great photo LequackWe need to bring back the ugly insect sunglasses and short socks
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great photo LequackWe need to bring back the ugly insect sunglasses and short socks
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I was talking about all the current squad, but nevertheless, Laurent de Plus will also be better than him since he doesn‘t have the Giro in the legs, and was 5th in the Dauphiné.But Pidock has never finished higher than 13th in a grand tour? I don't think Arensman is riding the Tour? This is the team according to CN:
Egan Arley Bernal Gomez
Carlos Rodríguez Cano
Michał Kwiatkowski
Geraint Thomas
Tom Pidcock
Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas
Ben Turner
Laurens De Plus
Yeah, and stage 2 will be unfortunately a rogstomp. Very predictable.I predict stage 1 will be the dampest of squibs so some lame ass sprinter will win or Dylan Groenewegen
Feels very Remco-ish to me.I predict stage 1 will be the dampest of squibs so some lame ass sprinter will win or Dylan Groenewegen
They will not let him go alone.Feels very Remco-ish to me.
Hmm...!W to E, i.e. tailing, besides not that much of gusts what I can find.
Most influential (besides the riders' initiative) will probably be the heat and then several of the descents in "the small Apennines" which they ride directly up from Florence.
A profile pic doesn't reveal much.
Especially the first one after 50k, the descent from Vacilo Tre Faggi invites for attacks with technical and convoluted slopes.
A thing for Pidders maybe?
Edit:
Besides, the roads through the Apennines are not exactly big wide highways - an endless path of twists and curls.
I would say from the 50K mark and up to 16K from the finish line (190K mark) it's a rather technical route that must be a treat for those with aim of breakaway victory.
IMO a perfect stage design with the last 16K for a pursuit from a decimated group of sprinters.
I.e. unless the race escalates into completely different stories before this point....
And I predict that a massive cleft will open up which will swallow the Peloton whole.I predict stage 1 will be the dampest of squibs so some lame ass sprinter will win or Dylan Groenewegen
I predict stage 1 will be the dampest of squibs so some lame ass sprinter will win or Dylan Groenewegen
Yeah, and stage 2 will be unfortunately a rogstomp. Very predictable.
Nothingburgers or earthquakes - I wish you some watchable stagesAnd I predict that a massive cleft will open up which will swallow the Peloton whole.
Out of that cleft will arise Pantani from the dead to somehow win mark my words.And I predict that a massive cleft will open up which will swallow the Peloton whole.
Of what we witnessed by the presentation yesterday, this seems plausible!Out of that cleft will arise Pantani from the dead to somehow win mark my words.
Your scenario definitely looks more likely to me.And I predict that a massive cleft will open up which will swallow the Peloton whole.
Really? I thought the finish was on Cote san luca.No stomp sunday. They dont finish on top.
Thats a peds/wva stage
Really? I thought the finish was on Cote san luca.
nope, they finish 10-12km after the summit in the valley
Thus, not really a GC stage unlike tomorrow, which is a full on mountain stage
The eve is upon us!!
Add on 35C weather too and I guess the guys who crashed at Itzuila will be getting some nasty flashbacks. If guys stop thinking that they must be at the front, then maybe they'll make it to the finish. Hope everyone makes it to the line (although this being the first day of the travelling circus on the road, I fear some guys will be going home early)Hmm...!
Couldn't resist digging further into those hairy slopes.
I assume the DSs and their pathfinders have read the lesson thoroughly here.
The more I delve into it, the more technical I realize this stage is.
Almost a punishing technicality, serpentine turns, small towns with toxic edgy turns, smaller sections of steeper descents, small up/downs, etc.
This spread over a continous 140k stretch, right from the riders reach the first summit.
Just one example is the descent to the village of Novafeltria, a few hill climbs before reaching the bottom of the San Marino climb. Seems like a rollercoaster with a whopping drop at the beginning.
But there is way more of this.
Neither is anything visible on a forgiving stage profile, but there are enough notes to fill in the DS's road books...
Quite a stressing start for the riders with maybe not so many race kilometres in their legs...