Tour de Suisse 2021 (June 6-13)

[BlueRoads]

Who cares. He might focus on soil fertilization.

How old are you??

 

[Panda Claws]

also funny to read people are not convinced of Van der Poels flat sprint speed. Let me assure you, even though he lost to Asgreen, SPEED is not the issue.

It's more the hectic of a mass sprint he doesn't like nor is he good at it. He is never well placed in a true mass sprint. But speed? Man, that is not even remotely a problem if he were to go for green. It's just positioning and hectic.
And certainly this year is not the year to go for green with the olympics straight after.

His speed was exactly the thing I did not doubt.

 

[Anybody_but..]

How old are you??

49

 

[Vasilis]

Wtf are they doing with the results? First there was a gap from Poels to the next group with Cortina missing, then Cortina was there and there was no gap, so Alaphillippe took the jersey and now Poels is given the time of the riders behind him, so he is at 4s too and Küng gets to keep the jersey?

 

[Broccolidwarf]

i think its more realistic that he wins a stage maybe two then abandons after two weeks to prepare for olympics - thats his main goal, tdf is for sponsors

Well, saying the Tour is "for sponsors", is a bit over the top in my book.

I mean, it's the worlds greatest race, which he has never started in before, so I'm quite certain it means a great deal to him, and that a stage win would be a life goal achieved for him.

I agree he may not complete the race, for the sake of the Olympics.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

also funny to read people are not convinced of Van der Poels flat sprint speed. Let me assure you, even though he lost to Asgreen, SPEED is not the issue.

It's more the hectic of a mass sprint he doesn't like nor is he good at it. He is never well placed in a true mass sprint. But speed? Man, that is not even remotely a problem if he were to go for green. It's just positioning and hectic.
And certainly this year is not the year to go for green with the olympics straight after.

- and, Merlier is faster on the line, and way better at the bunch sprint positioning.

So if MvdP was to go for green this year, he would have to sprint against Merlier for points - and he would have to ride all the way to Paris, which will definitely clash with his Olympics plans.

So yeah, I fully agree, that is most definitely not in his plans.

A couple of months ago (and on the back of how he rode mountains for Porte last year), I would have put Mads P on the list for Green contenders this year, but I no longer believe it, he looked terrible till he crashed out of Dauphine.

Next year is a different story, with the start being in Denmark, he will show up in peak condition, gunning for all 3 stages at home.

 

[search]

Wtf are they doing with the results? First there was a gap from Poels to the next group with Cortina missing, then Cortina was there and there was no gap, so Alaphillippe took the jersey and now Poels is given the time of the riders behind him, so he is at 4s too and Küng gets to keep the jersey?

really looks like it, to be honest, yeah. The initial problem is relatively clear, as Cortina didn't have a transponder (for whatever reason), and therefor the timing must have recognized a large enough space between Poels and the Hirschi group, resulting in a 2s gap. Once Cortina was added again, this became neglectable, and all those guys got the same time.

But then adjusting that time from initially +3 seconds to 4... yeah, the only reason I can see for that really is to avoid the emberassment of having to hand out the yellow jersey a 2nd time.

 

[Blanco]

Well, saying the Tour is "for sponsors", is a bit over the top in my book.

I mean, it's the worlds greatest race, which he has never started in before, so I'm quite certain it means a great deal to him, and that a stage win would be a life goal achieved for him.

I agree he may not complete the race, for the sake of the Olympics.

He said that himself, couple of months ago. And he didn't mentioned Tour stage as a lifetime achievement, but he did mention Olympic gold medal in that context.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

He said that himself, couple of months ago. And he didn't mentioned Tour stage as a lifetime achievement, but he did mention Olympic gold medal in that context.

Yeah, but I mean, it's the Tour.

I cannot imagine a single pro rider - especially a pure winner - not being exited to start that, for his first time.

"For the sponsors" indicates "I really don't wanna be here, but have to for the sponsors", which is what I don't believe to be the case.

 

[Vesica]

Carapaz is my favorite to win (pretty big favourite at that) and also the rider I expect can challenge Pogacar the most in a month. Vamos Richie!

So Pog vs. Rog. vs. the Richies?

 

[Blanco]

Yeah, but I mean, it's the Tour.

I cannot imagine a single pro rider - especially a pure winner - not being exited to start that, for his first time.

"For the sponsors" indicates "I really don't wanna be here, but have to for the sponsors", which is what I don't believe to be the case.

Oh he's excited alright, but not as much as for the Olympics.

 

[Big Doopie]

Yes, not on a single stage, despite finishing the Tour on the podium 8 times.

