Itzulia Basque Country 2021, Spain, April 5 - April 10

[Lequack]

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Even if he doesn't get beaten he has to wait. Strange decision.

That's right. Makes no sense.

Unless Primoz and his scientific team did exact calculations, which predicted 1.379 s gained due to change of wind and air density.

 

[Pinot's goat]

Still Roglic will start as tenth rider at 14:12, while Pogacar will start last at 17:13.

So Roglic gets to warm the seat for his Slovenian brother.

 

[BlueRoads]

I wonder how Bora will play it with their riders... maybe they will see what the TT results are and then decide?

Also very interesting how Hirschi will fare, whether last year was an extreme high or normal for him... also Cosnefroy is on my watch-list...

Many interesting stories here!

 

[Red Rick]

What intervals do riders start tomorrow?

Might benefit Roglic if he can catch a few more dudes than Poggers?

 

[Pinot's goat]

I wonder how Bora will play it with their riders... maybe they will see what the TT results are and then decide?

Also very interesting how Hirschi will fare, whether last year was an extreme high or normal for him... also Cosnefroy is on my watch-list...

Many interesting stories here!

Hirschi finished Volta strong so I would expect high placings or strong domestique performance here.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

What intervals do riders start tomorrow?

Might benefit Roglic if he can catch a few more dudes than Poggers?

1 minute
last 25 to start with a 2 minute interval.

So Roglic gets to warm the seat for his Slovenian brother.

I will bet you 1000 bucks that Pogacar will not be in the hot seat for 1 second.

 

[roundabout]

What intervals do riders start tomorrow?

Might benefit Roglic if he can catch a few more dudes than Poggers?

/ Noticias del ciclismo / BICI CICLISMO

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I think Roglic will only catch Gastauer taking everything into account

 

[johnymax]

Even if he doesn't get beaten he has to wait. Strange decision.

Marginal gains, but in reverse.

 

[Lequack]

Start

Finish

 

[CyclistAbi]

Considering TT is at stage 1 and based on the current TT form i would give Roglič slight advantage over Pogačar.

P.S. Differences being in 10s range and TT likely not representing the decisive stage.

 

[johnymax]

What tactics should we expect? Start with a road bike, switch to a TT bike at the top of the climb and then ride till the finish on the TT bike?

 

[CyclistAbi]

Roglič likely using TT bike and not to be bothered with that at all, Pogačar likely to switch the bike two times.

P.S. I guess. As for the rest, making predictions, i am rather going to enjoy that tomorrow.

 

[bajbar]

What tactics should we expect? Start with a road bike, switch to a TT bike at the top of the climb and then ride till the finish on the TT bike?

I don't think there will be many (if any at all) bike switches tomorrow. The climb is not that steep, long or technical. You would lose more with the switch that you would gain on the climb with a roadbike.

 

[Lequack]

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Wish we could have Monte Arraiz.

Believe the side of Santo Domingo we have is this one.

Great views from the mirador at Monte Artxanda, up the funicular from the north bank of the river. So many brutal ways to get up there that no race has ever explored, too.

 

[Escarabajo]

why is team Qhubeka is riding with 6 riders?

I thought Uran was riding this race. Weird. Maybe he prefers the Tour of the Alps.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Roglič likely using TT bike and not to be bothered with that at all, Pogačar likely to switch the bike two times.

P.S. I guess. As for the rest, making predictions, i am rather going to enjoy that tomorrow.

I highly doubt that. This is a 14k ITT, not 35k. The climb is only 2.3k, and the final climb, is only 500 meters. I could see maybe 1 bikechange, but 2? Climbs are too short, ITT is too short. You would need to make up 45+ seconds on less than 3k of climbing, assuming nothing goes wrong with either bikechange. In the TDF last year, both the entire ITT as well as the amount of climbing that had to be done, was more than twice as long, and even there there were riders that did not think changing bikes was worth it.

Here, i would think most would not care to change bikes even once, and none will change twice. I don't think changing bikes makes sense for anyone but the lightweight climbers, for whom the extra +/-2kg makes a big difference compared to the watts they are able to push. I actually think some might consider riding on a regular road bike with a disc wheel and aerobars sooner than they would consider changing bikes twice. Anyway, for guys like Roglic and Pogacar, i can't imagine 2 bikechanges. But if it turns out i'm wrong, i'm very interested in seeing how different tactics play out.

 

[RedheadDane]

Has anyone ever changed bikes, pre-planned, twice in a ITT?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I highly doubt that. This is a 14k ITT, not 35k. The climb is only 2.3k, and the final climb, is only 500 meters. I could see maybe 1 bikechange, but 2? Climbs are too short, ITT is too short. You would need to make up 45+ seconds on less than 3k of climbing, assuming nothing goes wrong with either bikechange. In the TDF last year, both the entire ITT as well as the amount of climbing that had to be done, was more than twice as long, and even there there were riders that did not think changing bikes was worth it.

Here, i would think most would not care to change bikes even once, and none will change twice. I don't think changing bikes makes sense for anyone but the lightweight climbers, for whom the extra +/-2kg makes a big difference compared to the watts they are able to push. I actually think some might consider riding on a regular road bike with a disc wheel and aerobars sooner than they would consider changing bikes twice. Anyway, for guys like Roglic and Pogacar, i can't imagine 2 bikechanges. But if it turns out i'm wrong, i'm very interested in seeing how different tactics play out.

Agreed. 2 kilos of difference means about 10 seconds of gain for a 65 kg guy on the first climb (which should take about 6 minutes for top guys). Makes no sense to change bike once, not to mention twice.

BTW this is a very interesting TT for such a short distance. One can't go too hard on the first climb and also save something for middle of the course and the last ramp.

 

[CyclistAbi]

T minus 5 hours.

 

[SafeBet]

Changing bike twice in a 14 ITT looks like circus more than professional cycling to me.

 

[Red Rick]

Pretty sure in 2017 they had a 5km climb at the start of the ITT and Contador was literally the only one to start on a road bike and do a bike change?

 

[Red Rick]

Changing bike twice in a 14 ITT looks like circus more than professional cycling to me.

The circus is here, where we're fixated beyond belief on bike changes in ITTs every time there's a bump in the road.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Nonetheless there would likely be an entertaining factor involved. Each time the camera would switch, riding a different bike. Time difference becoming of a much less important factor.

P.S. Pretty sure UCI would ban it, being considered unsafe for some reasons involved.