Tour de Suisse

neris

https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/875667508421853185

neris

It's a big one today, with the stage finishing up at the Tiefenbach Glacier, at a whopping 2780 metres. Previous editions of the race have finished at the Rettenbach Glacier, above Solden, but construction works there mean the organisers are sending the riders 2.8km further up. It's a brutal 15km climb, where the altitude will play a big part, and is sure to see significant differences between the overall contenders.

2 aqua blues, Sagan & Michael Matthews in a big breakaway

Off topic but I see GI Joe won stage 1 of route de sud yesterday

There are in fact two tunnels on today's route, and the peloton are just heading through the first. It's 7km long.

:eek:

Hope they have lights on their bikes

Swiss organisers could learn a thing or two from the Slovenian tour coverage. They have a nice recap of the start, break and any incidents before they go to live pictures there.

neris

Deleted User wrote: »

:eek:

Hope they have lights on their bikes

hope they can get live tv pics from inside the tunnel

This climb is torture to watch.

Subpopulus

Another great showing from my favourite cyclist right now - Jan Hirt. Finished 12th in the Giro and attacking on a daily basis in Switzerland. Not bad for a Pro-Conti cyclist.

They're confident we'll have picture in the tunnel here , lets see.

Subpopulus

neris wrote: »

hope they can get live tv pics from inside the tunnel

They can. Neat.

dahat

Where can this be seen?

dahat

dahat wrote: »

Where can this be seen?

Eurosport player, highlights on Eurosport TV tonight at 9

neris

that was good

Inquitus

Anyone in striking distance of Spilak in the TT? or is he home and hosed at this point?

GC Standings after Stage 7

1 Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin 26:02:16
2 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team 00:00:52
3 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 00:01:05
4 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 00:02:28
5 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 00:02:35
6 Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 00:02:51
7 Mikel Nieve (Spa) Team Sky 00:02:54
8 Jon Izzagirre (Spa) Movistar 00:03:51
9 Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar Team 00:04:07
10 Pello Bilboa Lopez (Spa) Astana 00:04:10

retalivity

What a disaster for pozzo...spilak is a top-notch tt'r as well isnt he?

retalivity

retalivity wrote: »

What a disaster for pozzo...spilak is a top-notch tt'r as well isnt he?

He's won this race on the final TT before.

dastardly00

Inquitus wrote: »

Anyone in striking distance of Spilak in the TT? or is he home and hosed at this point?

Home and hosed

Subpopulus

Aqua Blue's Lars Petter Nordhaug is still holding onto the KOM jersey, by one point from some Dutch Pro-conti rider. Caruso is third, two points behind, so it's going to be really interesting to see how they defend the jersey. There's 8 sets of KOM points available on tomorrow's circuit race. I'm not sure what kind of points are available, but usually it's 3,2,1 or the likes.

The strategic/mathematical possibilities are diverse. Expect a hell of a fight from Aqua Blue to get LPN in the break, or kill off any other break, or get some other Aqua Blue riders to mop up the available points etc etc.

Inquitus

Subpopulus wrote: »

Aqua Blue's Lars Petter Nordhaug is still holding onto the KOM jersey, by one point from some Dutch Pro-conti rider. Caruso is third, two points behind, so it's going to be really interesting to see how they defend the jersey. There's 8 sets of KOM points available on tomorrow's circuit race. I'm not sure what kind of points are available, but usually it's 3,2,1 or the likes.

The strategic/mathematical possibilities are diverse. Expect a hell of a fight from Aqua Blue to get LPN in the break, or kill off any other break, or get some other Aqua Blue riders to mop up the available points etc etc.

Its Lasse Norman HANSEN who has the KOM jersey by a point. He'd need to be in the break tomorrow to bring it home you'd think unless they can keep any rivals out of the break.

Subpopulus

Lasse Norman Hansen is in the break along with his nearest competitor in the KOM race - Nick van de Lijke.

So far Hansen has out-climbed van der Lijke five times on the circuit - he now has 48 points to van der Lijke's 42. Looks like Aqua Blue will take home the KOM jersey.

Subpopulus

Hansen has it now. Just needs to finish the race.

Superb week for Aqua Blue.

Inquitus

Sagan monsters the sprint for the stage win, super impressive, and all on his own.

Couple of Aqua Blue lads left in that final diminished peleton at the end too. Great week for them.

Lusk_Doyle

Nick van der Lijke. You gotta love Dutch names!

Subpopulus

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Nick van der Lijke. You gotta love Dutch names!

Me Lijke those names too.

Good odds for Mullen today 33/1

dastardly00

Anyone know what the story is with Simon Spilak...

He's been with a World Tour/Pro Tour team since 2008.

He performs very, very well in Switzerland (winner of '15 & '17 Tour de Suisse and '10 Tour de Romandie. Runner-up of '13, '14, and '15 Tour de Romandie).

He doesn't really ride in Grand Tours (5 GT starts but 2 DNFs. Last GT was '14 TdF. Best finish was 48th in '08 Giro).

He doesn't really compete in the Classics either (has ridden MSR in the last couple of years but no decent results).

He doesn't often enter the World Road Race Championships or Slovenian National Championships.

He actually doesn't race that much at all. Typical program seems to be a short stage race in February, Paris-Nice/Tirreno-Adriatico & MSR in March, Tour of the Basque Country and Tour de Romandie in April, Tour of Belgium in May, Tour de Suisse in June, and then Tour de Pologne in July. He ranges between 50-70 race days per season.

I can't think of any other current pro rider like him.

neris

i dont think alot of riders do a huge amount of races any more. froome does very little racing