Paris-Nice 2023, March 5-12

[Devil's Elbow]

Cannot remember a season where we'd racked up this many weather-related cancellations and route changes just 10 days into March. So I guess there will be landslides on the Poggio Saturday next week because that's pretty much the only weather cause (except for extreme heat for obvious reasons) we haven't had yet.

 

[Danskebjerge]

The gust argument. Gusts are always around 2-3 times the average wind speed.

The average wind today according to the definitions from the Beaufort scale: "Small trees in leaf begin to sway. Umbrellas used with difficulty."

 

[Lequack]

Well this is annoying. How will Gaudu get 6 seconds.
They never cancel flat stages though. I would like to see them cancel a flat TDF stage for danger of people dying of boredom.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1634143308116115458

View: https://twitter.com/TousPoulidor/status/1634143308116115458

 

[Krzysztof_O]

ASO doesn't want to kill the suspence of their queen race in case the wind blows Jonas off the road.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Hard to say as i don't know the exact conditions. But the riders safety always comes first. See you tomorrow. Fresh and ready to go.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Meanwhile, on the football pitch ...

View: https://youtu.be/152tcF9VBNk

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The gust argument. Gusts are always around 2-3 times the average wind speed.

The average wind today according to the definitions from the Beaufort scale: "Small trees in leaf begin to sway. Umbrellas used with difficulty."

For your information, there's an orange weather warning active for the area where the stage was supposed to happen, there have been trees falling onto the roads and the wind is supposed to increase in speed in the next hours.

 

[Danskebjerge]

and the wind is supposed to increase in speed in the next hours.

The mentioned wind speeds were the predictions, not the current ones.

 

[Danskebjerge]

But the riders safety always comes first.

View: https://youtu.be/dMS4pFw21eI

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Danskebjerge

That was his choice and not the race organiser one. In addition he wasn't endangering anybody else. It could end badly. But it's not like Moho isn't a great descender. Some are just better in some elements and they need to utilize that advantage to win races.

 

[Danskebjerge]

@Danskebjerge

That was his choice and not the race organiser one. In addition he wasn't endangering anybody else. It could end badly. But it's not like Moho isn't a great descender. Some are just better in some elements and they need to utilize that advantage to win races.

Still, we can agree that it's 100 times more dangerous to be sitting in the peloton approaching the finish line on a sprinter stage, than it is to be riding in sleet or strong breeze?

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Danskebjerge

In my personal experience extremely bad weather is worse. You just can't fight the elements. You are humbled instantly.

 

[BR2]

I'm starting to think they should have a plan B ready if the stage needs to be cancelled. Like an indoor race between the captains of the team... So that viewers get something...
About the conditions I can't say much, I am not there. People need to remember this is an outdoor sport. But of course if the risk is actually significant racing needs to be cancelled.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I guess Vingegaard has a magic button that can cancel any race. Red Rick should have patented cancellation buttons.

 

[King Boonen]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1634161856028737541

View: https://twitter.com/antmccrossan/status/1634161856028737541?s=20

 

[Danskebjerge]

@Danskebjerge

In my personal experience extremely bad weather is worse. You just can't fight the elements. You are humbled instantly.

Strong breeze is what we have here every other week. It would be hard to live here if everything was shut down under those conditions.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Still, we can agree that it's 100 times more dangerous to be sitting in the peloton approaching the finish line on a sprinter stage, than it is to be riding in sleet or strong breeze?

Depending on what type of stage we are talking about. Better to be safe than sorry, which you seem to be rejecting.

 

[BR2]

Also nobody seems to think of the most obvious solution which is weighting bikes and riders down with big pebbles.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Danskebjerge

I don't know the conditions hence i can't judge if the call was the right one to make. But if the trees are really falling on the road. Due to the wind. Then the call made was the right call.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Better to be safe than sorry

That proverb is so difficult to use in modern pro cycling, isn't it?

 

[Izzyeviel]

For your information, there's an orange weather warning active for the area where the stage was supposed to happen, there have been trees falling onto the roads and the wind is supposed to increase in speed in the next hours.

As annoying as it is, you can't really hold a sport on public roads during a weather warning. Nevermind rider safety, you have a duty of care to spectators as well.

 

[KZD]

Cannot remember a season where we'd racked up this many weather-related cancellations and route changes just 10 days into March. So I guess there will be landslides on the Poggio Saturday next week because that's pretty much the only weather cause (except for extreme heat for obvious reasons) we haven't had yet.

Unfortunately with climate change these extreme weather phenomenon will become more common. Last year there was a couple of Tour stages that were on the verge of being too hot to be ridden as well and sparked a discussion about a possible earlier or later starts for stages. From the reports that I have been hearing the Paris-Nice organisers made the right call today.

 

[Red Rick]

Cannot remember a season where we'd racked up this many weather-related cancellations and route changes just 10 days into March. So I guess there will be landslides on the Poggio Saturday next week because that's pretty much the only weather cause (except for extreme heat for obvious reasons) we haven't had yet.

"The sun shines, and the sun causes skin cancer"

~ Poggio cancellation announcement

 

[Danskebjerge]

@Danskebjerge

I don't know the conditions hence i can't judge if the call was the right one to make. But if the trees are really falling on the road. Due to the wind. Then the call made was the right call.

There has been reports about trees falling on to the road in the region. And there may be winds of up to 100 kph in gusts.

But have we seen fallen trees on the roads of this exact stage?

I do think it's fair to cancel stages if there are immediate dangers (like hurricane) or major objects lying on the road. I'm yet to see this in France today.

 

[CyclistAbi]

If teams like JV or a rider like Gaudu can put Pogi in difficulty. Then tomorrow was likely always it. The stage to try. Healthy and fresh peloton should hence be beneficial. We'll see.