Paris-Nice Stage 4 *Spoiler

FJS
FJS Posts: 4,820
edited March 2011 in Pro race
The first hilly stage, but probably more for a break-away than the big boys

Still, does the fact that Galimzyanov was dropped on the first climb and just quit after 20 km suggest that it might not be straightforward procession to a sprint finish?

Steegmans and Maes didn't start after yesterday's crashes. Bad day for QS

Break-away: De Gendt, Voeckler, Pauriol, De Greef and Di Gregorio, followed by Pineau and Hardy
Almost all of them already pretty active in the previous days
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Comments

  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    It looks hilly but nothing more, no big climbs and if the breakaways want to win, it'll be hard since HTC will surely want to keep the yellow jersey and other teams not in the break will want their chance of a win before the TT and the properly climbing begins from tomorrow onwards.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Rider of the race so far: de Gendt
  • csp
    csp Posts: 777
    Rider of the race so far: de Gendt

    I loved the way he fought on his own against the big teams' trains in the final kms of stage 2.
  • Great to see some aggresive riding, was a shame de Gendt couldn't hold onto yellow. If he's in the break today though who knows? But as mentioned above, HTC will put the hammer down later.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    FJS wrote:
    The first hilly stage, but probably more for a break-away than the big boys

    Still, does the fact that Galimzyanov was dropped on the first climb and just quit after 20 km suggest that it might not be straightforward procession to a sprint finish?

    Steegmans and Maes didn't start after yesterday's crashes. Bad day for QS

    Break-away: De Gendt, Voeckler, Pauriol, De Greef and Di Gregorio, followed by Pineau and Hardy
    Almost all of them already pretty active in the previous days

    That'll be a clever move switching my pick away from Tommy D in PTP last minute today then :roll:
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    Great to see some aggresive riding, was a shame de Gendt couldn't hold onto yellow. If he's in the break today though who knows?

    Isn't he likely to take the 3seconds in the sprint half way through the stage? with no HTC guy in the break who'll take it from him?
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    jibberjim wrote:
    Great to see some aggresive riding, was a shame de Gendt couldn't hold onto yellow. If he's in the break today though who knows?

    Isn't he likely to take the 3seconds in the sprint half way through the stage? with no HTC guy in the break who'll take it from him?

    He'll have to cough up some cash or fight for it if he wants it.
  • My money would be on Voeckler for that
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Strade Bianche followed by Tirreno-Adriatico live, now, here:
    http://sports-livez.com/channel/ch-10.php
    (sorry to put it in the P-N thread. :oops: )
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    De Gendt wins first sprint and is back in (virtual) yellow
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    The distance covered in the second hour of the stage was 32.6 kms for an overall average speed of 35.1 kph.

    14:11 - Crash in the descent

    A crash took place in the descent, involving Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) and Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack). Nobody is hurt.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,719
    Levi has spent hours chasing behind the bunch during this race.

    He will be flying come the summer.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    He will be flying home to America after being rubbish in the Tour because he's too old come the summer.

    Corrected that for you.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Is de Gendt the new Hoogerland?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    afx237vi wrote:
    Is de Gendt the new Hoogerland?

    What, good value in a race but everyone who's not speaking Dutch thinks he's shady?
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    afx237vi wrote:
    Is de Gendt the new Hoogerland?

    What, good value in a race but everyone who's not speaking Dutch thinks he's shady?

    Pretty sure some Dutch people must think Hoogerland is shady as well, seeing as Rabobank gave him the boot when he was younger :wink:

    But yeah, I'm not implying anything about de Gendt, he just has the same attacking attitude.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    I think he's shady - apart from that good spectating value

    De Gendt hasn't done anything high mountain yet, right?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    FJS wrote:
    I think he's shady - apart from that good spectating value

    Fair enough. You strike me as a little more discerning that Smeets.
  • andyjr
    andyjr Posts: 635
    This is going to end in another bunch sprint. Dull
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    I had a feeling it would stay together, but wondered if some of the weaker climbing sprinters might get shelled, hence I went for Haussler not Henderson.

    As for De Gendt, I try and avoid labelling riders as clean or dirty unless they test positive but to me De Gendts results show a man who rides aggressively, but is not capable of super human feats of endurance.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Gee did well to stay on his feet after the latern rouge ran into the back of him.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Henderson being shelled as Liquigas up the pace...
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    afx237vi wrote:
    Henderson being shelled as Liquigas up the pace...

    With Steegmans and Galimzyanov out, was to be expected... Liquigas doing the damage, but Goss, Haussler, Rojas, Bole all decent climbers
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Yeah I was wavering between Bole and Rojas as sprinters who can climb.... went for Bole in the end, but not confident he can do it.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    As it's going Goss and Haussler look good bets too. But then, say Goss get's dropped a bit on that next hill, will his team work full out to bring him back, with Martin in contention for GC too?
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Go Haussler!!
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • Plenty of gaps appearing now
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Goss really struggling to hold on now.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    De Gendt takes 3 seconds more, no sprint for it
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Doesn't look like the peloton have the juice to catch the break.
    A bye product of having a load of teams with sprinters who can climb a bit, but not well enough?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.