Tirreno-Adriatico Stage 4 & Paris-Nice Stage 5 | Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast

In this episode Patrick Broe and Benji Naesen recap the 5th stage of Paris-Nice and the 4th stage of Tirreno-Adriatico.

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Welcome back to the lter Rouge cycling podcast for uh another double head appar stage five through adriatico stage 4 they both scheduled like extremely similar stages uh today in terms of uh whether it could be a breakway or a Sprint both long but it’s still a flat

Finish we’ll do parenes uh first and but they had better weather today uh but just a quick note to remind those of you who are in the Benelux area we are doing next Tuesday our Milan Sano preview live at the flandrian hotel in barle in Flanders Benji and I getting uh back

Together there and then on Saturday morning the 16th of March we’re doing about a 50k group ride uh including the mo uh where which also starts at the flandrin hotel in the morning and then in the afternoon we’re going to do a live watch along of Lano including the

Recap afterwards so that’s going to be a lot of fun uh there are limited spots it’s free obviously well not obviously like but it’s free uh but there are limited spots so to I guess reserve your spot make sure you email luk Lantern rouge.com Luc Lantern rouge.com uh to just put

Your name down and then you’ll get uh sent all the details from from there once we have them so if you’re in there if you’re in the town and we also have a special giveaway coming up stay tuned this weekend for that as well so maybe don’t don’t make any plans next weekend

If you’re even in this the southeast of the UK okay par Benji it’s a 200k stage flat start before like a false flat climb and then the called s Source soury climb 2.7k is 5% descent another false SL uphill drag Nicole deug 5.4k 4.4% and then another little climb could

To rette Du 2K 5.3% but everything between it is like false flight uphill that’s uncategorized so they’re really they go up to 1,000 M eventually before a 40K FAL flight downhill descent to sisteron there’s a intermediate Sprint with bonies 642 at the finish line then they do 1K 6% levels off descent and

From the from there it’s less than 10ks to the Finish from the top of that kicker uh and so long day Hills before five stages in kicker 10K to the Finish to me it wasn’t an obvious Sprint stage I think that’s a viable preview of the stage and yeah it might not have

Been an obvious Sprint stage there still quite a few Sprinter teams in there but they might also be thinking okay if we’re going to take a look at who has a chance in the stage we have as head candidates Olaf KY when it comes to a

Sprint Miss pis when it comes to a a more versatile stage if T decides to make it hard and then we’re looking at other teams where the likelihood of them winning this stage is not gigantic either so they’re going to be considering other options perhaps and we

Did see a breakaway with some Riders like d Deon for example for deaj Desir those Riders are doing both as in they have someone in the breakway and they have Sam Bennett when it comes to the eventual Sprint so they are doing our probability thing Patrick we are so

Proud of them and then you don’t have to instead of using deont to chase yeah all day just put him in the break exactly Alexis gar for codus he’s also in the breakway ma p for lotto S and P lur of toal and mati’s North guard of moar

That’s a starting breakway of six but that’s going to be changing up a bit throughout the stage because like you said those climbs are there and there was one team using that as in the Gap was about 1 minute 30 when we hit that that first of the three climbs in the

Middle of the stage basically and that is the C per that’s hopefully roughly how you pronounce it and that’s where Lotto made a move they already had fast hands in the Breakaway and the decide to bridge from the pelaton that 1 minute 30 Gap with comput and Pascal Lorn straight

Up bridging from pelaton to breakway so we get two Riders joining that breakway a stronger breakway with a team with three Riders now so that’s quite a bit of an engine extra it’s not they’re not pancake Cedar comparts can ride pretty fast Anor can can ride pretty fast and

At that point did you believe in the Breakaway uh no because I think they then have to wait a little bit for them to Bridge they tried something this is a camps inor special this move yeah I feel like they did this in the tour last year

Uh and by the way it is interesting to see like when Lotto Destiny don’t have a sprinter anymore they throw everything at trying to win from the break they actually try like really try cuz when other teams ah we got closed down it’s like well then you see that like another

Team like they are trying everything um but yeah the problem was I know yeah M person said in the morning oh was obviously a Sprint I don’t care what happened 6 years ago uh but like I don’t think it was obviously a Sprint was this a stage where paulit yeah J he towed

Jerome KU to the finish and then he flicked him and won the stage ahead of GLE winning the bunch Sprint in third oh okay so so yeah big memory but uh well yeah Pon said it was stupid to we even brought up the stage to the uh interview but

Uh apparently but with those teams chasing Tre Bowman’s been put there by Vima Lisa they got Koy Israel probably want to go for Arkham and there’s just too many teams wanting to Chase and um that’s basically what happened I also but it’s a long old day and and the

