TDF 2018 Stage 4 - La Baule - Sarzeau 195 km

[Jancouver]

La Baule - Sarzeau 195 km

From CN:

This is the stage of the holiday destinations and the first of three Breton stages. It starts from La Baule, known for its 9km beach.

It was the venue of the Grand Départ 30 years ago for the only Tour de France that had a preface rather than a prologue. It didn't count for the overall classification, but it was a 3.8km team time trial with the last kilometre to be covered solo by one rider per team.

Stage 4 won't be the hardest of the 105th Tour de France for sure. Going through Pontchâteau, which hosted the cyclo-cross world championship on several occasions, the course brings the riders back to the Atlantique in the beautiful gulf of the Morbihan [the name of that province means the small sea, literally translated from Breton language] and precisely to the city of Sarzeau, whose mayor is the president of the Union Cycliste Internationale David Lappartient.

The 4km straight line - the longest in French cycling since the avenue de Grammont can't be fully used for Paris-Tours anymore - is suitable for a splendid sprint finish.

Matt White says: The roads around this part of France are really sticky. They’re tight, too, with lots of hedges either side, and if you’ve got wet weather and wind then it adds another dynamic to the race. Even if this ends in a bunch sprint it could prove be a hectic day in the saddle for a lot of riders, especially after going full-gas in the TTT the day before.

Hotel info:

All stages:

 

[Jancouver]

Poll added.

Flat, straight finish = Gaviria? (since he took it easy today)

 

[Screecher]

My pick is Kittel.

 

[Oliwright]

GC RIDERS
TVG 0'00
Geraint 0'03
Jungels 0'07
Dumoulin 0'11
Uran 0'35
Majka 0'50
Fulgsang 0'51
Porte 0'51
Zakarin 0'52
Valverde 0'53
Landa 0'53
Froome 0'55
Yates 1'00
Nibali 1'06
Bardet 1'15
Kruijwijk 1'15
Roglic 1'15
Molema 1'16
Bernal 1'19
Martin 1'38
Barguil 1'46
Quintana 2'08

 

[SHAD0W93]

"Phil it looks like Fernando Gaviria is winning his second stage."
"Wait who is that bursting out from behind Gaviria!"
"Phil could it be!"
"It is Paul! The manx missile has gone level with Gaviria and beat him with a lunge to win his first stage of the 2018 Tour!"
"Phil, Cavendish came back from the dead to win that stage. That was unbelievable."

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

"Phil it looks like Fernando Gaviria is winning his second stage."
"Wait who is that bursting out from behind Gaviria!"
"Phil could it be!"
"It is Paul! The manx missile has gone level with Gaviria and beat him with a lunge to win his first stage of the 2018 Tour!"
"Phil, Cavendish came back from the dead to win that stage. That was unbelievable."

+1

 

[pablohidalgo7]

Groenewegen FTW

 

[GraftPunk]

I'm thinking Gaviria/Sagan 1-2, but can't decide on the order. Voted for the rainbow stripes though.

 

[Durden93]

At what point does the gradient become too much for pure sprinters and start to favour Sagan, Matthews, etc? Put me down for Gav.

 

[GraftPunk]

Re:

At what point does the gradient become too much for pure sprinters and start to favour Sagan, Matthews, etc? Put me down for Gav.

Not really an answer, but I'm sure each rider has their own sweet-spot in terms of gradient and climb distance. I'm not sure if it can be quantified easily.

 

[Valv.Piti]

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Yes.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re: Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Yes.

How many sprint finishes does the Tour average? They probably don't want to dip below a certain number in order to ensure a world-class sprint field

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Yes.

How many sprint finishes does the Tour average? They probably don't want to dip below a certain number in order to ensure a world-class sprint field

Well, you asked the question, and it looks like you answered it yourself.

 

[Eclipse]

Another brilliant 5k tour stage

 

[sir fly]

Long straight run-in... Trains and powerful sprinters.
And nice weather, again.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Well Valv.Piti. I will tell you. This stage has been designed to actually bore people to death. Recent studies have shown that at least 20% of people watching an entirely flat stage will die from their brain functioning at all, because they are literally watching nothing happening, causing all brainwaves to stop.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Re: Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Well Valv.Piti. I will tell you. This stage has been designed to actually bore people to death. Recent studies have shown that at least 20% of people watching an entirely flat stage will die from their brain functioning at all, because they are literally watching nothing happening, causing all brainwaves to stop.

Wimbledon swapping in

 

[Koronin]

This looks like a "let me know when they get to the last 10K" type of stages.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Well Valv.Piti. I will tell you. This stage has been designed to actually bore people to death. Recent studies have shown that at least 20% of people watching an entirely flat stage will die from their brain functioning at all, because they are literally watching nothing happening, causing all brainwaves to stop.

From a cyclists point of view I agree. But it might surprise you guys but many millions actually watch the tour around the world because they like the French scenery and spectacle but care little for the racing. These millions have no idea about cycling the sport. But the fact these millions switch on to view these stages helps money and sponsors. It is why the Tour is bigger than the Giro or Vuelta. The biggest bike race in the world.

That's just the way it is. Business.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Well Valv.Piti. I will tell you. This stage has been designed to actually bore people to death. Recent studies have shown that at least 20% of people watching an entirely flat stage will die from their brain functioning at all, because they are literally watching nothing happening, causing all brainwaves to stop.

And that is where you leave it running in the background while doing other kinds of stuff. Don't just sit staring at the screen for the entire stage.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Any chance of wind tomorrow? Was windy today!

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

What a totally useless stage, it really does serve no purpose. Why not to straight to the hills of Brittany and add a little suspense with a late hill instead of serving up yet another COMPLETELY flat stage?

Well Valv.Piti. I will tell you. This stage has been designed to actually bore people to death. Recent studies have shown that at least 20% of people watching an entirely flat stage will die from their brain functioning at all, because they are literally watching nothing happening, causing all brainwaves to stop.

From a cyclists point of view I agree. But it might surprise you guys but many millions actually watch the tour around the world because they like the French scenery and spectacle but care little for the racing. These millions have no idea about cycling the sport. But the fact these millions switch on to view these stages helps money and sponsors. It is why the Tour is bigger than the Giro or Vuelta. The biggest bike race in the world.

That's just the way it is. Business.

That's just nonsense. They'd get the scenery on an entertaining day too.

Don't come telling us that boring, flat stages attract more viewers because they are more scenic and spectacular. They aren't.

 

[Laplaz]

Hopefully no big crashes tomorrow, that's the most important thing of the day of course.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Well I get than flat stages (as in completely flat and boring stages) are impossible to avoid and shouldn't be avoided to attract the best sprinters, its part of the Tour. I get that France's geography is much harder to work with in that aspect compared to there counterparts in Italy and Spain. I get that we need to go from point A to B as in the case and purpose of stage 7 and 8. But this one, after starting the race off on a weekend with two completely flat stages, is just too much. They are literally moving 50 kilometres north in this crappy stage. Why are you not seeking out some interesting terrain in Brittany which has a lot to offer? On top of that, the wind is usually coming from West, the atlantic, which means 100 kilometres of headwind.

Just no point in tuning in apart from the last 10-20 kilometres.