Tour de Luxembourg 2023 (September 20-24)

[Samamba]

Must have an incredible engine to have such a good TT. Hasn't got the build, and an inefficient-looking riding style.

He's way more aero than you think

 

[Ilmaestro99]

alaphilippe is just riding for a paycheck?

 

[postmanhat]

He's way more aero than you think

Am sure you're right as I've never really watched him in a TT. Just seems to have a lot of lateral and head movement?

 

[Samamba]

Am sure you're right as I've never really watched him in a TT. Just seems to have a lot of lateral and head movement?

His shoulder positioning apparently makes him pretty aero

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Worst Fausto performance since his surgery and comeback. slightly disappointing. but we all have bad days. form will keep getting better, hope for a strong TT tomorrow

 

[theyoungest]

Must have an incredible engine to have such a good TT. Hasn't got the build, and an inefficient-looking riding style.

This wasn't a time trial though, and he doesn't really have a great TT anyway?

 

[Netserk]

That was a fabulous stage. Very nice circuit and finish. Wonderful raid of Healy, chapeau! Also very impressed by Ryan.

 

[postmanhat]

This wasn't a time trial though, and he doesn't really have a great TT anyway?

I haven't really followed his TT's since he turned Pro, But am sure as an U-23, that was one of his strengths?

 

[Red Rick]

That was a fabulous stage. Very nice circuit and finish. Wonderful raid of Healy, chapeau! Also very impressed by Ryan.

Ryan is a great pickup for EF. He's immediately taken it up a notch after the injury woes were over, I wonder if the injuries played a big part in Jumbo not resigning him.

 

[DNP-Old]

Ryan is a great pickup for EF. He's immediately taken it up a notch after the injury woes were over, I wonder if the injuries played a big part in Jumbo not resigning him.

Yes. His knees are shot.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Didn’t see the race, but disappointing to se Halland Johannesen so far down. Anyone that saw the race that can say if he did something stupid or was he just not strong enough?

 

[theyoungest]

Ryan is a great pickup for EF. He's immediately taken it up a notch after the injury woes were over, I wonder if the injuries played a big part in Jumbo not resigning him.

He has had these long spells of knee problems and then he's brilliant in between. I personally think he's the biggest talent on the Jumbo development team, certainly the best climbing talent, so yeah... Jumbo probably just didn't dare to take the gamble.

 

[Squire]

He has had these long spells of knee problems and then he's brilliant in between. I personally think he's the biggest talent on the Jumbo development team, certainly the best climbing talent, so yeah... Jumbo probably just didn't dare to take the gamble.

To be fair, the Jumbo development team is surprisingly un-talented compared to the parent team. But I agree. He seems to be the Ledley King of cycling. Ryan's problem is a loose ACL, apparently. Long periods off the bike every season and a full year off in 2021, so it's a miracle he's performing as well as he is when he's fit. He's basically like a first-year U23 in terms of training hours in the bank.

 

[Landeirovic]

Unless Hirschi surprises me with an insane TT tomorrow I also don't understand UAE's tactics at all. They have McNulty here who could've won the whole thing but decide it's fine to have Hirschi up front who normally won't be able to win the GC.

I agree that UAE's tactics are not always brilliant. But of course you can also start to exaggerate enormously. Today they did very well in my opinion. Only Ulissi should have worked better, he did nothing. Christian was fantastic. Hirschi was 13th in the Renewi Tour in the ITT where it was flat for 13.6km. Tomorrow it will be up and down. With some very strong punch slopes. Hirschi also has very good form. Now they have 2 riders at the front of the rankings. Mcnulty tried a few times but couldn't really get away. It was still 14km, so Hirschi should have been the only one to work for Mcnulty? Then the lead, which was then 30 seconds, had gone to 1 minute. Because Hirschi attacked, the 2nd group came to a standstill, which meant that other teams had to drive because Hirschi was gone. So yes for me Uae did very well today. You better wonder what the tactics of Quick Step, Movistar, Akrea, Alpecin were, which almost never wanted to chase!

