Tour de Pologne 2023 (July 29th - August 4th)

[Devil's Elbow]

You'd think UAE have better ways of using their numbers than drilling it with a five-man train when Bahrain are down to Mohoric and Caruso.

 

[Red Rick]

You'd think UAE have better ways of using their numbers than drilling it with a five-man train when Bahrain are down to Mohoric and Caruso.

Maybe. But I also think this is a spot where some other team will always chase.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Maybe. But I also think this is a spot where some other team will always chase.

Depends. If Ineos joined in too, I'm not sure which team has the firepower. I don't think pacing ahead of a finish that doesn't suit Almeida that well is a great play in any case...

 

[postmanhat]

Just Kron and Mosca gone in the end.

Kron seems like such an erratic rider in terms of form. I know he had some health and injury issues last year. Is it the same this season?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Kron seems like such an erratic rider in terms of form. I know he had some health and injury issues last year. Is it the same this season?

Crashed out of Liège and needed a bit of time to get going again after that.

 

[Samamba]

Crashed out of Liège and needed a bit of time to get going again after that.

Crash wasn't the problem, he got sick afterwards, struggled with getting into form (partly due to his own fault according to himself) so missed Tour. Now preparing for Vuelta. Had a flat just before last climb yesterday so that's why he was nowhere.

 

[Samamba]

Weird finish. 500m super steep, then 400m flat to the line. Downhill till the last km too and then a double left turn. Placement going to be incredibly important.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Weird finish. 500m super steep, then 400m flat to the line. Downhill till the last km too and then a double left turn. Placement going to be incredibly important.

It's actually a false flat uphill from 2.1k to 0.9k to go, but the final 900 metres are pretty narrow and have a 120° turn into them so positioning will still be critical.

 

[Samamba]

It's actually a false flat uphill from 2.1k to 0.9k to go, but the final 900 metres are pretty narrow and have a 120° turn into them so positioning will still be critical.

I checked, ok, but its small already, so if youre not at the front with 2km to go, you have a problem too.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Must be the biggest sprint Majka's ever won.

 

[Red Rick]

Must be the biggest sprint Majka's ever won.

If this doesn't get relegated I don't know what will

The only thing that might save him is that Kwiatkowski even got third

 

[Samamba]

God this Tour is bad, once again. What was this finish. Impossible to make a difference, and just all about placement. Parcours like 5 years ago was so much better, all these stages with enough hills but they put them in the beginning of the stage.

 

[search]

seemed almost like noone but Majka had a look at the finish before

 

[Devil's Elbow]

If this doesn't get relegated I don't know what will

The only thing that might save him is that Kwiatkowski even got third

A non-home rider doing the exact same?

But yes, this is a stonewall relegation.

 

[JosefK]

If this doesn't get relegated I don't know what will

The only thing that might save him is that Kwiatkowski even got third

Home cooking may prevail, though.

 

[theyoungest]

The fact that it was a ridiculous finish might save Majka in this instance. There's a case to be made that there wasn't really a line to take for him.

 

[Red Rick]

Should be some fun words between Majka and Kwiatkowski

 

[Samamba]

seemed almost like noone but Majka had a look at the finish before

There is no street view there... So Majka is probably the only one who might've actually seen the finish. Not like teams recon Tour de Pologne stages.

 

[Lequack]

Local crowd will be excited for a home winner

 

[Red Rick]

There is no street view there... So Majka is probably the only one who might've actually seen the finish. Not like teams recon Tour de Pologne stages.

They've done this finish before. It's not some unique finish.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

They've done this finish before. It's not some unique finish.

Not sure which finish you're confusing this one with but they haven't, actually.

 

[Lequack]

Wonderful interview with Majka, he's so happy.

 

[Red Rick]

Not sure which finish you're confusing this one with but they haven't, actually.

You're telling me they don't do the same stupidly technical sprints and the same 2 stupidly technical uphill sprints every year?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

You're telling me they don't do the same stupidly technical sprints and the same 2 stupidly technical uphill sprints every year?

The past few editions have been entirely in the southeastern corner of the country, they are currently in the southwestern part. Not that it's helped the route much...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Fear not. John Lelangue is going to work for Tour of Poland next year. Amateur hour is over!

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