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

[hfer07]

How's Dumo's skills on the cobbles?

 

[spiritualride]

Re:

Really nice post OP !

Start time is 12:35 local. 75km to go would be the start of the main action, at about 14:30 to 14:40 local time. This is 8:30-8:40 Eastern US time. 16:10 to 16:30 is the finish ... 10:10 - 10:30 AM Eastern US time. So the spectators on much of the route will have at least an hour after the race passes them to get ready for the Final. I don't know if that's enough time to impact the numbers ... probably?

Sectors 11, 9, and 2 are long 4 star sections. Sector 8 Mons-en-Pevele ... what happened!!! It's supposed to be 3km long!! Oh well, there's still a lot of difficulty here. I think it's being underestimated by some of the posts (not all) here. I didn't expect to see multiple people talking about a bunch sprint. Between 70km and 35km to go looks like the most important/difficult, especially 52-45km to go.

Fuglsang was the best rider in the 2014 stage... it was epic so I'm surprised how many people seem to have forgotten his performance. This is his moment to get a good GC gap on many of the favorites.

 

[The Hegelian]

Yeah, despite my reticence I have to admit that 2014 was truly epic. Maybe magnified by the fact that we haven't had a wet PR in.....how long?? Ages.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Lampaert will win this stage. Bardet will be the surprise of the GC riders, while Martin and Zakarin will lose 5 minutes.

 

[Punter]

Re:

I'd love to see this as a TT rather than a normal stage (40-50km), the gaps would be massive, the best riders would benefit, and no lottery of someone going down in front of a GC hope and taking them out.

I love this idea

 

[Martinstranger]

Re: Re:

Really nice post OP !

Fuglsang was the best rider in the 2014 stage... it was epic so I'm surprised how many people seem to have forgotten his performance. This is his moment to get a good GC gap on many of the favorites.

Fuglsang is going for the attack, he wants to make it a difficult stage for the other GC contenders but bad luck can have influence. He have Magnus Cohrt, Michael Valgren and Gruzdev who probably can protect him long in. What about Fraile - can he help too?

Nibali will go for the attack too, but i do not think he have the strong support he had in 2014. But if he can avoid bad luck he might be able to hook on to some of the others like Astana, Quickstep etc.....

If I was sport director I would put pressure on from the start of the stage - use the riders who doesn't like the cobbles to make it hard before they get to them.

 

[rghysens]

Re:

Yeah, despite my reticence I have to admit that 2014 was truly epic. Maybe magnified by the fact that we haven't had a wet PR in.....how long?? Ages.

Last wet editions of Paris-Roubaix were 1998, 2001 and 2002.

 

[DNP-Old]

Froome has a saddle sore.

 

[Kwibus]

How's Dumo's skills on the cobbles?

Not proven, but likely pretty decent. I remember Vuelta 2015 where there was a cobbled climb finish where he dropped most gc riders.
Also he confirmed that he sees this stage as an opportunity to take time on his rivals and is looking forward to it.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Froome has a saddle sore.

Source?
Because if true his rivals will smell blood.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re: Re:

Froome has a saddle sore.

Source?
Because if true his rivals will smell blood.

Inner Ring.

 

[rick james]

Re:

Froome has a saddle sore.

also had it at the giro

 

[rick james]

Re: Re:

Froome has a saddle sore.

Source?
Because if true his rivals will smell blood.

didn't stop him do a 80k TT at the giro, he'll be fine, they just change his saddle and all is good
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-swaps-saddles-to-find-vital-pain-relief-at-giro-ditalia/

 

[silvergrenade]

Re: Re:

Froome has a saddle sore.

Source?
Because if true his rivals will smell blood.

Inner Ring.

Link?
I couldnt find it on their twitter page.
Hoping its not a bad one. At the same time, how could they let such a thing get out?

 

[rick james]

Re: Re:

Froome has a saddle sore.

Source?
Because if true his rivals will smell blood.

Inner Ring.

Link?
I couldnt find it on their twitter page.
Hoping its not a bad one. At the same time, how could they let such a thing get out?

the stage preview

Among the GC contenders it’s hard to see them winning the stage but they finish the day in a winning position. Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) has the comparative advantage, this is the terrain he can exploit better than the rest, especially since Chris Froome has a saddle sore and that’s not going to heal today and Sky will look to deploy all their riders to shake things up. Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida)

 

[silvergrenade]

Re: Re:

Froome has a saddle sore.

Source?
Because if true his rivals will smell blood.

Inner Ring.

Link?
I couldnt find it on their twitter page.
Hoping its not a bad one. At the same time, how could they let such a thing get out?

the stage preview

Among the GC contenders it’s hard to see them winning the stage but they finish the day in a winning position. Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) has the comparative advantage, this is the terrain he can exploit better than the rest, especially since Chris Froome has a saddle sore and that’s not going to heal today and Sky will look to deploy all their riders to shake things up. Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida)

Ahh..Thanks!

 

[Singer01]

I don't think someone as driven as Froome will be slowed down too much. saddle sores are inconvenient, not debilitating.

 

[Oliwright]

trust me saddle sores can be debilitating, it depends how big they are.

This is the quote "Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) has the comparative advantage, this is the terrain he can exploit better than the rest, especially since Chris Froome has a saddle sore and that’s not going to heal today and Sky will look to deploy all their riders to shake things up."

The BBC have also reported this to be the case. Apparently, it's pea sized and Froome's had it all season...

However, again as people have mention, Froome had a saddle soar at the Giro and it improved. Froome looked very good in the TTT. But it is a concern, however I still worry much much more for Nairo.

 

[Ataraxus]

When does the live coverage start?

 

[DBotero]

I'm curious about that guy who finished 2nd in 2010.If he's allowed to go for it things could get interesting today.
Hopefully we'll see some gaps between the GC guys without terminal damage included.

 

[RedheadDane]

So, Fuglsang wants to make it terrible for the others.

Fuglsang is not a very nice guy.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Persistent saddle sore + cobbles surely= pain and could potentially make the problem a fair bit worse.

 

[Robert5091]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-we-have-one-leader-at-the-tour-de-france/

Team Sky: We have one leader at the Tour de France

Team Sky directeur sportif Servais Knaven has cleared up the Tour de France leadership situation at Team Sky, insisting that Chris Froome is the undoubted team leader, and that Geraint Thomas remains a back-up option.

Sadlle sore or not, Dawg is ..errr ... top dawg!

(edit - Warning - Sky don't tell the truth all the time - or is this the "Lance's cream redux" a la Sky)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

How's Dumo's skills on the cobbles?

Ever watched the Eneco/BinckBank tour?

anyway: as he says he is looking forward to this stage and wants to race, I think he is ok on cobbles.

 

[Oliwright]

I think the GC guys will be closer to the classics guys that we think. Because people forget that after 8 stages riders will be tired and the GC guys are naturally the best at recovery.

Can't wait for today, it's like a second Christmas for cycling fans