Tour de Suisse 2017 (10/06 > 18/06/2017)

[More Strides than Rides]

I really enjoy stages like this. Even when the outcome is predictable, I still find them fun.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Looks like Sagan has added some top end speed for the Tour.

Makes sense with there being so many flat stages in the Tour.

 

[Gigs_98]

Impressive from Sagan. Meanwhile Degenkolb looks absolutely horrible

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

What happened to all the GC riders?

GC time taken at the end of penultimate lap

Why, though? There wasn't any problems with wet roads.
Simply so they wouldn't mess up in/with the sprint?

 

[Irondan]

Impressive from Sagan. Meanwhile Degenkolb looks absolutely horrible

He's never fully recovered from that near career ending crash it seems.

 

[Alexandre B.]

I'm baffled by all these weak sprinters that didn't try anything in the last kilometers, with a small bunch like this one.

If you're not Sagan, Degenkolb, Modolo, Matthews... what is the point of waiting?

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

What happened to all the GC riders?

GC time taken at the end of penultimate lap

Why, though? There wasn't any problems with wet roads.
Simply so they wouldn't mess up in/with the sprint?

Sounds like it. Weird decision.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Re: Re:

What happened to all the GC riders?

GC time taken at the end of penultimate lap

Why, though? There wasn't any problems with wet roads.
Simply so they wouldn't mess up in/with the sprint?

Sounds like it. Weird decision.

Terrible decision. We don't need our sport to become "soft".

 

[portugal11]

Impressive from Sagan. Meanwhile Degenkolb looks absolutely horrible

He's never fully recovered from that near career ending crash it seems.

Yeah... i think the same about phinney

 

[Irondan]

Impressive from Sagan. Meanwhile Degenkolb looks absolutely horrible

He's never fully recovered from that near career ending crash it seems.

Yeah... i think the same about phinney

Him too.

Two phenomenal riders with careers ruined by events beyond their control, it's too bad really.

Phinney never reached a time when his talent paid dividends but Degankolb did, at least he'll always have his monument victories...

 

[Tricycle Rider]

While I had trouble picking out Sagan at the end (wasn't listening to commentary) because he was wearing a black jersey rather than the white one I can now tell it's him because he's the big guy whose ankles stick out kinda like Froome's elbows stick out. (Note to self - if all other visual identification fails look at the ankles.)

Anyhoo, fun finish, Sagan just makes it look too easy.

 

[muvonga]

Re: Re:

What happened to all the GC riders?

GC time taken at the end of penultimate lap

Why, though? There wasn't any problems with wet roads.
Simply so they wouldn't mess up in/with the sprint?

Sounds like it. Weird decision.

Terrible decision. We don't need our sport to become "soft".

Hardly a terrible decision. While we don't have an explanation on why the decision was made, I would make an educated guess that it was all about increasing rider safety, something that cycling should never dismiss.
What would have been the value of having the whole peloton at the finish line, especially considering, we still got a good finish, which none of the GC would have contested?

 

[RedheadDane]

Impressive from Sagan. Meanwhile Degenkolb looks absolutely horrible

He's never fully recovered from that near career ending crash it seems.

Looks like he was still wearing the thingy on his finger.






(I... don't know the English word...)

 

[Irondan]

Impressive from Sagan. Meanwhile Degenkolb looks absolutely horrible

He's never fully recovered from that near career ending crash it seems.

Looks like he was still wearing the thingy on his finger.






(I... don't know the English word...)

It's called a "splint" in English.

 

[Irondan]

Re: Re:

GC time taken at the end of penultimate lap

Why, though? There wasn't any problems with wet roads.
Simply so they wouldn't mess up in/with the sprint?

Sounds like it. Weird decision.

Terrible decision. We don't need our sport to become "soft".

Hardly a terrible decision. While we don't have an explanation on why the decision was made, I would make an educated guess that it was all about increasing rider safety, something that cycling should never dismiss.
What would have been the value of having the whole peloton at the finish line, especially considering, we still got a good finish, which none of the GC would have contested?

The value?

The value is that this is a World Tour race that should be raced to the finish line, like every other race in the World Tour.

Today set a terrible precedent...

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, let's take a 100km stage and make it 90km. Because reasons

 

[RedheadDane]

I'd say it's almost the other way around; the organisers didn't trust the GC contentenders to not be so desperate for a few seconds that they'd potentially endanger themselves and others.
Just trust that the GC riders are smart enough to not get all up there in the sprint, especially since they'd plenty of chance to see the finish and know it could - possibly? - be a bit tricky.

 

[Inquitus]

Well done Aqua Blue, Lasse Norman Hansen secured the KoM jersey with a great ride in the break today, taking maximum points on every time up the climb! A great week for the fledgling Irish team with a stage win and a classifications jersey for their efforts, they have ridden aggressively in the breaks all season and its great to see them get the rewards they deserve this week!

 

[RedheadDane]

*Puts on names of Danish riders explanation hat*

Norman is - like Cort and Valgren - rarely, if ever, referred to by his "sen" surname. Besides, there are plenty of Hansens already, no need to confuse matters with another one.
But about the mountain jersey, in the last few sprints, before the jersey was (virtually) settled Van Der Lijke didn't even try. Why?

 

[Inquitus]

Re:

*Puts on names of Danish riders explanation hat*

Norman is - like Cort and Valgren - rarely, if ever, referred to by his "sen" surname. Besides, there are plenty of Hansens already, no need to confuse matters with another one.
But about the mountain jersey, in the last few sprints, before the jersey was (virtually) settled Van Der Lijke didn't even try. Why?

Fixed the name issue

No idea, after they both got in the break it looked like a straight fight between the two of them for the KOM jersey, but no real contest emerged, maybe he just didn't have the legs?

 

[May0maniac]

The finishing circuit was rather messy and it could have been ungly, but I don't like the precedent.
That said, the TdS has a history of having wacky, dangerous finishing circuits. I understand that the race organizers like then because of financial reasons, but they are often pretty dangerous and if they tried a bit harder the race would be a lot safer.
Great effort by Sagan, but who is Trentin's leadout man, was that really Stybar? This was the 2nd time that he totally blew it, the train was strong until he hit the front, he just lacks the top speed, Gilbert would probably do a better job.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

Re: Re:

The value is that this is a World Tour race that should be raced to the finish line, like every other race in the World Tour.

Today set a terrible precedent...

Are you saying some tiny little climber should have been able to sprint Sagan to the finish in this type of stage?

Not asking for trouble, mind, I'm just curious.

 

[alexix7]

some livetiming is available for today TT ?

 

[roundabout]

Re:

some livetiming is available for today TT ?

http://matsport.fr/LiveCyc/main.php?Race=TDS&Saison=2017&Lang=Fr&Stage=9

 

[Laplaz]

OMG Dennis is killing it