Sam Bennett - no same day spoilers

Diarmuid

RobFowl wrote: »

One of things Sam is being coached to do is effectively sit up and ride in if he is not in contention for the win, obviously more relevant in stage races but thats why if he's not at the front he's tending to come in quite some way back.
Makes sense as he's not paid to be a GC man and winning is what he is about.

But that's what every sprinter does. No sprinter is killing themselves to come in 1 minute down. What they all do is hang on as long as possible and then hope to be at the front or at least with a group that's in with a shout of catching the front group. How far down you end up is really a function of how long you hung on.

buffalo

He didn't win today.

mirrormatrix

Flamme rouge having a go at him on Twitter for deviating from his line during the sprint.

breezy1985

mirrormatrix wrote: »

Flamme rouge having a go at him on Twitter for deviating from his line during the sprint.

I've seen it round a few places. Shure youde have to DQ the whole sprint field yesterday if they enforce the straight line rule

Miklos

Caleb Ewan wasn't going in a straight line for more than a few meters in his sprint so..

harringtonp

We're all looking at that through green glasses but if you put your clear glasses on its hard not to come to the conclusion that he was drifting left to make it more difficult for Ewan to come through.

Like Sam before he hit the front, Caleb had to weave to get through. But once Sam was at the front, the quickest way to the line was straight.

donfers

Hopefully he will hang on today on the last climb and take some of the GC contenders on the final sprint...maybe just hang on to Bernal's wheel up the last 500 metres

Junior

I'll leave this here "No, no, he didn't slam you, he didn't bump you, he didn't nudge you... he rubbed you. And rubbing, son, is racing"

CrowdedHouse

Is he making a serious attempt for the green jersey? I notice yesterday he contested the sprint with less than 20 to go, whereas Ewan just rolled along keeping his powder dry.

North of 32

donfers wrote: »

Hopefully he will hang on today on the last climb and take some of the GC contenders on the final sprint...maybe just hang on to Bernal's wheel up the last 500 metres

Maybe if he's dropped 10kg overnight

deandean

Sooo close to a win for Sam yesterday. I seeing him winning stages. After the mountains.

breezy1985

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

Is he making a serious attempt for the green jersey? I notice yesterday he contested the sprint with less than 20 to go, whereas Ewan just rolled along keeping his powder dry.

He could take green today if he wins the intermediate sprint and other bits go his way

breezy1985

harringtonp wrote: »

We're all looking at that through green glasses but if you put your clear glasses on its hard not to come to the conclusion that he was drifting left to make it more difficult for Ewan to come through.

Like Sam before he hit the front, Caleb had to weave to get through. But once Sam was at the front, the quickest way to the line was straight.

Not saying he was right but he won't get penalised because the whole sprint was a mess. Ewan was amazing the way he was flying in and out but it was dangerous as ***"

Macy0161

Actually quite good analysis of the sprint on the GCN "The Breakaway" I thought.

• Sam hit the front too early into the head wind
• Sling shot of coming from behind made Ewan look so much quicker, as Sam faded
• Ewan took a risk with positioning and his route through - if Sagan wouldn't have had to drift much or sit up and that gap would be gone
• Sam's drift they just throw away said "you can see him drift as he looked under his arm"

Personally, I would've been surprised at any DQ for that drift. It was a drift rather than a block.

MPFGLB

deandean wrote: »

Sooo close to a win for Sam yesterday. I seeing him winning stages. After the mountains.

Yes...he will get over the mountains better than Ewan

Remember this is the most mountainous Tour in a very long time

See him win on Champs

On a straight line with no headwind he is as fast as Ewan in my book and he knows it

CramCycle

He definitely drifted, it was really obvious. He was at least clear of the others when it started.

seaviewphotos

Macy0161 wrote: »

Actually quite good analysis of the sprint on the GCN "The Breakaway" I thought.