Function of this break Benji it it creates later opportunities so like whilst the break might not win that doesn’t mean it will be a Sprint because the break was still so strong and was taken so seriously that the teams chasing had to kill their rulers like

And so you get to the base of this kicker and to me it’s still not obviously a Sprint fully agree but there was one moment when it comes to that Breakaway where I was like Jesus someone is pulling very hard here that was when Victor comput went to the front of the

The group and he started ripping it with about 25 km to go and in doing so djan gar and anhorn got gapped I don’t actually know if anhorn got G because he was lacking the energy or because he was trying to like make the other two work

To catch back on or something it felt like a weird thing because then suddenly he was trying to go past them and go back to the original group and then paskins was all half of the back as well so comparts riding that fast basically GA two of his own Riders Baskins then

Had to offer himself up to get anchorn back into the group guar was fully dropped at this point gardan got back it was chaos in that breakway when compos made that pull but it’s pretty epic to see not going to lie and the breakway is reduced at this point that wouldn’t have

Impacted much stage like you already uh mentioned like we were going to see that that break being caught eventually because at this point we’re talking about 30 seconds with 25k to go and you set that Hill coming up with about what is it 11k to go roughly yeah

Intermediate Sprint at the foot bonus seconds are taken by the Breakaway so not by the Pon so no Sprint for example were you surprised to not see quickstep start bacing for but MCO to get seconds or something um a little bit a little bit cuz it was sort of right there you

Know but I was more surprised not to see them pacing to like be in good position for the climb you know because it’s you you want to have Katan vaka there with rco in front seven Wheels as a presence because who knows what could happen like remember Welter RIT okay the the Fred

Rght St when Fred Wright maliciously crashed him out of that Welter get the [ __ ] out of here malicious uh the the learning from that stage okay forget the crash that that was a similar stage to me I know that was closer to the finish the kicker but the Pelon

Split apart and suddenly there’s Rog jumping with patteron who’s here as well and Riders like piy and and they’re working together and it’s a problem so these sort of stages and that sort of that sort of climb you do want to be careful and but yeah the intermediate Sprint

Like probably probably a Sprint takes it or something anyway if you catch the breakway I guess not a big deal uh but then they get to the CL tried he does look much quicker than everybody else here and the reason I would have tried is that if we look at

GC you’ve got an M I recall correctly 3 seconds behind the first of the UAE Riders yeah mnal so 27 28 30 I think or the seconds of the two Riders and Remco so let’s be honest ala’s not the the man that is in a good position at

Intermediate Sprints most of the time The The J intermediate Sprint days of Al are very far away MCN wasn’t in position either so if Remco had a train going into that he would have gotten some seconds and is it 642 if yes then the first two spots would have gotten them

Over those UAE Riders so that would have been interesting so I would have liked seeing that but like you said that climbs coming shit’s about to hit the fan and it’s when the break is just about to get caught that we get those moves right butare attacking over that

Breakway squs I think bridging P I’m not sure about that one closed it I’m pretty sure what’s sorry uh pson just closed it himself oh yeah it was Pon sorry for some reason I keep forgetting that Pon is not in the green jersey but don’t you think that’s interesting from group

Armor that they don’t have someone to do a Great lead out in the final so they get Pas CU P’s not going to drop on this like py py went within and and lanu and vanard on monan lauron on in kerer so they use paser to almost do a reverse

Lead out creates absolute chaos because I initially was like why the [ __ ] are group fdj doing that but then yeah it it I me nty goes across jungles is closing it down but no Rish I was like Jungles got an option on the stage here and M vazov was the move like the

B thing but but there p goes across and then suddenly it’s four guys going for the stage or five guys going for the stage py Pon jungles and then mcnalty somehow in this move with a inos to PL I think and then Remco is like no no no or

Maybe mcnalty wasn’t even there yet and Remco shuts it I think he shuts it down once and then it goes again mcnalty blast solve and in your Strada and REM has to close it down again yeah it’s quite interesting because when v m or in those groups you obviously Remco is going to

Start reacting because in this kind of stage if he’s in position you should and then you get to this moment of like okay we see the the pelaton stretch outout there grabs every x amount of riders could this group actually keep going and just like after F every intermediate

Sprint except for yesterday when he doubted a bit but MCO decides let’s give this a try so he he kind of moves to the front and starts spacing in a kind of descent area just after the climb which which probably didn’t make it super effective but somehow I felt like there was some

Possibility don’t you think it’s like a defensive thing he he goes to front keeps a moderate Tempo onsmo okay well yeah anash go for csmo but it was an interesting and then this all these GC guys have started trying to throw punches on this climb Patterson’s