In 1973 he lost the prologue to Zoetemelk by less than one second.

That is as close as he ever got.

 

[BlueRoads]

So Pog vs. Rog. vs. the Richies?

Rog vs. Pog vs. Bahrain vs. the embarrassment of the richies

 

[KZD]

Van der Poel was really good today, I feared that last climb would be too much for the him against Alaphilippe but he hang on well and was superb on the flat.
Carapaz and Schachmann also looking really good for the overall.

 

[senna6541]

Yeah, but I mean, it's the Tour.

I cannot imagine a single pro rider - especially a pure winner - not being exited to start that, for his first time.

"For the sponsors" indicates "I really don't wanna be here, but have to for the sponsors", which is what I don't believe to be the case.

MVDP will win plenty of Tour stages in his career, but he's already way past that and has bigger goals in mind. You're talking about the ultimate maverick who by the end of the year could be reigning CX World Champion, MTB Olympic Champion, and Road World Champion. The guy does what he wants to do, the way he wants to do it - today's stage being a prime example.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

MVDP will win plenty of Tour stages in his career, but he's already way past that and has bigger goals in mind. You're talking about the ultimate maverick who by the end of the year could be reigning CX World Champion, MTB Olympic Champion, and Road World Champion. The guy does what he wants to do, the way he wants to do it - today's stage being a prime example.

I think you are imbuing him with an arrogance I don't see, especially when he has said no such thing himself.

 

[jaylew]

Oh he's excited alright, but not as much as for the Olympics.

Right, he really wanted to do the Tour this year, but he assumed he would have done the Olympics in 2020.

 

[jaylew]

Saying boring, I meant that with a steep climb before the finish like we had today, it's a certainty that Alaf will go full gas there, hoping that he'll drop as much guys as possible. As soon as you know the stage profile, you know what is going to happen there. And that's kinda boring imo.

For me, sometimes Alaf seems to be relying on this one particular skill too much and (ofc he won many races thanks to that) can't find another way to win a bike race. He's become a little bit one-dimensional rider in my eyes (I'm not saying he's not versatile though). A great example of a different approach is MvdP today - he could've just sat in the wheels, counting on his sprinting ability and probably he would've won this one anyway. But his style of racing is much more entertaining. He successfully tried long range attack today, he tries massive (from 50kms to go) longe range attacks and you can just always expect something unexpected from him.

I hear what you're saying but Alaphilippe is one of the last riders in the peloton I would call boring.

 

[Sandisfan]

Kinda late reading and responding but read below LOL

damn amazing ride by MvDP, if schachmann wanted to win he shouldnt have taken over but he couldn't help himself.

Schachmann obviously going for GC, great day for him too.

MVDP sprints and Schachmann thought that he had a chance!!!! Lol

I am surprised no one mentioned it but when they were just ahead of the next bunch I think the more important goal for Schahmann at that point was to secure the 6 second Bonus.

 

[Sandisfan]

Kinda late with this one also

Wtf are they doing with the results? First there was a gap from Poels to the next group with Cortina missing, then Cortina was there and there was no gap, so Alaphillippe took the jersey and now Poels is given the time of the riders behind him, so he is at 4s too and Küng gets to keep the jersey?

But that Famous Swiss Timing

 

[Lequack]

The coverage yesterday was great, despite the rain and lightning and clouds, even the chopper was flying. They could teach the guys at the Giro some tricks.

 

[BlueRoads]

What about today?
Break?
Sprint?
Puncheurs?

Maybe a break with Arensman, Vergaerde or Pellaud will go?

 

[Eclipse]

Today looks like it could be quite fun after yesterday. Several riders in with a shout of the jersey, all of whom would presumably see a way to it if they can drop Kung on that climb 20k out. With MVDP slightly further back than Schachmann and Alaphillipe we could get some nice action on the run in too.

 

[broppo]

What about today?
Break?
Sprint?
Puncheurs?

Maybe a break with Arensman, Vergaerde or Pellaud will go?

nah too many people want to get yellow, definitely no break. Matthews will try again today.

 

[Vasilis]

Today looks like it could be quite fun after yesterday. Several riders in with a shout of the jersey, all of whom would presumably see a way to it if they can drop Kung on that climb 20k out. With MVDP slightly further back than Schachmann and Alaphillipe we could get some nice action on the run in too.

MvdP can take the jersey on bonus seconds alone (Alaphillippe too), so they just need a small enough group that the big sprinters aren't there anymore, but not sure they can drop them. MvdP could win either way though I think.