dev null Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Today's race pace will be fast. All the lighter riders will be at risk, so they must pray that none of them have a crash or flat, else it could be tickets. And yes, I predict at least 2 crashes with this cross wind and the nervous attitudes it brings. Today is make or break day for Maincheese. Let's see if he learned from his previous mistakes, and how much his team cares about him. This is the type of day where you see how good the team spirit in each team is.
Gen Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Belgi Belgians just looooove the crosswinds! E-QS & Lotto Soudal must be licking their lips today. The front echelon is going to be "invitation only" with some big bouncers at the door. I think Sky will be just fine. With G, Stannard and Rowe in there, the Dawg will be well protected by his own VIP bouncers who will make sure the door to the front echelon stays open. BMC should be ok. Some strong boys in there to protect Porte and Van Garderen. But a different story for Movistar. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in their team bus. Lots of very worried faces and some chewed nails. Big responsibility on Erviti's shoulders today (I reckon he made the TDF team for this specific type of day, so time to step up boet). The French teams will also be worried. They don't have the muscle needed to fight for their positions in the front echelon - they will get worked over good and solid. A very stressful day in store for Bardet, etc. and lets not forget Kiri.. him on his own is able to scare the crosswinds away I am really excited for today's stage. A lot of riders will be killing themselves for their team mates today. I am also a little worried about Meintjes today.. I hope Lampre are able to protect him today.
Gen Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Hope the wind doesn't die down.. damn that would be a let down
Wannabe Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 and lets not forget Kiri.. him on his own is able to scare the crosswinds away I am really excited for today's stage. A lot of riders will be killing themselves for their team mates today. I am also a little worried about Meintjes today.. I hope Lampre are able to protect him today. They were not able (or interested) to do it on the previous stages, why would they today?
tombeej Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Hope the wind doesn't die down.. damn that would be a let down There's something very unique about a day of crosswinds and echelons. Just seems to be very dramatic, much more of a full-on fight between teams than the one-on-one battles you get in the mountains. Watching the fight to get in (and stay in) the front echelon can be riveting. Flat stage, sure, but edge of the seat stuff. You can almost feel the sense of fear and desperation running through the bunch as riders try and stay inside.
Gen Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 They were not able (or interested) to do it on the previous stages, why would they today? that's why I say I am worried and I hope.
dev null Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Curses! I have just been summoned to attend a 14h00 meeting at Ackermans.
tombeej Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Can you guys remember the stage I think it was in 2013 where Cannondale hammered it and basically TTT to set up Sagan for the win.. The hammered it hard and got rid of all the other sprinters http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/tour-de-france/peter-sagan-scores-first-win-in-2013-tour-de-france-28202 Ja, I remember that day so well. Incredible day. But it was the stage where Cav won in the end (I just Googled it to see - it was stage 13), beating Sagan in the end sprint. And it was the day when Valverde 'lost' the TDF due to a puncture at the worst possible moment. Cav was still with Quick Step then, and it was Quick Step who ripped the race apart. Almost the whole team came to the front as if on cue and started hammering. Then Tinkoff (Saxo Bank) took over and did the rest. I remember seeing yellow on the front most of the time with guys like Mick Rodgers and Tosatto just bossing the front while they protected AC. Here's Cav's description of it: "It's incredible to win like that. We talked about it a bit before the stage, we knew the wind was strong but we didn't know it was strong enough to break it. Then Gert (Steegmans) goes and kicked it off. We kept going and then Saxo went later. I'm so happy. The guys rode out of their skin today. It's incredible to be able to win that." "I nearly missed the final split. Kwiatkowski got me half way across and then I shouted to him to move left. I sprinted and just managed to get in the echelon. "When echelons form it’s similar to falling through ice... you've got like 5 seconds to save yourself or it's all over. I sprinted across the gap, then we were gone. We're a Belgian team and we're used to racing in crosswinds."
Gen Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Curses! I have just been summoned to attend a 14h00 meeting at Ackermans. that really sucks.... for you
tombeej Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 A video from that 2013 TDF stage 13 with Cav, Froome and Mick Rodgers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5LJTMBKtTg
Vetplant Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Everyone knows it is coming, question remains: What can they do about it...
Benjamin Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Hope the wind doesn't die down.. damn that would be a let down That's like the spectators at the Roman Forum hoping that the lions were big and fierce. Nothing like seeing the competitors suffer in the name of the loyal fans
Gen Posted July 13, 2016 Posted July 13, 2016 Well they have rolled out (live footage from the start on FB)... biggest news is Sagan isn't in his black shorts but in the normal tinkoff shorts with green detail on it.. also he had some issues with his radio while at the start line[emoji12] And now we wait.
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