Had to do a big effort which I’m not sure he had to do like I really think maybe a GC guys closes that down or someone else Clos it down for him but he like we saw him do it on stage one Benji he was the guy

Closing rco Jorgenson and Co but like literally one rider was working in that group and they were about to stop working but he just immediately like Snap closes it and uh yeah and looks like it just all comes down I was waiting for a big finesser attack because everyone comes back you

See this huge momentum from the back I’m like someone’s going to finesse her attack like laort yeah that sort of he’s not like someone like that if he was here like a like a ruler who’s been who’s still kind of fresh cuz the climbs not a big deal

For them it didn’t come and so fdj uh Tre Israel they all set up shop and and we’re going to have a Sprint so it does end up being a Sprint I don’t uh and shooter as well for trentine because declin dnf he he got dropped early it

Does end up being a Sprint but I don’t think it was so obvious and we’re going into the Sprint we got Bennett Coy Patterson araman uh py obviously rovic for Bahrain uh Trenton lond Anderson and and Van Poppa even had a crack as well and it was kind of a messy Sprint again

Benji uh I I can’t remember too much what happened 3ks to 1K to go so basically Israel was on the front with about 4K to go that’s for akamon then Tor took over for Trenton like you mentioned and between that tree and one kilm to go it was basically uh ja and de

Caflon kind of switching who’s at the front cuz one de caflon one Rider came to the front did a bit of a lead out and then the jco duo was behind that but then kept going and it’s really in the in the pack I was looking at this point

Because I was looking at where’s Peterson where’s piffy where is cooy especially because he’s the fastest Sprinter in this group on paper and then you’re asking yourself oh Peterson is been a harder stage maybe that gives a benefit towards Pon here so it was between those two in in your eyes as

Well because if you look at the group [ __ ] and sunley is is not in an ideal position he’s like I’d say from the top of my head about p12 roughly in the middle of the group with about 700 800 meters to go maybe a bit further and

Then he gets moved to the barrier to the right side because teams are waving him over him on the left but then he very assertively basically worms his way diagonally through the group not in a dangerous way gaps opened up he gets through those gaps he fights for those

Gaps and he moves up to the left side and then he’s in like p7 while at the front we’ve got little Tre doing their business we’re now into the last 500 met and we see Gibbons doing a lead out for Pon in the next wheel and then biffy’s

Kind of on the left side and Co is using Biffy to get to the front right yeah he like moves him up but then Coy kind I think py stops I think he’s a little bit tired because he didn’t have a good result today compared to the

Other Sprint stages maybe because it was a flatter finish uh but yeah Pon opens up characteristically early aran’s on his wheel comes out of his wheel hits the wind moves up to about a wheel behind pedon and never improves from there and koi basically is first in that line

Swings to aiman’s wheel and then swings further to the left and just has enough space on the leftand barrier and uh wins a Sprint by over a bik length easel in the end but he maybe a little bit lucky not to get boxed in and that it opened

Up but also he seems to have that philipson like sense although not yesterday or today uh that philipson like sense to to find that perfect opening and um with Pon going that early he just like P’s just holding that constant speed he doesn’t really slow

Down at all uh during his Sprint so yeah that’s the thing the difference between these Riders pison is that Sprinter that if you’re little track you will see this in most of the Sprints that they deliver pson in even at the TT FR and Sil in the

Past we’ve got a lead out we’re trying to bring Pon to the first possible position and then pison opens up and tries to keep that position against the sprinters that have higher acceleration that might not have had the perfect lead out and are behind them that’s what we

See in most of the Sprints where p is because the lead outs are actually pretty [ __ ] good but the thing is berson just doesn’t have that acceleration always has to start in the wind hoping that his brutal strength is better than those acceleration sprinters that get get past them eventually and

Then hit the wind and have something left to keep going and well Co is the best P Sprinter in this race fon is the best versatile Sprinter in this race versatile too well the stage is on hard enough for p yeah but it’s a wonderful Sprint by Coy and I think

We’ve mentioned it a few time before but I feel like he’s gone through quite a transition over the last two and a half three years where he really wasn’t assertive back in the day and more and more you you would see him fighting for the positions not losing positions to

Riders who were literally just like riding next to him back then he’s now getting themo the wheel basically so it’s a real twist uh he had that one stage where he was completely out of position but that was more of a team thing it felt like when it comes to his

Individual positioning it’s on point these days but I will say this is not to of France competition when it comes to a Sprint so I don’t know H how would you rate the positioning fight in a par knee Sprint versus a to France Sprint um there’s a lot of sprinters here there

