Tour de France 2020 | Stage 11 (Châtelaillon-Plage - Poitiers, 167.5 km)

[titan31]

If it's a fever, should be pulled incase it's covid tbf

 

[tomorrow]

Honestly, a good DS pulls him from the race at this point. Wearing three layers in 28° C...and doing sport whilst feverish is already a bad idea, let alone top sport.

well if its fever, whole bora might DNS tomorrow

 

[shalgo]

That's not a sprinter.

That's a legend

The Langkawimerckx.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

If Mühlberger has Covid, surely he would have tested positive on Monday?

 

[Keram]

Will Bora drill that little bump? I hope so

Edit: live center on my computer is obviously late. Nevernind

 

[Mayomaniac]

Honestly, a good DS pulls him from the race at this point. Wearing three layers in 28° C...and doing sport whilst feverish is already a bad idea, let alone top sport.

I remember that Quintana had a fever in the 2015 Vuelta (he looked dead after the Andorra stage) but he still somehow recovered and finished as one of the strongest riders.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Can't be flu-like symptoms for Muhlberger. Just no way the race doctor would let him continue

Carthy not going much better than him either

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Deceuninck doing this perfectly once again.

 

[BlueRoads]

They are saying he's already had symptoms on Sunday... so he should have tested positive if it was Covid. But they should really pull him out for his own health.

 

[luckyboy]

Unless Sagan gets a stage win somewhere, this will end up being his most underwhelming green jersey win so far. Not looking anywhere close to his best.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Question for the more knowledgeable sprinting types... So, it's pretty clear Ewan's tactic is to always sit on Bennett's wheel, follow his sprint and them spring out from behind him.. He's done it in every head to head so far and will likely do it again today... Can't DQS do anything to combat this? Like leaving a team mate on Bennet's wheel to make it more difficult fir ewan to follow?

There are at least a couple of things.

One is to have the last lead out guy ride a line, after he peels off, that forces Ewan out of a straight shot at the finish line.
You saw Moerkoev doing it yesterday, ensuring the squeezed Ewan after his lead out, to interrupt him ramping up his sprint in a straight line.
It probably gave Bennett the extra centimetres he needed for the win.

Another is to put a teammate on Bennett's wheel, who can open a slight gap just before Bennett kicks, forcing Ewan to move into the wind with a much larger gap to bridge.
It also increases the likelihood that Ewan gets boxed in by other sprinters, simply by being a bike length further back.
This is very difficult though, as few has the power and technique to fight off other sprinters (who all want Bennett's wheel in the last k), while knowing exactly when to ease up.

 

[sir fly]

Nice work from D-QS.

 

[pitchnduel]

Looked like Morkov had to slow down to avoid accidently beating Bennett to the line.

 

[geisterhome]

Sagan is looking big. Is he getting a dadbody?

 

[jpanula]

If Mühlberger has Covid, surely he would have tested positive on Monday?

A negative test result does not in any way rule out an infection. Can't really think of anything benign that could cause a fever and with a 100% certainty not be Covid19. Idiotic decission.

 

[Breezy1985]

I was fuming with that lead out. Couldn't understand why the DQ man was happy to let Sagan between him. Doh

 

[Keram]

Unless Sagan gets a stage win somewhere, this will end up being his most underwhelming green jersey win so far. Not looking anywhere close to his best.

Well it will be hard to win green.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Looked like Morkov had to slow down to avoid accidently beating Bennett to the line.

Nothing Moerkoev does in a sprint is accidental, he is a lead out God

 

[Red Rick]

Well it will be hard to win green.

Well I see plenty of opportunities to drop Bennett if Bora are gonna go all out for it.

Even the Col de La Loze stage has as an uncategorized climb before the intermediate sprint

 

[Red Rick]

Nothing Moerkoev does in a sprint is accidental, he is a lead out God

Especially hindering other sprinters.

 

[Breezy1985]

Few has the power and technique to fight off other sprinters (who all want Bennett's wheel in the last k), while knowing exactly when to ease up.

Alaphilippe maybe

 

[Velolover2]

A long sprint seems to be the best way to beat Ewan. He has the best acceleration of them all but they have to make the sprint as long and draining as possible.

Bennett likes to go early and QS have the team to pull it off.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Especially hindering other sprinters.

Exactly, he got Viviani many wins doing that

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Alaphilippe maybe

To my mind, he is way too unruly on a bike to be part of the DQ lead out.

However, being behind Bennett, it may make a lot of sense, with all the chaos him swerving all over the place will cause

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Muhlberger is down to 1 layer of clothing now