Tour de Suisse 2012: Stage 4; Aarberg → Trimbach/Olten (189km)

[DominicDecoco]

The climbs are: (thanks, Ferminal)
(34km) 5.36km @ 5.0%
(27km) 1.47km @ 8.2%
(18km) 3.03km @ 7.8%

Live streams: (up at 15:45 CET)
http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-suisse/#live

 

[DominicDecoco]

What happened to CAS today?

 

[roundabout]

Nothing. He is 14th on GC just as he was yesterday.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Thought he was seventh for some reason. Oh, well. Probably just his stage position on stage 2 I got mixed up.

 

[Parrulo]

i hate seeing rui's name as faria da costa. . . Rui Costa is the way it should be

 

[DominicDecoco]

i hate seeing rui's name as faria da costa. . . Rui Costa is the way it should be

Noted!




________

 

[Parrulo]

Noted!




________

oh it wasn't a dig at you, just all the race organizers do it for a reason i don't understand.

 

[DominicDecoco]

oh it wasn't a dig at you, just all the race organizers do it for a reason i don't understand.

I know, just wanted to let you know that I fixed his name in the OP.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

oh it wasn't a dig at you, just all the race organizers do it for a reason i don't understand.

neither do the commentators. The English ones called him Faria da Costa on the finishline too. Or even "Faria Costa"

 

[manafana]

sagan to prob do it again, swift or cooke only ones who could even go close to matching his speed.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

10 ROCHE, Nicolas (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 2:13

Did Roche get docked time or something? Cycling News' report has him fifth, 21 seconds down, after coming in with the bunch today.

 

[trevim]

i hate seeing rui's name as faria da costa. . . Rui Costa is the way it should be

Completely! Just like the great football player. Rui even rode for Benfica in his early days

 

[Inquitus]

Did Roche get docked time or something? Cycling News' report has him fifth, 21 seconds down, after coming in with the bunch today.

http://www.tourdesuisse.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/2012/Medien/03_Gessamt.pdf

Roche 5th per the official standings.

 

[Wigwan]

So, who's gonna finish 2nd behind Sagan?

 

[Eyeballs Out]

That Cat 2 climb near the finish is a bit harder than it looks - even Sagan could be hanging on there although he would have no problem getting back on the descent. Probably too far out to launch a successful attack from but it's likely to be raced pretty fast and will see off most of the sprinters I think

The final km is another twisty technical one

 

[Wilba60]

After watching the replay a number of times I am even more impressed with the ride of Baden Cooke. Albasini did a great job for him but he was still out in front for approx 500mts and nearly held it to the line. Thought it was going to be another win like that of Impey earlier in the season (who was also leading out for Davis) when he jumped out in the final 400mts and held on for the win.

Not sure how tough the Cat 2 climb is that you mention but both Davis and Cooke are going over the hills pretty well, so if they hang in there GE will have a pretty good shot at the stage. If the finish is as tough and technical as you say, then whoever is in the front few should benefit.

In watching how quick Cooke and Sagan were going in that finish, it was interesting to see that Burghardt from BMC was in a fantastic position with around 400m to go, sitting on Cooke with Sagan behind him but he seemed to either run out of puff or backed off in the slippery conditions.

 

[Afrank]

Could see some crashes in the final, weather is calling for a 90% chance of rain and the finishing circuit is pretty technical. Sagan's superior sprinting and technical riding skills will give him his 3rd win.

 

[Ferminal]

It's not that bad, only 4-5 tough corners and then ~10km long and flat.

The climbs are:

(34km) 5.36km @ 5.0%
(27km) 1.47km @ 8.2%
(18km) 3.03km @ 7.8%

 

[wirral]

At some point, the other 19 teams will decide Sagan is to be marked out. No-one will help to chase down any breakaway riders. It will all be left to Liquigas. That point has not yet been reached and teams like Sky cling vainly to the hope Ben Swift can beat Sagan in a sprint and deliver Sagan to the line.

 

[dlwssonic]

Could they let the break take it today??

 

[Kwibus]

So, who's gonna finish 2nd behind Sagan?

That's it indeed, but it doesn't matter as he gets 2nd.
Sagan wins.. zzz

He's a monster, but it's allready getting boring unfortunately.

 

[Pippo_San]

That's it indeed, but it doesn't matter as he gets 2nd.
Sagan wins.. zzz

He's a monster, but it's allready getting boring unfortunately.

With a finish like yesterday? How can you call that boring come on! That's real cycling awesomeness (at least to me)

 

[tomorrow]

as far as sagan is concerned, stages 4, and 6. should be his, unless some escape is successful, stage 5 might quite easily by his, stages 8 and 9. wouldn't be that impossible to be his again, depending on his real form in mountains, which is currently maybe quite good, maybe not that good. We have not actually seen him fight in top difficult stages, as he has always take it slow and spare some stregth to the following expected sprint. Now he has no reason to spare, as no sprints are left at that tie. So the teams must make very, very fast pace from the begining of these stages to make sure, he wouldn't somehow come to the top with them, otherwise they would again battle for second.

 

[glassmoon]

With a finish like yesterday? How can you call that boring come on! That's real cycling awesomeness (at least to me)

+1
that was INTENSE!

 

[El Pistolero]

Very creative course design from California and Suisse. It's like Sagan organized their races lol.