General Race Thread 2023 **spoilers**

Dodge

The lead outs as such were a mess yesterday. That roundabout 500m or so messed them all up.

Obviously we focus on Sam but the 4 best sprinters and sprint trains are Sam, Merlier, De Lie and Demare (no order!) and none of them contested yesterday as the roundabout squeezed them all out and away from their lead outs

Ceepo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120324407#Comment_120324407

I'd certainly agree with you on that point yesterday.

I would also be of the opinion that Sam is not at his best, but saying that we have a very high expectation of him, and probably expect him to be winning or podium every time. As pointed out, he has a few podiums already this year. We can see how messy so many sprints are, and I'd say lead outs are a bit different that previous years gone by, with teams now trying to disrupt other teams more and more.

I still have faith that Sam will get a good few wins this year. Maybe not just every sprint.

retalivity

I love a good TTT

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120325337#Comment_120325337

This one is more a very long lead out.

odyssey06

I haven't seen this setup before with the TTT... they go out as a team but get individual times and can go over the line on their own?

Or the whole team get the time of the first rider over the line?

Dodge

All individual times. Interesting idea

retalivity

The winning team time for the stage is the first rider over the line, but the GC time is taken for each rider individually. So its working like a 30k leadout for the GC guys

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120325704#Comment_120325704

A Ganna or Tony Martin would be amazing here for a GC guy. No need to try slow down for the team just blast on with your GC guy.

Ganna is a big frame for a draught too

odyssey06

Looking ahead there's no TTT in this year's Tour de France (same organisers as Paris Nice).

But I wonder if this experiment brings it back onto TDF radar next year.

Dodge

I hope not fwiw. Never liked them

I know plenty like them, but not for me

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120325846#Comment_120325846

Only makes it easier for the super teams.

Mefistofelino

TTTs should have no place in the overall. Yet another mechanism for big-budget teams to screw over the GC ambitions of poorer ones.

Squidgy Black

Really hope TTTs don’t become more common place.

The amount of money the oil-money teams are pumping into aerodynamics testing means any of the smaller teams are just going to get destroyed.

UAE for example are running custom TT bar setups that alone cost about €4k

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120325753#Comment_120325753

Kung pretty much did this for Gaudu today!

Doc07

I suppose I should be happy RTÉ news even mention Sam but what a well informed headline , spoiler alert!

‘Sam Bennett falls back after Paris-Nice time trial’

neris

Unfortunately.... I'd say the riders disagree

https://twitter.com/BELCycling/status/1633410206481743872?t=ixJZu2O3Jy8JGroG19AyHg&s=19

De Bhál

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120327202#Comment_120327202

yep, always frustrating hearing Tour reports or whatever for him when they give his GC place.

"Sam Bennett finished 155th today on a mountinous stage through the alps and has slipped a further 20 places down to 140th overall"

pointless stuff

"Mo Salah saved no penalties today as Liverpool lost 2-0 to Spurs"

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120329357#Comment_120329357

Not strictly cycling related but that is a loooong camper van. When it turns, the rear overhang must cross over the Dutch border

retalivity

Paris-Nice looking spicy, been a couple of splits and echelons already, and a mountaintop finish to come as well.

Mefistofelino

Lotto co-sponsor "DSTNY" vexes me unreasonably. This hasn't been helped by the addition of a sub-sponsor "Efficy". Just seems like utter Bllsht.

Maybe I'm suffering from Irritable Vowel Syndrome?

retalivity

Pog pulling away from Jonas here!

dahat

Savage leadout from ADQ finished off by Philipsen. VDP took him from 500 to 100 out at an unmerciful rate of watts.

at1withmyself

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120330710#Comment_120330710

Great finish by Pog, he's great to watch. Sprinting all week for bonus seconds and then still winning on the mountain. I think he is now leading all jersey classifications!

Nice interview with Mader after the finish, he did well today and finished 3rd.

mewso

Yeah great ride from Mader. Vingegaard seems like very much the ideal Skineos type of rider. Needs a strong team around him whereas Pog is fine with or without but obviously better with a stronger team and they have strengthened. With Roglic (absolutely key last year) doing the Giro I can't see anything other than another Tour victory for Pog and then I bet he'll have a crack at the Giro next year. He 'aint Indurain. He wants to win it all. The Cannibal of our generation.

