Tour de Romandie 2023, April 25-30

[Scarponi]

Is this final climb going to cause gaps or a reduced sprint ? Looks hard enough surely

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Is this final climb going to cause gaps or a reduced sprint ? Looks hard enough surely

When they did this exact stage in 2021, everyone finished in ones and twos. There were 'only' 53 seconds between first and ninth and then massive gaps behind that with 20th being over 5 minutes down.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

When they did this exact stage in 2021, everyone finished in ones and twos. There were 'only' 53 seconds between first and ninth and then massive gaps behind that with 20th being over 5 minutes down.

Yes, but that stage was also held in terrible conditions so it‘s not certain that today will be as selective.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Yes, but that stage was also held in terrible conditions so it‘s not certain that today will be as selective.

Perhaps, but it's still a huge climb - same gradient as the west side of Tourmalet, but 15% longer, for example. It's basically the north side of Ventoux, but less irregular.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Perhaps, but it's still a huge climb - same gradient as the west side of Tourmalet, but 15% longer, for example.

Never underestimate the power of negative racing.

Tour de France 2019 Stage 14 results

Tour de France 2019 Stage 14 from Tarbes to Col du Tourmalet was won by Thibaut Pinot before Julian Alaphilippe and Steven Kruijswijk. Julian Alaphilippe was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Never underestimate the power of negative racing.

Tour de France 2019 Stage 14 results

Tour de France 2019 Stage 14 from Tarbes to Col du Tourmalet was won by Thibaut Pinot before Julian Alaphilippe and Steven Kruijswijk. Julian Alaphilippe was leading the general classification.

www.procyclingstats.com

Perhaps, but this MTF was also raced pretty negatively last time round, only the bad weather caused a lot of good climbers to drop early.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Weather is pretty crap

Ah, Tour de Romandie‘s Saturday‘s mountain stages: a special issue… ;-)

I remember the day, in 2007, very well: bad weather like today, difficult mountain stage… David Moncoutie in the breakaway. I hoped for a stage win for him. Sadly, he crashed on one of the descents, broke his femur. I‘ll never forget how this good, likeable guy then sat at the side of the road, almost crying… (One of my all-time heroes, who left a deep impression on so many people…)

 

[tobydawq]

One has to be really pessimistic to expect a sprint today, lol.

 

[Red Rick]

One has to be really pessimistic to expect a sprint today, lol.

There was a sprint between 2 guys the previous time, and the result was.... interesting.

 

[tobydawq]

There was a sprint between 2 guys the previous time, and the result was.... interesting.

I know, but people sound as though they expect around ten riders to get to the finish together...

 

[Red Rick]

I know, but people sound as though they expect around ten riders to get to the finish together...

Climb is way too hard for nothing to happen, but it's probably gonna be a waiting game until the final 5km probably

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Finally live pictures

 

[Filippo_3467]

So the fdj sports director wants to punish the team because they missed the break or what are they doing?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Juan Ayuso does not have the prettiest of riding styles, I have to say.

 

[Red Rick]

Ayuso is doing the yoyo

 

[Didinho]

Juan Ayuso does not have the prettiest of riding styles, I have to say.

Because he's suffering I guess. I quite like his climbing style, a lot on character and grinta.

 

[Pinot's goat]

So the fdj sports director wants to punish the team because they missed the break or what are they doing?

They have two riders in contention for top 5.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I see that Astana are using the same pointless tactics in their final years as Igor Antón did in his.

Well, either that, or they want to have another Colombian climber slide into a road sign on a wet descent while on the attack.

 

[Samamba]

Tejada attack?

Slippery descent

 

[Netserk]

Grande Tejada!

 

[Netserk]

I see that Astana are using the same pointless tactics in their final years as Igor Antón did in his.

Well, either that, or they want to have another Colombian climber slide into a road sign on a wet descent while on the attack.

How is it pointless? They don't stand to gain much by doing absolutely nothing.

 

[Salvarani]

Astana and attacking on a descent... a match made in heaven.

 

[Filippo_3467]

They have two riders in contention for top 5.

Yeah but still no reason to burn the whole team just because. Now they will have no one at the foot of the climb to help with positioning and the break was never a threat for the win. Seems completely pointless with 6 UAEs and other big teams just sitting there behind.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

How is it pointless? They don't stand to gain much by doing absolutely nothing.

There is no chance of this move going anywhere and Tejada would have a better shot at cracking the top-10 (which would be a fantastic result by Astana's current standards) if he just stayed in the peloton for now.

 

[Salvarani]

There is no chance of this move going anywhere and Tejada would have a better shot at cracking the top-10 (which would be a fantastic result by Astana's current standards) if he just stayed in the peloton for now.

It is fun.