 

[Samamba]

I agree that UAE's tactics are not always brilliant. But of course you can also start to exaggerate enormously. Today they did very well in my opinion. Only Ulissi should have worked better, he did nothing. Christian was fantastic. Hirschi was 13th in the Renewi Tour in the ITT where it was flat for 13.6km. Tomorrow it will be up and down. With some very strong punch slopes. Hirschi also has very good form. Now they have 2 riders at the front of the rankings. Mcnulty tried a few times but couldn't really get away. It was still 14km, so Hirschi should have been the only one to work for Mcnulty? Then the lead, which was then 30 seconds, had gone to 1 minute. Because Hirschi attacked, the 2nd group came to a standstill, which meant that other teams had to drive because Hirschi was gone. So yes for me Uae did very well today. You better wonder what the tactics of Quick Step, Movistar, Akrea, Alpecin were, which almost never wanted to chase!

UAE had 4 riders in the group still. So no, Hirschi shouldn't have worked for McNulty, he simply shouldn't have attacked as there was no way he was gonna close that gap on his own or with 2. They could've closed it with the peloton and give Hirschi a shot at the stage win and simultaneously given McNulty the best shot at taking the GC. Now they might have nothing.

There's absolutely no point throwing around some "what abouts" as it's obvious that UAE is simply the strongest team. Like in every race apart from the races where Jumbo is at their strongest they decide what happens. Absolutely no reason to name teams like Arkea (who were they gonna ride for lmao) or Alpecin (SK Andersen had 0 teammates). Sure Quick Step should've done more, and even Movistar could've sacrificed Aranburu, but that's completely besides the point.

 

[Potomac]

Luxemburg its weird landscape, they looked like they are riding on remote Swedish farmland and then they turn a corner and now they are in new Zealand or the Pyrenees foothills

I think it looks like the Appalachians, except you get medieval towns and castles.

 

[Landeirovic]

UAE had 4 riders in the group still. So no, Hirschi shouldn't have worked for McNulty, he simply shouldn't have attacked as there was no way he was gonna close that gap on his own or with 2. They could've closed it with the peloton and give Hirschi a shot at the stage win and simultaneously given McNulty the best shot at taking the GC. Now they might have nothing.

There's absolutely no point throwing around some "what abouts" as it's obvious that UAE is simply the strongest team. Like in every race apart from the races where Jumbo is at their strongest they decide what happens. Absolutely no reason to name teams like Arkea (who were they gonna ride for lmao) or Alpecin (SK Andersen had 0 teammates). Sure Quick Step should've done more, and even Movistar could've sacrificed Aranburu, but that's completely besides the point.

what you say is nonsense. When Mcnulty attacked and when it stopped, Hirschi attacked, there were 7 riders. Only when Hirschi and Teuns were gone and those 5 riders looked at each other could another group return. It would be absolute nonsense to start chasing Hirschi at that point. At that moment Soren Kragh indeed had no one, but when on the climb a Meurisse or Hermans could have driven to bring back the lead, they did nothing. I re-examined the group where there were 2 other riders from Uae and only joined when Hirschi and Teuns were already 3km away.

 

[theyoungest]

To be fair, the Jumbo development team is surprisingly un-talented compared to the parent team. But I agree. He seems to be the Ledley King of cycling. Ryan's problem is a loose ACL, apparently. Long periods off the bike every season and a full year off in 2021, so it's a miracle he's performing as well as he is when he's fit. He's basically like a first-year U23 in terms of training hours in the bank.

I wouldn't say un-talented, they won the Baby Giro and Hagenes has two wins among the pros already I believe. And Archie Ryan has one. But they feel obliged to include some Dutchmen, none of whom are particularly good. Dutch cycling is pretty much dead in the youth categories.

 

[Samamba]

what you say is nonsense. When Mcnulty attacked and when it stopped, Hirschi attacked, there were 7 riders. Only when Hirschi and Teuns were gone and those 5 riders looked at each other could another group return. It would be absolute nonsense to start chasing Hirschi at that point. At that moment Soren Kragh indeed had no one, but when on the climb a Meurisse or Hermans could have driven to bring back the lead, they did nothing. I re-examined the group where there were 2 other riders from Uae and only joined when Hirschi and Teuns were already 3km away.

