Tour de France 2018 stage 9: Arras > Roubaix 156,5 km

[thehog]

Re:

The tragic-comedy that is LRP post-Sky continues - I thought he might crash yesterday as fate seems to limit him to a weeks racing before stepping in.

Otherwise Uran loses time, but Movistar must be really pleased with the first week - even though they lost a man today.

LRP was always going to crash but I wanted him to at least attempt baffle Froome on the mountains. Now it’s up to RoboLanda to do the antagonising.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

Bardet got into the Landa group when they were already within 30 seconds of the main field. That group had the advantage of a motorbike camera in front of them the entire way, while the Uran group had the motorbike camera behind them.

and yeah, Naesen was a beast.

If you want to go down the conspiracy theory route that some on here seem to want to about Bardet, the could ask why the cars got left in front of Bardet/Landa today, but got pulled out from in front of Martin and UAE yesterday. But even at that, it meant Alaphilippe dropped out of the top 10.

 

[zlev11]

i think people are just reading the gaps on the screen incorrectly. at the exit of Hem the main field was +1min and the Landa group was +1:27 or something like that, meaning 27 seconds off the main field, it's not inconceivable at all that they got back before the finish, especially when you consider that Naesen had been sitting in for a good while and then went to the front once Bardet was absorbed. the Uran group was completely shot by that point, Phinney and Rolland (not exactly the strongest cobblestone rider on earth) had been pulling for even longer than the Movistar guys. they had a bunch of random riders with no reason to ride like Pellizotti just sitting on taking it easy, they were going pretty slow by the end.

 

[thehog]

Re:

i think people are just reading the gaps on the screen incorrectly. at the exit of Hem the main field was +1min and the Landa group was +1:27 or something like that, meaning 27 seconds off the main field, it's not inconceivable at all that they got back before the finish, especially when you consider that Naesen had been sitting in for a good while and then went to the front once Bardet was absorbed. the Uran group was completely shot by that point, Phinney and Rolland (not exactly the strongest cobblestone rider on earth) had been pulling for even longer than the Movistar guys. they had a bunch of random riders with no reason to ride like Pellizotti just sitting on taking it easy, they were going pretty slow by the end.

Phinney won Paris-Roubaix junior edition, was always destined to be a one day rider before art, hairstyles and injuries took hold.

 

[zlev11]

i was referring to Rolland.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

I find it very difficult to believe Bardet wasn’t given a big hand by motos in the final there. There was obviously a reason we weren’t shown pictures from that group near the end. I wonder if anyone out on the road near the finish managed to get a photo or video, social media should tell us more in the next few hours.

The Movistar/Landa group overtook him and they pulled him up to the lead group of gc contenders. He certainly wasn't drafting off of team cars and race vehicles anymore than the average rider.

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

Apparently been a lot of complaints about Bardet being motopaced back up to main group. I am shocked and wouldn't be surprised if the Badger was the motorcyclist lol

From whom? BikeRadar posters been complaining again?

Just bs conspiracy theory from the Sky contingent.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

It was certainly entertaining. I'm gutted for Porte. What a nightmare his career has been these last few years.

I think he was the best hope of beating Froome, but I'm hopeful we'll still see exciting racing. There are enough contenders still in it.

Anyone that had put their hopes on Richie apparently haven't been watching these past few years.

 

[Andy262]

If you didn't like that stage, you don't really like bike racing. Or else your expectations have been hopelessly poisoned by the EPO era.

As to whether that stage should have been in a Tour: I was staring at my phone for the last 40 km, mesmerized. That wouldn't have happened on either a flat stage or a stage ending in a long climb. Sure -- there's limits. Alley Cat stage, for example? But cobbles (and dirt) have been part of bike racing since the ordinary. There's a luck factor, but some riders always seem to have bad luck, while others rarely do, and luck is always a factor. Otherwise we'd neutralize all descents and cancel stages in the rain.

This. Great stage, I was glued to the TV. Would have liked to see The classics riders smash it from further out but it's harder in a stage race with conflicting demands etc. Glad Bardet didn't drop too much given terrible luck and happy with Degenkolb's win.

