Paris-Nice *Spoilers*

[Crackle]

Yep, 3 seconds.

 

[smutchin]

Go G!

 

[smutchin]

OPQS only have Bakelants (who has yet to show form) and Stybar (who has yet to prove he can handle the mountains well enough) for GC.
Can't see what else they have left to potentially use (Boonen isn't sprinter enough for the final stage and isn't climber enough to be in the mix on the other stages)

And you were right. Stybar finished in the lead group but the next OPQS man was Bakelants, nearly three minutes back. I thought they might be able to get over these relatively minor hills, but I guess I was wrong!

 

[MisterStan]

Go G!

Can he keep hold of the yellow jersey though? I do hope so.

 

[PpPete]

Can he keep hold of the yellow jersey though? I do hope so.

I think it's a question whether Sky have the resources to control the rest of the stages in the manner we've seen over last two years.
With Stannard & Kiriyenka that's a good start, they could probably probably do with a third, I don't know, maybe someone like Porte

 

[thom]

I think it's a question whether Sky have the resources to control the rest of the stages in the manner we've seen over last two years.
With Stannard & Kiriyenka that's a good start, they could probably probably do with a third, I don't know, maybe someone like Porte

Funnily enough it was EBH who was the last man with Geraint Thomas today

 

[thom]

Post race analysis:

 

[rich p]

I think it's a question whether Sky have the resources to control the rest of the stages in the manner we've seen over last two years.
With Stannard & Kiriyenka that's a good start, they could probably probably do with a third, I don't know, maybe someone like Porte

Isn't Stannard at the T-A?

 

[SWSteve]

Where are the highlights available?

 

[MisterStan]

Eurosport on repeat

 

[SWSteve]

Eurosport on repeat

I lack Eurosport

 

[thom]

Where are the highlights available?

here you go

 

[beastie]

We'll I enjoyed watching that stage. Thomas did some impressive pulls on the flat to hold off the chasers, and to be fair Slagter rode well too. I agree with FM that it's the lack of varied terrain that can cause the boredom. I don't mind watching the sprints, and I love the big mountain stages but I still prefer one day races, they are just more aggressive and attritional.

Some of the stages in Grand tours that are based on classic type parcours make for great racing. Evans on the Strade Bianche at the Giro, the pave stage from 2011( Thomas rode well), and a Vuelta stage from the same year that Gilbert and Jrod IIRC were all great stages.

 

[raindog]

sprint today - Geraint to lose yellow?

 

[thom]

Nibali attacking on the final descent
Geraint Thomas had to defend himself - out of team mates now.