Tour de la Provence 2021, France, February 11 - February 14

[Devil's Elbow]

What a mess of a finale. Can't believe Ballerini held on there, he spent that entire sprint looking like he was going to be overtaken, impressive stuff.

 

[TomLPC]

Ballerini again

Long tough drag but he stuck it

 

[RedheadDane]

Ballerini strong!

Possibly the 3-K rule doesn't apply, which will mean that Alaphilippe and Vlasov lost time.

 

[SafeBet]

There was another crash by a Movistar rider 200 mt from the finish.

Ballero with an impressive win, I guess DQS plan was to work for him anyway.

 

[Faserr]

Yes impressive.
A lot of crashes again.

 

[Laplaz]

Is Ciccone the new Valverde? Impressive sprint by him, didn't expect that...

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Ballerini strong!

Possibly the 3-K rule doesn't apply, which will mean that Alaphilippe and Vlasov lost time.

French rider, standby rule change

 

[SafeBet]

Ballerini strong!

Possibly the 3-K rule doesn't apply, which will mean that Alaphilippe and Vlasov lost time.

Doesn't make sense but ok, after what they did last week in Besseges nothing would surprise me.

 

[BlueRoads]

What happened to Wellens? Did he crash?

 

[RedheadDane]

Doesn't make sense but ok, after what they did last week in Besseges nothing would surprise me.

What did they do in Besseges? I'm mostly thinking about the rule-snafu from yesterday.

 

[Bonimenier]

What happened to Wellens? Did he crash?

There was a LTS rider who was slightly held up by the crash of Vlasov and Alaphilippe. Possibly might have been Wellens.

 

[RedheadDane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1360252871707656192

---

BTW, who's Egan Arley Ousin?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[TourOfSardinia]

GC

 

[Bonimenier]

BTW, who's Egan Arley Ousin?

An up and coming rider from Colombia. I definitely see him winning the Tour before 2020.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Ballerini is making a good case for more leadership opportunities

 

[Mayomaniac]

Is Ciccone the new Valverde? Impressive sprint by him, didn't expect that...

Purito and Bala were is favourite riders before he turned pro, so it's pretty fitting.
The guy did a great job as a neopro in AGR, when he was the only remaining domestique for Colbrelli and was able to keep him near the front before the later managed to win the reduced bunch sprint for the 3rd place. He has the potential to be a great one day racer.

 

[Bonimenier]

Ballerini is making a good case for more leadership opportunities

It's not that easy as long as he rides for DQS. He can and will be their sprinter for different stage races. I guess he will be for the Giro again. But it's hard to imagine he'll be more than a co-leader in any classic race.

 

[RedheadDane]

Purito and Bala were is favourite riders before he turned pro, so it's pretty fitting.
The guy did a great job as a neopro in AGR, when he was the only remaining domestique for Ciccone and was able to keep him near the front before the later managed to win the reduced bunch sprint for the 3rd place. He has the potential to be a great one day racer.

Ciccone was the only remaining domestique for Ciccone in AGR, won by Ciccone? I... do not remember that one!

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ciccone was the only remaining domestique for Ciccone in AGR, won by Ciccone? I... do not remember that one!

Lol, I had a brainfart, Ciccone was working for Colbrelli.

 

[RedheadDane]

Lol, I had a brainfart, Ciccone was working for Colbrelli.

Who... didn't win... Or... where you having a double brainfart, and meant Brabantse Pijl?

 

[Bonimenier]

Who... didn't win... Or... where you having a double brainfart, and meant Brabantse Pijl?

He said win the sprint for 3rd place, no?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Who... didn't win... Or... where you having a double brainfart, and meant Brabantse Pijl?

I said he won the reduced bunch sprint for 3rd place.

 

[RedheadDane]

He said win the sprint for 3rd place, no?

Aaah, yeah... by brain just got a little overworked trying to remember the part where Ciccone was a domestique for Ciccone that I forgot to read past "won".

 

[Berflamand]

It's not that easy as long as he rides for DQS. He can and will be their sprinter for different stage races. I guess he will be for the Giro again. But it's hard to imagine he'll be more than a co-leader in any classic race.

But that could/should be more than enough. Gilbert, Terpstra, Jungels, Devolder, ... all won Monuments by being 'only' a co-leader in the classics at DQS.