Are a lot of but there’s also the big ones at terreno it’s always a little bit you know the The Notches dialed up a little bit more in to T of France obviously uh it does help with positioning it’s always going to be thinner after a hill

In the last 10 G like that there’s just going to be less bodies less like there’s no decline there’s no yaksa so then their lead outs are not there as well although there’s just less less bodies involved um but yeah second win of the week for

Koy second second place for peton but it does get him into the green jersey on stage placements ahe ahead of a not of stage placements on points ahead of piy who finished I should have a full top 10 Ki wins ahead of Pon aan third Bennett fourth probably may be quite happy with

That result yeah van pole fifth L Anderson sixth trentine seventh then py Michels and rovic dear 14th and Oh I thought J were going for GR for mesg GR was in the bunch he finishes 18th coard 19th so um that’s disappointing I guess I um I want to add two more things

When it comes to the Sprint you mentioned him Sam Bennett felt like he had a solid Sprint today specifically rewatch The Sprint to see what Bennett was doing to get F because I was curious to see if he improved or not and he his he fought for his position quite well

Then he opens up next to vle beats him in the end but is also already sitting down sprinting with with about 100 met to go 80 M to go so it’s not like he had remotely enough to even be considered competing for the stage here so he he’s

Got quite a bit to go to compete for a stage win but he’s at least looking better than a few UT Sprints with Cen himon lately so his Fitness looks okay like like his Fitness must be okay to to be getting to this finish in good

Position you know what I mean like he he actually it’s not like he’s dropping with yakobson it’s as if he burns during the lead out and then misses that x amount to be there in the actual last spot of the Sprint is what I feel like

The last few days and when it comes to GC got to mention that we have Luke plap still in the lead phbo second on 13 seconds mcti third on 27 seconds made on 29 and even a pull on 30 so exact same thing but about Luke Black’s positioning a lot of people are

Like panicking about Luke bap’s positioning in this stage and I’ll be honest I I didn’t even mind it like he was sitting near the back of the group either he sits at the front with his team getting him position but they’re all working to get Kagan a stage

Win so they don’t have those Riders anymore so he has to do it himself and if he has to position himself at the front the likelihood of crashing by moving up somewhere is notable and in the middle of the pack quite dangerous too so I’d rather have him sit at the

Back risk being called behind but the opposite to that is that the likelihood of crashing is so much Les I feel like yeah and it’s you can come back from a split there as well and I just don’t CH don’t change what you’ve been doing all week just because you’re now

In the yellow Jersey and realistically he’s not the race favorite either it’s not like Remco or vingard in Tano or in the tour where it’s like no you can’t sit there um because also like if vingard if POG or vingard sit there all the way through the tour like if I see

POG right sitting there all day coming to that final Hill the word’s going to go out that you need to smash the hill to split it whereas no one’s going to do that for plapp in Parise so I think the risk and and vice versa life that happens all the time

So yeah I don’t have a problem basically I agree uh tomorrow’s stage I think it looks like rain is forecasting N I don’t know about the the climbs CU they do go up to 1,000 M uh when they come south of sister but let’s hope the stage goes ahead I haven’t checked in

The the middle of the stage closely 6ks so it’s very similar to the start false SL uphill first 60k then 6.7k 5% descent then 7ks 4.6% short descent and then another kicker up to the 1100 met and then it’s like a ridge line we it might

Be quite cold up there 1100 met with the rain could be quite cold tomorrow then they got a step descent uh descent then 6K 4% halfway down then a longer descent and then they’re on the coast in nice uh but before they get quite there uh they do a really difficult climb well

They go through the Finish Line first and they do la salop 1.8k is 10.3% the hardest Hill in the race so far it the first 800 M of this uh oh sorry the first 1.2 km of this average about 12% including a 400 met section at 15% and

Um yeah then it like levels off but sort of still goes uphill with like an 800 met 8% kicker with the intermediate Sprint for 642 is then a steady descent before a little kick a finish the base of the climb they do uh after the first

Repetition of the Finish Line I think I think we have to see action on that cat 2 that final Cat 2 Benji fully agree the only question I have when it comes to the stage is who’s going to control the breakway here because I fully see

Abilities for a Remco to attack for a RIT if he feels a bit better to do something on that climb for U to perhaps be exposed by one of two Riders cuz ala not sure this clim is ideal for him mcti it’s okay but not perfect either

I’d expect a longer climb to be a bit more preferable for that man and then the question is Luke flap Joo shouldn’t be controlling this day they should keep their guys only if it’s like the dangerous Breakaway Breakaway formation make sure no one dangerous goes in the Breakaway and if there’s a dangerous

