UAE Tour 2024, February 19-25

[Rob5091]

So we have 3 flat sprint stages to look forward to. Hope we don't get more nasty crashes.

 

[Squire]

How Ineos believes in GC Foss is one of cyclings great mysteries at this point.

The guy couldn't be more obviously an alround domestique but not more. He isn't even suited to be a stage hunter in the mountains.

I'm not a huge believer in Foss the climber either, but riding for him in this race isn't the same as making him GC leader for grand tours or anything.

Considering he was high up in GC after the time trial, it clearly makes sense to try to protect that GC placing as well as possible, even if they don't believe he is the next Vingegaard. Especially with the rather weak field and suitable mountain stage (on paper) for a guy who hung on to achieve a top 10 in the Giro. It's not like they have much better options here that were sacrificed for him.

 

[KZD]

Great team attack from AG2R. O'Connor looking really good this year after his impressive Vuelta a Murcia win. Van Eetvelt surprised me a bit with his third place.

A shame that Yates had to abandon but Vine looked good as well, its going to be an interesting fight with O'Connor on Jabel Hafeet.

 

[Lequack]

Info on Yates

https://twitter.com/x/status/1760357648858275965

View: https://twitter.com/GeorgePuddle/status/1760357648858275965

 

[Salvarani]

How Ineos believes in GC Foss is one of cyclings great mysteries at this point.

The guy couldn't be more obviously an alround domestique but not more. He isn't even suited to be a stage hunter in the mountains.

Talk about an overreaction and ignoring context.

It is just this race... who else on the team, that they have sent, has the best chance to do something here for GC? Taking the ITT and overall route into account as well.

 

[scribers]

I would be very tense if I were a DS depending on Vine to deliver the goods. Rest of the team needs to form a flying V in front of him for the rest of the race.

I agree. But the competition still might not be up to the task. Clearly Ben Oconner should be a reckoning force, but Vine was able to claw back losses today on his own. Looked pretty darned good.

 

[scribers]

Info on Yates

https://twitter.com/x/status/1760357648858275965

View: https://twitter.com/GeorgePuddle/status/1760357648858275965

Not remembering the crash is a big old no no. This will take some time to deal with.

 

[scribers]

Talk about an overreaction and ignoring context.

It is just this race... who else on the team, that they have sent, has the best chance to do something here for GC? Taking the ITT and overall route into account as well.

Foss does have a teammate up the road ahead of him.

I just see Foss as a chrono specialist. This has value to a team.

 

[search]

It is just this race... who else on the team, that they have sent, has the best chance to do something here for GC? Taking the ITT and overall route into account as well.

that's true, of course, but Viviani even did the bonus sprints today to protect Foss' GC position, so I guess it's fairly sure that the team expected more from him.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Not remembering the crash is a big old no no. This will take some time to deal with.

There are UCI officials and doctors accompanying the race. They should have been with him to check him and to not let him get back on his bike.

But I guess they have been busy applying the newest rules...

 

[Lequack]

So we have 3 flat sprint stages to look forward to. Hope we don't get more nasty crashes.

This race is exactly 3 flat stages too long. It's kind of annoying.

 

[saunaking]

Great team attack from AG2R. O'Connor looking really good this year after his impressive Vuelta a Murcia win. Van Eetvelt surprised me a bit with his third place.

A shame that Yates had to abandon but Vine looked good as well, its going to be an interesting fight with O'Connor on Jabel Hafeet.

Just watched the replay, and yeah, amazing from Decathlon! What a beauty!!

 

[Lequack]

How about Cavendish for today?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1760581817290137764

View: https://twitter.com/AstanaQazTeam/status/1760581817290137764?s=20

 

[tobydawq]

How about Cavendish for today?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1760581817290137764

View: https://twitter.com/AstanaQazTeam/status/1760581817290137764?s=20

Sure, a top 10 seems possible.

 

[search]

Today it's Harm Vanhoucke who joined Mark Stewart on his daily escape.

 

[search]

wtf did I just see? In the fight for one second at the intermediate sprint, Vine first tried to shoulder block Cameron Scott, who then did the same to McNulty when approaching the line at full speed.

 

[tobydawq]

wtf did I just see? In the fight for one second at the intermediate sprint, Vine first tried to shoulder block Cameron Scott, who then did the same to McNulty when approaching the line at full speed.

Vine is an absolute tool, I'm not surprised (I haven't watched this incident, though).

 

[search]

Vine is an absolute tool, I'm not surprised (I haven't watched this incident, though).

can't copy the time stamp, but it's at 79.5k to go in the Youtube stream

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG6AE3XB1s0

 

[Landeirovic]

wtf did I just see? In the fight for one second at the intermediate sprint, Vine first tried to shoulder block Cameron Scott, who then did the same to McNulty when approaching the line at full speed.

It was Oliveira and Molano?

 

[tobydawq]

It was Oliveira and Molano?

Oliveira and McNulty.

But not Vine, he has the leader's jersey.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

It was Oliveira and Molano?

Not at the second intermediate sprint...

 

[search]

It was Oliveira and Molano?

your're right, it was Oliveira who blocked him indeed, not Vine (#2 not #7 - and also not the leader's jersey. My mistake)

McNulty then missed out on the bonus second

Random guy not happy:

 

[Samamba]

Vanhoucke praying the peloton comes back asap

 

[tobydawq]

your're right, it was Oliveira who blocked him indeed, not Vine (#2 not #7 - and also not the leader's jersey. My mistake)

McNulty then missed out on the bonus second

Random guy not happy:

I'm sure it was Vine who was the evil mastermind behind it all, though

 

[Netserk]

can't copy the time stamp, but it's at 79.5k to go in the Youtube stream

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG6AE3XB1s0

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG6AE3XB1s0&t=11090s

Just add &t=XhYmZs for X hours, Y minutes and Z seconds in.