Tour de France Tour de France 2023, stage 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz - Donostia/San Sebastián, 208.9k

[Gigs_98]

I think after how today went, UAE should really just try to send Yates on the attack again. Jumbo doesn't chase? Great, Yates can win another stage and gain more time. Jumbo does chase? Pogacar can gain bonus seconds and sprint for the stage win.

 

[Red Rick]

I think after how today went, UAE should really just try to send Yates on the attack again. Jumbo doesn't chase? Great, Yates can win another stage and gain more time. Jumbo does chase? Pogacar can gain bonus seconds and sprint for the stage win.

Feel like that's a level of creativity in tactics that only happens in the fantasy realm.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

No real surprise, but Carapaz will not start

https://twitter.com/x/status/1675210513444118529

View: https://twitter.com/EFprocycling/status/1675210513444118529

 

[Potomac]

No real surprise, but Carapaz will not start

https://twitter.com/x/status/1675210513444118529

View: https://twitter.com/EFprocycling/status/1675210513444118529

that sucks

 

[Andre]

interesting placement of the bonus seconds

 

[Cookster15]

Nice to not have a boring sprint stage which used to be ubiquitous early in the Tour. Hopefully Pog can take some more bonus time, it all adds up.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He really thinks tomorrow is harder than today? Or does he only believe in duration of climb and not in gradient?

I think it's the duration of the climb that worries him

 

[danielovichdk2]

Hard stage. Harder than stage 1. GC will be adjusted on this one.

 

[Monsi]

Hard stage. Harder than stage 1. GC will be adjusted on this one.

I honestly think stage 1 is tougher than tomorrow's stage. Jaizkibel is longer than any climb today but the gradients are really steady. There will be a reduced group at the finish but I doubt any GC contender will get dropped unless someone's in really bad form.

 

[Samamba]

There's really no reason to think tomorrows stage is the tougher one. 30-40ish man group sprint.

Or a breakaway honestly, not sure who's going to control this one. Lots of riders will be interested in it compared to today's stage.

 

[Tonton]

Sorry for Carapaz, he was on my CQ Team, I expected a lot from him at this Tour. Get well Richard and see you in Spain. You will have your revenge.

The Adam Yates tactics that some of you already described make a lot of sense for tomorrow's stage. And JV will want Wout to get a shot. That one has his name written all over.

 

[hayneplane]

With so many quality riders at 4+ minutes on the GC already we ought to get a sustained battle to get into the break and for a strong grouping to go up the road.

EF and Movistar in particular have seen even their plan B/C options lose enough time to be break candidates.

UAE May chase to put the bonus seconds into play but it could be that the break is too strong to control and no other team is confident enough in their designated rider for the stage to put the effort in. Will, for example, Alpecin want to put a rider in the rotation all day again or will they save their energy for Philipsen on Monday.

 

[HelloDolly]

Pello Billbao had a puncture today but I think he and Landa will be up for this stage.the climb is harder than today ...well longer

Also we will see the Yates bothers again...Adam has won here in the past and looks in great form

I think a small group will go over the top in the lead maybe about 7 riders ...

 

[Jungle Cycle]

i think tomorrow we will have more of this...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1675206443555778560

View: https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1675206443555778560

 

[dobrien]

Nice to not have a boring sprint stage which used to be ubiquitous early in the Tour. Hopefully Pog can take some more bonus time, it all adds up.

So does the effort required to gain those small bits of time. I honestly think the best tactic for Pog is to forget about 4 seconds here and there, and focus on saving every ounce of his strength for when it's really going to matter.

 

[red_flanders]

So does the effort required to gain those small bits of time. I honestly think the best tactic for Pog is to forget about 4 seconds here and there, and focus on saving every ounce of his strength for when it's really going to matter.

Meh. They’re all sprinting at the end, he’s just faster.

 

[Nick2413]

The climb is broken up enough that the meaningful part is basically 4K at 6.8% with a downhill run-in. Either a 20 man sprint or someone gets away on that little bump, maybe a Mohoric or MVdP type.

 

[Rob5091]

EF and Movistar on to plan B, so expect them to try for the break. Will UAE give up the jersey or will Jumbo repeat the full gas racing to keep the break close? Stages 3 & 4 should be sprints so a strong break might well get the win today.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Would be nice with a Bilbao podium. Van Aert? Let's see, but I'm not so sure.

 

[claude cat]

EF and Movistar on to plan B, so expect them to try for the break. Will UAE give up the jersey or will Jumbo repeat the full gas racing to keep the break close? Stages 3 & 4 should be sprints so a strong break might well get the win today.

Powless won San Sebastian in 2021, so wouldn't be out of the ordinary if he did well today.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Hopefully if Adam does attack, there isn’t a repeat of what happened to GVA as well.

 

[Lequack]

Weather

https://twitter.com/x/status/1675404056653594629

View: https://twitter.com/chrisvandegoor/status/1675404056653594629?s=20

 

[search]

Jaizkibel from the easy side really isn't hard at all. There may still be some action because of the bonus sprint, but I wouldn't be too surprised if this ends up in a big sprint of half the field.

 

[MartinGT]

Jasper Philipsen 😎

 

[Netserk]

I Mohorič wins, preferably from a breakaway.