Paris-Nice Stage 6: Rognes - Aix-en-Provence (ITT) 27km

[royalpig180]

Well the big day has almost arrived. The decider of this years Paris-Nice appears to be tomorrow's fairly flat 27km time trial.

My prediction is that Martin will win (not exactly going out on a limb, I know). However, I wouldn't be surprised if Kloden was right up there. He'll have the advantage of having all of Martin's splits, and a yellow jersey always brings extra motivation. He might lose a small enough amount of time that he'll be in the running to take back the lead on the last couple stages.

 

[Anonymous]

frankly im getting sick of time trials deciding races. Sure in PN you have to be able to climb a bit, but time after time we are seeing the likes of Martin who can TT win stage races.

I dont care who wins tommorow (and even if wiggins won it and won overall I dont think you deserve to win paris nice for sitting in wheels and then winning a tt) :/

 

[Kazistuta]

Yeah, this has Tony Martin written (ridden!) all over it!

I agree that Klöden's gonna be a contender as well, along with Janez, Sanchez (both of them), Peraud, Wiggins, Rogers and Leipheimer.

Of the losers from today I expect most from Chavanel, Porte, Devolder, Vino, Westra, Gutierrez and maybe even our new best friend De Gendt.

Btw. does anyone else find it odd that a clearly in-form Pavel Brutt is placed third-to-last right now? Did he crash?

 

[theyoungest]

frankly im getting sick of time trials deciding races. Sure in PN you have to be able to climb a bit, but time after time we are seeing the likes of Martin who can TT win stage races.

I dont care who wins tommorow (and even if wiggins won it and won overall I dont think you deserve to win paris nice for sitting in wheels and then winning a tt) :/

The final weekend of Paris-Nice is traditional mayhem, a time trial doesn't really change that. Maybe the impetus to attack is even bigger now that they'll have to.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

the Panzerwagon will probably win

 

[maltiv]

frankly im getting sick of time trials deciding races. Sure in PN you have to be able to climb a bit, but time after time we are seeing the likes of Martin who can TT win stage races.

I dont care who wins tommorow (and even if wiggins won it and won overall I dont think you deserve to win paris nice for sitting in wheels and then winning a tt) :/

Can't say I agree, now when someone apparently has decided that time trials shall basically be removed from GTs I think it is only fair that the TTers who can climb get their chance to win one week races at least. It's nothing that stops the climbers from attacking, though, and I think Tony Martin might get into trouble on the last stage if someone like Movistar decides they want to make it a hard race. Tondo shouldn't be too far off the pace in the time trial.

 

[luckyboy]

Obviously Martin will win, and take the overall.

But it would be interesting to see if Samu stays in touching distance what he can do with the downhill run-in on the final stage. Probably wishful thinking.

 

[xmoonx]

This is turning out to be a super exciting race. It's still wide open I think. There are 30 riders within 30 seconds and half of those can climb and TT extremely well. Having said that I am pulling for Klodi, hopefully he doesn't have to sprint again that was fugly.

 

[royalpig180]

Can't say I agree, now when someone apparently has decided that time trials shall basically be removed from GTs I think it is only fair that the TTers who can climb get their chance to win one week races at least. It's nothing that stops the climbers from attacking, though, and I think Tony Martin might get into trouble on the last stage if someone like Movistar decides they want to make it a hard race. Tondo shouldn't be too far off the pace in the time trial.

+1

I agree! In fact, I said the same thing in the stage 5 thread earlier today!

 

[ingsve]

frankly im getting sick of time trials deciding races. Sure in PN you have to be able to climb a bit, but time after time we are seeing the likes of Martin who can TT win stage races.

I dont care who wins tommorow (and even if wiggins won it and won overall I dont think you deserve to win paris nice for sitting in wheels and then winning a tt) :/

Well, at least it's better to have a TT decide a race rather than having 30 riders on virtually the same time and only chance deciding who gets a top 5 and who gets stuck in 30th when they all stayed together throughout the race anyway.

 

[Squire]

But it would be interesting to see if Samu stays in touching distance what he can do with the downhill run-in on the final stage. Probably wishful thinking.

When was the last time he actually did something on a descent? He didn't bring back much when he chased Bertie&Schleck in that TdF stage which Casar won.

I thought Samu looked like he was barely hanging on to the leading group today, so I don't expect much from him. Would love him to go on the offensive though.