Breakaway for GC then at least control it is how I see Jo but there’s a large chance that Breakaway won’t be dangerous for GC so I’m then looking at opportunists from actual GC teams and will’ll quick step right at the front the entire day for for this stage will B

Right at the front to have like a slightly uphill Sprint towards the end skel MO is my pick for this stage but that’s only if GC goes to the finish line and then do you see possibilities for a breakway to win yes and not like I

Agree like yesterday we saw Bora a try all day right and it didn’t work out so you would think logically they might not try all day tomorrow although if you want to win the race you have to try yeah but quickstep didn’t try fully yesterday but then have they now seen something

From rogl and Remco that it is a good idea to try tomorrow so I really I can’t predict it I don’t know what these team’s going to do I really don’t like I can’t tell whether like UA will be defensive but I don’t know which of of Bora or quickstep will be

Aggressive and I think you’re right I think Trek have to do something this is the stage of the next three days that I think suits gilmos are the best uh they’ve gone all in for Pettis and he’s a shitload of time back he is he’s on 127 in 19th on GC it’s time

To start moving up he’s clearly got better legs than that and yeah I for starters I’m looking at this stage and I’m looking at almea I’m thinking you you can get rid of that guy here no problem it’s going to be big the sent into that into that Finish Line first rep then

Bang straight up that’s going to kick off because of the bonies yeah you can split it there so I think tracker got to go and try go looks really good too like what sorry oh I think Felix G looks really good but yeah I quick will pull there but you’re sort

Of saying who’s going to in the first two hours yeah cuz like if the break has s minutes and the break wins so who’s going to control that that’s where I’m stuck we need someone to step up if I was I would do it if I was Tri still

Yeah I would actually consider it too to be honest yeah yeah uh I wouldn’t if I was jaob to be honest like it’s not I mean you can one one Riv but the cleric’s here anyway use him yep for sure who you got I’ve got Skil

It’s rco in my head there so like I like an Costo again for this day but he’s 2 minutes behind which is very annoying like he’s going to lose way more time and he’s not going to be allowed in the break tomorrow because of it so I think that’s quite annoying um because

He definitely could win this stage from the Breakaway Zimmerman’s on 423 isir is on 321 is too closed like he’s annoying an annoying guy to having the break away yeah uh I’m going to go with Quant Pas bil descent is all also Pops in my

Head but Pas from the break I see it I SK Vu I see at the finish line is what I’m hoping for because I like GC fights for the win so I want that I’m going to talk it into existence and I think that’s about it when it comes to our

Paran predictions brings us towards uh of a GC I think three or four I think a group of three or four GC Riders do go to the finish yeah and they go clear on that that hill with um 12K to go or before Remco for go clear it should be

There uh Jorgenson looked good yesterday and then R depends on his positioning and mnal actually looked pretty good today uh but so it could be him but I think it’s definitely going to be ramco and schela and uh San’s the wild card as well so but you got to put time into

People so Flappy’s [ __ ] you reckon they’ll hit him on the Steep section cuz the problem is for him if he doesn’t enter in good position into that hill and it’s going to kick off immediately Steep and split and you’re basically not even at the corner yet because of the Pelon you’re [ __ ]

Like you immediately lose 15 seconds the strategy is get into Vera’s wheel and there’s a chance he rides you into a breakaway yeah always possible uh I should hopefully the final should be good okay as you said onto Tano adriatico another very very similar state St stage 4

27ks cool day uh we did have a 17K 5% climb in the first 70 km yeah uh with also false Summit they did a 5k 5% climb 4 and half% climb after that then a long sort of descent rolling Rolling Hills nothing too serious uh before the final 18 km which

Included a 2.7k 4% climb a sort of ridg line was quite pretty actually and then a step descent with actual descending flat then actual descending again and then the Finish kind of kicked up a bit not not too much um but I thought it all

Like I always thought if it comes to the Finish it’ll be a full group Sprint but uh we had a strong break here Benji again not numerous but the guys in it were pretty strong relatively I’d say uh Miracle M and David bit from baly once again by

Ending up taking the km points so leading the km classification after the stage of my memory serves me right you abrahamson from un know X another Italian in Alex too from bani Alexander comp like you said also a good Rider and Tor Pro cycling so that’s our fiveman

Breakway in this stage U is controlling the gap for leader auso behind in the pellaton just nothing crazy just controlling the Gap making sure they’re not getting 17 decades and one by one the the breakway Riders get dropping because I felt like the stage was hard than I imagined after the initial climb

Because there seemingly were false flat uphill segments when I was watching TV where people started dropping for example in the Breakaway we were left over with C Abra hamson and my and in the pelaton Cavendish dropping with 67k to go then coming back then dropping with 53k to go then mer leer dropping

