Tour de l'Avenir 2022 (August 18-28)

[yaco]

It was disappointing that Blake Quick was a DNS - He could have featured in a sprint finish.

 

[StryderHells]

It was disappointing that Blake Quick was a DNS - He could have featured in a sprint finish.

Plowright gets a chance now, he did reasonably well in last years race.

 

[Bonimenier]

It looks like two poor Ecuadorian riders OTL'ed the first pancake flat stage.

 

[Didinho]

Just took it easy, no reason to take risks as differences didn't count for GC anyways.

Lennert Van Eetvelt on Strava
L'Avenir Prologue
No energy wasted
No time lost
#marginalgains

He lives 5km from here, supporting for him! (despite taking a couple of KOM's from me)
Was already good in the Baby Giro, looking forward to this one.

 

[ciranda]

van Uden got it, Kolze Changizi second again

 

[postmanhat]

The Netherland's sprinter production line is incredible. Can't be too long before we see an all Dutch podium at a WT race?

 

[Samamba]

The Netherland's sprinter production line is incredible. Can't be too long before we see an all Dutch podium at a WT race?

Not saying Van Uden isn't the real deal (he's fast, but not superfast, can survive harder races tho), but I wouldn't look that much into Dutch guys winning sprint in l'Avenir. They have typically the best rouleurs in their squad and thus the best train (by far). They often win a lot of the non-mountain stages. For example, De Lie won 0 stages last year even tho he was the fastest in the race (bad train vs. Van den Berg having a really good train.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

My god this edition is horrible. It's basically waiting for the last 3 stages.

 

[Samamba]

My god this edition is horrible. It's basically waiting for the last 3 stages.

It's like that every year

 

[ciranda]

Holm Jørgensen ahead of Labrosse and Kelemen with a really long sprint in the uphill finish. The group almost caught the break that had attacked with ~25 km to go, really fun final. Labrosse yellow jersey.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's like that every year

No it's not. This year the profiles are much worse before stage 6. Last year there were some stages earlier that could possibly have seen some action. In 2019 as well.

 

[Samamba]

No it's not. This year the profiles are awful before stage 6. Last year there were some stages earlier on which were more prone to see action. In 2019 as well.

Those early stages are always pretty flat. Maybe not as pan flat as this year, but still flat-ish. Noone sees how boring they are because they're usually not being shown on YT like they are now. Sometimes there's just really bad weather or a lot of wind resulting in echelons which is interesting but that has nothing to do with the parcours. It's always just trying to survive for the best riders till stage 5 or 6.

Pretty sure last year was also just a lot of bunch sprints and 1 stages with the worst weather possible resulting in a strong group being in front. Yesterdays stage was supposed to be for echelons if I remember correctly but there simply wasn't any wind. Looks like the bunch is controlling a bit better this year too (even tho they failed today).

 

[Walter1234]

I have never seen a team presentation with such a high potential injury risk, though.
...

And some took the team presentation serious: Alejandro Franco which I thought had some chances on a good GC crashed badly during the TTT.

Accidentado inicio del Tour de l'Avenir para la selección española - El Pelotón

El combinado nacional finalizó en 25º posición en la apertura de la competición donde Países Bajos ha sido primero. Alejandro Franco ha sufrido una caída y

elpeloton.net

He finished late in the first stage, didn't start in 2th stage.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Will be interesting to see if the Mexican Edgar Cadena can show something in the mountains after his good showing in the Vuelta a Colombia.

 

[Samamba]

Carnage today due to a big crash. Strong 10 man group up the road with Gloag but also 3 different pelotons. Going to be some GC guys losing a lot of time today. Pretty sure both Uijtdebroecks and Van Eetvelt aren't in the first bunch.

Belgian Gil Gelders just sitting in the first bunch when all of his leaders are behind, typical Belgian u23 tactics.

EDIT: Gloag group has 35" on first bunch, going to do a good job for GC.

 

[Samamba]

2nd peloton (group with French and Belgian favorites) catched the first peloton but are still a minute behind on the front group with Gloag.

 

[Samamba]

Gloag wins! Looks to be back in form finally. Takes 30ish seconds on some of the GC riders like Van Eetvelt and Martinez, even a minute on Uijtdebroecks who had a mechanical in the last 10k.

Bit of a weird ride from Hessmann tho, looked like he was already riding for his future teammate.

 

[ciranda]

Gloag had to be way fresher. He did not take turns in the bigger group (for the last four km in the decisive move with Holm and Hessmann yes) while the Great Britain team also did not work in the peloton.

 

[Marco-Sun]

Surprised about the time differences today. Where some of the favorites involved in crashes?
Tomorrow will be the first Stage to watch and then all of the remaining stages have a great course...

My bet for tomorrow is 1. UK 2. Norway 3. Germany... Not Sure about the NL Team since I think the short prologue fitted them much better. In Addition they are already one down with van Dijk out...

 

[Samamba]

Surprised about the time differences today. Where some of the favorites involved in crashes?

Time differences are the result of one big crash with 45k to go that split the bunch into multiple parts just when a big and strong group (with Gloag and 4 Dutch guys) went up the road. Some of the biggest favorites were behind the crash which ment only Italy rode in the first bunch. They lost time to the front group (up to more than a minute) and then the 2nd bunch (with Van Eetvelt, Martinez, Arrieta and Uijtdebroecks) catched the first bunch and together they were able to come back to 36 seconds in the end. Uijtdebroecks eventually lost extra time due to a flat tire with 8k to go.

 

[Walter1234]

...and Hayter crashed in the last 300m, lost 5 minutes but is put in the Van Eetvelt groups time; hope he is ok.

 

[Walter1234]

Somehow Martinez lost 10 seconds to Van Eetvelt.
Other big casualties; Porter Australia and Hindsgaul Denmark. Both lost 14 minutes, I guess their GC dreams are over.
Somehow these U23 races with nation cup, WC have a lot of crashes. Not sure if this is because of riders from countries with less cycling culture and less experience in bigger pelotons or just because riders are more nervous in these races. A Giro u23 has a lot less crashes....

 

[BR2]

Time differences are the result of one big crash with 45k to go that split the bunch into multiple parts just when a big and strong group (with Gloag and 4 Dutch guys) went up the road. Some of the biggest favorites were behind the crash which ment only Italy rode in the first bunch. They lost time to the front group (up to more than a minute) and then the 2nd bunch (with Van Eetvelt, Martinez, Arrieta and Uijtdebroecks) catched the first bunch and together they were able to come back to 36 seconds in the end. Uijtdebroecks eventually lost extra time due to a flat tire with 8k to go.

Thanks for the information.

 

[Samamba]

Somehow Martinez lost 10 seconds to Van Eetvelt.

Little split on the uphill finish. He wasn't quite happy with the guy who couldn't follow the wheels resulting in the split, but it's his own fault to be that far back in the group. Probably just his legs that ran out of gas after a hard chase.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Somehow Martinez lost 10 seconds to Van Eetvelt.
Other big casualties; Porter Australia and Hindsgaul Denmark. Both lost 14 minutes, I guess their GC dreams are over.
Somehow these U23 races with nation cup, WC have a lot of crashes. Not sure if this is because of riders from countries with less cycling culture and less experience in bigger pelotons or just because riders are more nervous in these races. A Giro u23 has a lot less crashes....

I guess people also not being on their usual team but NTs instead also changes the dynamics a bit.