Paris-Nice 2024, March 3-10

[johnymax]

What can we take away from the first stage?

1. Rogla was ahead of Remco at the finish
2. Remco showing insecurity by going for bonus seconds.

After day 1 in my book it's Rogla 2 vs Remco 0.

 

[jmdirt]

Kooij is having a nice early season.

 

[yaco]

Imagine that Jayco will be all over Pithie as the Matthews replacement as it will be hard for FDJ to keep all their young talent.

 

[RedheadDane]

Kooij is have a nice early season.

You could say he's having an... OK season...

 

[Red Rick]

What can we take away from the first stage?

1. Rogla was ahead of Remco at the finish
2. Remco showing insecurity by going for bonus seconds.

After day 1 in my book it's Rogla 2 vs Remco 0.

They both clearly wanted seconds lol. Roglic just positioned himself extremely badly.

Clearly the score is 4-0 for Evenepoel.

 

[Faserr]

I am happy that none crashed. Some scary wet corners. Remco is already on fire, but this stages are his strength. I don't think that it would be smart for Roglic to work with him there.

 

[Salvarani]

What can we take away from the first stage?

1. Rogla was ahead of Remco at the finish
2. Remco showing insecurity by going for bonus seconds.

After day 1 in my book it's Rogla 2 vs Remco 0.

Agree on that score. Appreciate you for taking the time out of your day for this assessment.

 

[jmdirt]

You could say he's having an... OK season...

...but they aren't racing in Oklahoma.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Sam Bennet climbing well, good training , he's getting into great form for his big season goal Classic Loire atlantique. Could get a podium there

 

[Netserk]

Jorgenson will wear white?

 

[KZD]

What can we take away from the first stage?

1. Rogla was ahead of Remco at the finish
2. Remco showing insecurity by going for bonus seconds.

After day 1 in my book it's Rogla 2 vs Remco 0.

Yet on GC its Remco that has 4 seconds less.

Kooij may not be the fastest sprinter but his positioning and climbing ability gives him the chance of getting many wins.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Jorgenson will wear white?

I don't think he's a virgin, so I think that is poor taste.

 

[AmRacer]

It's Roglas first race for the season and with his new team. It'll take a few stages to get it right.

 

[johnymax]

Agree on that score. Appreciate you for taking the time out of your day for this assessment.

Thank you, it's a pleasure. Today it was a breath of fresh air after yesterday's snoozefest of Strade Bianche and it's all thanks to Roglic.

 

[AmRacer]

Yet on GC its Remco that has 4 seconds less.

Kooij may not be the fastest sprinter but his positioning and climbing ability gives him the chance of getting many wins.

That's number 2, he felt he needed those bonus seconds.

 

[ManicJack]

Why are you obliged to give your main rival a turn when he's just attacked you?

You aren't, and it is very obvious that most people here have never raced a bike.

 

[DNP-Old]

I do agree Roglic has a purpose. He is a reminder that we need to cherish these super talents who do not just race for wins, but for entertainment. Having a Gerrans or Leipheimer regen gives us that realisation that we shouldn't take them for granted.

Thank you, Roglic.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Does anyone have the real results? PCS is showing that Evenepoel gained time on Roglic who didn’t get any bonus seconds but we all know that’s not possible.

Yup. Roglic will take them.

Roglaslow

Histerical thread, when Remco looses big time the hen house will go mute.

Just like if Roglic gets beat.

 

[SHAD0W93]

It's Roglas first race for the season and with his new team. It'll take a few stages to get it right.

I thought he was in great shape and ready to stomp off the rip?

 

[jmdirt]

Thank you, it's a pleasure. Today it was a breath of fresh air after yesterday's snoozefest of Strade Bianche and it's all thanks to Roglic.

snoozfest?! I saw an amazing TP...and its all thanks to TP!

 

[Unchained]

All the current best push and push ,Remco, Pogocar, Vingegaard all jump hard,hard again and when you don't answer, they gap you and ride an ITT!!
Yesterday 80k!!
Roglic rides too relative for my liking, he is a good counter puncher but doesn't slaughter people as a habit. A couple days into March and the others have already shown that if you don't respect them they will ride away and ruin your race.
I like all the big smiles and ski jumper back story, but I enjoy more watching people get furious that someone humiliated them and solo just jammed up the road ,racing like their life depends on it..Roglic never makes people feel helpless, Remco makes riders want to sell their bikes at the end of the race!!

 

[Lequack]

I wonder about this in the time trial. Roglic looks pretty isolated, team is not very strong..?

Yeah I think they were too far back when it was time for bonus seconds, and then after Remco and Roglic went away Bora were quick to disappear. I expected Vlasov to be somewhat closer. We always talk about these superstars, but a strong team is really a big help. The old Visma would've probably put him into a better position today.

Then again Bora has a lot to learn as far as GC riding is concerned. They managed to win that Giro with Hindley, but it's not like Visma, UAE, etc. who race each race with GC in mind. There's a lot of experience there.

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

What can we take away from the first stage?

1. Rogla was ahead of Remco at the finish
2. Remco showing insecurity by going for bonus seconds.

After day 1 in my book it's Rogla 2 vs Remco 0.

Roglic made a substantial tactical error that he got away with this time. He let the wheel go when Remco attacked, which was a mistake. What if he had a mechanical or a crash while Remco was attacking. He did pull it back, but that was not smart racing leaving himself exposed.

This tactical mistake was made evident by who was following Evenepoel, Bernal and other GC riders.

Remco took his foot off the gas once the peloton was under the 3km banner so was Roglic spending more energy to finish ahead of Remco for no reason. Why not simply sit on Remco's wheel to the finish since Roglic wasn't going to finish top 3 in the stage.

 

[Salvarani]

snoozfest?! I saw an amazing TP...and its all thanks to TP!

Dont bother, same people who where whining yesterday are at it again for the complete opposite thing.

 

[Volderke]

With guys like Evenepoel, Bernal, Pogacar, MvdP, WvA, you know they are not afraid to eat some wind, cause some splits and provide entertainment (reminder: watching racing = entertainment, and nothing else). If it wasn't Roglic but Pog, they were gone and the 'dumb(*)' move would have been a very good one (it's called selffullfilling prophecy, but you have those who can pull it off and those who can't or won't).

Ofcourse, like in every Western movie, besides the good guys mentioned above, you also need some bad guys (Escartin will be the ugly one) like Gerrans, Roglic, Zubeldia, Valvderd, Van Garderen... to provide extra draft for the heroes that are pulling, by sucking their wheels.

So I want to thank Roglic who seems to be in good shape, thus hard to drop and dangerous if Remco is overconfident. Without wheelsuckers like him, we wouldn't have a competitive race.

(*) dumb moves are those that make you lose the race. This move wasn't winning, but wasn't losing either. It could have been winning in certain circumstances, and there was nothing lost with trying.