Someone provide a list of the expected runners and riders please.
I drove from Fingal to Dublin yesterday and that coast road between St Anne’s and Fairview is still in bits. They were doing some work at the Fairview end but there are big seams along long stretches, lots of breaks in the concrete and the fact it’s concrete and not tarmac makes it less than ideal you’d think.
While the third stage officially finishes in Merrion Square I’ll be awarding a special TFK prize to the first rider through the technical Baldoyle/Sutton junction.
As an aside I’m watching the Sky coverage of the Tour de Romandie aftermath and it’s dreadful. Three lads in black Sky Sports shirts coverage talking about wind tunnels and helmets. That’s not irrelevant but they’re approaching it like a Formula One discussion.
[QUOTE=“Rocko, post: 940285, member: 1”]Someone provide a list of the expected runners and riders please.
[/QUOTE]
Right, so the Overall contenders first of all:
It is very hard to look past Nairo Quintana in terms of potential winners of the pink jersey. He is the most talented and best supported rider in the race and it would take something monumental to stop him once the race reaches the mountains. The profile of the race will suit him and he’s the only rider capable of romping up an ascent like the Zoncolan. The only riders I see being able to stick with him in the mountains are Joaquin Rodriguez, Rigo Uran and possibly Domenico Pozzovivo if he’s in the right mindset, but even at that I don’t think they can match his consistent brilliance uphill. Evans is a spent force and would probably settle for a podium. If I was having a bet I’d go for Pozzovivo e/w as your almost guarateed an Italian on the podium and he’s the strongest of them.
In terms of the stage winner in Dublin, it will definitely be a sprinter. The profile is pan flat and there isn’t a hope of a breakaway winner. Marcel Kittel is the strongest sprinter in the race and is justifiably the favourite with the biggest threats coming from Nacer Bouhanni, Alessandro Petacchi, Ben Swift and Elia Viviani. Nicolas Roche is probably the best flat out sprinter, but again it would take something really special to take the stage.
[QUOTE=“Blake, post: 940602, member: 1755”]Right, so the Overall contenders first of all:
It is very hard to look past Nairo Quintana in terms of potential winners of the pink jersey. He is the most talented and best supported rider in the race and it would take something monumental to stop him once the race reaches the mountains. The profile of the race will suit him and he’s the only rider capable of romping up an ascent like the Zoncolan. The only riders I see being able to stick with him in the mountains are Joaquin Rodriguez, Rigo Uran and possibly Domenico Pozzovivo if he’s in the right mindset, but even at that I don’t think they can match his consistent brilliance uphill. Evans is a spent force and would probably settle for a podium. If I was having a bet I’d go for Pozzovivo e/w as your almost guarateed an Italian on the podium and he’s the strongest of them.
In terms of the stage winner in Dublin, it will definitely be a sprinter. The profile is pan flat and there isn’t a hope of a breakaway winner. Marcel Kittel is the strongest sprinter in the race and is justifiably the favourite with the biggest threats coming from Nacer Bouhanni, Alessandro Petacchi, Ben Swift and Elia Viviani. Nicolas Roche is probably the best flat out sprinter, but again it would take something really special to take the stage.[/QUOTE]
Agree with all of this. It’s important if you are betting to know who is in it to win it as opposed to warming up the legs or filling in the roster. The Italians will by and large really want to do well and will have tailored their " preparation" accordingly, and will be confident that the police at least will leave them alone. IMO.
It’s a shame they’re not tackling Howth Hill but as fans we have a responsibility to accept a race without doping and part of that means fair stage profiles.
Agreed if they were approaching it from the Howth Village side. I nearly had to get off the bike and walk it up the hill on my way up to the Summit for a feed of pints one night but pride kept me going. However they could have approached from the Howth Celtic soccer pitch side and it would have been a fair test for all.