Vuelta a España 2020: Stage 4 (Garray - Ejea de los Caballeros, 191.7 km)

[Zinoviev Letter]

But he had to miss the race because of a stomach issue!

lol I didnt see that and was wondering why he wasn’t the rider before Mørkøv

 

[tobydawq]

Okay, Bennett and Lampaert have in the last few days made the improbable impossible; that UAE would actually get more wins than Deceuninck in the season. They did get close.

 

[Leinster]

Okay, Bennett and Lampaert have in the last few days made the improbable impossible; that UAE would actually get more wins than Deceuninck in the season. They did get close.

Quickstep are going to finish the Giro without a stage win, too. How often does that happen?

 

[tobydawq]

Quickstep are going to finish the Giro without a stage win, too. How often does that happen?

Rarely. But you only have to go back 12 17 months to find the last time.

Otherwise, 2014 is the last time.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Signs of life from Jakub. I guess he wouldn't be a bad fit for a French pct team/a pct team that races the Tour. In a classic rather easy first week he could get you a decent amount of top 10 results.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Bennett was flying to catch Philipsen's slipstream, and once he got into a bit of that air, he was never getting caught. Philipsen timed his move perfectly, and Bennett timed his reaction perfecter.

Yeah, exactly. Ackermann did momentarily swing out of Bennett’s slipstream to try to come around him but all that happened then was the he was in the wind and Bennett was moving more and more fully into Philipsen’s slipstream, so he went backwards and quickly got back into Bennett’s slipstream.

I often argue that Ackermann‘s weakness is his decision making if he isn’t on the end of a good leadout, but he did at least get the right wheel here. Then again, you could argue that with the corner so close to the finish that he needed to be further forward rather than waiting for Bennett to go. It’s hard to be sure because Philipsen changed the script.

 

[Leinster]

And that equals* the record number of GT stages taken in one year by Irish riders, four. With both Bennett and Dan Martin looking good so far there has to be a good chance of that record being broken outright over the next 14 stages.

(* thanks to @ruamruam for answering this one for me, I thought three was the most previously)

The previous year was surely 87? Kelly with 2 at the Vuelta, Roche 1 each at the Tour and Giro?

Just checked and yes. Of the 4 that year, 3 were in ITTs!

So the question is, when was the last time we had GT stage wins 2 days in a row, from 2 different riders?

 

[Leinster]

Yeah, exactly. Ackermann did momentarily swing out of Bennett’s slipstream to try to come around him but all that happened then was the he was in the wind and Bennett was moving more and more fully into Philipsen’s slipstream, so he went backwards and quickly got back into Bennett’s slipstream.

I often argue that Ackermann‘s weakness is his decision making if he isn’t on the end of a good leadout, but he did at least get the right wheel here. Then again, you could argue that with the corner so close to the finish that he needed to be further forward rather than waiting for Bennett to go. It’s hard to be sure because Philipsen changed the script.

I think this is the difference. In a sprint, it's generally not a bad idea for someone with Ackermann's speed to sit in Sam Bennett's wheel and go when he goes, but the slightly different dynamic here meant that Bennett leapt out of the corner, and THEN caught Philipsen's slipstream, at a point when he would normally be slowing down. So Ackermann tried to accelerate past Bennett when Bennett was accelerating himself.

 

[ruamruam]

e

 

[RedheadDane]

e

I suppose that's true...

 

[ruamruam]

I suppose that's true...

It sure is

 

[tobydawq]

I suppose that's true...

Well, it is a wovel.

 

[RedheadDane]

It sure is

Care to, eh.... expand on that thought?

 

[ruamruam]

Care to, eh.... expand on that thought?

No, no need to really. It’s self explanatory.

 

[tobydawq]

RhD seems to be a bit slow today.

 

[RedheadDane]

RhD seems to be a bit slow today.

I just don't speak single letter.

 

[ruamruam]

I just don't speak single letter.

You could do an on-line class and learn it

 

[Red Rick]

Well, it is a wovel.

Reminds me of this

 

[richwallone]

Disgraceful presentation of the end of this by EuroSport: showed last km, telling us at 1 km to go that Bennett won. Way to totally undermine the viewing experience of a sprint finish.

And that is why I can’t stand and watch ES... I’ll take even a delayed Tiz*** stream before I tune to the ES!!! Or stream online from anyTV station in Europe even though I don’t understand a single word

 

[Oldermanish]

Philipsen really made him work for that.

Very much perfecter...er. Amazed that the whole peloton finished that upright!

 

[Seb]

Disgraceful presentation of the end of this by EuroSport: showed last km, telling us at 1 km to go that Bennett won. Way to totally undermine the viewing experience of a sprint finish.

O, that's annoying!
Well, I can understand some reporters won't authentically pretend not to know the outcome while commenting, but then they could tell the viewers something like 'I know the outcome already but I won't tell ahead' and continue describing what they see in a gripping way.

Well, it is a wovel.

Could be a mathematical constant, too.

 

[RedheadDane]

Why is this still stickied, though?

 

[tobydawq]

O, that's annoying!
Well, I can understand some reporters won't authentically pretend not to know the outcome while commenting, but then they could tell the viewers something like 'I know the outcome already but I won't tell ahead' and continue describing what they see in a gripping way.

Could be a mathematical constant, too.

True, that could explain why RhD didn't understand it.

 

[Seb]

As a constant e would be proven to be true.

(but online classes for learning might take a bit longer ...)