Tirreno - Adriatico Stage 5, Ortona -> Chieti, 230 kms (10/03/2013)

[Miburo]

I have no idea. But he'll need a couple of teammates in the breakaway in order to survive the 15 flat kms after it.

Will Sky allow it?

Well whatever it doesn't matter, they've uran and henao

I hope it rains, maybe then something is possible.

 

[theyoungest]

Slagter could maybe salvage Blanco's March a little, if the GC guys don't go wild on the Passo Lanciano.

 

[Lexman]

Well, the profile gives Purito and probably Alberto some edge. Froome will have to close the gaps himself I think. Waiting for beautiful open fight!

I was thinking of Purito as the winner and in lesser extent Contadori

so we agree here at 100%

 

[LaFlorecita]

Alberto and Nibali attack but the sky train will reel them in within a minute. Froome ftw

 

[wwabbit]

Going to be a busy day for Sky I think. Not only will they have to hold off attacks from Contador and Nibali, but they need to put time into Kwiatkowski who could very well defend his lead in the TT. I think it's going to be an exciting stage.

 

[Flamin]

Is the Lanciano descent technical? if so, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Nibbles has a plan...

Also, the Chieti finish might give Sagan an incentive to try and survive a big climb for a change, although the finale is harder than last year.

 

[Miburo]

We need rain !!!!!!!!

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Hoping for a good result by TJ Butcher. But we'll see. This finish shouldn't be so easily controlled by Sky. Then again, Froome seemed so strong himself as well, I guess even without having a train to control everything, it should be difficult to gain a significant ammount of time on him.

Hoping the descent is good for Nibali to attack. Froome's bike handling skills are supposed to be awful right? I guess if Contador, Nibali and Evans go or something, they should be abe to get a nice gap, if the descent is technical.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Hoping the descent is good for Nibali to attack. Froome's bike handling skills are supposed to be awful right? I guess if Contador, Nibali and Evans go or something, they should be abe to get a nice gap, if the descent is technical.

Froome may look odd on a bike, but he can handle the bike pretty well. Average descender imo.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Nibali to go balisitc in the downhills tomorrov, AC follow if you can so we can take those anglos real good!!

 

[rghysens]

Going to be a busy day for Sky I think. Not only will they have to hold off attacks from Contador and Nibali, but they need to put time into Kwiatkowski who could very well defend his lead in the TT. I think it's going to be an exciting stage.

Remember last year's tdf? Froome is a more than decent tt'er and will take time on Kwiatkowski in the final tt.

 

[El Pistolero]

Remember last year's tdf? Froome is a more than decent tt'er and will take time on Kwiatkowski in the final tt.

He will also take time on Tony Martin and Cancellara even though there's not an ounce of decent time trial position in him.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Froome may look odd on a bike, but he can handle the bike pretty well. Average descender imo.

I don't know, I remeber last year in the hilly TT in the TDF, it looked like he lost two secons each corner to Wiggo. Absolutely horrible lines. The Belgian commentators were telling anecdotes about former coaches and teammates saying how bad his steering skills were. Also, iirc, last year in the Dauphine, when Evans tried to attack in the descent on the queen stage, when Froome was in front, the Sky train seemed to be descending awfully, but then Rogers or Porte or somebody took over and it went okay.

But yeah, I haven't really paid enough attention on Froomes bike handling skills to see whether he is a good descender or not.

Nibali could team up with Contador and Evans, all of them are more than above average descenders I think. Nibali can use Kessiakoff as a domestique, who is an excellent descender and can get over a hill.

But yeah, looking at stage profiles we can all come up with these silly tactics of grand and epic attacks, but in reality teams rarely execute things like that, and if they do, it rarely works out as they planned. Nibali is one for attacking far out and on descents, so I have at least a little ray of hope, that if the descent is technical, he might try something.

 

[Pentacycle]

He will also take time on Tony Martin and Cancellara even though there's not an ounce of decent time trial position in him.

You're wrong there, although you're probably brainwashed by the Sporza commentators who've said so during the Tour.

