Saudi Tour 2023 (January 30th - February 3rd)

[CHGJ2000]

Was Milan involved in the crash? I see he got no time gap.
Was he working for Rajovic?

He was working for Rajovic but got taken out by Rajovic along with half of the peloton. Lucky for him his bike just got broken but he didn't crash.

 

[Squire]

No legs probably cause he still ended 11th.

Yeah, I saw that, but he went backwards so fast and so instantly when the sprint started. If it was legs only, he must have been on a really bad day.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Ah great a 180km flat stage in the middle of the desert on a Tuesday in January. When I decided to WFH 3 days a week this is what I had in mind. These flat stages truly are for the real enthusiasts, the purists!

Some say this is the real Tour De France.

 

[search]

should still be interesting, with crosswinds on the forecast for basically the entire final 30k

 

[Samamba]

Good news. The Saudi team can follow today cause we have a 40km/u block headwind

 

[Samamba]

This is one of these days that we can all proudly say that we could follow the pro peloton if we were riding. 20km/u.

 

[Salvarani]

Very slow pace now.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Some crosssands.

 

[Samamba]

Carnage will start in a bit more than 10k

 

[Salvarani]

Saudi riders having some troubles it looks like.

 

[Earns1985]

Now, the race begins!

 

[Samamba]

buitrago dropped already. Same thing as last year

Guerreiro, Grossshartner and Fernandez are probably the best climbers left. GC is going to look really weird.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Movistar were at the front at the start of the split, I assume Gurreiro has made it and he's the favourite for the overall I'd say given the situation.

Bahrain were nowhere, the DS's need to have a word given people on here were able to call exactly what was going to happen and when.

 

[Samamba]

Movistar were at the front at the start of the split, I assume Gurreiro has made it and he's the favourite for the overall I'd say given the situation.

Bahrain were nowhere, the DS's need to have a word given people on here were able to call exactly what was going to happen and when.

Apart from Pasqualon Barhain has an incredibly inexperienced team here. This was to be expected.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

how many days to Omloop?? 24 days??

 

[Samamba]

Wait is Formolo in first group or not? I don't see him but there's 5 UAE riders there and I would think it's weird if they just left their best climber behind.

So I'm assuming his first group

EDIT: Ok he's there

 

[Salvarani]

Ackermann dropped.

 

[Samamba]

Very strong sprint from Milan.

Mezgec with a rookie leadout mistake there tho.

Bol was awful, rest of the fast guys were already out of it before the sprint because of the crosswind in the last km.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Milan being about 7 feet tall and will come in very handy throughout his career

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Smart of TBV to leave Milan in the front group rather than panic and have him drop back for Buitrago

 

[Tim Cahill]

Thinking Milan can perhaps make it over the Poggio with the front group as well, CRO Race stage 3 was a really surprising climbing display for someone of his profile.

 

[search]

looked like Groenewegen caught some wind there at the wrong of the road? He came up with speed but then basically stalled

 

[DNP-Old]

Karel Vacek with probably his career best performance on anything that's not a climb.

 

[search]

seems like there are no bonus seconds handed out at the intermediate sprints, but on a separate earlier bonus sprint instead?! Not sure Walscheid knew... Guerreiro tried to sprint for it as well.

 

[Salvarani]

buitrago dropped already. Same thing as last year

Guerreiro, Grossshartner and Fernandez are probably the best climbers left. GC is going to look really weird.

If Milan can climb like he did in the Cro Race, could he do something for GC as well?