Before the the end of the stage as well with about 15K to go when the Gap with the breakway was never at a at a point where I felt like okay this Breakaway is super dangerous seems like it’s within reach but then Dom myque started lacking I felt like in

The pelaton behind then I felt like it the stage gave gave a weird vibe where I ended up being shocked at how much the how long the Breakaway stayed ahead think it’s just people are tired behind I I couldn’t figure out it seemed like every team decided actually yeah

Maybe we’ll start giving it a bit of a chase you know like cuz the they and I think a lot of sprinters probably went on the radio like mer like actually guys not today chill out and a lot of that was going on as well like oh I’m not sure I

Feel so good even guys who were there at the end a lot of the time during stages I know Riders whove uh literally during the stage they’re like I feel terrible I don’t have it no let not go for me and then they end up winning the stage so it

Could even be those teams like alerson weren’t w weren’t always there either and uh yeah but it did look like the break was pretty well in hand with just Camp Abraham and M but they’re strong guys like m is a decent like Cony Sprinter abrah Hanson’s a truck Camp is

One not one but like I’m top five in am or something although you never know what level he’ll be at and then on the little climb that 3K 4% one EF stop pacing Beni and I yesterday for B I get it but today I I I think I looked at this

Finish and I think a lot of directors looked at it very differently because it like I was like this is a flat finish pretty much this is a 60 km plus finish it’s a 3 half% climb I was like you’re not going to Beto this ain’t for him

Yeah bet all it ain’t for him even with Pitcock I was doubting it I I don’t mind necessarily seeing quick stop a quick quick stop wow quick quick step going to the front then trying with a Fleep knowing their Sprinter was already gone then you might have as well try

Something but to actively start chasing for a rider I was like okay these Riders don’t have the biggest chance of winning this and with about I’d say 5K to go well 10K to go iron mon mechanical then eventually comes back and between that time little Tre was really one of the

Teams that was pulling most between 10 and 5K to go then after that it seemingly switched towards irman go ahead they dropped clor Swift back he waited tried to give his bike to they are the same size and irman said no maybe they have a different pedal configuration that’s the only

Explanation I could see but then CL Swifts out you lost a guy so whatever plan you had you’ve sacrificed a strong rider for this finish to help arenson come back who’s going to come back in the cars anyway true in your spacing with about 4K to go

Not either you’re right not for Gana but for uh for pitcock and I kind of feel like inos forgot about Gana sprinting again cuz the man could Sprint properly last year on finishes like this so he’s not in good shape probably the case cuz in moments

Where we expected him to be there and even in time TRS he kind of disappointed so I believe that’s a viable uh explanation then alpon was an interesting one for me while in nail spacing with 4K to go it’s alason in p15 roughly with about four

Riders in a row with philipson there so they’re one of the teams we have seen the the least at this point yeah I felt like which credits to them for being able to hide and having all the teams do the work for them even though they have

On paper the fastest Sprinter in the world in their team for the stage depends on how you look at the finish line then we enter the last two kilometers and we’re going into that climing segment towards the line and andar shape ups to the front with bam in

B5 roughly they had two speaks in front of them uh oh yeah turn it turn sorry T first you’re right there had two Doms yeah and I felt like some other team member suddenly shoved in between from other teams and that’s why I said roughly P5

But it it ended up becoming a a lead out by the an Mar Rider into the final 700 met might have been turnis like you mentioned then Pitcock goes into P2 bam is in P3 ala Philip’s in P4 and I’m like mate this feels like 2021 tyo adriatico kind of finish that

We spoke about yesterday but then the sprinters arrive P5 philipson P6 Milan and we’ve spoken about this pellaton for a while but in the last five kilometers abrahamson was basically C with two kilm to go together with the other guys from the breakway with come M and come does

His last last little pull around the corner and then drops off cuz he sees the pelet on like 25 M behind m is is like okay I’m done as well and abrahamson just keeps bloody well going and throughout the entire lead out abrahamson is actually kind of gaining

More ground he’s like 30 me ahead 35 and man I was like this could actually happen it looked like it was going to happen and I thought it was going to happen at a point cuz you got it’s a proper climb all the sprinters maybe not

Midan but philipson for sure are on the limit to proper climb the inter Mar guy he is done he’s like going nowhere on the front and H’s gaining time on him and I’m thinking peacock’s got to go here on the uphill cuz philipson I’m not sure he going to

Be able to respond right at this moment on the uphill when they’re all lined out if if they want to like I presume that was what they were trying to try because the flat Sprint is not going to win against these guys and then yeah the Gap