Ok dude, literally not saying those things at all. My points is that you either try to get cooperation with those 7 or let the others come back and control. You don't close the gap with 2 riders to someone like Healy, so no attacking there to get away solo or with 2 is not a good option when Healy is still 25 seconds ahead. How can you speak of good tactics when you're the so called best team in the world and don't win the stage and bring your best TTer in a suboptimal position for GC.

SK Andersen didn't have any teammates with like 30km to go. Maybe one came back after second to last climb but he had definitely 0 left in the end. I don't know what you expect them to do, it's *** Alpecin in a stage for climbers, ofcourse they're going to be useless.

3km away lmao. Ok.

 

[staubsauger]

Massive performance by Healy. Hirschi & Teuns aren't occasional customers after all. Certainly not for a race like the Tour de Luxembourg.

Fantastic stage. Nice landscape. Of course the rainy weather helped to make it epic. But still. It was a nice idea to have the finish at the castle. Thankfully it worked out perfectly due to Healy having the guts to attack with 2 1/2 hills to go.

Hirschi made the mistake to wait too long IMHO. UAE made the race hard the 1st time they went over the hill, but then kinda called it off. Healy of course has the horse power to maintain such an attack, but also the skillset. He's got the punch to jump away, the engine to stay way and the technical skills needed for the descent and the rain.

When it seemed as if Hirschi & Teuns are about to reel him in, Healy was very intelligent to jump into the slipstream of the motorbikes of course. That gave him those additional 5 seconds that finally doomed his hunters. But the will and fighting spirit he spinned up towards that castle. Impressive!

I'm happy for him. He had his stage win from the breakaway at the Giro d'Italia, but was the nearly man at both Amstel Gold Race and Fleche Brabaconne. It's not a shame to finish 2nd behind Pogacar in the Netherlands of course, but that runner-up finish in Brabant was kinda unlucky. Especially given Healy was the first one to throw the gauntlet there as well.

Nice he got rewarded this time around in Luxembourg. Like Leclercq said on Eurosport. This is a win that is going to be remembered, because it's also about the way how to win. Again, Hirschi & Teuns aren't occasional customers. That was a strong pursuit to withstand.

Carapaz did a good job as a teammate there. Always marked any move by Archie & McNulty, so Healy always had the benefit of the chasers looking at each other afterwards.

Alaphilippe hurts to see. He's not as his best, yes. But to finish that far down in Luxembourg is shameful for a rider of his caliber. Ouch!

Today is a nice day to be a cycling nerd. Because watching the Tour de Luxembourg queen stage, because of historic importance of the race: Lance Armstrong won here 25 years ago in 1998. Geek attitude. The race delivered however and I'm very happy to have chosen to watch it!

 

[KZD]

Great win for Healy, he is looking like one of the most dangerous outsiders for Lombardia.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Am I the only one who doesn’t believe in Healy’s Lombardia chances at all? Passo di Ganda is almost 10k at over 7% with a seriously steep final section, that’s an entirely different kettle of fish than the terrain he’s impressed on all year. Yes, if he’s in the front group going into Colle Aperto he’s a dangerous individual, but surely the best actual climbers just put too much time into him on Ganda?

 

[yaco]

Healy has no chance at Lombardia - Carapaz will be EF's rider at Lombardia.

 

[Rob5091]

I thought Carapaz would be the man to win today, but it was his teammate instead, so chapeau Healy & EF!

 

[roundabout]

Am I the only one who doesn’t believe in Healy’s Lombardia chances at all? Passo di Ganda is almost 10k at over 7% with a seriously steep final section, that’s an entirely different kettle of fish than the terrain he’s impressed on all year. Yes, if he’s in the front group going into Colle Aperto he’s a dangerous individual, but surely the best actual climbers just put too much time into him on Ganda?

I think Healy has the ability to get a result by making a move before the big favorites (so before Ganda in other words).

Maybe when it comes to Lombardia he will get dropped already before that or steamrolled by the favorites on the Ganda even starting with a gap, but right now it looks like he is in good enough form to make Lombardia more interesting.