 

[c&cfan]

frankly im getting sick of time trials deciding races. Sure in PN you have to be able to climb a bit, but time after time we are seeing the likes of Martin who can TT win stage races.

I dont care who wins tommorow (and even if wiggins won it and won overall I dont think you deserve to win paris nice for sitting in wheels and then winning a tt) :/

TTs are the toughst discipline in cycling. you have to go ALL out. end with 0 left in the tank. they deserve it. if the others are not good enough to win, thats their problem. i believe canc will win this one day.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Can't say I agree, now when someone apparently has decided that time trials shall basically be removed from GTs I think it is only fair that the TTers who can climb get their chance to win one week races at least. It's nothing that stops the climbers from attacking, though, and I think Tony Martin might get into trouble on the last stage if someone like Movistar decides they want to make it a hard race. Tondo shouldn't be too far off the pace in the time trial.

Paris-Nice tends to be full of attacking, but there are definitely far too many "win the TT win the race" type of races on the calendar - Murcía, San Luís, Algarve, Sardegna, País Vasco (País Vasco!!!), Castilla y León, Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour de Suisse (Tour de Suisse!!!), California and the Dauphiné are all races that have, in the last few years, been settled almost entirely by the results of an ITT.

Yes, there should be a bit more TT time in GTs. But if you make the TT easily the most decisive part of a one week race, all you'll get is the best TT guys pottering around waiting to crush everyone in the TT.

 

[nvpacchi]

When was the last time he actually did something on a descent? He didn't bring back much when he chased Bertie&Schleck in that TdF stage which Casar won.

I thought Samu looked like he was barely hanging on to the leading group today, so I don't expect much from him. Would love him to go on the offensive though.

He would've been right with AS/AC if there was another 500 meters of descent. He cramped up on the flat, which prevented him from attempting to latch back on.

He has proved on enough occasions that he is capable of delivering a nasty descent. But why risk it on a PN stage, when it is not a main objective?

In 2006 Vuelta, and 2006 GdL he had two insane descents worth checking out.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

TTs are the toughst discipline in cycling. you have to go ALL out. end with 0 left in the tank. they deserve it. if the others are not good enough to win, thats their problem. i believe canc will win this one day.

This is the first time in a while they've had an ITT of any decent length in the race.

So "Canc" will win it one day if they continue to do this, but I wouldn't expect it.

Canc could turn up and win half the one week races on the calendar if he showed up, since the TT is often the only GC-relevant stage.

Does it diminish the achievement of winning a race like Paris-Nice when all you had to do was bury yourself in the péloton for a week then do a TT? Yup. Do you really think it's a good thing for a stage race to consist of six sprints (sit in a bunch for four hours, then do something worthwhile for four minutes) and then the whole thing be settled by a TT? TV companies don't.

 

[c&cfan]

This is the first time in a while they've had an ITT of any decent length in the race.

So "Canc" will win it one day if they continue to do this, but I wouldn't expect it.

Canc could turn up and win half the one week races on the calendar if he showed up, since the TT is often the only GC-relevant stage.

Does it diminish the achievement of winning a race like Paris-Nice when all you had to do was bury yourself in the péloton for a week then do a TT? Yup. Do you really think it's a good thing for a stage race to consist of six sprints (sit in a bunch for four hours, then do something worthwhile for four minutes) and then the whole thing be settled by a TT? TV companies don't.

paris-nice isnt like that and for me sprint is as good and it matters as much as mountains and cobbles. if a rider isnt strong enough to atack in the flat, or strong enough to win a tt, thats their problem. sprinters train as hard as all other cyclists. the problem isnt the TT winners. the problem is the TT losers that dont have the balls.

i only watch cycling because i really like it. all disciplines. as it should be.

 

[El Pistolero]

TTs are the toughst discipline in cycling. you have to go ALL out. end with 0 left in the tank. they deserve it. if the others are not good enough to win, thats their problem. i believe canc will win this one day.

Kinda hard to win P-N when you're always doing T-A.

 

[El Pistolero]

Paris-Nice tends to be full of attacking, but there are definitely far too many "win the TT win the race" type of races on the calendar - Murcía, San Luís, Algarve, Sardegna, País Vasco (País Vasco!!!), Castilla y León, Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour de Suisse (Tour de Suisse!!!), California and the Dauphiné are all races that have, in the last few years, been settled almost entirely by the results of an ITT.

