Paris-Nice 2023, March 5-12

[Danskebjerge]

Unfortunately with climate change these extreme weather phenomenon will become more common.

No, it's the new weather protocols that make the difference here.

 

[CyclistAbi]

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

~ Poggio cancellation announcement

Suncreen.

 

[Peyroteo94]

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.

Sorry but that's just bullsh##. 50 years ago, there was a lot more snow in the Giro and the stages weren't cancelled like these days. The reason is modern riders are prima donnas. Fishman is the prime example of the modern TDF winner. A world class climber who can TT really well but can't race in adverse conditions because of "safety". Bring back the old school, the ones who brought joy to our hearts, pure racers in all terrains.

 

[Stasat]

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."

It's F7 gusting F10-F11 that's definitely not just small trees swaying

https://imgur.com/iSPLXAY

 

[CyclistAbi]

Just watch TA instead. And not this joke of a race where riders can't handle a breeze.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Sorry but that's just bullsh##. 50 years ago, there was a lot more snow in the Giro and the stages weren't cancelled like these days. The reason is modern riders are prima donnas.

... And what about the principle that goes for all other people in the world - that you need to adapt your actions to the conditions you're in?

In any case, they'll just use the "risk of falling trees" argument, and then that's it (as in PostNord Danmark Rundt a couple of years ago). Although there hasn't been a single case of a bike riders being injured by a falling tree.

 

[CyclistAbi]

At TA riders just went under a small tunnel. Maybe at PN they should have built them one through the duration of the race. Considering the climate changes.

 

[Danskebjerge]

It's F7 gusting F10-F11 that's definitely not just small trees swaying

https://imgur.com/iSPLXAY

I'm looking at the wind forecast of the region, so I have a good impression of the conditions. But remember, the wind speeds are always exaggerated a bit in mountain areas because there is a lot of shelter there. When you see the wind data from Norway and other mountaineous places, it's always way beyond what's perceived, because it's measured at high places and not in valleys or in forests.

 

[Danskebjerge]

The branches are barely moving in Italy.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Yikes!
The Belgian Pozzato complains about political correctness and Zwarte Piet yet seemingly has no issue with his fishy teammate cancelling stages left and right.
Maybe they should put some cobbles in their pockets instead of these shitty ketone drinks if they're worried about a March breeze. The sport really has gone backwards, there's a reason professional athletes like Jan Ullrich had the foresight to show up to early season races well prepared with additional layers to combat the cold and the wind.

 

[Stasat]

I'm looking at the wind forecast of the region, so I have a good impression of the conditions. But remember, the wind speeds are always exaggerated a bit in mountain areas because there is a lot of shelter there. When you see the wind data from Norway and other mountaineous places, it's always way beyond what's perceived, because it's measured at high places and not in valleys or in forests.

Correct, but the weather station I posted is in a valley @ 120m ASL. I'd rather they raced myself, the carnage would be great to watch. But having been out on the bike this morning in that wind I can see why they've cancelled it.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Sorry but that's just bullsh##. 50 years ago, there was a lot more snow in the Giro and the stages weren't cancelled like these days. The reason is modern riders are prima donnas. Fishman is the prime example of the modern TDF winner. A world class climber who can TT really well but can't race in adverse conditions because of "safety". Bring back the old school, the ones who brought joy to our hearts, pure racers in all terrains.

someone posted a clip of riders 'racing in the snow'. They were walking as they carried their bikes through the snow. The ones who tried to cycle all fell off riding up hill.

And snow isn't the issue here. Its high winds. Am I the only one who remembers strade bianche from last year?

Getting yourself hurt in a major race is one thing, getting hurt in minor race like P-N is another.

We decided years ago it was better to be preventive about health & safety rather than reactionary. I'm not really sure why you think 'we should wait until a rider or spectator gets hurt before we stop' sounds good.

 

[Danskebjerge]

We decided years ago it was better to be preventive about health & safety rather than reactionary. I'm not really sure why you think 'we should wait until a rider or spectator gets hurt before we stop' sounds good.

This just sounds so odd when said about pro cycling.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Total disGust?

 

[KZD]

Sorry but that's just bullsh##. 50 years ago, there was a lot more snow in the Giro and the stages weren't cancelled like these days. The reason is modern riders are prima donnas. Fishman is the prime example of the modern TDF winner. A world class climber who can TT really well but can't race in adverse conditions because of "safety". Bring back the old school, the ones who brought joy to our hearts, pure racers in all terrains.

Just because things were done a certain way in the past it doesn't mean that they should be done in the same way in the present. If its indeed the case that the finish line structure is being destroyed by the high winds then its not safe to hold the stage specially given how difficult to control road bikes are in very windy conditions. Ultimately its not your or mine decision to take and while its sucks for us viewers if there was an injury because of the wind people would complain afterwards.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Correct, but the weather station I posted is in a valley @ 120m ASL. I'd rather they raced myself, the carnage would be great to watch. But having been out on the bike this morning in that wind I can see why they've cancelled it.

No matter where I click on the map in the area, I can't see any forecasts saying more than 12 m/s.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

This just sounds so odd when said about pro cycling.

No?

 

[Kaptain Kool]

When I was kid in the US, they'd cancel baseball games just for a little bit of rain! At least they'd make them up in "double headers." ASO should do the same here. Reschedule Stage 6 sometime between Stages 7 and 8. Like start it around 10pm on Saturday, even if it's just the shortened 79km version.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

When I was kid in the US, they'd cancel baseball games just for a little bit of rain! At least they'd make them up in "double headers." ASO should do the same here. Reschedule Stage 6 sometime between Stages 7 and 8. Like start it around 10pm on Saturday, even if it's just the shortened 79km version.

This would make it a split stage day which aren't allowed at WT level.

 

[OlavEH]

Hope they return for this area in a later PN. And then preferably doing two or more loops over the Colle-sur-Loup climb combined with a climb and finish to Vence. That could possibly prompt a stage more similar to the murito stages in TA.

 

[Izzyeviel]

This would make it a split stage day which aren't allowed at WT level.

If Hinault was too soft for to ride two stages in a day, imagine the current lot.

 

[BR2]

"Better safe than sorry" as a general remark really isn't very useful as a guideline for pro cycling. It isn't a safe sport and it will never be.
You just have to make a sensible decision in each case, look carefully at the exact situation.

 

[Netserk]

I don't know. For me it says Jumbo will struggle to repeat 2022 TdF style victory without the two-pronged attacks tactic they used on Granon. That's why IMO today has significance. I mean that's the whole point, i.e. from what we know of their race schedule they're going to the Tour with Jonas V as number one alone. We haven't even seen Rog test himself either (we don't know his post-operation level or whether he'd even be capable of being good enough come July). So I'm not critiquing Jumbo's planning here, I'm just noting this is the reality for July as well: Vinge versus Pog, with no ace up the sleeve like on Granon.

So as 'sole leader' Vingegaard went in toe-to-toe & tested himself against Pogacar on equal footing. The result speaks for itself.

 

[Boehmand]

I'm quite surprised how many meteorologists frequent this forum...

 

[Pirazziattacks]

When I was kid in the US, they'd cancel baseball games just for a little bit of rain! At least they'd make them up in "double headers." ASO should do the same here. Reschedule Stage 6 sometime between Stages 7 and 8. Like start it around 10pm on Saturday, even if it's just the shortened 79km version.

The weather cancellation or alteration complainers on here have clearly never tried watching test match cricket.