Nordic Skiing/Biathlon Thread

[Mayomaniac]

Wait, it's one of those weird stage pursuits with only the gaps from the sprint + bonus seconds?
Yikes, that format just sucks!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Wait, it's one of those weird stage pursuits with only the gaps from the sprint + bonus seconds?
Yikes, that format just sucks!

Yup, especially bearing in mind that that means that almost the entire gaps in the field are made up of the nonsense bonuses.

It's very clear what FIS wanted out of this Tour. They'll get 50% of their wish, but unfortunately for them the other 50% didn't start.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I'm hopeful he's going to be able to make some noise the second half of the season and very much looking to see how he handles the Alpe.

Hes obviously in much better form now than in previous tour participations, so he should climb much better than previous attempts. He’s a small guy, which is a benefit. Last year he lost 2:26 to Kruger, but in his first attempt he only lost 1:14 to Spitsov. This year I think Moch (or Vermeulen or Lapierre) very well can be the strongest, neither one on the level of Kruger or Spitsov, so I think Schumacher can limit the losses to about a minute or even less on a very good day if he can avoid pushing too hard in the first part of the hill.

Wait, it's one of those weird stage pursuits with only the gaps from the sprint + bonus seconds?
Yikes, that format just sucks!

The chasing start format really sucks in the Tour both when it’s from a single stage or from the overall. These chasing starts basically harm the skiers that have done well and help the ones that have done bad as they now can ski together in bigger groups.
It’s been like this since the very first tours with that long chasing start from Cortina to Toblach. If you are first you need to be extremely good to stay away, which we saw Cologna and Sundby do a couple of times.

The unfair benefit of groups in chasing starts are also one of the reasons why I like the masstart on Aloe Cermis. With that flat part leading into the hill it was a massive advantage if you happened to start together with 1-2 other athletes compared to those that had to go alone to the start of the climb.

The tour should remove chasing starts and put in masstarts and maybe an extra interval start instead.

When the Tour is 7 days it should be something like this:
1 sprint classic / 1 sprint skate
1 interval start classic / 1 interval start skare
1 masstart classic / 1 masstart skate
Final climb masstart skate.

With 1 day more, add another classic masstart. 1 day less, remove the masstart skate. Then it will be balanced.

And the masstarts could be longer, up to 30 km shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[dobrien]

Wait, it's one of those weird stage pursuits with only the gaps from the sprint + bonus seconds?
Yikes, that format just sucks!

This is virtually the stupidest start format imaginable..what the hell?!?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Apparently Schumi won't start today...

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

A classic start in snowy weather is likely going to be a joke, they might come all together.

 

[dobrien]

Apparently Schumi won't start today...

Maybe some illness going around the US Camp? Schoonmaker out with a cold and Patterson was dead last yesterday.

 

[search]

A classic start in snowy weather is likely going to be a joke, they might come all together.

it would probably be the same if they started with gc gaps, so in the end, maybe it was the right decision to use this format.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

it would probably be the same if they started with gc gaps, so in the end, maybe it was the right decision to use this format.

The right would be to have a masstart so yesterday wasnt for nothing.

 

[dobrien]

Dreadful racing.

edit: Diggins in trouble today? May have spoken too soon....

 

[QueenStagiaire]

At least they‘ve put a Murito close to the finish for the cycling enthusiasts.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ok, this is actually fun to watch. Swedes and Slind with no wax, while Brennan and Niskanen up the pace uphill.

 

[dobrien]

Kerttu needs to lend a hand here!

 

[dobrien]

Ok, this is actually fun to watch. Swedes and Slind with no wax, while Brennan and Niskanen up the pace uphill.

Course and conditions just aren't conducive to anything staying away; kudos to Brennan for trying.

edit: that must have been Carl who fell earlier; damn.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Without the snow this wouldve been madness and big gaps.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Where's Ida Dahl when you need her?

Swedish fail, they should push the pace on the flats with their skating skis.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Swedish fail, they should push the pace on the flats with their skating skis.

It’s just a waste with the snow. You see that even when the pace is low people can’t even go out in the other track to pass people.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I guess using no-wax skis was the wrong call.
Great performance by Niskanen and Brennan, they made the race.

 

[dobrien]

I guess using no-wax skis was the wrong call.
Great performance by Niskanen and Brennan, they made the race.

For sure; really exciting finale and either would have been a very deserving winner.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

That murito was amazing.

 

[OJRvE]

Actually quite impressive by Karlsson beating Slind without grip wax. She even used classic skis because she was afraid of technique violations.

 

[dobrien]

Actually quite impressive by Karlsson beating Slind without grip wax. She even used classic skis because she was afraid of technique violations.

Definitely! Looks like Niskanen was on zeroes? Smart choice in retrospect if so.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Karlsson and Weng less than 1min behind on the gc. A good classic race in Val di Fiemme and they can become a problem on the Alpe Cermis.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Actually quite impressive by Karlsson beating Slind without grip wax. She even used classic skis because she was afraid of technique violations.

Fully glide waxed classic skis are often faster than skating skis. I guess very few of the World Cup races have these special “Double poling skis” they use in Ski Classics and when you have to choose between classic skis and skating skis I would guess more often than not would fully glide waxed skis perform better in the speed test and also feel more comfortable then skating skis to use.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Well, of course FiS uses a totally unsuitable course for that kind of pursuit race. The mens race will be absolutely horrible to watch. At least it was hard due to the conditions. I surely think that some girls will run out of energy in Fleimstal.
The technic violations were a total joke, though. So many flat out skating moves, ridicilous.