Look good for abrahamson into much they pull off peacock’s left on the front 500 me to go and now levels off it’s flat is and peacock sort of stops as he should he’s like well I’m not going to just Chase Abraham down initially the guy looking him in the wheel alberon I think

Still had a lead out for philipson no and they no okay uh the last lead out dropped philipson off in that P five okay okay um and no one’s jumping no one’s moving abrah Hanson’s still there he looks like he’s like he’s grinding 65 Cadence but he’s still moving at a

Decent rate of knots and then eventually poock jumps with like 400 me to go leads out the whole bunch with benie Phillipson Milan his wheel and um philson comes out of the wheel to the right barrier bie to the left barrier Milan tracks philipson to the right

Barrier comes back left to the middle beanie swings across trying to get Philipson’s draft Milan gives him the big don’t argue squeezes through and seated with that tracky power uh wins this this sort of strange strange Sprint ahead of philipson Corbin strong flash late for third bie fourth zangler fifth

Moff for sixth abrahamson holds on for seventh uh Gia CA eighth alip 9th tberry 10th vingard 11th what the hell um out of alasco and uh then par and then pitock ends up 15th so pitock kind of gave it to the sprinters I think so I

Think uh he won’t be on Uno X Christmas card list after this yeah man if bit doesn’t do that with four Meers to go Auber Hansson wins the stage is my view of this and bit after the stage said something along the lines of I probably

Should have gone when the an Mar guy went the front like you mention so he afterwards he realized but in the moment he he made the decision not to do that and then react a bit later which wasn’t the ideal situation but hey it’s a high stress situation decision at that point

Then it cost him when he comes to the stage even though I didn’t see him as the ultimate chance to win here in the first place there so it was going to be for like a 500 me to go he he can’t win yeah anyway so there’s no how I’m done

At least except to abrah Hansson um AB he’s like I ain’t winning so you need my friend and that’s why I mentioned Conor Swift remember I mentioned him five minutes ago yeah could he have been there in to pull abrahamson back certainly would help have been

There well I mean you can’t stop having the puncture but you cannot like I don’t agree I don’t agree with it if you’re going to pay bck all this money big contract and go for the GC project and take time and try to do something for

Him I’m sorry but arensman can come back in the cars Swift is if you want to execute the plan we’re not going to take Swift Out of the plan to help a guy come eth in GC yep um anyway uh Milan because he wants the stage takes 10 bonies and

Goes actually ahead of AO in on GC I dare say UA might be quite happy with that actually uh because yeah now treack out the Jersey uh he’s on 4 seconds AO is voan still there in third on 18 seconds Tiber on 21 seconds vard 26 gregar 26

Hinley 28 Palace 30 with p kemna b then Martinez Aon been on 31 uh B is on 34 Chef is on 35 with whenever you say B my dude I’m like who the [ __ ] B [ __ ] uh tomorrow stage we actually we been crying out for some GC action we’ll

Have it in parin E tomorrow and uh oh by the way in parin E do you see Turner’s interview I did not the one before the stage yeah he want to go on that breakway for sure the interview was like you get a chance today he’s like I’d love

To uh two rulers who basically look like my uncle went to the line in 2018 he didn’t say that I’m feeling that in po um but no we we can’t do that so anyway free free B Turner I say hey still without a single wilter win really

Has you want a race I I mean I’m talking about the team this year oh oh oh yeah V Turner won something last year right meria that shady finish the meria Finish yeah uh tomorrow state from torella sikura to Val castellana 144 K uh and it is the first GC stage one

Would think short uh but pretty much no flat throughout the whole stage like even the uphill out a neutral first 4k’s got a little Hill then we got 5 and 1/2 K 5% uh 7.7 K 42% 5Ks 5% 5K is 4 5% like all those climbs and

They don’t look like much on the parkour actually uh and then a descent short one before the sun yamore climb 12K 6.2% it’s pretty regular uh it gets a little bit harder from 7 to 10 case in and then it levels off and it averages 5% the last three

Case so pretty gradual gets a bit harder nothing no ramp pass or anything like that uh and that’s 24K from the finish that Crest and then Descent of about 17 km no sorry 13 km uh and then another pickup 2.1k is 5% before a false flight drag to the line

To and then it even kicks up at the Finish Line I think it’s like it is an uphill finish uh so an interesting stage Benji very interesting stage interesting stage I will say on paper if vingo ons he drops everybody on that climb but is it that

But I’ve got a challenge for yonas yonas if you’re listening at the foot of the climb put yourself to the side of the road wait two and a half minutes and then start riding and your comeback towards the front of the pellaton will be bloody epic so that’s

