Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 21/03/2016 - 27/03/2016 2.UWT

[HelloDolly]

Re:

Sky say they are ready to go full gas with Froome, G (might be a little tired after P-N and MSR crash) and Wout. I think Froome will win, Wout 3rd and Thomas 7th today.

The other teams better learn and analyzing. Sky's success is that they analyze their opponents and evaluate their own mistakes.

1. Froome
2. Contador
3. Poels
4. Purito
5. Quintana
6. Inur
7. Thomas
8. Chaves
9. Porte
10. Bardet

Yes well...looks like you could ahve done with some analysis as well

! & 2 is fine but after that ...its Porte & Martin

 

[dacooley]

Re:

1. Purito
2. Contador +1s
3. Froome +23s
4. Porte +31s
5. Quintana +31s
6. Aru +33s
7 TJ +41s
8 Ilnur +53
9 Haimar Agirre +57
10 Pantano +58

if that happens contador will win the tour by 10 mins

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

1. Purito
2. Contador +1s
3. Froome +23s
4. Porte +31s
5. Quintana +31s
6. Aru +33s
7 TJ +41s
8 Ilnur +53
9 Haimar Agirre +57
10 Pantano +58

_O_

WheelofGear is right, only Sky analyze their rivals and learn from their own mistakes, if only other teams were not so amateuristic, perhaps they would be able to match them.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

if that happens contador will win the tour by 10 mins

I thought that was a given

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

1. Purito
2. Contador +1s
3. Froome +23s
4. Porte +31s
5. Quintana +31s
6. Aru +33s
7 TJ +41s
8 Ilnur +53
9 Haimar Agirre +57
10 Pantano +58

I like that result. I can't see the gaps being more than some seconds though. Stage 4 is where the GC will be decided.

 

[dark_horse]

Re: Re:

1. Purito
2. Contador +1s
3. Froome +23s
4. Porte +31s
5. Quintana +31s
6. Aru +33s
7 TJ +41s
8 Ilnur +53
9 Haimar Agirre +57
10 Pantano +58

I like that result. I can't see the gaps being more than some seconds though. Stage 4 is where the GC will be decided.

i'll think about tommorow gaps later

 

[Velolover2]

I think Froome is more interested in winning the big mountain stage (stage 4) but you never know. Today his job should be to respond to a potential Contador attack.

Martin or Rodriguez are likely winners of the stage if the racing is conservative.

 

[Taxus4a]

I saw Froome very well yesterday. Contador says he is in good shape and feelings, but I think Froome and other contenders will beat him today.
If anything important happens till the end, the end is good for Purito, but I dont know how well he is, I hope him more at Pais Vasco.

The stage has 4 real 1st cat. climb, at the last climb have first 4 Km hard, so although tomorrow is a more important finish, today we will see very important things.

Sky has an strong team and they should put a hight pace at the first pass of La Molina. Froome need people tired at the end, other way he always need a time to warm up and his rivals could put some time at the begining of the ascent.

Acording what I saw at the end of Nice, Porte is in optimum shape and can win. Quintana is the best climber of the world, and the stage is good for him, but tomorrow he has a better finish.

I think Uran is in good shape as well and although he fade in the past in la Molina this side of the climb is better for him. it could be his day.

 

[inacion]

I'm expecting an early attack by Julien Arredondo, he lost more than 4 minutes yesterday. Since he's not a GC threat any more the peloton should let him go. Maybe he can get a win today

 

[Taxus4a]

The 2 Km of descent are in a wide and no technical road, very fast, so no very good for light riders. Froome could take advantage of that.

At the begining of the climb I see a corner that if you take on the left could have 25 % max gradient and if you take open on the right could be 10 %.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

I'm expecting an early attack by Julien Arredondo, he lost more than 4 minutes yesterday. Since he's not a GC threat any more the peloton should let him go. Maybe he can get a win today

Likely, but if he lose the first break maybe is useless later to try alone, except at about 30 km to the end if SKY is not setting a hight pace. The same for Super Lopez if he is in good heath. Domoulin was sick, so I think he is not ok.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

I'm expecting an early attack by Julien Arredondo, he lost more than 4 minutes yesterday. Since he's not a GC threat any more the peloton should let him go. Maybe he can get a win today

He didn't start today unfortunately

 

[Taxus4a]

Well, no way for Arredondo, he doesnt start, the same Omar Fraile.