Dodge

Harsh on Vingegaard. He was amazing last year in the Tour and deserved that win. Love watching Pog myself but I’m not sure winning Paris Nice in March has much to do with the Tour this summer

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332542#Comment_120332542

He seems to want to try and win as many different races as possible...won the UAE tour, Strade and T-A last year, this year skips them all to win some spanish races and have a crack at Paris-Nice. He's also attempting LBL and the Amstel race, as well as going back to RVV and MSR.

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332580#Comment_120332580

True. I'm not particularly aligned either way. Obviously Pog is more entertaining but for all I know Vingegaard has the grit. He might yet prove me wrong on Sunday. Don't get me wrong he deserved the Tour last year but the work the team put in beating Pog up was crucial. It would have been much closer otherwise I think.

Raoul Duke

I think that the big difference between today and last year was the Pogačar got a gap and then was able to extend that gap. Last year Vingegaard never left him get more than a foot away from him. Don't know if that was because he took his eye of Pogačar or if Pogačar has been working on his explosiveness to get that gap.

Last year I don't think that Pogačar was at the same level that he was at in the previous year. I base this on his form after the Tour de France rather than the Tour itself. During the Tour he burned too many matches trying to burn Vingegaard from his wheel. That initial gap is all important.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332826#Comment_120332826

I think racing from March to October every year cost Pogacar the tour last year. It’ll be interesting to see if he takes a break after the spring classics or continues to race hard right up to the Tour.

He’s the first rider to win the tour after competing well in all the classics since Hinault, I think. I didn’t think it was possible anymore and worry it won’t be again this year. He’s great to watch though. I wouldn’t bet against him winning all 5 monuments and all 3 GTs before he retires.

retalivity

Is Merckx the only person to have won all 3 GT's, 5 Monuments and the World Championships? I'd imagine Pog might try to aim to emulate that.

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120333642#Comment_120333642

Yup. And by a long chalk. The only riders to have won all 5 monuments were Merckx, Van Looy and De Vlaeminck. De Vlaeminck never won the Worlds and neither De Vlaeminck nor Van Looy won a GT, let alone all three.

Mefistofelino

The closest anyone else got would have been Hinault and Gimondi. 3 GTs, WC and 3 monuments

retalivity

Hairy legs Rog still has it!

Dodge

He’s so good in those types of finishes. 20 men together in the last KM of a hill and he wins 90% of the time

De Bhál

Sam Bennett had nothing there

MangleBadger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335913#Comment_120335913

Have to agree. Disappointing effort.

seaviewphotos

Really disappointed, he looked to be in a very good position but had nothing left when it came to the finish.

CrowdedHouse

The DS said Sam isn't 100% healthy - whatever that means

From the Finish Line

 

“The sprinter teams didn't let a larger group go today and ensured that the fast men got their last chance. In the technical and tricky finale, positioning was the key to success today. Danny van Poppel did a good lead out but unfortunately Sam Bennett isn’t 100% healthy, which is why he ultimately didn't have the necessary punch.” Rolf Aldag, Sports Director

mewso

Wout has taken over crash duties from Rog

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332601#Comment_120332601

I wouldn't downplay the team effort of JV last year too much, but Pog didn't race smart either. Wasted energy/ "burnt matches" when he didn't have to, or for a handful of seconds. Big difference this year might be Pieper being back more involved.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120339442#Comment_120339442

Pog last year simply thought that when the time came he could just ride away in the TdF but Vingo held on. I think he will be smarter this year.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120333642#Comment_120333642

He is and he will. Given the increased specialisation of cycling, it would be a far more impressive feat if Pog manages it.

Merckx competed in sprints, TTs, climbs and on the track. He may have even won a sprint on final day of the Tour, but I am open to correction.

Dr. Bre

Both stages at Paris Nice and Tirreno shortened due to winds today

De Bhál

proper shite day in Italy

paris nice cancelled today

mewso

With all due respect to Paris Nice it looked like another nail grower anyway.

CrowdedHouse

😁😁

https://twitter.com/ukcyclingexpert/status/1634193583468077056?s=20

retalivity

65kmph winds at the finish line in Italy!

mewso

Great finish. Lenny hung on but Rog takes the jersey. Tomorrow looks juicy as well.

De Bhál

Roglic, it must be sickening racing against him, how many uphill finishes where he sneaks around the front few to cross the line first.

CrowdedHouse

Sam abandoned due to a cold

https://twitter.com/BORAhansgrohe/status/1634475851621314561?s=20