Tour of the Alps 2023 (April 17-21)

[Mayomaniac]

Somebody has to be in the front...

Plus technical finish and a slight uphill drag, it wasn't really a disadvantage.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Quick reminder that this will be the final climb tomorrow:

 

[Sciatic]

Quick reminder that this will be the final climb tomorrow:

Stiff climb with the steepest section (2 Km @ > 13%) before the flatter run-in is pretty impressive.

 

[Bolder]

Ah no he can't descend

No hype thread for him, then!

was indeed a great ride.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649320151743963139

View: https://twitter.com/BORAhansgrohe/status/1649320151743963139

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649320151743963139

View: https://twitter.com/BORAhansgrohe/status/1649320151743963139

Eh? Bit of a bizarre decision. He doesn't look like he'll be super competitive for LBL, it messes up his preparation and they've now taken away their (small) chance of attacking Ineos today with 1-2s between him and Kämna.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Eh? Bit of a bizarre decision. He doesn't look like he'll be super competitive for LBL, it messes up his preparation and they've now taken away their (small) chance of attacking Ineos today with 1-2s between him and Kämna.

If it had been a bigger race, he might have completed today's stage before leaving for Belgium. They've secured a stage win with Kämna already, so they'll probably be reasonably satisfied as long as he doesn't drop out of the top 10. Only having three teammates on the final stage is obviously not ideal though, but it isn't the hardest course in the world.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

If it had been a bigger race, he might have completed today's stage before leaving for Belgium. They've secured a stage win with Kämna already, so they'll probably be reasonably satisfied as long as he doesn't drop out of the top 10. Only having three teammates on the final stage is obviously not ideal though, but it isn't the hardest course in the world.

I agree that they shouldn't really care about/prioritize Tour of the Alps but I don't really see a big benefit for the team or him either to go to LBL.
But maybe they need to do it in order to avoid fines, I remember Rowe and Thomas talking about some rather bizarre/tight UCI penalties for not having enough riders on their podcast.

 

[search]

But maybe they need to do it in order to avoid fines, I remember Rowe and Thomas talking about some rather bizarre/tight UCI penalties for not having enough riders on their podcast.

they also wouldn't be allowed to start if they have less than 5 riders.

But yeah, penalties in that case are at least CHF 10000 per "unjustified missed" race day to the UCI, double of the expenses they got paid from the organizer back to the race, and a deduction of UCI points.

 

[Aimar16]

I agree that they shouldn't really care about/prioritize Tour of the Alps but I don't really see a big benefit for the team or him either to go to LBL.
But maybe they need to do it in order to avoid fines, I remember Rowe and Thomas talking about some rather bizarre/tight UCI penalties for not having enough riders on their podcast.

Vlasov was going to LBL anyway, he probably just wanted an extra day to get prepared. The tweet is oddly worded

 

[search]

Movistar has send half the team up the road again. Pellizzari also gives it another go:

1		27	STEINHAUSER Georg	18:29
2		34	PEDRERO Antonio	6:50
3		35	RODRÍGUEZ Óscar	17:28
4		36	SAMITIER Sergio	46:16
5		41	FABBRO Matteo	25:09
6		54	PRODHOMME Nicolas	54:08
7		73	DOMBROWSKI Joe	7:29
8		81	BERWICK Sebastian	24:40
9		91	COVILI Luca	6:01
10		94	PELLIZZARI Giulio	14:54
11		136	PARRA José Félix	31:17
12		181	PICKERING Finlay	8:08

+0:09

1		123	JUARISTI Txomin	57:43
2		157	TERCERO Fernando	28:05

 

[search]

Persteiner, J. Kulset and Donovon (+2:49 in GC) bridged to the front. Not what Ineos wanted to see, I guess

edit: the group was caught. Only Steinhauser, Lipowitz and Prodhomme remain in front.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

At least Israel Premier-Tech try to ride fast.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Carr is motoring.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Battle for the stage win seems over already, production really should change focus to the GC guys.

 

[JosefK]

Simon says ...

 

[search]

looks like the GC battle is not going to be too interesting either. Not much climbing left, at least

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Disgusting GC race, German Eurosport commentators have hallucinated a Kämna attack

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Can count the amount of attacks all race by riders currently in the top 10 of GC on one hand, if Roglic and Evenepoel weren't doing the Giro we would probably be looking at a redux version of last year...

 

[JosefK]

Sketchy descent with the rain/water.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Can count the amount of attacks all race by riders currently in the top 10 of GC on one hand, if Roglic and Evenepoel weren't doing the Giro we would probably be looking at a redux version of last year...

UK media have already started hyping the GC battle in Tour of the Alps (i wonder why) as a sign Roglic and Evenepoel better watch their backs

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Zero GC attacks in the final two stages, absolutely pathetic showing by the non-Ineos guys.

 

[Tim Cahill]

These guys have settled, Carr has ridden the climb faster than the GC group.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

At least Arensman seems to have found his mojo again.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

To top things off on this brilliant GC battle stage we might also get the Italian TV coverage special of finish line pictures