General News Thread

[Valv.Piti]

Pozzato will be drunk before the race starts.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Pozzato will be drunk before the race starts.

No, they said it would be a surprise

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re: Re:

The Arrate stage will be like it usually is, so weaker than last year. The TT will of course be hilly, but on the "flatter" side, from what I've seen. No other uphill finishes, so I expect Henao to drag Kwiatkowski around

From what I've read they will do Arrate from the hardest side like in last year's itt. That's 5,1k @ 8,3% with two kilometers @ 13%. We will see Igeldo and Vivero as last climbs before a fast downhill to the finish. The climb in the itt looks good too.

http://www.itzulia.eus/en/2017/5/info/

Yeah, just what I wrote.

http://www.itzulia.eus/en/2017/

Stage profiles are out. Arrate from Matxaria, which is brutal steep.

 

[Ricco']

This is surely the easiest route of Pais Vasco that I've ever seen, one year for the time-trialers.

Stage 1 is, by standards of Itzulia, like going to the low lands to make a stage.

 

[Valv.Piti]

The 4 last stages are great, but the two first look easy. I'd rather watch Scheldeprijs than sprint stages in Pais Vasco...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Also, the route for ECs will be presented in Denmark today. Don't expect anything remotely good and don't judge me.

 

[Red Rick]

Vivero is never definitive GC action.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

Also, the route for ECs will be presented in Denmark today. Don't expect anything remotely good and don't judge me.

Cassani said it will be pan flat.

Kittel European champion.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Vivero is never definitive GC action.

I don't think anyone said that.

People will most likely save energy for the two most important days anyways. Thats somewhat a problem for Pais Vasco

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Also, the route for ECs will be presented in Denmark today. Don't expect anything remotely good and don't judge me.

Cassani said it will be pan flat.

Kittel European champion.

Yes. We've had Giro, Worlds and now Europeans and are promoting a Tour-start, but we never use the terrain, for some reason, thats actually interesting. A one day race in and around Vejle would for example make for an absolutely great race. Its like NL and their Giro start last year all over again.

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

Also, the route for ECs will be presented in Denmark today. Don't expect anything remotely good and don't judge me.

Cassani said it will be pan flat.

Kittel European champion.

So Sagan again? :lol:

 

[Netserk]

Re: Re:

The Arrate stage will be like it usually is, so weaker than last year. The TT will of course be hilly, but on the "flatter" side, from what I've seen. No other uphill finishes, so I expect Henao to drag Kwiatkowski around

From what I've read they will do Arrate from the hardest side like in last year's itt. That's 5,1k @ 8,3% with two kilometers @ 13%. We will see Igeldo and Vivero as last climbs before a fast downhill to the finish. The climb in the itt looks good too.

http://www.itzulia.eus/en/2017/5/info/

Yeah, just what I wrote.

http://www.itzulia.eus/en/2017/

Stage profiles are out. Arrate from Matxaria, which is brutal steep.

My bad, without the description and only looking at the profile, I thought it was the traditional ascent. That said, you weren't correct neither, as it isn't the side from last year's ITT, but from last year's Arrate stage:

But it is harder than the side from the ITT, though it means it doesn't finish uphill, but with the same final few hundred meter.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Also, the route for ECs will be presented in Denmark today. Don't expect anything remotely good and don't judge me.

Cassani said it will be pan flat.

Kittel European champion.

Of course it's gonna be pan flat. It's in Herning! They don't exactly have hills out there...

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Re: Re:

Of course it's gonna be pan flat. It's in Herning! They don't exactly have hills out there...

Didn't the old GP Herning have some cobbles or dirt roads or something in it? It could be a good race if they include that.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Of course it's gonna be pan flat. It's in Herning! They don't exactly have hills out there...

Didn't the old GP Herning have some cobbles or dirt roads or something in it? It could be a good race if they include that.

You are completely forgetting that would actually make an interesting race. Why would it be in their interests?

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re: Re:

My bad, without the description and only looking at the profile, I thought it was the traditional ascent. That said, you weren't correct neither, as it isn't the side from last year's ITT, but from last year's Arrate stage:

But it is harder than the side from the ITT, though it means it doesn't finish uphill, but with the same final few hundred meter.

Thank You.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re:

Vivero is never definitive GC action.

Vivero is never about GC action, Vivero is a lifestyle.

PMartens83 Paul Martens
Haha the great crazy basque people made this stage a special experience...on the climb the sweet weed air explaind a lot

 

[barmaher]

I have only started to follow race routes closely in the last 5 years, but I can't remember a worse Tour of the Basque Country route than this one.

Garbage.

 

[Netserk]

There likely won't be any GC action until 6km to go in the penultimate stage, but from there on, it suits Alberto down to the ground. I think only someone like Roglic can trouble him, as I don't think Valverde can beat him in a TT like that one. Kwiatkowski should lose a significant amount of time to Arrate.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

There likely won't be any GC action until 6km to go in the penultimate stage, but from there on, it suits Alberto down to the ground. I think only someone like Roglic can trouble him, as I don't think Valverde can beat him in a TT like that one. Kwiatkowski should lose a significant amount of time to Arrate.

Stage 3 will definitely be a day for GC-action, but apart from that, it doesn't look that good.

 

[Netserk]

I don't think so. Reduced sprint more likely.

Last climb (minus the last ~400m):

 

[Red Rick]

Wait, isn't it Aia steep side?

Anyway, think there's a chance they'll put the hammer down.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Seems like another boring one week-stage race than.
On a side note guys,
I was thinking of starting a "random questions thread" where you could ask questions about riders who don't have their own discussion thread (yet) or who don't have a team discussion thread. Anyone else who thinks that this might be a decent idea?

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Wait, isn't it Aia steep side?

Anyway, think there's a chance they'll put the hammer down.

No, that's a mistake in their profile.

I don't think any of the favourites will be allowed any room, and I don't think they can force it either. Kwiatkowski or Gerrans should grab stage and leader's jersey.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Seems like another boring one week-stage race than.
On a side note guys,
I was thinking of starting a "random questions thread" where you could ask questions about riders who don't have their own discussion thread (yet) or who don't have a team discussion thread. Anyone else who thinks that this might be a decent idea?

Thats sounds reasonable I guess