Tour de France 2017. stage 1: Düsseldorf, 14 km itt

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Can we have the link to the start times please

https://twitter.com/CaleyFretz/status/880779585398460416

Interesting. Latour between Quintana and Froome. AG2R doesn't want Bardet overtaken by Froome.

Bardet would be overtaken by Prudhomme on a tricycle, so thats pretty sensible.

 

[GJB123]

Re: Re:

Alberto Contador will win this bike race.

Bertie's Tour record post-positive: 5th, 4th, DNF, 5th, DNF. Contador fans in July are a lot like Liverpool fans in August: "this will be our year". No it won't.

Without background info those positions mean nothing:

5th (coming of winning the Giro), 4th (bad year indeed), DNF (fall), 5th (coming of winning the Giro against rocket fueled Astana), DNF (fall).

Now he isn't the favorite but to count out Contador already is plain stupid. He will be in the mix and even if he won't win, I am willig to bet that he will have a profound influence on who does if he is any kind of good shape.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Alberto Contador will win this bike race.

Bertie's Tour record post-positive: 5th, 4th, DNF, 5th, DNF. Contador fans in July are a lot like Liverpool fans in August: "this will be our year". No it won't.

I'm obviously referring to the ITT. And it's June.

 

[Carols]

Tony Martin in Yellow=Perfect for a start in Germany!

 

[vedrafjord]

Re: Re:

Alberto Contador will win this bike race.

Bertie's Tour record post-positive: 5th, 4th, DNF, 5th, DNF. Contador fans in July are a lot like Liverpool fans in August: "this will be our year". No it won't.

I'm obviously referring to the ITT. And it's June.

That makes even less sense. Stage 1 two years ago was extremely similar to tomorrow - first stage so the roleurs hadn't been tired out by the hills yet, also pan-flat, also 14km. He came 46th in that.

Martin/Roglic/Porte.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Either T.Martin or Roglic in yellow will be fine by me....

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Alberto Contador will win this bike race.

Bertie's Tour record post-positive: 5th, 4th, DNF, 5th, DNF. Contador fans in July are a lot like Liverpool fans in August: "this will be our year". No it won't.

I'm obviously referring to the ITT. And it's June.

It's July tomorrow.

 

[Breh]

I really dislike these late starting times.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I really dislike these late starting times.

Me too. I don't get why they don't start earlier and have 2 minutes between each rider. It would minimize the chances of riders meeting on the road, and also make the start gate less busy and stressful than it will be with such a quick turn around needed.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Will be crazy out there!

 

[johnymax]

I'm surprised no one mentioned van Emden. I think of all the specialists the short ITT suits him the most. But he has already done the Giro and his form is a bit unknown right now.

 

[Breh]

His performance at the Dutch ITT was not exactly promising.

 

[Sestriere]

So, how will the sprinters/puncheurs with a chance to take yellow later in the race do?
I'd say, Kittel is propably the best TTer among the sprinters, but he has only one stage to take bonus seconds, as stage 3 is rather too hilly for him.
Sagan and Matthews are very well capable of a good TT as well, and they also have a chance in stage 3. A top form Degenkolb or Démare would be worth a pick, but they are rather longshots.
From the puncheurs, Gilbert and van Avermaet are the most obvious choices, but their TT is too weak, I guess.
And Kwiatkowski really going for it on stage 3 would be surprise to me.

All in all, I would rate Matthews' chances to take yellow the best of the sprinters or puncheurs.

 

[bajbar]

Re:

I'm surprised no one mentioned van Emden. I think of all the specialists the short ITT suits him the most. But he has already done the Giro and his form is a bit unknown right now.

Van Emden said in couple of interviews that he doesn't feel at his best and that his shape is nowhere near the same as it was in the Giro. Plus he blew quite spectacularly in the national TT champs. Beaten by Gesink... So I wouldn't count him as a top favourite. Top 10 though, for sure.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Re: Re:

I really dislike these late starting times.

