18-Valve. (pithy) said:
The Col d'Eze is like a 18-minute effort for the winner (versus 11+ minutes for the first TT) and suits guys like Wiggins, Kloden and Leipheimer. If Valverde manages to stay within 25 seconds of Wiggins he'll probably top 5 in that stage, if not top 3. That may have been realistic for the OLD Valverde, but I think it's highly likely that he'll lose much more than that now.
I beg to differ.
You're talking about the lenght of an effort not counting the conditions in which this effort is made.
The first TT contained the hill of 1.1km - 6.2%, there was a first time check of this TT on the top of this hill : 1.8km from the start (82 vertical metres) and Valverde was 2sec faster on this time check. Of course they might dose their efforts differently but nevertheless Valverde didn't lose time there. It means he had lost 31sec on remaining 7.6km.
Only last 1.6km are flat and another 2km slighty above 3%. Wiggo is faster there, no doubt. But that's all.
The remaining part of distance is steeper and i don't believe Wiggo can gain any time there.
will10 said:
Movistar can't chase everything, every day. Stage 6 and 7 are definite breakaway days.
First of all i said 1 out of of 2 stages since i'm aware that they can't chase everything and secondary they didn't chase yesterday (Rabobank did) and yet Valverde had a chance to contest the sprint.