Paris-Nice 2012: Stage 3; Vierzon - Le Lac de Vassivière (194km)

[FF'Wilco]

Paris-Nice 2012: Stage 3; Vierzon - Le Lac de Vassivière (194km)

profile:

last km's:

map:

top 10 general:
1. WIGGINS Bradley SKY PROCYCLING 4h 33' 32"
2. LEIPHEIMER Levi OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP + 00' 06"
3. BOONEN Tom OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP + 00' 07"
4. VAN GARDEREN Tejay BMC RACING TEAM + 00' 11"
5. CHAVANEL Sylvain OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP + 00' 14"
6. MONFORT Maxime RADIOSHACK-NISSAN + 00' 18"
7. PHINNEY Taylor BMC RACING TEAM + 00' 21"
8. WESTRA Lieuwe VACANSOLEIL-DCM + 00' 22"
9. THOMAS Geraint SKY PROCYCLING + 00' 28"
10. ROJAS Jose Joaquin MOVISTAR TEAM + 00' 29"

Favourities:
Valverde
others:
Lagutin, Gavazzi, Vicioso, Spilak, Bole, Cunego, Meersman, Chavanel, Clarke, Roche, Rojas, Gerrans

 

[Kwibus]

Favourities:
Valverde
others:
Lagutin, Gavazzi, Vicioso, Spilak, Bole, Cunego, Meersman, Chavanel, Clarke, Roche, Rojas, Gerrans

If you look at last years Vuelta I think we can add Mollema to that list as well. He looked pretty good at those uphill finishes. Almost always top5, not winning though, but you never know.

Should be an interesting finish though!

 

[Kwibus]

Might be interesting for a break as well. Which teams will bring them back besides Sky trying to keep the yellow jersey?

 

[Fetisoff]

If you look at last years Vuelta I think we can add Mollema to that list as well. He looked pretty good at those uphill finishes. Almost always top5, not winning though, but you never know.

Should be an interesting finish though!

I don't really think 2.5% is steep enough to really call it an uphill finish.

 

[burning]

Might be interesting for a break as well. Which teams will bring them back besides Sky trying to keep the yellow jersey?

OPQS probably

 

[jens_attacks]

boonen vs valverde.i hope valverde

 

[Fetisoff]

Might be interesting for a break as well. Which teams will bring them back besides Sky trying to keep the yellow jersey?

Movistar, trying for Valverde to get bonus seconds, among others. Probably Katusha and Cofidis as well.

 

[hfer07]

Valverde vs Gerrans vs Cunego vsAnton

outsiders: Casar

 

[Kwibus]

I don't really think 2.5% is steep enough to really call it an uphill finish.

2.5% ??

Oh.. I didn't really check that. A finish for strong guys like Boonen and Rojas.
Last year Degenkolb would've nailed this finish, but he seems a bit off so far.

 

[stefrees]

I'm going uran

 

[jens_attacks]

the final climb is 5,2 km@3,9%.tom boonen looks terrific and valverde needs the bonus seconds.it will be interesting

 

[FF'Wilco]

2.5% ??

Oh.. I didn't really check that. A finish for strong guys like Boonen and Rojas.
Last year Degenkolb would've nailed this finish, but he seems a bit off so far.

It's 2,5% on the last km but it's 3,9% for entire 5km climb so no way Boonen or Degenkolb can surivive this.

 

[Winterfold]

Not a tough enough uphill finish for climbers or puncheurs - Degenkolb

 

[Froome19]

I'm going for Spilak he was decent in andalucia and is looking not bad here as well. (+ he is in my cq team)

 

[classicomano]

The Great One is out for revenge.

 

[Fetisoff]

2.5% ??

Oh.. I didn't really check that. A finish for strong guys like Boonen and Rojas.
Last year Degenkolb would've nailed this finish, but he seems a bit off so far.

the final climb is 5,2 km@3,9%.tom boonen looks terrific and valverde needs the bonus seconds.it will be interesting

Hmm, maybe the profile is slightly off then, because for it to be 5.2 at 3.9, it would have to start at 496 meters, meaning go from 496 to about 530 in the first 200 meters, which I don't think is the case.

But I was also off with 2.5%, looks more like 699-530 = 170 meters of elevation over last 5 K, so more like 3.4%

 

[maltiv]

Hushovd should also be up there, but he probably doesn't have good enough form to win.

 

[Mellow Velo]

It's not just about the final km. 5kms at 4% raced hard might be too much for the bigger sprinters. Tom and the chunkies might find it a bit long.
Too shallow for Valv, so I reckon Rojas. Outsider Gavazzi.
Dynamic Degenkolb was at Dauphine, I seem to recall.

 

[killswitch]

De Gendt to win from a break (involving Jens! like last year).
Someone to win from a strong breakaway. A lot of good riders are far enough back and Sky would want a breakaway to get the bonus seconds.

 

[RedZone]

Ill go with one of Gerrans/Chavanel/Valverde. Think the finish is just difficult enough to provide some entertainment.

 

[Cogombre]

Boonen looks pretty strong, and I don't think the 'climb' is hard enough for the puncheurs. Out of them only Valverde will stand a chance, imo. Other strong sprinters like Rojas, Gavazzi or Bole could be up there too.

 

[kanari]

Thor will win. He is very consistent on these type of finishes. He has targeted this stage and gave himself a bit of a rest day today. The prologue showed that his form is starting to come. Degenkolb, Boonen, Rojas and maybe G if he hasn't been in front all day will fill out the top 5.

 

[Froome19]

De Gendt to win from a break (involving Jens! like last year).
Someone to win from a strong breakaway. A lot of good riders are far enough back and Sky would want a breakaway to get the bonus seconds.

Not if Wiggins can win them like he did today
I didn't see the intermeidate sprint but apparently Wiggins beat Valverde, interesting...

 

[roundabout]

Courtesy of velochrono.

 

[Fetisoff]

Looks like another miserable day weather-wise, btw. How cool would that be if we got more echelons tomorrow. Epic....