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

[benzwire]

Re:

Degenkolb is torn up. How could you not be happy for the lad after that?

Wow, really emotional interview post-race. Great win for him, he deserves it. Hope for more in the future.

 

[Carols]

Grand Racing All day!! Chapeau to Degenkolb, so many have written him off after his horrible accident. I would have liked to see GVA take it in yellow, but to to see Degenkolb take it was very satisfying.

 

[Simurgh]

I had a feeling, that the media and people in general, would be disappointed after hyping this stage so much. I kinda feared and expected, that we wouldn't see any significant time gaps between GC men. Had hoped more from Nibali. Surprised by the many crashes, and sad that they accounted for most of the change in the GC.

What makes me happy though, is seeing Degenkolb win!

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Froome so easy FTW.. Great!

 

[yetiyeti]

Degenkolb was not among the guys I was cheering for to win the stage, but after watching his interview I'm thrilled that he won. Perfect winner for today.

 

[skippo12]

Re:

Nibali was out of position the entire race. That doesn't help.

He was isolated the whole race...even though he had 3-5 teammates in the same group. Sounds strange but considering the positioning of his teammates that´s the best way to say it.

 

[IndianCyclist]

The problem is that ASO wanted to give a taste of PR to this stage. Make it >250 with Arenberg in, it would become a massacre,

 

[Salvarani]

Re: Re:

That's Degenkolb's first TdF stage win? Well done

Really? I’d assumed he’d won one sometime. Nice to see him take a big win for the first time in a while.

He had awful crash a couple years ago in training and never really been the same after that

Great result today

 

[yaco]

Thought Degenkolb was a good chance for today's stage based on his performances in the first week - Getting deep into the final sprints showed he was in good shape.

 

[Alexandre B.]

This stage was absolutely fine.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Bernal at 16 minutes, white is going to be hard

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re:

I had a feeling, that the media and people in general, would be disappointed after hyping this stage so much. I kinda feared and expected, that we wouldn't see any significant time gaps between GC men. Had hoped more from Nibali. Surprised by the many crashes, and sad that they accounted for most of the change in the GC.

What makes me happy though, is seeing Degenkolb win!

I felt the same pre-stage re GC. However, in spite of the lack of GC action I'm still satisfied with the stage. The chaotic racing, multiple splits and constant crashing was extremely dramatic. I'll take this over a mass peloton slow-peddling for 180km behind a hopeless breakaway anyday.

 

[happytramp]

It sort of seems like anyone complaining about this stage is basically complaining that Froome didn't lose time.

 

[thehog]

Re:

This stage was absolutely fine.

Dan Martin gained one second at the intermediate. He was the best of the GC contenders :surprised:

 

[MuskyOurSaviour]

Re:

Bernal at 16 minutes, white is going to be hard

Impossible. Now he is out of GC they won't hold anything back

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re: Re:

This stage was absolutely fine.

Dan Martin gained one second at the intermediate. He was the best of the GC contenders :surprised:

Bob Jungels is a GC contender.

 

[woodburn]

TJ said he had three flats and crash today. Lost six minutes.

Gutted during interview after race.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

:lol: :lol: Nibali as a shark? Maybe. But not as a Great White Shark, but as Leopard or Zebra Shark...

 

[DFA123]

It sort of seems like anyone complaining about this stage is basically complaining that Froome didn't lose time.

I think more that a stage where a good chunk of GC contenders, and many other riders, hit the deck - largely as a result of the parcours - doesn't really belong in a three week race.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Re: Re:

Bernal at 16 minutes, white is going to be hard

Impossible. Now he is out of GC they won't hold anything back

He's still got a decent chance in the white jersey comp

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

The problem is that ASO wanted to give a taste of PR to this stage. Make it >250 with Arenberg in, it would become a massacre,

Thats not even realistic, cmon. 160-180 km with 20-30 km of cobbles is more than enough for one Tour stage.

2014 they finished right outside Arenberg, but didnt ride it. Im sure they could make a route to incorporate it tho.

Will never see a >250 km with cobbles


Weather and good support to keep it together was the factor here. Everyone had prepared great for this. Some had more bad luck than others.

 

[woodburn]

Och trying to put on happy face. Says Richie could still do Vuelta.

 

[MuskyOurSaviour]

Re: Re:

Bernal at 16 minutes, white is going to be hard

Impossible. Now he is out of GC they won't hold anything back

He's still got a decent chance in the white jersey comp

He's gonna be chasing Valverde and Landa for days on days, after he finishes his turns he will come to a halt

 

[King Boonen]

It sort of seems like anyone complaining about this stage is basically complaining that Froome didn't lose time.

I think more that a stage where a good chunk of GC contenders, and many other riders, hit the deck - largely as a result of the parcours - doesn't really belong in a three week race.

The problem is a lot of people were fine with it when it was Froome. I’m not going to cross-reference posts but it would be interesting to see how consistent they are.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

The problem is that ASO wanted to give a taste of PR to this stage. Make it >250 with Arenberg in, it would become a massacre,

Thats not even realistic, cmon. 160-180 km with 20-30 km of cobbles is more than enough for one Tour stage.

2014 they finished right outside Arenberg, but didnt ride it. Im sure they could make a route to incorporate it tho.

Will never see a >250 km with cobbles


Weather and good support to keep it together was the factor here. Everyone had prepared great for this. Some had more bad luck than others.

Also the fact it's the 8th consecutive day of racing. The riders just don't have anything like the same kind of anaerobic matches to burn, as they do in a one-day races that they've been peaking towards for months.

Makes splits much more difficult to make and maintain.