Paris-Nice 2012 - Stage 5; Onet-le-Chateau - Mende (178.5 km)

[Woody22]

Is there any chance that Gerrans could be with the favourites at the end of the climb?? He is in great form.

And does anyone know how he has pulled up after crashing in yesterdays stage?

 

[vladimir]

I hope that some of the better climbers (e.g. Voeckler, Anton) will attack on l'Estrade. That seems to be a pretty tough climb, and I'm not sure the domestics from Sky and Movistar are able to keep a good breakaway that gets away there within reachable distance for a stage win. Anton is at 24/1 at Betfair at the moment, and I am tempted to have a small bet

 

[Lexman]

It's a nice stage but it goes a long way to showing how poor this year's route is when this is the queen stage.

yeah i agree completely, nice stage but a queen stage ???

The Tirreno has at least a real climb of 15 km ...

 

[Kvinto]

Is there any chance that Gerrans could be with the favourites at the end of the climb?? He is in great form.

And does anyone know how he has pulled up after crashing in yesterdays stage?

Gerrans stands no chance, the climb is too long.

yeah i agree completely, nice stage but a queen stage ???

The Tirreno has at least a real climb of 15 km ...

What are you talking about What should a queen stage look like in your view then? Hilly stages and short uphill finishes is the nature of PN and TA. TA has better route this year but it is not because of "a real climb of 15 km". The problem of this year's PN is not a bad queen stage, but the fact that the queen stage is pretty much the only stage where climbers can create some gaps. We had Mende stage in 2010 PN as the queen stage and yet i can't remember complaining about the queen stage being poorly designed back then

 

[Lexman]

I see the French riders trying a lot : Coppel, Pauriol, Di Gregorio, Voeckler... they haven't won a stage yet in this PN so their DS will get a little bit nervous...

but in the end Valverde will do it...why not Meersman and De Clercq in the mix

 

[Lexman]

Gerrans stands no chance, the climb is too long.



What are you talking about What should a queen stage look like in your view then? Hilly stages and short uphill finishes is the nature of PN and TA. TA has better route this year but it is not because of "a real climb of 15 km". The problem of this year's PN is not a bad queen stage, but the fact that the queen stage is pretty much the only stage where climbers can create some gaps. We had Mende stage in 2010 PN as the queen stage and yet i can't remember complaining about the queen stage being poorly designed back then

Mende is a good climb but i'd prefer a real mountain climb , let's say type Mont Ventoux, Alpe d'Huez... even when there were less hills during the stage i don't care, the real explanations are done on the long climbs, you know as well as me that everyone keeps it for climb to Mende which is not long enough to distance at "greater length" the lesser mountain goats...

 

[Kvinto]

Mende is a good climb but i'd prefer a real mountain climb , let's say type Mont Ventoux, Alpe d'Huez... even when there were less hills during the stage i don't care, the real explanations are done on the long climbs, you know as well as me that everyone keeps it for climb to Mende which is not long enough to distance at "greater length" the lesser mountain goats...

Paris - Nice is not a race of high mountains (nor is Tirreno). If you want Mont Ventoux or Alpe d'Huez you're free to watch Dauphine, but the differerence being that with these short hills Paris - Nice proved to be the best of weeklong tours while Dauphine with its Alpe d'Huezes - the little Tour de France. Of course you may like a little Tour more but that's not a reason to make every weeklong race a GT-like. Paris-Nice is a puncheurs race and Mende is a typical queen stage of this race. The problem is in the other stages, Mende is OK.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

yeah i agree completely, nice stage but a queen stage ???

The Tirreno has at least a real climb of 15 km ...

Maybe the route looks more to your liking in T-A, but racing has been exceptional in P-N this year and I can see that trend continuing all the way into the last stage.

I think it will be very hard for T-A to put on a show of equal caliber this year, but we will see.

 

[Euskaltel!]

TBH it's been a pretty good PN and we can't have our cake too early in the season!

Short prologue, echelons , two hilly finishes.... queen stage, I like it!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Maybe the route looks more to your liking in T-A, but racing has been exceptional in P-N this year and I can see that trend continuing all the way into the last stage.

I think it will be very hard for T-A to put on a show of equal caliber this year, but we will see.

what do you mean? the wind stage was greta but the hilly finishes meant nothing. nothing happened other than one big sprint towards the final sprint. none of the favorites have done anything yet other than in the prologue

 

[jens_attacks]

i was just reading this:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/03/news/wiggins-ready-for-all-takers-on-mende_208464

Yates told VeloNews after the stage. “Bradley is just flying now. He’s in the best shape of his career and he’s more confident than ever.

i think sky will do the same tactics as in algarve malhao's stage.basically they won't let any riders going on the front after estrade and they will keep a very high tempo.porte and uran will launch wiggins who if the bolded above phrase is true will drop both levi and valverde.