Yes, there should be a bit more TT time in GTs. But if you make the TT easily the most decisive part of a one week race, all you'll get is the best TT guys pottering around waiting to crush everyone in the TT.

To be fair, in Murcia and Castilla y Leon the best climber won. And Cataluyna doesn't even have a time trial this year. And Pais Vasco definitely was won by the best climber the last 3 years...

And I can see Gesink winning T-A this year. Gilbert will definitely break up the peloton at stage 4 and 6 to shake up the GC. And my money is on Gesink winning stage 5. The Canc will suffer before he goes into the final TT.

 

[nvpacchi]

To be fair, in Murcia and Castilla y Leon the best climber won. And Pais Vasco doesn't even have a time trial this year. And it definitely was won by the best climber the last 3 years...

And I can see Gesink winning T-A this year. Gilbert will definitely break up the peloton at stage 4 and 6 to shake up the GC. And my money is on Gesink winning stage 5. The Canc will suffer before he goes into the final TT.

Pais Vasco has a TT this year, Catalunya doesn't though.

 

[El Pistolero]

Pais Vasco has a TT this year, Catalunya doesn't though.

Yup, accidently mixed up those races.

 

[Ferminal]

Tirreno - Adriatico, Stage 5 : Loreto - Macerata I.T.T. (30 km) 15/03/2009

1. [GER] KLÖDEN Andreas AST 41'32" 40
2. [BEL] DEVOLDER Stijn QST 20" 25
3. [SWE] LÖFKVIST Thomas THR 21" 15
4. [ITA] SCARPONI Michele SDA 21" 10
5. [RUS] IGNATIEV Mikhail KAT 32" 5
6. [NED] GESINK Robert RAB 40" 3
7. [ITA] GARZELLI Stefano ASA 41" 2
8. [NOR] BOASSON HAGEN Edvald THR 52" 1
9. [GER] GERDEMANN Linus MRM 58" 0
10. [FRA] COPPEL Jérôme FDJ 01'00" 0

Come on Klodi...

 

[The Hitch]

If my man Samu can limit his losses to say 20 seconds (not unlikely for someone who came 2nd, 5 seconds behind Miller in toledo time trial 2 years back) then with his 6 seconds adv hell have 13 seconds. That can be, if euskatel work well be made up on nice stage.

 

[The Hitch]

Tirreno - Adriatico, Stage 5 : Loreto - Macerata I.T.T. (30 km) 15/03/2009

1. [GER] KLÖDEN Andreas AST 41'32" 40
2. [BEL] DEVOLDER Stijn QST 20" 25
3. [SWE] LÖFKVIST Thomas THR 21" 15
4. [ITA] SCARPONI Michele SDA 21" 10
5. [RUS] IGNATIEV Mikhail KAT 32" 5
6. [NED] GESINK Robert RAB 40" 3
7. [ITA] GARZELLI Stefano ASA 41" 2
8. [NOR] BOASSON HAGEN Edvald THR 52" 1
9. [GER] GERDEMANN Linus MRM 58" 0
10. [FRA] COPPEL Jérôme FDJ 01'00" 0

Come on Klodi...

Interesting to see whose 6th.

Maybe thats what Dekker T has been trying to tell us all this time when we werent listening

Then again seeing as Michele is 4th im not sure how much it says. Klodi did get like 4th or in Monaco tt 4 months later, and Cancellara and Contadro for two arent here.

 

[ttrider]

If my man Samu can limit his losses to say 20 seconds (not unlikely for someone who came 2nd, 5 seconds behind Miller in toledo time trial 2 years back) then with his 6 seconds adv hell have 13 seconds. That can be, if euskatel work well be made up on nice stage.

You can say that if you like! But the truth is Martin was the strongest today, the way he climbed and bridged then drove up the final ramp and on the descent....he ll take 40 in the tt then at his wieght and apparent form samu can have fun trying to drop him on a descent...add on he leads out cav sometime (09 tour 3 stages from the end) as final man, your not gona have easy bonus sections

Hes going to dominate the remainder of this race any way you look at it

 

[nvpacchi]

If my man Samu can limit his losses to say 20 seconds (not unlikely for someone who came 2nd, 5 seconds behind Miller in toledo time trial 2 years back) then with his 6 seconds adv hell have 13 seconds. That can be, if euskatel work well be made up on nice stage.

I had the same exact thought as you, but then after looking at the profile of the 2009 stage, it looks a little hillier than the one on tap for tomorrow. Nonetheless I hope he wrecks it still!