Supposing the following base scenario: Pedersen, not suffering much from his fall 2 days earlier, is in a breakaway. Well, who would be crazy enough to ride with him until the end? Nobody I guess, unless they know that they will drop him in the main climb, mid-stage.
Fantasy scenario: Pedersen gets in the breakaway but he’s mainly interested by intermediate sprints, to secure his Cyclamen jersey. That could be good for everyone in the breakaway: he will pull the breakaway until the bottom of the main climb (where the 2nd intermediate sprint stands) providing it with a comfortable gap, then he will drop and recover as he rides slowly uphill, while others don’t need to put in any extra effort to drop him in the climb. Everyone benefits, everyone is happy in the breakaway.
Pedersen and 2 other guys rode 45 km like maniacs, until the first intermediate sprint, with a gap oscillating between 10 and 25 seconds, depending on the never-ending counter-attacks.
Still no definitive breakaway. Nobody managed to leave in the first climb either.
I was outside so I didn’t see it, but the breakaway of the day left in the next flat/hilly transition, including Bardet and Fortunato.
As soon as the main climb started, all French teams (Cofidis, FDJ) riders were all dropped, except Prodhomme for Decathlon 😅
While Rochas from FDJ totally imploded, most Cofidis riders never dropped farther than 25 seconds, and with help of Vendrame could catch up with the first part of the breakaway near the summit.
At the summit (1st cat., 40 pts to the winner!), Bardet launched the sprint relatively early, but was beaten by Fortunato who was the only rider who tried to follow Bardet. Tarozzi (Bardiani) avoided those efforts by simply passing ahead of the group to grab the points for the 3rd place.
Real nice stage with fights from A to almost Z. That’s the kind of stages I was talking about before the tour started, where, despite (almost) zero GC fight, there is some action along almost the whole stage.
It wasn’t one of those breakaways which remain grouped most of the stage. No, there were plenty of attacks and splits.
Bardet🇫🇷’s level is embarrassing. In order to win something, he would need to be in a breakaway on a mountain stage, a breakaway with zero climber… (and that no GC rider wishes to win the stage).
Gaudu🇫🇷 didn’t look too bad. Of course the main climb was climbed slowly, but in the last little bump before the finish, which separated the peloton, he remained in the first group of 30 riders.
Supposing the following base scenario: Pedersen, not suffering much from his fall 2 days earlier, is in a breakaway. Well, who would be crazy enough to ride with him until the end? Nobody I guess, unless they know that they will drop him in the main climb, mid-stage.
Fantasy scenario: Pedersen gets in the breakaway but he’s mainly interested by intermediate sprints, to secure his Cyclamen jersey. That could be good for everyone in the breakaway: he will pull the breakaway until the bottom of the main climb (where the 2nd intermediate sprint stands) providing it with a comfortable gap, then he will drop and recover as he rides slowly uphill, while others don’t need to put in any extra effort to drop him in the climb. Everyone benefits, everyone is happy in the breakaway.
That was it. Almost.
Pedersen and 2 other guys rode 45 km like maniacs, until the first intermediate sprint, with a gap oscillating between 10 and 25 seconds, depending on the never-ending counter-attacks.
Still no definitive breakaway. Nobody managed to leave in the first climb either.
I was outside so I didn’t see it, but the breakaway of the day left in the next flat/hilly transition, including Bardet and Fortunato.
As soon as the main climb started, all French teams (Cofidis, FDJ) riders were all dropped, except Prodhomme for Decathlon 😅
While Rochas from FDJ totally imploded, most Cofidis riders never dropped farther than 25 seconds, and with help of Vendrame could catch up with the first part of the breakaway near the summit.
At the summit (1st cat., 40 pts to the winner!), Bardet launched the sprint relatively early, but was beaten by Fortunato who was the only rider who tried to follow Bardet. Tarozzi (Bardiani) avoided those efforts by simply passing ahead of the group to grab the points for the 3rd place.
Real nice stage with fights from A to almost Z. That’s the kind of stages I was talking about before the tour started, where, despite (almost) zero GC fight, there is some action along almost the whole stage.
It wasn’t one of those breakaways which remain grouped most of the stage. No, there were plenty of attacks and splits.
Impressive Plapp (🇦🇺 Jayco). Hardworking Ulissi (🇮🇹 Astana) and Kelderman (🇳🇱 Visma).
Bardet🇫🇷’s level is embarrassing. In order to win something, he would need to be in a breakaway on a mountain stage, a breakaway with zero climber… (and that no GC rider wishes to win the stage).
Gaudu🇫🇷 didn’t look too bad. Of course the main climb was climbed slowly, but in the last little bump before the finish, which separated the peloton, he remained in the first group of 30 riders.