ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 07/12/2016 02:02 PM |
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| Interesting tactical stage today. Big break with big names. 3 Orica riders at the end crossing swords with Sagan chasing everything himself. Sagan seemed to have to sprint twice after opening up and being passed late and still got 2nd. Strange scenes with Chavenel in the break not working and Voeckler chasing alone at the front of the peloton, then Chavenel didn't make the split when the break split with about 25K to go. Nibali honing his form for Rio but didn't make the split either. I'm sure there's relief in the Orica bus tonight, well at least on the Mathews half of the bus. |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 07/12/2016 02:04 PM |
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| ...oh and BMC moved into the team lead, whoopdedo. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 07/12/2016 02:45 PM |
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I think Sagan achieved an unsplken objective - to take advantage of today's oppurtunity to put a lot of distance points-wise between himself and Cavendish. Cavendish will dro pout after tomrrow and gearup for Rio. (Ben's no-brainer prediction.) Had the field caught and Cavendish won, Sagan might have a green jersey seeking Cavendish hanging around another week and a half.
For Sagan, ridding himself of Cavendish could be, in the long run, worth a lot of energy spent. Tomorrow he can let almost any break go up the road (hoping for a big one to soak up all the points), then it that doesn't work, finish within earshot of Cavendish. Except for going kinda fast at the finish if the break doesn't hold, he doesn't need to do any work.
Ben |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 07/12/2016 03:00 PM |
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I agree, Ben. Though I'm wondering why Cavendish would even make any run at all at the green jersey or to finish the Tour. Riding the Tour is terrible preparation for a track medal, IMO.
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 07/12/2016 03:13 PM |
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He's a little like Sagan and Contador - a competitor to the core. A green jersey to snap Sagan's streak? That's fire in his belly. Rio isn't until next month.
Ben |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 07/12/2016 05:36 PM |
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Yeah, I can see that too. Wiggins did fine coming out of the Tour. I guess he is targeting the omnium.
Sagan owns the green jersey in a similar way that Zabel did. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/12/2016 09:17 PM |
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I think Cav would have dropped out on the rest day if he had not had the green jersey. But I don't think he wanted to quit in the jersey so he rode today...having done that (at a pretty casual pace), he'll stick around for tomorrow's oh-so-sprinter-friendly course and try and nab his 4th stage.
Sagan will keep green and Cav drops out after tomorrow. No way he climbs Ventoux. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 07/13/2016 09:14 AM |
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| apparently Cav is looking for a win today at Montpellier, maybe he's going to hunt for one more stage, then it's Rio time |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/13/2016 09:23 AM |
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| Ouch...nasty body surf by Majka on the asphalt! |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 07/13/2016 10:23 AM |
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| that was a race! No rest for the weary. |
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Gonzo Cyclist
Posts:568
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| 07/13/2016 10:24 AM |
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| kind of like the way this Froome guy is riding, hardly recognize him, dude is being ruthless, took a few more seconds today, I always wondered if the guy had any cajones, he's showing it in this tour, sticking it to his rivals |
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 07/13/2016 10:42 AM |
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After all the work Sagan put in yesterday for his second, he does it again for a win. The WC jersey hasn't been shown this well in my memory.
If he just rides for the time cut tomorrow and Friday, I won't complain.
Ben |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 07/13/2016 10:43 AM |
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| my jaw was on the floor. Perfect move, 2 Tinkoff (not just any Tinkoff either), 2 Sky. Cav off the back takes out one sprint team. Other sprint teams in disarray. Quintana might have the last laugh since Froome only got 12 secs and used some energy, but it was only about 13km so it really wasn't that long in duration. We'll see. It all adds up. Definitely a psychological blow. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/13/2016 10:47 AM |
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Well schitt.....who picked Froome for 2nd today?!?!?!?
Great stage....nice to see some exciting racing on a day when it looked like a predictable finish. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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longslowdistance
Posts:2881
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| 07/13/2016 10:55 AM |
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Froome made the Badger smile, that's for sure. Really liking this year's Froome.
Sagan is a beast, with brains!
Best stage yet, wow.
More crosswinds tomorrow.
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