Dauphine Stage 3 - SPOILER

Kléber
Kléber Posts: 6,842
edited June 2010 in Pro race
The riders are on the course now, it's hilly at first then flat. The climb is on rough roads and the descent is sketchy in places. Also making it difficult for the riders is the wind, it's near the foot of the Ventoux and the Mistral wind is out to greet the riders. Apparently the wind blows above 80km/h for over 200 days a year in this region (gusts, not all day long of course).

At the time of writing Edwald Basoonwagen is on course to top the leader board with the fastest intermediate times along the way.

Watch HTC's Gretsch. Not Grabsch, but Patrick Gretsch, he's a German TT champ and could surprise with a half-decent result today. We'll see how Grabsch does, and personally I'd like Millar to win, although he has not raced for a while. Still, he's the last rider to beat Contador in a TT..
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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Apparantly Contador's using this TT to get used to his new rig...
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Biggles-Holden finish 2:44 up on the next guy.

    Fast ride.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    I thought he was rubbish Iain?
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    edited June 2010
    This site shows the departure times of the various cyclists and if you go to chrono 1, chrono 2 and arrivee then you can see the intermediate and final times.


    http://www.letour.fr/2010/CDD/LIVE/fr/3 ... ronos.html

    Its from the same site as the tour so hopefully they'll have the same info during the big event in July

    At the moment Boasson Hagen is the leader by 2 minutes 44 seconds although only 28 others have finished so far. 49kms featuring a hill and he does it in 1:02:35. Still leading at chrono 1 by 52 seconds and 49 riders have been through there so its likely to stand for some time yet. The big guns mostly go off later but Menchov should be on course now/soon. The times are french so i think conty rolls down the ramp at 1420 rather than 1520 - which is likely to be about the time he finishes.
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    Apparantly Contador's using this TT to get used to his new rig...

    the one with the engine in it??? :P
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Yes, good ride from EBH.

    Not sure why Contador is always playing down his chances. I guess he is naturally modest.
    “It will be a difficult day because I haven’t trained so much with the new bike and it will be a full-hour’s effort,” he said. “I know that with my current shape and with a little-used bike, I cannot draw conclusions that are too accurate.”
    Contador is the Greatest
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    andyp wrote:
    I thought he was rubbish Iain?

    He's been rubbish all season and suddenly pulls out a monster performance. If he was on an Italian or Spanish team we'd all be :roll:
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    I suppose he was rubbish when he beat Chinny in that TT at the start of the year.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • NervexProf
    NervexProf Posts: 4,202
    So far:

    1.Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) 1:02.35
    2.Thomas Vaitkus (RadioShack) 1:05:19
    3.Lars Ytting Bak (HTC-Columbia) 1:05:33
    4.Sergio Paulinho (RadioShack) 1:06:17
    5.Geoffroy Laquatre (RadioShack) 1:07:06
    Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom
  • shinyhelmut
    shinyhelmut Posts: 1,364
    This stage is perfect for EBH, 49K. Any further and he might have to stop for a pee :lol:
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    DaveyL wrote:
    I suppose he was rubbish when he beat Chinny in that TT at the start of the year.


    Yeah. In February.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    DaveyL wrote:
    I suppose he was rubbish when he beat Chinny in that TT at the start of the year.


    Yeah. In February.

    Yes but the quote was "He's been rubbish all season."

    So has he or hasn't he?
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Lets not draw any conclusions until some of the stronger riders have posted some times.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    The season only starts in March.

    Everything before that is training.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    He's been injured most of the season then
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    DaveyL wrote:
    He's been injured most of the season then

    That's what they say.

    Injured and suddenly posts an immense performance. Yes, that makes sense.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    been rubbish all season a tad unfair given his achilles tendon injury which wiped out much of his classics season - you'd expect a top class rider such as EBH to regain earlier form as he puts miles under his belt after recovering.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    iainf72 wrote:
    That's what they say.

    Injured and suddenly posts an immense performance. Yes, that makes sense.
    Are you alleging anything here? :wink:

    Besides, where's the massive performance, only a few riders have started so far. He was 50th in the prologue.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Anyone know how riders prepare/ride differently for a 50km TT?

    It only happens 3 times a year. I noticed there was a designated 'feed' station.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Anyone know how riders prepare/ride differently for a 50km TT?
    The big guns will ride the course in the morning, then lunch. Then a warm up, often up to an hour on the turbo, gradually getting more intense. Then with 10-15 minutes to go, it's time to get changed into the TT gear and head for the start.
  • avoidingmyphd
    avoidingmyphd Posts: 1,154
    http://www.letour.fr/2010/CDD/LIVE/fr/300/allChronos.html
    Its from the same site as the tour so hopefully they'll have the same info during the big event in July
    they definitely will - they always do.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Kléber wrote:
    Anyone know how riders prepare/ride differently for a 50km TT?
    The big guns will ride the course in the morning, then lunch. Then a warm up, often up to an hour on the turbo, gradually getting more intense. Then with 10-15 minutes to go, it's time to get changed into the TT gear and head for the start.

    So not very differently then? :P
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    Wonder if there's a time limit today? Can see the big guns going faster than EBH and there're a few riders already way down on the pace.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Not much competition for EBH uptil now. A couple of decent TTers coming up ver soon with Tjalingii, Menchov and Bodrogi. Should give a bit more of an indication of what his time is worth.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    FJS wrote:
    Not much competition for EBH uptil now. A couple of decent TTers coming up ver soon with ... Menchov

    Couldn't resist:

    corvos_menchov_crash_giro50.jpg
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    FJS wrote:
    Not much competition for EBH uptil now. A couple of decent TTers coming up ver soon with Tjalingii, Menchov and Bodrogi. Should give a bit more of an indication of what his time is worth.


    2. MENCHOV Denis 21 RABOBANK 00:44:45 00:00:33
    3. TJALLINGII Maarten 27 RABOBANK 00:45:18 00:01:06
    4. BODROGI Laszlo 33 KATUSHA TEAM 00:45:50 00:01:38

    at the second time check.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Menchov looks well off the pace. I was tempted by him for PTP given that Contador said he'd sit up at some point but was worried about the bizarre abandon in the Tour of Belgium and his lack of racing miles.
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    Tjallingi had an awful last section - finished 2:36 back. Lost 1m30s over the last 18km to EBH and 1m21s to Sivtsov who currently sits second.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    I still can't fathom out how an hour plus trial fits into a week's racing.
    Is it really that useful in terms of Tour prep?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    I still can't fathom out how an hour plus trial fits into a week's racing.
    Is it really that useful in terms of Tour prep?

    It's good practise for the long final TT. That;s about all I suppose.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.