Tour du Haut Var (FRA) 18 and 19/02

[Nicosix]

Welcome to South of France again with the two-days race since last year.

Here is a provisional startlist :
Tour du Haut Var

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Let's find out if Dekker can climb at all now

 

[Fetisoff]

dlwssonic/acf mode one

*insert random BMC guy here* should have a chance, if he's got decent form

dlwssonic/acf mode off

 

[Christian]

This is such a cool race, really looking forward to the finish of stage 2, plus if I remember correctly it was broadcasted live on france3.fr before! Hopefully the weather will be nicer by then

 

[El Pistolero]

Looking forward between a Voeckler and Gilbert battle.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Let's find out if Dekker can climb at all now

Why would he be better at climbing than in 2009?

 

[Kwibus]

Why would he be better at climbing than in 2009?

I really can't see where Dekker_tifosi suggested that? I think it was pretty obvious that he wants to see if T.Dekker can still climb. We all know EPO helps getting TT riders up a hill really well and we all expect he won't be using that atm

 

[jens_attacks]

turbo diesel still has to work but i'm sure he will fight for romandie and suisse maybe even in one of the ardennes classics.the class can't be wasted like that.


please when you open a race thread put the profiles
i suspect voeckler vs gilbert vs rui costa vs fedrigo

 

[LugHugger]

This is such a cool race, really looking forward to the finish of stage 2, plus if I remember correctly it was broadcasted live on france3.fr before! Hopefully the weather will be nicer by then

Totally love this race, one of my top 5 of the year. Should be on 3 again, Chris. Fingers crossed for a mild thaw before next weekend!

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I really can't see where Dekker_tifosi suggested that? I think it was pretty obvious that he wants to see if T.Dekker can still climb. We all know EPO helps getting TT riders up a hill really well and we all expect he won't be using that atm

Well, he couldn't climb anymore in 2009, so he'd have to improve on that level. It's simple, really. If he can top-3 in Romandie, for example. That'd be a substantial improvement.

Anything less I don't consider climbing.

 

[Mellow Velo]

dlwssonic/acf mode one

*insert random BMC guy here* should have a chance, if he's got decent form

dlwssonic/acf mode off

ROTFL
SOooooooo funny and soooooo true!
Actually, the Td HV usually has taylor made Gilbert finishes.

 

[LugHugger]

ROTFL
SOooooooo funny and soooooo true!
Actually, the Td HV usually has taylor made Gilbert finishes.

Exactly, well on the second stage anyway. Remember the finish into Montauroux? Like LBL, perfect for puncheurs. Fayence should be very similar on the Sunday.

 

[ferryman]

Welcome to South of France again with the two-days race since last year.

Here is a provisional startlist :
Tour du Haut Var

Thank you Nico for posting the link. I'm getting excited now that the 2012 season is starting to take off And no better place than this mad house to keep up to date with going ons

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Well, he couldn't climb anymore in 2009, so he'd have to improve on that level. It's simple, really. If he can top-3 in Romandie, for example. That'd be a substantial improvement.

Anything less I don't consider climbing.

Even in 2009 he still did a top 20 in Suisse and a top 20 in LBL

I would not call that "couldn't climb"

Otherwise your standards for climbing means that according to you, 99% of the peloton cannot climb.

 

[craig1985]

I think Saxo Bank might want to try to do well here, they need to start picking up points for themselves now.

Here are the profiles BTW.

Stage 1:

Stage 2:

Stage 1 for the sprinters, so stage 2 looks like the one to watch.

 

[Fetisoff]

ROTFL
SOooooooo funny and soooooo true!
Actually, the Td HV usually has taylor made Gilbert finishes.

Yeah, I should have read the start list before making that joke. But once I read it, I didn't wanna delete the post at that point.

 

[LugHugger]

I think Saxo Bank might want to try to do well here, they need to start picking up points for themselves now.

Here are the profiles BTW.

Stage 1:

Stage 2:

Stage 1 for the sprinters, so stage 2 looks like the one to watch.

Craig, you've got last year's stage 2 profile there. Not your fault, there's some gremlin on the TdHV website.
This year, stage 2 goes over the Marjoris Col, Mur de Montauroux, Col de Mons, Col de St Arnoux, Col du Belhomme and finishing with a charge up into Fayence.

I wish that the organisers could find a way to incorporate the Gorge du Verdon into the parcours. IMO, it's the most beautiful road I've ridden.

 

[pastronef]

I wish that the organisers could find a way to incorporate the Gorge du Verdon into the parcours. IMO, it's the most beautiful road I've ridden.

do you mean the road from Moustiers S.te Marie to Castellane?

in recent years just Paris-Nice they passed through Castellane on the road to Cannes in 2006, but from the north, not from the Verdon side

 

[LugHugger]

do you mean the road from Moustiers S.te Marie to Castellane?

in recent years just Paris-Nice they passed through Castellane on the road to Cannes in 2006, but from the north, not from the Verdon side

Yes, although using the southern side east to west from Trigance to Aiguines fits better with the race, maybe as part of a Grasse to Draguignan stage.

 

[Nicosix]

Here is the real profile of stage 2 :

And the updated starlist with Simon Gerrans :

Tour du Haut-Var

 

[dlwssonic]

dlwssonic/acf mode one

*insert random BMC guy here* should have a chance, if he's got decent form

dlwssonic/acf mode off

I am sorry but I will have to do it again. Gilbert is in the race how can I not say that he has a chance. GILBERT FTW!!! The second stage looks perfect for gilbert.

 

[hatcher]

Jon Tiernan-Locke.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't expect too much from Gilbert yet. His first win will be the Omloop

 

[Panda Claws]

Even when not in top form there really aren't many riders capable of challenging Gilbert on a finish like stage 2.

I think he'll win.

 

[jens_attacks]

jon locke for the win.voeckler or rolland to be right there