What I want to see I think you’re underrating some of the competitors here 12K 6% in a onewe race Danny Martinez shouldn’t just you know going insta drop all due respect to yonis but but um who he have in his wheel and Camino when he attacked

Not godi no no no no with Bernal and there was another guy onani or something K I’m just saying on five and from K he’s actually he knows he’s actually good no I’m just saying five and six% the draft benefit is massive they G 30 km an hour so Danny Martinez in some

Scrub peacock’s a good Rider uh you load hindley like as well so it’s not just a formality to drop them on 6% uh although it does get a little bit more difficult uh later on it’s the interesting thing to me Benji is if I think someone’s going to try tomorrow but

Then that descent and then that kicker CU if there’s no domes left and then you got that kicker within the last 10 case the finish and it is like a you know it’s over % in paths can we see a Leonard camner trying to attack there if you got hinley and

Martinez in the group camna goes uh to put your visma lab Under Pressure I Am pro AO for this stage oh yeah and that counters exactly everything I said about vingar because I believe youo can follow vingar on this CL I’m actually less conin vinced of

That really yeah the flat TT was almost too good he’s too strong for the flat TTS the sh reference if he’s done that flat if he’s done that flat TT of 65 kilos 64 kilos then yeah he should win GC here because the power he must be doing even

On a relative basis must be extremely high um but yeah who’s controlling the Breakaway here visma vimma lab just lost hn in the crash yeah so there’s your controller gone um you know what I’d if I was Bahrain I’d go for the stage wi with Tiber oh so yeah yeah tiber’s really

Quick he’s really really quick I don’t know I don’t see it I think Bahrain will try something they got Caruso try you’re on your killer train this week right you’ve men for every stage every Podium okay he shot a c but he’s a good Rider he’s good 100% I

Agree he’s a good climber he’s a gooder he’s going to win a ground Tour stage this year that’s fair but winning the Sprint in that group against the Uso and so forth yeah you can do it I don’t see it necessarily uh I think it’ be interesting stage I

Don’t quite exactly know what will happen to be honest uh I mean should any El not control for a pig coock well shut it down that can’t Pig coock if if you go through the [ __ ] finish today I mean shouldn’t you go for it tomorrow yeah on paper tomorrow

Really fits but then again I I’d still take a us over pitock in that Sprint at the end no way you’re over not sure about that Mano Sprint is is there some Italian University shooting rode away from him in in you know on jco in the in Wednesday

Wow brid to to everybody are you yeah bridged his five minute power is really good I know a Uso Sprint is really good it is really good but I think peacock should be better than you think better than him on a little I mean okay let’s say it’s

50/50 I’d still give it a crack I was anyos yeah for sure um and you can take time on your cuz then if you got if you got Tiber AO and and peacock it to finish then you could take a full 10 Delta to to vingard

Weo break they’ll never do it no I wouldn’t do that no I would no I would if you’re not going to go for pockock on this little stage then uh but probably Benji’s right that you know vardi the last two years just doesn’t miss an opportunity um but

This entire time we’ spoken about this but I haven’t I still haven’t heard about who will actually be controlling the pellaton in this day I really don’t know I said inos oh well they do that they got R Ghana yeah they are the team to do it Ghana can control and

Row they should possible um but yeah I think it’s going to be really interesting stage like does vingard just ride away from everybody does someone like gagen Hart uh when the uphill Sprint he’s actually quite good in them they got a good team with can you put satellite Riders up there

Knowing that after the climb you could use one on the on the on the uphill drag to the Finish Line yep uh you know who’s just a completely peculiar Rider Andre boli this guy I cannot figure out like this is his stage on paper well no you

Look at Lombardi last year right it makes that group it’s a 25 minute climb with pogy and COA the top guys gone ham after you know a hard day and then no consistency tomorrow he’ll be like nowhere he’ll get he he it’s like what

It’s a 12K 6% climb it makes no sense he came second In Lombardi last year following on B Ganda like isn’t Velasco okay quick oh yeah but the GC guys someone’s going to go yeah but B is like 63 kilo just thinking about break Riders that’s what I’m thinking oh cuz no one

Controls at all I don’t know where he’s in GC though so he might actually be too close I’m going to go with I’m go with Ben Healey attacking on the 5% kicker and he wins by 5 Seconds from the GC group I’m going to go with Kevin vul bringing France Triumph

Vul looks so good too here as well eh I’m worried V’s like 74 kilos it would make sense the third yesterday I was like excuse me oh true Greg he’s cracked bear doing in Arlington Texas I know it’s like what uh but yeah okay they got lots of options can’t wait

To watch uh hope you enjoyed this pod uh we’ll see you with the recap of hopefully some good GC action in both stages uh tomorrow until then ciaoo