Morning morning, back to the sprint stages again today, lets see what's happening.
After he took the yellow jersey in the team time trial at Cholet, Greg Van Avermaet will enjoy the sea view of the Atlantic Ocean even more at both start and finish of stage 4. La Baule is Europe’s longest beach (9km long) and one of the most prestigious holiday destinations in France, along with the gulf of Morbihan where the race will end in Sarzeau whose mayor is no other than UCI President David Lappartient. Stage 4 is surely dedicated to sprinters without any risk of crashing in curve near the finish like Fernando Gaviria did in La Roche-sur-Yon with the yellow jersey. It’s an usual 4-km long straight finish! Peter Sagan is back in the green jersey and keen to win one more stage although the following one will suit him even more
Another flat one.
Hang on, is that a rise in the last KM?
Who's in the mix then?
The Contenders: Fernando Gaviria (Quick Step) lost out because of the crash and Stage 2 and was dropped by his team mates yesterday, a sign of soreness or not? It makes him less than a certain pick. Peter Sagan(Bora-Hansgrohe) is going to be in the mix but can he win? The rise to the line might not make it selective enough, ditto Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida). Marcel Kittel will like this big wide finish, less so the slope but he’s won uphill sprints before so this is a good test of fitness for him. The same for Dylan Groenwegen(Lotto-Jumbo), Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) and André Greipel(Lotto-Soudal) with the latter trio having bigger trains in their service which could help for today’s big long finish.
And so to yesterday. The winning team
Textbook French countryside.
No Martin, no TT.
All the favourites are in that summary ^^, so pick one 🔥🤔
Heart wants Cav, head says QS steam train for Gavi.
The Morhbian is indeed a stunning area, la Boule too. If you’ve never been you must go. To use a true spinal tap analogy, the countryside turns up to 11zzz.
Gav's the man today, well, Gav and his Quickstep train.
Gaviria is the future. Incredibly versatile as well. I bet he makes Sagan nervous.
And is it just me, or is Sagan becoming a stronger sprinter? He was always runner-up against the big boys, but you can really fancy him for the flat stages now, even in amongst a really strong field. Although it looks like age might be catching up with Griepel, and Cav is clearly not at his best.
Sagan today for me with Gaviria 2nd. I'm most sad to say that Cav just isn't there at all this time, he's shown me nothing at this stage to think he can change this at the moment.
Until yesterdays performance, I would of said Sagan, that little rise at the end has his name on, but there did seem to be a little chink in his armour yesterday. Here's hoping he's had his Weetabix.
The optimist in me says Cav is keeping his powder dry with an eye to being more opportunistic for a win.
The pessimist in me says he’s unlikely to get another win..
The way Sagan faded on the TT I'd have to go for Gaviria today although his TT wasn't stellar either!
Cav doesn't look to be on top form, i think for him a lot is confidence once he gets a win, then they seem to come along in a row. But instead he seems to have had nothing but bad luck and crashes, i think he still has that astute "computer" in his head that allows him to spot the gaps and position himself well, but not so sure the body is following?
unfortunately, his Dr Beats headphones aren't very aero.
he'll get cheesed off shortly and either pull off an amazing win, or crash.
I don't think Sagan has necessarily gotten quicker, just that the sprinters are a lot more equal at present. Cav and then Kittel seemed unbeatable with such finishing kicks and long lead out trains in the past. As they've waned a bit (so too Griepel) and they have one man less these days (even if they are lucky enough to have a team dedicated to them). Colbrelli is a good yardstick, he seems to be getting top 3's more frequently than he used to.
My pick for today is Groenwegen. Lotto took the day off yesterday 🙂
Was interesting to see how different teams played it yesterday, Yates seemed to have been pulled along by team, and did very little work on front as if he was being carried so save himself, whereas Demoulin seemed to take some pretty big turns on the front.
Movistar seemed to go out to hard though and then ran out of steam
Gav saved himself yesterday. Sagan pulled like a locomotive. Gav ftw today.
Cav doesn’t look to be on top form
He sounded very down in his interview the other day. Just like he was there pedalling by numbers, not interested in a win or anything. There just didn't seem to be any spark in him at all.
I'm going for a chaotic final run in with no one team able to control anything and some surprise opportunistc winner popping up from almost nowhere in the final 50m. Sagan for top 3 though.
I’m going for a chaotic final run in with no one team able to control anything
I think the lead out train has had it's day. Back when HighRoad and Cav first started really making it work, they were at the front, and no-one else got a look in. Now you've got 4 or 5 teams at with the same plan, they can't all lead out hence the chaos. I think it's time for one of the sprinters to devise a new tactic that is a bit unique.
The England football team have a good one in their daisychain reach around formation for corner kicks this world cup, but everyone will be doing it in future, so the benefit will be nullified.
Sarzeau whose mayor is no other than UCI President David Lappartient.
Backhanders all round!
There was an article can't remember who by, where they were talking about all the street furniture and the number of roundabouts and Francois Tomaso was saying that the more roundabouts a small French town has, the more corrupt it probably is as each one involved a back-hander.
I think the breakaway might just make this. Gonna be close...
Gav and no Cav. Great sprint that.
👍
Messy. Dimension Data looked like they might have the edge early on and then just got swamped. Cav seemed to hold off for AGES before committing then he got pissed off with it all and sat up. Sagan - coming from so far back, latching onto Greipel's wheel and getting round him all in the space of 100m was really impressive.
I'm still dreaming of Cav riding into form and winning in Paris!
Watching a bit earlier it seems after Tom Dopoolin we've now got Mark Haven(a)pish 😂
I’m still dreaming of Cav riding into form and winning in Paris!
Watching the replay on the highlights programme, it looked like Cav got blocked / switched by Dylan Groenewegen.