 

[dacooley]

Re: Re:

if that happens contador will win the tour by 10 mins

I thought that was a given

of course like any race in any year he's in

 

[Angliru]

Re: Re:

1. Purito
2. Contador +1s
3. Froome +23s
4. Porte +31s
5. Quintana +31s
6. Aru +33s
7 TJ +41s
8 Ilnur +53
9 Haimar Agirre +57
10 Pantano +58

_O_

WheelofGear is right, only Sky analyze their rivals and learn from their own mistakes, if only other teams were not so amateuristic, perhaps they would be able to match them.

Well Sky did invent the wheel, after-race-cool-downs, and any other technique/strategy that they utilize.
It's their world, we're just visiting.

 

[dark_horse]

there are 7 riders in a breakaway : Alaphilippe (Etixx), Bouwman (Lotto NL), Reza (FDJ), Howes (Cannondale), Van Zyl (Dimension Data), Hirt (CCC) and Duyn (Roompot) with the peloton at about 11 minutes.

 

[SeriousSam]

I thought the cycling quotes assessment of how the stage will go was interesting. A sensible projection although I don't think Froome has that sort of form yet

Froome has proved on numerous occasions that he is the best climber in the world and he has really only been beatable in the final part of grand tours when he has had an incident-free build-up. He may be locked in a tactical battle but that can only benefit him. If one of his teammates attack, he will have a free ride to the top and then he will be hard to beat. On paper, the climb is too easy to make a difference but he has proved that he can win on this kind of climb in the past. Among the best climbers, he is the most explosive and only really has to fear Rodriguez in a sprint. Last year Porte proved that it is possible to drop Contador even on this climb and so Froome is our favourite.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

there are 7 riders in a breakaway : Alaphilippe (Etixx), Bouwman (Lotto NL), Reza (FDJ), Howes (Cannondale), Van Zyl (Dimension Data), Hirt (CCC) and Duyn (Roompot) with the peloton at about 11 minutes.

Alaphilppe was present in the final yesterday, making a move today...glad to see that he's coming back...and the kid can climb.

 

[del1962]

Re: Re:

there are 7 riders in a breakaway : Alaphilippe (Etixx), Bouwman (Lotto NL), Reza (FDJ), Howes (Cannondale), Van Zyl (Dimension Data), Hirt (CCC) and Duyn (Roompot) with the peloton at about 11 minutes.

Alaphilppe was present in the final yesterday, making a move today...glad to see that he's coming back...and the kid can climb.

As shown in last years TOC, not sure they should give him 11 minutes

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

there are 7 riders in a breakaway : Alaphilippe (Etixx), Bouwman (Lotto NL), Reza (FDJ), Howes (Cannondale), Van Zyl (Dimension Data), Hirt (CCC) and Duyn (Roompot) with the peloton at about 11 minutes.

Alaphilppe was present in the final yesterday, making a move today...glad to see that he's coming back...and the kid can climb.

As shown in last years TOC, not sure they should give him 11 minutes

Nor Hirt.

 

[Samamba]

Re: Re:

there are 7 riders in a breakaway : Alaphilippe (Etixx), Bouwman (Lotto NL), Reza (FDJ), Howes (Cannondale), Van Zyl (Dimension Data), Hirt (CCC) and Duyn (Roompot) with the peloton at about 11 minutes.

Alaphilppe was present in the final yesterday, making a move today...glad to see that he's coming back...and the kid can climb.

As shown in last years TOC, not sure they should give him 11 minutes

Nor Hirt.

If he has his Switzerland legs.

 

[Bushman]

Bowman can climb as well. Dont know if he has adapted to this level enough to complete, but on his day he can definitely climb

 

[TourOfSardinia]

11mins?
who's going to bring them back?

 

[TMP402]

Catalunya has big breaks.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

11mins?
who's going to bring them back?

SKY I'd say ...but it will weaken them