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Martin was no stranger to falls before the Porte one and it continued to happen later. One of the more jinxed GC riders of late. he finished the race the year of the Porte crash. Showed a lot of guts but he always did. He looked like an old man getting on and off his bike and was in obvious pain and finished the race in sixth place ! The crash possibly cost him a podium as his form was very good that year but so was Porte's !
Chèvreres was bumped down to 2nd category in the end.Second dumbest cat.1 categorisation in the Tour of recent years, after Côte des Chevrères.
A couple of top 10 contenders to get away early on the climb and take a few seconds on the real GC guys who will hit out hard in the last 2-3 kms to establish pecking order.
In usual first MTF style we'll learn who can't win, not who will.
Those are all very different situations. Zakarin or Barguil would have to attack early on the climb and build up a lead, while everyone in the bunch watches each other (unlikely that Ineos or J-V will let the pace drop off that much). Hermans* would have to get in the BOD and win from there. Martin would have to be in the main group, and attack with 1-2km of climbing remaining.
As other have said, Martin's form and injuries will determine how he goes/if he can even try. And if he does try, he will more than likely have the top 3 from stage 2 on his wheel.
*Edit; I forgot/didn't know that Hermans is in the same team as Martin. Hermans to be in the break, and try to survive to the final kilometers, from where he can act as a bridge to Martin? Requires a lot to go right, but it's the best avenue I can see for ISN to win a stage tomorrow.
Second dumbest cat.1 categorisation in the Tour of recent years, after Côte des Chevrères.
Ineos should use the Carapaz card.
I can imagine this going to the stage hunters.
GC sizing up will anyway happen, but rather without worrying about the jersey obligations.
And there's Julian Alaphilippe to remake all the plots.
At what time will Mads say who Trek will ride for today?
I always felt Dan wanted the podium because he is Irish/English and monuments mean absolutely 0 to anyone outside a cycling fanatic in those countries where as a sniff of yellow and your in all the papers. Sam Bennetts chances in stage 1 was the first time in ages anyone in Ireland asked me about a cycling resultYeah, he and Adam Yates were hyped, and in the end, it was Simon who delivered. Sometimes we are wrong...but Dan isn't slouch either, he has big wins, feathers on his hat. If he picked this stage, he has the talent to get it.
Ineos should use the Carapaz card.
I always felt Dan wanted the podium because he is Irish/English and monuments mean absolutely 0 to anyone outside a cycling fanatic in those countries where as a sniff of yellow and your in all the papers. Sam Bennetts chances in stage 1 was the first time in ages anyone in Ireland asked me about a cycling result
Hirschi will get his win today.
GC favourites to try some half-hearted attacks, but too many still think they can win the Tour, so they'll all neutralize each other (and no-one will really go 100% for fear of counter-attacks). Sprint from a sizeable group.
I don't really see it that way, or also what one thing has to do with the other. Carapaz has the perfect sense to anticipate the right time to attack on a climb like this, and that someone steals bonus seconds from the competitors, is the best thing Bernal can hope for today.I really don't think Ineos see him as a card. This Tour is Bernals or no one's for them.
And I don't see Carapaz coming near a podium the was previous Ineos super doms have