 

[Angliru]

Well, much addo about nothing.
All fake like modern cycling. Those Sissy cobble stne stages are pointless. They only bring danger but don't offer chances to actually create gaps- So you either do a real cobble stage with tough sections or no such stage at all. Today's *** is useless.

I found it all quite entertaining. What more could you ask for?

 

[Angliru]

Re:

Cort told danish TV tonight, that the team had been giving him the wrong bottles all day, with pure water, so that he hit the wall after 2 hours, completely out of sugar.

That is jacked up!

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

i think people are just reading the gaps on the screen incorrectly. at the exit of Hem the main field was +1min and the Landa group was +1:27 or something like that, meaning 27 seconds off the main field, it's not inconceivable at all that they got back before the finish, especially when you consider that Naesen had been sitting in for a good while and then went to the front once Bardet was absorbed. the Uran group was completely shot by that point, Phinney and Rolland (not exactly the strongest cobblestone rider on earth) had been pulling for even longer than the Movistar guys. they had a bunch of random riders with no reason to ride like Pellizotti just sitting on taking it easy, they were going pretty slow by the end.

And again I agree with you.
The problem wasn't with Bardet reaching the main group. The problem was how the Landa group cut the difference. Once they got to the Caravan of cars and got help from AG2R the rest is history.

 

[movingtarget]

Much as expected... an own goal by ASO and a less competitive race... but plenty of carnage for those that call that and today a sport? Blood money.

They are getting desperate to find ways to beat the Sky stranglehold on the race but just end up killing off some of the Sky's rivals instead. I am predicting that one stage next year will be a 20 km climb with a 10 minute time bonus for first.......stages like yesterday might be fun for the fans but have little effect on the overall. The way the cobbles specialists like Hayman were talking about the stage, it was obvious they thought it was a bit of a PR stunt and nothing else.

 

[Lequack]

Cobblestones in the Tour | Team LottoNL-Jumbo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zuj4R_T8k8

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Apparently been a lot of complaints about Bardet being motopaced back up to main group. I am shocked and wouldn't be surprised if the Badger was the motorcyclist lol

From whom? BikeRadar posters been complaining again?

Just bs conspiracy theory from the Sky contingent.

Makes a change for the conspiracy theorists to be not aimed at Sky for a change :lol:

I still find it slightly suspicious that they took back nearly a minute in the last few K’s, but if they got back in to the cars I suppose they could have made that ground up quickly.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

I still find it slightly suspicious that they took back nearly a minute in the last few K’s

This part is simply incorrect - see above.

They are getting desperate to find ways to beat the Sky stranglehold on the race but just end up killing off some of the Sky's rivals instead. I am predicting that one stage next year will be a 20 km climb with a 10 minute time bonus for first.......stages like yesterday might be fun for the fans but have little effect on the overall. The way the cobbles specialists like Hayman were talking about the stage, it was obvious they thought it was a bit of a PR stunt and nothing else.

With Cancellara gone, I guess someone had to take over as whiner.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well, much addo about nothing.
All fake like modern cycling. Those Sissy cobble stne stages are pointless. They only bring danger but don't offer chances to actually create gaps- So you either do a real cobble stage with tough sections or no such stage at all. Today's *** is useless.

I found it all quite entertaining. What more could you ask for?

Yeah. Me too. Just A shame the GC rider with the biggest expectations to create gaps had some misfortune with one helper hitting the (literal) ground, and another hitting the (figurative) wall.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Well, much addo about nothing.
All fake like modern cycling. Those Sissy cobble stne stages are pointless. They only bring danger but don't offer chances to actually create gaps- So you either do a real cobble stage with tough sections or no such stage at all. Today's *** is useless.

I found it all quite entertaining. What more could you ask for?

Yeah. Me too. Just A shame the GC rider with the biggest expectations to create gaps had some misfortune with one helper hitting the (literal) ground, and another hitting the (figurative) wall.

Fully agree

The only reason this didn't get really dramatic is, that the GC captains that had the legs, mistimed their attacks.

