minor races.

 

[Netserk]

https://assets.ctfassets.net/761l7gh5x5an/3zdJc5antr1dA3GYeDKdBu/bef82a9d7336e9b798c364066db92581/2-ROA-20230613-E.pdf

A prologue may be included in stage races on condition that:

1. it must not exceed 8 km; for an elite or juniors women's or juniors men's race, the prologue must be less than 4 km;
2. the prologue must be run as an individual time trial. If more than 60 riders are involved, the interval between the start of any two riders shall not exceed one minute;
3. it counts towards the individual general classification;
4. any rider who suffers an accident during the prologue and is unable to complete the distance shall nevertheless be permitted to race the following day and be credited with the time of the last ranked rider;
5. no rider may participate or be made to participate in a second race on the same day as the prologue;
6. the prologue shall count as a race day.

 

[ciranda]

good to see Bernd das Brot around for the stage

watch out Fabian! that mean-looking mascot looks like it's about to attack

 

[Earns1985]

Totally agree…

I think it‘s Oberösterreich Rundfahrt, where they have this 700m prologue, every year, in Linz. It includes a steep cobblestone climb, OK - but these very short prologues make me feel sad, somehow.

A 700m or 2.3km prologue actually have nothing to do with road cycling. A good prologue has 5-15kms…

The thing is, that this race will be decided in seconds and this is also what the race organizer wants to create with this route.

If you would put a longer TT with 10 km, than it´s likely that the winner of the TT will also be the winner of the GC with this route. This is what the organizer doesn´t want. Other reason for such a short time trial is, that the teams do not have to bring extra time trial bikes for this race.

There are a lot of races, where the TT is far too long, when the route afterwards is just not that selective. Here it´s the contrast. The Prologue is just the apartizer for the following race.