Tour de Suisse 2018 Spoilers

No_Ta_Doctor

Søren Kragh!

This race is treating the Danes nicely.
On the downside, that means it'll be prioritised to broadcast next year, and it's not really very good, is it?

ShutupJens

No tA Doctor wrote:

Søren Kragh!
it's not really very good, is it?

The spoiler thread says it all

inseine

ShutupJens wrote:

inseine wrote:

Warbasse on the attack yesterday. Interestingly the team is still using a single ring despite rumours they were going to have a double set up for this race, or maybe even the 12 speed cassette. I guess the fact that they've manged so far on a 1x set up and they're not doing any of the grand tours means they might just carry on this season as they are.

Doubt SRAM would be too happy if they started using 1x then switched to a double once the bike climbs happen. Even if there's a legit reason for it, it looks really bad from a PR perspective if they said "actually this is sh1t for riding up big hills"

Mark Christian;
''That's probably the best legs I've ever had in a race and then the fucking bike just let us down again, I can't say any more about it, to be honest.''
Not sure they'll be on SRAM much longer if this carries on. Even the boss said he'd had enough.

kingstongraham

Red.Rider wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

This climb halfway through the stage is a bit of a looker

It’s a real beauty! It was a bit cold on the top to stand around for an hour, and descending the side they came up is terrifying, even at 30km/h in the traffic.

Will add some pics when I’m home.

Klausenpass, right? Which way is best to ride?

red.rider

A few pics from stage 6 of the breakaway (including stage winner, peloton, and some scenery.

KingstonGraham wrote:

Red.Rider wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

This climb halfway through the stage is a bit of a looker

It’s a real beauty! It was a bit cold on the top to stand around for an hour, and descending the side they came up is terrifying, even at 30km/h in the traffic.

Will add some pics when I’m home.

Klausenpass, right? Which way is best to ride?

Klausenpass indeed. I think the scenery is more dramatic on the Altdorf (Uri) side, so it's worth climbing from there if you have the choice. But both sides are very pleasant

specialgueststar

My man Calmejane featuring heavily in those pics

rick_chasey

inseine wrote:

ShutupJens wrote:

inseine wrote:

Warbasse on the attack yesterday. Interestingly the team is still using a single ring despite rumours they were going to have a double set up for this race, or maybe even the 12 speed cassette. I guess the fact that they've manged so far on a 1x set up and they're not doing any of the grand tours means they might just carry on this season as they are.

Doubt SRAM would be too happy if they started using 1x then switched to a double once the bike climbs happen. Even if there's a legit reason for it, it looks really bad from a PR perspective if they said "actually this is sh1t for riding up big hills"

Mark Christian;
''That's probably the best legs I've ever had in a race and then the ******* bike just let us down again, I can't say any more about it, to be honest.''
Not sure they'll be on SRAM much longer if this carries on. Even the boss said he'd had enough.

Classic.

It was blindingly obvious it was not going to work. (and I've been quite consistent with this).

specialgueststar

Rick Chasey wrote:

inseine wrote:

ShutupJens wrote:

inseine wrote:

Warbasse on the attack yesterday. Interestingly the team is still using a single ring despite rumours they were going to have a double set up for this race, or maybe even the 12 speed cassette. I guess the fact that they've manged so far on a 1x set up and they're not doing any of the grand tours means they might just carry on this season as they are.

Doubt SRAM would be too happy if they started using 1x then switched to a double once the bike climbs happen. Even if there's a legit reason for it, it looks really bad from a PR perspective if they said "actually this is sh1t for riding up big hills"

Mark Christian;
''That's probably the best legs I've ever had in a race and then the ******* bike just let us down again, I can't say any more about it, to be honest.''
Not sure they'll be on SRAM much longer if this carries on. Even the boss said he'd had enough.

Classic.

It was blindingly obvious it was not going to work. (and I've been quite consistent with this).

It must be working a bit as they are getting round (?) and in fact Christian is leading the KOM

inseine

It must be working a bit as they are getting round (?) and in fact Christian is leading the KOM

They've had 3 in the break today, including Christian, but looks like they're going to get hoovered up.

jimmythecuckoo

Forget 1x its all (still) about the Alfine hub

andyp

Not a lot of love for Quintana on here these days?

That was an impressive ride today, he went from a long way out and still had enough in reserve to hold off the late, expected charge from the other GC contenders. GVA rode well too, without him Porte would've been in all sorts of bother, an 11 km turn from a cobbled classic specialist is not something you see everyday.

confused@BR

Hard to feel the 'lurve' for this thread or this race. I suppose it doesn't help to end the stage in an empty ski resort (not a particularly high class one, from appearances). We had a finish on an aerodrome? earlier on.
The racing seems a bit sub fusc too. I preferred Dauphine but this has supposed to have the higher quality entry.
Elsewhere the scenery is pretty I am hoping for an upturn this weekend.

bobmcstuff

andyp wrote:

Not a lot of love for Quintana on here these days?

That was an impressive ride today, he went from a long way out and still had enough in reserve to hold off the late, expected charge from the other GC contenders. GVA rode well too, without him Porte would've been in all sorts of bother, an 11 km turn from a cobbled classic specialist is not something you see everyday.

So what happened then? Quintana won I guess?

andyp

bobmcstuff wrote:

So what happened then? Quintana won I guess?

