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

[El Pistolero]

BMC still have Evans, Vacans have no one at that level.

Devolder can get lucky and actually win something big. Cadel can do what? Nothing with the race schedule he's racing.

 

[thirteen]

And Vacansoleil instantly proves that without Ricco/Mosquera, they are still lightyears ahead of BMC.

can i just say (without getting flamed) that i really would have loved if the two (especially Ricco) were still on the team? fireworks!

 

[Konfronto]

He didn't, he barely dropped anyone. He'll probably safe himself for an attack the comming days, because his shape is clearly not good enough to get a good result in the ITT.

Vino has left message on his FB page, that currently he is not in a great form after some illnes (not mentioned what kind of) and he'll fight for a stage win, so perhaps he decided to go easy and safe some energy for the next stages to come.
Hope he'll make it.

 

[theyoungest]

Devolder can get lucky and actually win something big. Cadel can do what? Nothing with the race schedule he's racing.

Surely all the chauvinism in the world hasn't led you to think that Devolder is a better rider than Cadel Evans? Because he isn't.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

1 rider doesn't make a team, well, except for BMC that is

 

[El Pistolero]

Surely all the chauvinism in the world hasn't led you to think that Devolder is a better rider than Cadel Evans? Because he isn't.

I don't think he is, I just know Cuddles isn't going to win anything with that race schedule of his.

BMC, c'est une blague...

He can get all the second places he wants, but in the end, you don't buy anything with that. And besides Cuddles who can actually win something there? They're going to have to wait a while for their first win of the season...

 

[canyonball]

BMC bashing seems to be some kind of sport in this forum

Of course with morabito as a race leader you couldn't expect much out of this. If they took evans to nice and balan to tirreno as race leaders I think they would be good? Evans likes tirreno though and it is definitly better suited for the ardennes preparation (though I didn't understand if he's targenting them or not).



@ the youngest. I was not trying to excuse BMC in anyway. Just pointing out they choose to give (another) wild card to a french team. Which is fine by me as long as they can deliver. I mean, maybe there were teams being left out of nice with a better chance of success?

 

[Anonymous]

BMC still have Evans, Vacans have no one at that level.

At what level? Vacon have already won four stages and worn the leaders jersey in one of the biggest stage races of the year.

Evans hasnt even got out of bed yet.

Vacon, as a team, have a much strong team than BMC. Evans may arguably be the best rider accross the two teams, but the old saying goes.

You are only as strong as your weakest link.

 

[taiwan]

If they took evans to nice and balan to tirreno as race leaders I think they would be good?

Agree with that, Ballan having looked so strong at l'Eroica. BMC leant heavily towards sending a strong team to Italy, more so than others. It's not that they couldn't have sent a competitive team to Paris-Nice.

 

[El Pistolero]

Agree with that, Ballan having looked so strong at l'Eroica. BMC leant heavily towards sending a strong team to Italy, more so than others. It's not that they couldn't have sent a competitive team to Paris-Nice.

My guess is Ballan will actually be the only one that gets them a "decent" win this season.

There's plenty of teams that just focus on one man, but at least they're doing a good job at it unlike BMC who can't even support Cuddles at a GT.

 

[theyoungest]

At what level? Vacon have already won four stages and worn the leaders jersey in one of the biggest stage races of the year.

Evans hasnt even got out of bed yet.

Vacon, as a team, have a much strong team than BMC. Evans may arguably be the best rider accross the two teams, but the old saying goes.

You are only as strong as your weakest link.

I know and I completely agree, but Vacans won't be winning any big stage races soon. That's what Evans can do (well, theoretically at least).

Speaking of the weakest link: has Jeff Louder ever done anything to suggest that he's up to WorldTour level? Has he ever cracked the top-100 in any race whatsoever?

 

[taiwan]

My guess is Ballan will actually be the only one that gets them a "decent" win this season.

There's plenty of teams that just focus on one man, but at least they're doing a good job at it unlike BMC who can't even support Cuddles at a GT.

Well, Evans can still ride the Vuelta, even if he leaves the Tour empty handed.

 

[Ney the Viking]

Does anyone have a list of when the interesting riders go down the ramp? It would be much apprecited.

 

[search]

Orden de salida:

5. RASMUSSEN Alex 13:39:00
12. VAN EMDEN Jos 13:46:00
28. THOMAS Geraint 14:02:00
47. FUGLSANG Jakob 14:21:00
62. WESTRA Lieuwe 14:36:00
73. TJALLINGII Maarten 14:47:00
86. VOIGT Jens 15:00:00
114. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 15:28:00
116. DEVOLDER Stijn 15:30:00
117. BOOKWALTER Brent 15:31:00
126. GUSEV Vladimir 15:40:00
127. ROCHE Nicolas 15:41:00
134. GERDEMANN Linus 15:48:00
137. VAN GARDEREN Tejay 15:51:00
138. PORTE Richie 15:52:00
139. CHAVANEL Sylvain 15:53:00
142. SCHLECK Frank 15:56:00
143. LEIPHEIMER Levi 15:57:00
146. HESJEDAL Ryder 16:00:00
147. WIGGINS Bradley 16:01:00
148. ROGERS Michael 16:02:00
149. PERAUD Jean-Christophe 16:03:00
152. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 16:07:00
153. MONFORT Maxime 16:09:00
154. KREUZIGER Roman 16:11:00
155. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 16:13:00
156. TAARAMAE Rein 16:15:00
157. TONDO Xavier 16:17:00
158. BRAJKOVIC Janez 16:19:00
159. KISERLOVSKI Robert 16:21:00
160. MARTIN Tony 16:23:00
161. CARRARA Matteo 16:25:00
162. SANCHEZ Samuel 16:27:00
163. KLÖDEN Andréas 16:29:00

 

[boomcie]

Does anyone have a list of when the interesting riders go down the ramp? It would be much apprecited.

You can find a list for ALL riders here.

 

[maltiv]

I think Geraint Thomas will set the early best time but will probably be beaten by at least Tony Martin and Bradley Wiggins at the end. I don't think Tony Martin will be able to wrap up the GC today though because he might still crack on the last stage, like he did in TDS.

 

[taiwan]

Anyone have a potential winner other than Herr Martin?

 

[theyoungest]

Anyone have a potential winner other than Herr Martin?

Klöden, Brajkovic, and Wiggins could beat them, if one of them has a really good day, and Martin is slightly off. But Martin seems to be very much on.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Oh well Martin deserves a nice stage-race win after a somewhat dissapointing 2010 (still good, but not superb)

 

[theyoungest]

Oh well Martin deserves a nice stage-race win after a somewhat dissapointing 2010 (still good, but not superb)

He won the stage race to end all stage races last year!

 

[Ney the Viking]

Search, you are a star!

 

[Moncoutie]

He won the stage race to end all stage races last year!

Eneco???!!

 

[search]

He won the stage race to end all stage races last year!

the Tour de Hokkaido? nah, he didn't

 

[Mellow Velo]

Speaking of the weakest link: has Jeff Louder ever done anything to suggest that he's up to WorldTour level? Has he ever cracked the top-100 in any race whatsoever?

Hey, he's currently lying 4th in the ITT.....................
............OK, so only 6 riders have finished.........

 

[Ney the Viking]

the Tour de Hokkaido? nah, he didn't

Geraint Thomas trashes the rest of the field @15km's with a time of 17:37, looks like he is setting the pace today. edit: thats 51.1 km/h average for those that care.