Tour de France Tour de France 2023, stage 4: Dax - Nogaro, 181.8k

[SHAD0W93]

Vinge really needs to do better leadouts for Wout. How is the man supposed to win.

At least Vinge set the pace for a second and helped with positioning

I’m not going to lie, I was surprised to see him second wheel in the train with WVA on his wheel.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Vinge really needs to do better leadouts for Wout. How is the man supposed to win.

Maybe Wout should have been Jonas' fish pilot instead, since he probably would have had enough space to pass Philipsen without hitting the barriers.

 

[Andy schleck]

Please, another stage without crashes...then there comes the mountains.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Powless to be the only rider in the break for that cat 4.

It's such a nice climb.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Yes, an ITT would have been very nice here.

A nice ITT has to be won by Powless.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Judging by the pictures upthread this stage doesn't look to be very lovely scenic-wise. This suffering us cycling fans have to go through...

 

[Cookster15]

Sprinters teams won’t this one pass. Hopefully Caleb can snag a win but head says Philipson or even Cav. I suppose Cav would be the sentimental favourite.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

The only person who will truly be raking it in on this Tour will be Robert Plant in royalties, again. If ever I hear the intro to Ship of Fools again...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPyPT7fb0-Q

 

[Rob5091]

Two man break? One man break? No man break?! Or Lafay going for Green Jersey points ...
Only an act of God will stop this being a sprint finish. Force majeure or something similar.

 

[Cookster15]

Judging by the pictures upthread this stage doesn't look to be very lovely scenic-wise. This suffering us cycling fans have to go through...

yeh, it’s one of those stages that non cycling fans go ooh ah over whilst genuine cycling fans go to sleep. But these scenes are also what makes the TdF the most famous bike race on the planet and hence the most lucrative and most hardly fought grand tour.

 

[movingtarget]

yeh, it’s one of those stages that non cycling fans go ooh ah over whilst genuine cycling fans go to sleep. But these scenes are also what makes the TdF the most famous bike race on the planet and hence the most lucrative and most hardly fought grand tour.

The more chateaus and castles the better...............

 

[movingtarget]

Caleb for the win or Cavendish.

 

[Red Rick]

Looks like tail wind for the first 2/3rds, with maybe some sections of tail/cross?

Don't think it's strong enough though.

 

[Scarponi]

Vinge really needs to do better leadouts for Wout. How is the man supposed to win.

The fact he’s not riding like 2008 Renshaw is really selfish from him and shows his true colours.

 

[frisenfruitig]

These Vingegaard jokes are pretty weak I gotta say. Nobody is expecting him to do leadouts on flat sprint stages, that would be ridiculous.

 

[DNP-Old]

Skin Quimmons to surprise everybody with a late attack on this gorgeous day.

 

[Peter von]

I thought the same, but on a good day, also after a flat stage with bunch sprint, he might be able to beat them all.

He beat Kooij and Demare already clearly, this season - in bunch sprints. If he gets Philipsen‘s back wheel, a stage win should be possible imho…

if Phillipsen goes too early the guy in his wheel has an exelent chance of winning if he keeps cool.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

If Powless goes in the early break today for that 1 point he is beyond stupid. Today he should conserve energy for heading into the break the coming two stages, where there are plenty of points waiting.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Stages like today’s in the past have already caused more GC changes than some MTFs did. One moment of lack of concentration, and one‘s GC hopes are gone - broken bone, dislocated shoulder, and so on.

Phillipsen now has his win, which I find great - now I hope for someone else: Girmay, van Aert (or even Laporte). Or how about a day that makes history: #35 for Cavendish…

 

[KenFiamingo]

Tom Boonen for the win today!

 

[DNP-Old]

Please, another stage without crashes...then there comes the mountains.

Actually, I would counter this and say that if there is ever a good moment to crash, it is today. I don't want anyone to get hurt, I don't want anyone having to abandon the race through injury. I don't want anyone to lose time and I don't want anyone to have their race be affected in any way, shape or form. However, between Courrensan and the moment we take the turn onto the Nogaro circuit, the total amount of turns of any significance is 0. None. That's almost 50 kilometers of nothingness. Well, maybe that one turn in Vic-Fesenzac.

Adam Hansen will be bloviating at the thought, he will be ecstatic at the idea, but I will tell you right now: today might be more dangerous than any descent, than any turn in the race. Because the majority of the crashes is caused by rider behaviour, and not the environment.

We need to rid of the idea that straight roads = safety. The final, lettuce say 500 meters, assuming the barriers are placed properly, that's a different story, but turns in general are essential to any sprint.

 

[Jagartrott]

I honestly do not see Cavendish winning a stage at this Tour unless strange things happen. When's the last time he beat multiple top tier sprinters?

 

[Jagartrott]

We need to rid of the idea that straight roads = safety. The final, lettuce say 500 meters, assuming the barriers are placed properly, that's a different story, but turns in general are essential to any sprint.

I agree with this. Especially the lettuce part.

 

[Breezy1985]

I honestly do not see Cavendish winning a stage at this Tour unless strange things happen. When's the last time he beat multiple top tier sprinters?

I can't wait till he retires. I am utterly *** sick of hearing about him.

 

[Peter von]

If Powless goes in the early break today for that 1 point he is beyond stupid. Today he should conserve energy for heading into the break the coming two stages, where there are plenty of points waiting.

yes, he really should let this one be, yesterday was quite a slow day and he dropped out of the break when things started to heat up, so if he takes it easy today he probably hasn't burned too many matches and can still compete for a stage like tomorrow. As much as he normally would be.