 

[Alpechraxler]

Gerrans stands no chance, the climb is too long.

Since the Tour down under Valverde makes sure always beating him by a few centimeters in any stage

 

[auscyclefan94]

exactly. one of so many overrated american talents. phinney is another example

Just like one of the many Colombians who are hyped continually yet often fail to deliver up to your expectations. Nice to talk to you again Ryo.

 

[airstream]

Gerrans stands no chance, the climb is too long.

Do you address it to the winner on Prato Nevoso? I don't just see people who are able to fire seriously on Mende. In fact even Valverde likes continuous over 10% not very much. Gerrans can survive among 5-6 the best ones I guess. And if they will stay together up to the finish, who knows.. Levi is my little secret hope.

 

[LaFleur]

Taaramäe blogged that, although he's not in full fitness, he is going to try his hardest today. He wants to get into the breakaway and whether he succeeds in it or not, he will give his best on the final climbs

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Do you address it to the winner on Prato Nevoso? I don't just see people who are able to fire seriously on Mende. In fact even Valverde likes continuous over 10% not very much. Gerrans can survive among 5-6 the best ones I guess. And if they will stay together up to the finish, who knows..

gerrans sucks in longer climbs and this climb is 10 minutes and kepe in midn what we've had before the final climb as well and how much gerrans teammates suck. I expect a hard race by the teams who are all out of gc. movistar will try and bring all together and a we will see some notable timegaps in the final climb. maybe wiggins can go all out and give the win to uran if he's as strong as they all say he is

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Just like one of the many Colombians who are hyped continually yet often fail to deliver up to your expectations. Nice to talk to you again Ryo.

says hello

 

[Kvinto]

i was just reading this:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/03/news/wiggins-ready-for-all-takers-on-mende_208464

Yates told VeloNews after the stage. “Bradley is just flying now. He’s in the best shape of his career and he’s more confident than ever.

i think sky will do the same tactics as in algarve malhao's stage.basically they won't let any riders going on the front after estrade and they will keep a very high tempo.porte and uran will launch wiggins who if the bolded above phrase is true will drop both levi and valverde.

i dunno, after seeing flying Porte three weeks ago, it doesn't sound unrealistic but i'd prefer Valverde to win this stage by 20-30sec plus 10 bonus seconds to keep the GC battle open till Col d'Èze

Do you address it to the winner on Prato Nevoso? I don't just see people who are able to fire seriously on Mende. In fact even Valverde likes continuous over 10% not very much. Gerrans can survive among 5-6 the best ones I guess. And if they will stay together up to the finish, who knows.. Levi is my little secret hope.

Yes, i do. He won from a breakaway.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Veelers DNS

 

[jens_attacks]

Do you address it to the winner on Prato Nevoso? I don't just see people who are able to fire seriously on Mende. In fact even Valverde likes continuous over 10% not very much. Gerrans can survive among 5-6 the best ones I guess. And if they will stay together up to the finish, who knows.. Levi is my little secret hope.

he's too bulky for this kind of climb mate.prato nevoso was from a breakaway

 

[auscyclefan94]

says hello

Ok. I just thought I'd remind you of something as well that you got away with last July through leaving the forum after your shameful predictions.

 

[richtea]

i dunno, after seeing flying Porte three weeks ago, it doesn't sound unrealistic but i'd prefer Valverde to win this stage by 20-30sec plus 10 bonus seconds to keep the GC battle open till Col d'Èze

This is what the spectacle deserves, too dull going into the TT already knowing who the winner is.

 

[Kvinto]

This is what the spectacle deserves, too dull going into the TT already knowing who the winner is.

i think just one additional GC stage would turn this year's Paris - Nice route into great, too bad the organizers don't think so

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

i dunno, after seeing flying Porte three weeks ago, it doesn't sound unrealistic but i'd prefer Valverde to win this stage by 20-30sec plus 10 bonus seconds to keep the GC battle open till Col d'Èze

Valv needs more than a 20 sec advantage going into the TT, IMO. But it won't happen regardless. Wiggo will probably drop Levi, too. The GC "battle" has been dull since day one.

 

[Frosty]

Whoever wins its going to be a hollow one without JTL there.

They are off and running anyway, break of four has got away. Simon Clarke looking to make today a good one as well for GreenEdge.

Simon Clarke (GEC),
Frederik Veuchelen (VCD),
Yuyika Arahsiro (EUC)
David Le Lay (SAU).