His back is very flat, he's got a very small frontal surface compared to his length and size(head and arms tucked together quite efficiently), and he's got plenty of power in this position. It's not as smooth as Wiggins, but it's effective.

 

[wwabbit]

Remember last year's tdf? Froome is a more than decent tt'er and will take time on Kwiatkowski in the final tt.

I'm not too sure of that. Froome has been pretty crap in short TTs, meanwhile Kwiatkowski took 2nd place in Algarve behind Tony Martin. We haven't seen Froome's TT form this year yet, closest we have is that embarassing performance in Chronos des Nations...

 

[El Pistolero]

You're wrong there, although you're probably brainwashed by the Sporza commentators who've said so during the Tour.

His back is very flat, he's got a very small frontal surface compared to his length and size(head and arms tucked together quite efficiently), and he's got plenty of power in this position. It's not as smooth as Wiggins, but it's effective.

Ever watched him riding a time trial bike? His position is horrible and so are the lines he takes.

I watched him years before he got super strong, he always sucked in time trials and was a danger on the road for everyone during a TT.

I can post a picture of Andy and also claim he has a good TT position.

 

[Pentacycle]

Ever watched him riding a time trial bike? His position is horrible and so are the lines he takes.

I watched him years before he got super strong, he always sucked in time trials and was a danger on the road for everyone during a TT.

I can post a picture of Andy and also claim he has a good TT position.

I'd like to see you on a TT bike then, it's very hard to combine comfort with power. It's the shaking and pulling he does on the bike that makes him look bad, but in fact he's just riding very efficiently. Have you ever seen him riding on a normal bike? That makes his TT style look very smooth.

 

[El Pistolero]

I'd like to see you on a TT bike then. It's the shaking and pulling he does on the bike that makes him look bad, but in fact he's just riding very efficiently. Have you ever seen him riding on a normal bike? That makes his TT style look very smooth.

It's not smooth, it's horrible compared to real time trial specialists. I've never ridden a time trial bike, useless things that need to be banned from cycling if you ask me.

I'm not a professional cyclist, but Froome can always try and do my job if he wants to.

 

[SafeBet]

I'm not too sure of that. Froome has been pretty crap in short TTs, meanwhile Kwiatkowski took 2nd place in Algarve behind Tony Martin. We haven't seen Froome's TT form this year yet, closest we have is that embarassing performance in Chronos des Nations...

Concur with this. It's no sure thing Froome will take time on Kwiatkowski in the TT.


I doubt Kessi will be in the break tomorrow. He might be tired after today's effort. Better put Brajko in a break, since he would be useless anyway in the final kms, as proven today.
Contador might want to put somebody in an early break as well.

Hard to execute because Sky will try to bring back anything but at least make them work for the whole stage.

 

[Miburo]

I'm not sure if this one is already posted.

something like that tomorrow

 

[hatcher]

 

[Pentacycle]

How many of those trains have succeeded in winning the race? Voeckler, Evans and Basso weren't able to win the races you showed.

 

[wwabbit]

Concur with this. It's no sure thing Froome will take time on Kwiatkowski in the TT.

I doubt Kessi will be in the break tomorrow. He might be tired after today's effort. Better put Brajko in a break, since he would be useless anyway in the final kms, as proven today.
Contador might want to put somebody in an early break as well.

Hard to execute because Sky will try to bring back anything but at least make them work for the whole stage.

I would think OPQS will be the team doing the work at the peloton seeing as they have the leader's jersey.

Perhaps Sky may try to put someone in the break, e.g. Cataldo...

 

[Froome19]

I think that Sky will keep their powder dry for the climb, but I don't think they will show they cards before it.

 

[BillytheKid]

I think that Sky will keep their powder dry for the climb, but I don't think they will show they cards before it.

Looking the full profile again, tomorrow could get lively before the final climb as the three previous climbs and length of the stage could diminish the field. It may be hard to control if only a weak break is establish early. The likely scenario would be tempo on the break, but second-to-last Passo Lanciano looks mean and I would expect some fireworks there.