barmaher said:
This is a completely ludicrous idea. I refuse to believe he is capable of finishing in the top 50 or within 20 minutes of the winner.
A group of 44th to 71st in this year’s Roubaix finished 11.52 behind Sagan. (50th place was Iljo Keisse)
Dries de Bondt of Willems-Crellan finished on his own in 94th at 20.12.
20 minutes behind would mean an average speed of 41.3kmh to Sagan’s winning 43.
It’s not impossible that a 50 year old could do that. Just very unlikely.
If Tafi sets out to just look after himself, stay in the wheels, and not make any crazy attacks, and if he’s in EXTREMELY good shape for a man his age, then I could see him posting a respectable result.
I can’t see a team like DD, who have a non-zero chance of winning the race through EBH, giving up a domestique spot for the sake of what is a publicity stunt. Cofidis don’t strike me as the kind to do it either. It’s a Vaughters-Esau’s stunt, but Drapac have vanMarcke and Phinney, so I doubt they’ll sacrifice their chances either.