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General News Thread

Page 506 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
If Alaphilippe had his usual preparation I'd have him at the same chance as Wout and Van der Poel, but for now I'd say he's underdone.

His relative freshness may work for him though.
Agree on on the first but not sure about VDP. I think the course can test him if its raced hard. Alaphilippe should love it. Based on the racing I have seen this season I think WVA will be the hot favourite on such a course. Don't see the best grand tour riders gapping the best classics riders on this course. Matthews in Tour form has an outside chance. Probably too tough for Ewan especially with the way his season has gone so far. Valverde from a few year years ago would have been licking his lips............how the Belgians approach it with Remco as well is anyone's guess. Hopefully the Aussies are not silly enough to select Porte, O'Connor or Hindley. Simon Clarke has to be included in the team to support Matthews.
 
Agree on on the first but not sure about VDP. I think the course can test him if its raced hard. Alaphilippe should love it. Based on the racing I have seen this season I think WVA will be the hot favourite on such a course. Don't see the best grand tour riders gapping the best classics riders on this course. Matthews in Tour form has an outside chance. Probably too tough for Ewan especially with the way his season has gone so far. Valverde from a few year years ago would have been licking his lips............how the Belgians approach it with Remco as well is anyone's guess. Hopefully the Aussies are not silly enough to select Porte, O'Connor or Hindley. Simon Clarke has to be included in the team to support Matthews.

I suspect Australia will select one of O'Connor or Hindley because of doubts that Matthews can make the final and also taking into account the absence of Haig - Would like them to take Plapp for development, however he will probably ride the under 23's.
 
Does anyone know when the Tour de Suisse route come out? I am not sure the 2023 Tour route will fit into our travel plans but the Tour de Suisse might be perfect. For that matter, has anyone attended a stage of the Tour de Suisse? How does it stack up compared to other big races.
 
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Does anyone know when the Tour de Suisse route come out? I am not sure the 2023 Tour route will fit into our travel plans but the Tour de Suisse might be perfect. For that matter, has anyone attended a stage of the Tour de Suisse? How does it stack up compared to other big races.

I don't think it's out yet in full and with the recent trend of routes being announced later and later it will probably be not even out this year.

2 stages (2 and 3 I guess) have start and finish locations public

.


And I think this is the 'hub' for 2023 (probably the last stages)

 
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I don't think it's out yet in full and with the recent trend of routes being announced later and later it will probably be not even out this year.

2 stages (2 and 3 I guess) have start and finish locations public

.


And I think this is the 'hub' for 2023 (probably the last stages)


Thanks, that's super helpful. March is late to plan a big trip but what's great about Switzerland is that the train network is so strong in the country, we can pretty much get to anywhere the race might go via the rail network
 
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I suspect Australia will select one of O'Connor or Hindley because of doubts that Matthews can make the final and also taking into account the absence of Haig - Would like them to take Plapp for development, however he will probably ride the under 23's.
Plapp and Quick would be a fearsome combination in the U23's if Quick can get back on after the main climb.

Big If though, but Quick looks capable if Nats are an indication.
 
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I don't think it's out yet in full and with the recent trend of routes being announced later and later it will probably be not even out this year.

2 stages (2 and 3 I guess) have start and finish locations public

.


And I think this is the 'hub' for 2023 (probably the last stages)


I cant find a source but I think Frauenfeld has been delayed again and will not be in 2023. A stage to La Punt in Engadin is also more or less confirmed. Switzerland is quite small but with public transport you still might need considerable time to travel between the stages.

Apart from that it is a beatiful place to visit and I have always enjoyed attending the race!
 
In the short term, I completely understand--- it's hard winning your first Tour. He's now in the limelight and doing the circuit. That's tiring. He should back off and recover. In the long term however he has to prove that he isn't just another July champion. He has to start showing us that he can back up his Tour performance in other races but he can be forgiven for backing off a bit after his first Tour victory.
 
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In the short term, I completely understand--- it's hard winning your first Tour. He's now in the limelight and doing the circuit. That's tiring. He should back off and recover. In the long term however he has to prove that he isn't just another July champion. He has to start showing us that he can back up his Tour performance in other races but he can be forgiven for backing off a bit after his first Tour victory.
Compare it with Froome and Contador after their first win. Or Thomas and Wiggins. It's quite normal to pull the plug.
 
Yes, but it bothers me slightly that he did the same last year when he was second.

But maybe it doesn't take much for me to be annoyed by something he does, I don't know.
Contador did it after all three of his Tour wins (even if 2010 is a special case). And last year he was decent in the Italian fall classics, which is really what is left for him. So best case would be similar to Bernal in 2019 (but then again, Bernal is a better classics rider).
 
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Yeah it worries me slightly that he did it last year too. The winner of the Tour last year was racing and winning the final monument of the season while the runner-up was recovering.

But at the end of the day, he definitely deserves the time after his first victory to recover. But the pressure will definitely be on him next year to prove that he isn't someone who can produce world class results in the Tour every July.
 
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