Tour de France 2020 | Stage 18 (Méribel - La Roche-sur-Foron, 175 km)

[Red Rick]

That'd be a great fun to watch for us but I think it would be too risky for Pogacar to waste so much energy so far from the finish and fight against the might of TJV...

Lmao it's not like he's getting dropped after

 

[Velolover2]

KOM points on a time trial seems stupid to me. As if they want the GC riders to take the polka dots jersey on purpose.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Only just about every time there's significant hills in a TT

So you can totally soft pedal the 30 km flat, and get best time on the climb? Doesn't sound fair to me (not that I particularly agree with KOM as a proper competition anyway), I mean on a normal mountain stage you can't soft pedal in the valleys and get the points.

Or is it just overall ITT time and KOM points from that?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

KOM points on a time trial seems stupid to me. As if they want the GC riders to take the polka dots jersey on purpose.

Ciccone took the KOM jersey on the opening TT of the Giro last year, so not necessarily.

 

[spalco]

Hirschi’s posture over the top kind of looked defeatist. Wonder if he’s hurting a bit from that wipe out?

Undoubtedly. Have you ever had a fall like that? Aside from the scratches it's a full body pain that totally saps your energy.

 

[richwallone]

Anybody knows where Sagan is? I'm expecting him to be lost somewhere in between the peleton and the gruppetto...

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So you can totally soft pedal the 30 km flat, and get best time on the climb? Doesn't sound fair to me (not that I particularly agree with KOM as a proper competition anyway), I mean on a normal mountain stage you can't soft pedal in the valleys and get the points.

Or is it just overall ITT time and KOM points from that?

You still need to avoid the OTL though. And yes, it's climb time only.

 

[Faserr]

It's been a while like that. They calculate only the time up the climb.

Marcel Wüst got the polka dot jersey as a sprinter years ago in a time trial . He just went allout on a small hill in the time trial.

 

[gregrowlerson]

It's been a while like that. They calculate only the time up the climb.

Okay. Stupid system imo.

 

[Brullnux]

The peloton is really going hard today!!

Also, don't really see what Pogacar has to lose. Not a huge difference between 2nd and 3rd and podium is effectively secured (despite his protestations). Needs to something today even if he feels bad

 

[Pricey_sky]

So you can totally soft pedal the 30 km flat, and get best time on the climb? Doesn't sound fair to me (not that I particularly agree with KOM as a proper competition anyway), I mean on a normal mountain stage you can't soft pedal in the valleys and get the points.

Or is it just overall ITT time and KOM points from that?

I believe it’s from the base of the climb onwards, so yeah if it’s Carapaz you can soft pedal the flat (staying with time limit) and leave yourself fresher for the climb, where of course Roglic and Pogacer won’t be able to do.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Meanwhile, while we wait for something to happen, it's reported in the Worlds thread, that the German team manager Ralph Denk, of the German team Bora, has denied the German rider Kämna selection, for the German national team for Worlds

 

[Finn84]

Anybody knows where Sagan is? I'm expecting him to be lost somewhere in between the peleton and the gruppetto...

Yes. There is 10-rider group 15 minutes from the leaders. Gruppetto is 20 minutes behind leaders.

Schachmann and TJvG also in the group.

 

[SafeBet]

I believe it’s from the base of the climb onwards, so yeah if it’s Carapaz you can soft pedal the flat (staying with time limit) and leave yourself fresher for the climb, where of course Roglic and Pogacer won’t be able to do.

It's exactly the tactic Ciccone deployed last year in the San Luca ITT.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Meanwhile, while we wait for something to happen, it's reported in the Worlds thread, that the German team manager Ralph Denk, of the German team Bora, has denied the German rider Kämna selection, for the German national team for Worlds

Bad Karma...

 

[titan31]

I'd be hopeful Landa, Porte, Lopez,Yates might go on Glieres. I don't expect Mas, Valverde or Uran to do anything though sadly. Guillaume Martin might try something to do as he's just out of the top 10 coming into the day and ATM he's close to dropping 2 spots to Carapaz and Caruso.

 

[Volderke]

It seems nobody here is granting the KOM jersey to Carapaz?
I feel he's worth it, if he gets it.

And I am all in favour for planche des belles filles climb in the TT included in the KOM battle. It results in a battle for yellow and a battle for the polka dot jersey. You don't steal the jersey by setting the fastest time on that climb and taking those points.

 

[Velolover2]

Caruso is in the virtual top 10.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

So you can totally soft pedal the 30 km flat, and get best time on the climb? Doesn't sound fair to me (not that I particularly agree with KOM as a proper competition anyway), I mean on a normal mountain stage you can't soft pedal in the valleys and get the points.

Or is it just overall ITT time and KOM points from that?

You can absolutely gain points for the jersey on mountain stages, by sacrificing your chances of winning the stage, that happens all the time, so I don't see it as particularly unfair.

Also, you can't exactly soft pedal, there is still a time limit in a TT.

 

[spalco]

It seems nobody here is granting the KOM jersey to Carapaz?
I feel he's worth it, if he gets it.

And I am all in favour for planche des belles filles climb in the TT included in the KOM battle. It results in a battle for yellow and a battle for the polka dot jersey. You don't steal the jersey by setting the fastest time on that climb and taking those points.

Sure, he'd be a worthy winner, if he can get it.

 

[Breezy1985]

I've been away for an hour but I assume.
No one done a Landis
The GC guys are strolling along
And Landa is still not free

 

[ppanther92]

It's been a while like that. They calculate only the time up the climb.

Do they?

Then Carapaz should drop some minutes on the flat and tackle the climb. Probably even with a bike change before.

 

[luckyboy]

Has a contract for 2021 with Sunweb according to PCS.

Sunweb are already offering him to other teams

 

[Pricey_sky]

Wiggins has many, many faults, but I’m definitely a fan of his one-liners to shut down Kirby when he’s talking nonsense.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Sunweb are already offering him to other teams

I saw someone write that in the transfers thread, but I have not seen anything in the press about it?