Both Dumoulin and Fuglsang tried too early (and Fuglsangs plans were further thwarted, by Valgrens big crash and Cort running out of sugar).

Had those two gone later, we would have seen the GC group break up until the finish

I put it down to lack of Paris-Roubaix experience - and if the tour adds a cobbled stage next year again (please make it a stable), a lot of the GC captains will have learned lessons, and better be able to use the terrain.

BTW: Quintana..... what a ride.... and the same goes for Majka, who should now be viewed as a contender.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hmm I dunno, but by my recollection Dumoulin tried at the cobble stroke with 20km to go, that was the 2nd last big one.. On the last one he was near the front and broke a bit with Sagan behind the leading trio, but that wasn't enough

 

[shalgo]

Re: Re:

the Uran group was completely shot by that point, Phinney and Rolland (not exactly the strongest cobblestone rider on earth) had been pulling for even longer than the Movistar guys. they had a bunch of random riders with no reason to ride like Pellizotti just sitting on taking it easy, they were going pretty slow by the end.

Phinney won Paris-Roubaix junior edition, was always destined to be a one day rider before art, hairstyles and injuries took hold.

Phinney finished 8th in Paris-Roubaix this year. You don't have to look very far back to find his credentials on the cobbles.

My question is what happened to Vanmarcke? The commentators mentioned that he was in the Uran group at one point but I see that he finished several minutes behind Uran in the end. Did he have a mechanical? One would have thought that Vanmarcke would be a very useful helper for the chase.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

the Uran group was completely shot by that point, Phinney and Rolland (not exactly the strongest cobblestone rider on earth) had been pulling for even longer than the Movistar guys. they had a bunch of random riders with no reason to ride like Pellizotti just sitting on taking it easy, they were going pretty slow by the end.

Phinney won Paris-Roubaix junior edition, was always destined to be a one day rider before art, hairstyles and injuries took hold.

Phinney finished 8th in Paris-Roubaix this year. You don't have to look very far back to find his credentials on the cobbles.

Isn't it Rolland who's being referred to as 'not the strongest cobblestone rider on earth'?

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re: Re:

the Uran group was completely shot by that point, Phinney and Rolland (not exactly the strongest cobblestone rider on earth) had been pulling for even longer than the Movistar guys. they had a bunch of random riders with no reason to ride like Pellizotti just sitting on taking it easy, they were going pretty slow by the end.

Phinney won Paris-Roubaix junior edition, was always destined to be a one day rider before art, hairstyles and injuries took hold.

Phinney finished 8th in Paris-Roubaix this year. You don't have to look very far back to find his credentials on the cobbles.

Besides, if winning the junior Paris-Roubaix (which doesn't have many cobbles) was any indicator of future pavé brilliance, it would have a list of winners filled with pro classics winners instead of...well, take a look

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris%E2%80%93Roubaix_Juniors

It doesn't even have that many cobbles and they're definitely not decisive.
Last year's winner weighed 49kg

I still find it slightly suspicious that they took back nearly a minute in the last few K’s

This part is simply incorrect - see above.

They are getting desperate to find ways to beat the Sky stranglehold on the race but just end up killing off some of the Sky's rivals instead. I am predicting that one stage next year will be a 20 km climb with a 10 minute time bonus for first.......stages like yesterday might be fun for the fans but have little effect on the overall. The way the cobbles specialists like Hayman were talking about the stage, it was obvious they thought it was a bit of a PR stunt and nothing else.

With Cancellara gone, I guess someone had to take over as whiner.

It was less whining and more "Why isn't everyone talking about me?"

A few riders - teammates even - have talked about when he won Roubaix in 2010, when he made it look so easy (the famous acceleration that triggered accusations of a motor) that the real interest was in the fight for 2nd.

Apparently the riders in the Roubaix showers were also only talking about the fight for 2nd so Fabian became so annoyed he started screaming the towels weren't soft enough, just so everybody would pay attention to him again :lol:

 

[Frankschleck]

Seems like Valgren was at fault for the crash with porte.