• Sam hit the front too early into the head wind
• Sling shot of coming from behind made Ewan look so much quicker, as Sam faded
• Ewan took a risk with positioning and his route through - if Sagan wouldn't have had to drift much or sit up and that gap would be gone
• Sam's drift they just throw away said "you can see him drift as he looked under his arm"

tomorrow

Personally, I would've been surprised at any DQ for that drift. It was a drift rather than a block.

Do you need the race pass to watch the GCN breakaway?

Macy0161

seaviewphotos wrote: »

Do you need the race pass to watch the GCN breakaway?

May be on eurosport, but comes up on the race pass option in the app.

Weepsie

MPFGLB wrote: »

Yes...he will get over the mountains better than Ewan

Remember this is the most mountainous Tour in a very long time

See him win on Champs

On a straight line with no headwind he is as fast as Ewan in my book and he knows it

But is Ewan in his head a bit? He's beaten him into 2nd place in 5 of the 6 times they've been head to head / top 2 this year.

Legs can be perfect, but mightn't matter if heads not there. Probably just takes 1 win though, and he'll be all go

Having Julian in yellow doesn't help him much either really as his team will be all out protecting him you'd think

CramCycle

Weepsie wrote: »

But is Ewan in his head a bit? He's beaten him into 2nd place in 5 of the 6 times they've been head to head / top 2 this year.

I don't think so, he was stronger than Ewan yesterday, he just had to pop out 5 seconds too early

MPFGLB

Weepsie wrote: »

But is Ewan in his head a bit? He's beaten him into 2nd place in 5 of the 6 times they've been head to head / top 2 this year.

Legs can be perfect, but mightn't matter if heads not there. Probably just takes 1 win though, and he'll be all go

Having Julian in yellow doesn't help him much either really as his team will be all out protecting him you'd think

Yes Sam Bennet is prone to anxiety and self doubt and he alluded to the yellow jersey in the team yesterday as if Team riding for that and not him though didnt say that

Also had a moan about others riding on his wheel and getting benefit of wind protection

CramCycle

MPFGLB wrote: »

Yes Sam Bennet is prone to anxiety and self doubt and he alluded to the yellow jersey in the team yesterday as if Team riding for that and not him though didnt say that

Julian was helping with his lead out for a long while so I can't see that.

Also had a moan about others riding on his wheel and getting benefit of wind protection

I don't think it was moaning, just explaining. He would do the same to them if he had the chance.

happytramp

CramCycle wrote: »

Julian was helping with his lead out for a long while so I can't see that.

I don't think it was moaning, just explaining. He would do the same to them if he had the chance.

Is there anything to be said for just sitting on Ewan's wheel and seeing what happens?

MPFGLB

CramCycle wrote: »

Julian was helping with his lead out for a long while so I can't see that.

I don't think it was moaning, just explaining. He would do the same to them if he had the chance.

Maybe Bennett neeeded more support in the final KM and it wasnt there ?

Moaning was jsuta turn of phrase given his demeanour and voice

connachta

Bennett has gained the green jersey today and should keep it at least until Sunday!!!!!

TheBlaaMan

What about Sam in a rainbow jersey?
It is going to have a lot of climbing though!

"UCI President David Lappartient had called for a testing course for the new location to replicate the climbing that was expected in Switzerland. Adorni won on a circuit that included the Tre Monti circuit but further climbing is expected to be added by riding deeper into the Apennines near Riolo Terme. The UCI confirmed that the men’s 259.2km race will include over 5000m of climbing and include nine laps of a 28.8km circuit. "

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/imola-confirmed-to-host-reduced-road-world-championships/

Eamonnator

happytramp wrote: »

Is there anything to be said for just sitting on Ewan's wheel and seeing what happens?

Or another mass?

Junior

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

What about Sam in a rainbow jersey?
No indication of a route yet so it could be hilly, but he's won there before !

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/imola-confirmed-to-host-reduced-road-world-championships/


Oh the dilemma if he is in green in the Tour coming into the last week.

Possible route

Weepsie

There's 5000m of climbing in the new route.

c.p.w.g.w

Weepsie wrote: »

There's 5000m of climbing in the new route.

That seems like a form of torture