Me too. I don't get why they don't start earlier and have 2 minutes between each rider. It would minimize the chances of riders meeting on the road, and also make the start gate less busy and stressful than it will be with such a quick turn around needed.

With bigger gaps the weather would be more likely to have an influence. Someone starting two hours earlier than his rival might have better or worse weather. One minute should be enough for 14K. Of course one minute on Pierre Latour might be possible, but that won't influence the result.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

I really dislike these late starting times.

Me too. I don't get why they don't start earlier and have 2 minutes between each rider. It would minimize the chances of riders meeting on the road, and also make the start gate less busy and stressful than it will be with such a quick turn around needed.

With bigger gaps the weather would be more likely to have an influence. Someone starting two hours earlier than his rival might have better or worse weather. One minute should be enough for 14K. Of course one minute on Pierre Latour might be possible, but that won't influence the result.

That's a fair point. But isn't changeable weather just about one of the things that makes a TT worth watching?

I guess they will be on wide roads in the city anyway so congestion/drafting of teams cars, motos and everything shouldn't be much of a problem.

 

[staubsauger]

Kittel ftw!

 

[Pantani_lives]

Re:

Kittel ftw!

You're one day too early.

No pure sprinter will wear yellow this Tour, because Monday is already an uphill finish. Sagan or Matthews could perhaps take yellow on Monday. Or Valverde.

 

[klintE]

Re:

looking on map - eleven sharp (90+ deg.) turns.
So Roglic before everyone else, and most dangerous for him - Kwiato

As a proof
https://twitter.com/i/videos/tweet/880831671586742273

 

[dick the quick]

Weather forecast for tomorrow: rain all day long, cold (17 C). Should be wet surface for all the riders.

Most likely the GC guys and their helpers won't risk too much, so the pure specialists focused on stage victory and yellow jersey (Martin, Roglic) should be in a privileged position.

 

[latino]

For me it'll be Roglic 1st, Martin 2nd, rest of the pack far behind.
Both will come out swinging in the prologue.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

I'm surprised no one mentioned van Emden. I think of all the specialists the short ITT suits him the most. But he has already done the Giro and his form is a bit unknown right now.

Van Emden said in couple of interviews that he doesn't feel at his best and that his shape is nowhere near the same as it was in the Giro. Plus he blew quite spectacularly in the national TT champs. Beaten by Gesink... So I wouldn't count him as a top favourite. Top 10 though, for sure.

Beaten by Gesink suggests that being beaten by Gesink by definition is bad. Gesink can do really good TT's and he certainly did one at the nationals, but yeah van Emden wasnt good that day, allthough above 30km isnt good for van Emden.
Van Emden shouldnt start this tdf. He got the heads up right after the giro that he would go to the TdF so he started training directly again after the giro which ended up in him being extremely fatigued, yet they stil let him start somehow.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

Can we have the link to the start times please

https://twitter.com/CaleyFretz/status/880779585398460416

Interesting. Latour between Quintana and Froome. AG2R doesn't want Bardet overtaken by Froome.

This a definitely a big blow if overtaken by Froome. I still remember Armstrong past Ullrich.

This special arrangement is great for tactics and marketing as well. Latour is a tri-color jersey owner.
However,.... it is expected that rain will happen on the beginning and stop before end of the race.
This will make Bardet loss more time.

 

[dick the quick]

GC guys start times:

16:09 Majka
16:13 Pinot
17:08 Talansky
17:10 Gesink
17:40 Yates
17:43 Fuglsang
17:47 Bardet
17:48 Thomas
17:52 Uran
18:00 Martin (Daniel)
18:02 Chaves
18:06 Porte
18:07 Mollema
18:08 Valverde
18:13 Izaguirre
18:26 Meintjes
18:27 Aru
18:29 Contador
18:30 Quintana
18:32 Froome

 

[vedrafjord]

Re:

Weather forecast for tomorrow: rain all day long, cold (17 C).

God I wish I lived in a place where 17C was considered cold. We had a high of 12C yesterday in Dublin.