Tour de Suisse, Stage 3: Sierre-Schwarzenburg

[Jamsque]

Looks tough enough to get rid of most of the big sprinters before the finish, including Hushovd and Sagan if they climb as poorly as they did yesterday. Apparently the short climb in the finale is very steep, so I don't think we'll see another sprint from a reduced bunch, probably a late attack will take the win. Cancellara will need to be attentive to keep hold of his jersey.

Also, what is up with these late starts? Today's stage is scheduled to finish RIGHT as I am driving home from work. I thought the Swiss were supposed to be super organised, can't they get a bike race going before noon?

[edit]Ack, missed out an 'e' in the title. Sorry! Mods, little help please?

 

[craig1985]

I'm going to tip a breakaway here.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

[edit]Ack, missed out an 'e' in the title. Sorry! Mods, little help please?

Tsk, tsk, tsk...

Susan

 

[Moondance]

Break I guess... Too rolling and no sprinter's teams will want to work, what with the finale being what it is. Maybe Saxo will keep it together, but I doubt it.

If it does come together for a finale I doubt any sprinter will be there, or capable of beating the puncheurs like Gilbert or Gerrans on that pretty nasty final little climb. Yesterday the peloton was only 65 or so, and I imagine it will be smaller today.

 

[lucybears]

It's about time our hosts corrected their startlist for this race !

 

[Jamsque]

Tsk, tsk, tsk...

Susan

I feel like I am back in school...

Gilbert is not a bad shout, I think Saxo will try to defend the jersey and pull back the breakaway but I don't know if Spartacus will be able to go with the moves on the steep pitches at the end.

 

[dabaideschbi]

the italian commentator said that today cancellara is aiming to win the stage as the last km is very similar to the one of the classics(tour of flanders especially) but without pavè. So he said he will try to win the stage and get some bonus time. I think it will be difficoult for sagan today if he is not totally fit to win the stage. Gilbert will be a clear favourite today

 

[lucybears]

It's about time our hosts corrected their startlist for this race !

looks like they're about to

well, maybe not....

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cancellara managed to get in the top 10 on the finish at Montelupone in 2008, so he can limit his losses on a steep finish fairly respectably.

 

[la.margna]

the only stage finish Cancellara was checking out before the race as it arrives in his home canton of Berne. However, he is not in best condition, so Gilbert might beat him as he seemed to be in very good shape lately.

 

[maltiv]

Looks tough enough to get rid of most of the big sprinters before the finish, including Hushovd and Sagan if they climb as poorly as they did yesterday.

Hushovd broke his collarbone 4 weeks ago...

 

[euanli]

I think Gerrans might be the pick for today.

 

[roundabout]

Sagan DNS today. He crashed yesterday, as far as i understand

Edit: not a crash, apparently just exhausted

 

[la.margna]

i just did run the last 2km of today's stage on my Garmin mapsource... looks a bit more like something for Gerrans or Joaquin Rodriguez... mini monte lupone with a bit more than 12% at steepest point:

 

[Denkoff]

*** edited by mod ***

 

[maltiv]

Sagan DNS today. He crashed yesterday, as far as i understand

Edit: not a crash, apparently just exhausted

So he is human after all?

 

[Jamsque]

Hushovd broke his collarbone 4 weeks ago...

... I know? That doesn't change the fact that he is climbing poorly.

Thanks for that profile Margna, it does look pretty steep. I think Spartacus may struggle.

Also, Denkoff? Stop posting that damn youtube link in every single thread.

 

[Jamsque]

Ticker: http://www2.tourlive.ch/tds10/

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Ticker: http://live.cyclingnews.com/

Susan

 

[Magnus]

Thanks for that profile Margna, it does look pretty steep. I think Spartacus may struggle.

He didn't seem to mind the pretty steep climbs in flanders
(but I suppose he did struggle)

 

[euanli]

... I know? That doesn't change the fact that he is climbing poorly.

Certainly with three weeks to go Cavendish is climbing better...

 

[togo95]

The Peloton isn't working at all, 13 minutes is a pretty good gap, even it's 142 km from end. Will be interesting to see if Saxobank riders want to keep the leaders jersey.

 

[Jamsque]

He didn't seem to mind the pretty steep climbs in flanders
(but I suppose he did struggle)

He'll be able to diesel up it pretty well but I think he won't be able to go with someone like Gilbert if they accelerate.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

He'll be able to diesel up it pretty well but I think he won't be able to go with someone like Gilbert if they accelerate.

Actually this could be too steep for Gilbert - looks harder than Muur@Huy on paper. They will probably all be chasing Rodriguez in that final flat kilometre. Maybe Cancellara will drag them all back

 

[Magnus]

Actually this could be too steep for Gilbert - looks harder than Muur@Huy on paper. They will probably all be chasing Rodriguez in that final flat kilometre. Maybe Cancellara will drag them all back

Isn't it 10% average? (790m-640m)/1500m = 10%.
Mur de Huy is 1300m @ 9.3% but with parts close to 20%