Yes. The final climb was 27 kms long, but had a long, 10-15 km section in the middle where the gradient was shallow. Quintana attacked right at the foot of the climb, picked up the survivors from the day's break, including a team mate, then drove a group of stage hopefuls, whilst behind TVG chased on behalf of Porte on the steeper bottom section of the climb, then dropped off, only for Van Avermaet, who'd been in the break, to drop back and drive the pursuit for most of that middle section, so it was essentially a head to head between Quintana and Van Avermaet.

The climb steepened for the final 4.5 kms, Quintana dropped most of the break as soon as they hit that, then went away solo with about 3 kms to go. Porte attacked at the same place, got to within 10-12 seconds of Quintana, then faltered and was caught by Fuglsang. Quintana won, Fuglsang was second at 22 seconds with Porte. Quintana moved up to second place on GC, just 17 seconds behind Porte.

Flat stage tomorrow, then a TT on Sunday so you'd expect Porte to win comfortably.

Pross

I can never get into this race, considering what Switzerland has to offer in terms of both challenging terrain and stunning scenery most stages seem intended to show another side to the country.

rick_chasey

Pross wrote:

I can never get into this race, considering what Switzerland has to offer in terms of both challenging terrain and stunning scenery most stages seem intended to show another side to the country.

The whole country is like that.

On paper should be great.

It really isn’t.

takethehighroad

I just read the Cyclingnews report and watched 2 minuted worth on YouTube and don't feel I missed much.

As said previously, the Dauphine does what Suisse should do, a week earlier. Both races haven't been helped by the ecxtra week until the Tour tbf

No_Ta_Doctor

I think this 3D map compared to the profile for today's stage sums it up, really.

It's like they've tried really, really hard to avoid any climbs.
"Shit, there a mountains everywhere, wtf do we do?"
"Well there's a bit of flat stuff in between them..."

No_Ta_Doctor

If a bike race takes place and nobody watches, does it really happen?

No_Ta_Doctor

Demare won. Cycling news reported this fact about 3 hrs ago.

Least. Interesting. Race. Ever.

confused@BR

Oh dear. Just when I thought that this was a boring race the organisers managed to up the quotient to another level entirely. There are a lot of talented riders doing their best in a race which does them no credit whatsoever.
If you should ever wonder why the world ignores cycle racing, this is your answer.

andyp

The organisers are caught between a rock and a hard place. With it's position on the calendar, especially this year, riders preparing for the Tour will want to ride, but they don't want a race that is so hard that it doesn't give them the recovery time they need ahead of the Tour. The organisation have to strike the right balance and that can affect the spectacle.

You'll be crying out for racing next week, when you realise there is still two weeks left before the Tour starts and the only racing on the calendar is the national champs.

rick_chasey

andyp wrote:

The organisers are caught between a rock and a hard place. With it's position on the calendar, especially this year, riders preparing for the Tour will want to ride, but they don't want a race that is so hard that it doesn't give them the recovery time they need ahead of the Tour. The organisation have to strike the right balance and that can affect the spectacle.

You'll be crying out for racing next week, when you realise there is still two weeks left before the Tour starts and the only racing on the calendar is the national champs.

There is some other big sport on in that period inbetween

confused@BR

That will be the 'sport' where they kick the round ball? When will media professionals recognize that the audience they desire is a little more discriminating than them?
There appears to be a fallow period for the next two weeks when nothing (in the wonderful world of cycling) happens.
Is there not some opportunity for the more enterprising cycling promoter to introduce the world to a new sensation? Or even a bike race.

pblakeney

confused@BR wrote:

That will be the 'sport' where they kick the round ball? When will media professionals recognize that the audience they desire is a little more discriminating than them?
There appears to be a fallow period for the next two weeks when nothing (in the wonderful world of cycling) happens.
Is there not some opportunity for the more enterprising cycling promoter to introduce the world to new sensationn? Or even a bike race.

You have more chance of a Micheal Hutchence revival.
Dream on, or wake up to the real world.

Pross

andyp wrote:

The organisers are caught between a rock and a hard place. With it's position on the calendar, especially this year, riders preparing for the Tour will want to ride, but they don't want a race that is so hard that it doesn't give them the recovery time they need ahead of the Tour. The organisation have to strike the right balance and that can affect the spectacle.

You'll be crying out for racing next week, when you realise there is still two weeks left before the Tour starts and the only racing on the calendar is the national champs.

I accept they don’t want anything too challenging but hosting a race in an Alpine nation and then trying to avoid hills at all costs whilst seeking out the ugliest and most uninspiring areas seems a step too far.

No_Ta_Doctor

Pross wrote:

andyp wrote:

The organisers are caught between a rock and a hard place. With it's position on the calendar, especially this year, riders preparing for the Tour will want to ride, but they don't want a race that is so hard that it doesn't give them the recovery time they need ahead of the Tour. The organisation have to strike the right balance and that can affect the spectacle.

You'll be crying out for racing next week, when you realise there is still two weeks left before the Tour starts and the only racing on the calendar is the national champs.

I accept they don’t want anything too challenging but hosting a race in an Alpine nation and then trying to avoid hills at all costs whilst seeking out the ugliest and most uninspiring areas seems a step too far.

The Dauphine seemed to manage a decent enough route, and it's only just finished. Not been watching l'Occitane, but seems like Valverde has found enough to get his teeth into.

I'm not really sure why Td Suisse got such a strong field in comparison, did they really all look at it and think "that looks like a decent week off before the tour"?

TheBigBean

I haven't managed to watch a single stage, but the Quintana versus Porte stage sounded reasonably entertaining.

above_the_cows

No_Ta_Doctor

Kung won the TT and Titchy Richie the overall.

This post is a full 24 hrs later than the result.