Ok, so we’re not going to create a race thread for ALL races this year, especially since we’re only about 10 people reading here :)
This thread is available for you to write about all the races which don’t have a race thread.
Ok, so we’re not going to create a race thread for ALL races this year, especially since we’re only about 10 people reading here :)
This thread is available for you to write about all the races which don’t have a race thread.
Stage 3
It finally gets a bit interesting.
Cofidis tried a team attack already 85 km from the line.
Well, that’s a winner I’d forgotten existed, but the I remembered that he’s won the race before. Hopefully an indication of a good Ardennes-campaign to come.
Always present to terrorise our little, defenceless races. The other ones, which stayed class 1 this year, were safe from Viking looters this year, but a .Pro race was too tempting for the horde. That’s 2, 2 and 1 on the stages so far.
Spoiler Basque Country
But Cofidis had its revenge on the other side of the Pyrenees!
The young L’Hôte (🇫🇷 Décathlon), who didn’t relay the others much after they caught him, declared that he felt a bit ‘short’ on his bike for the last lap, as his saddle had dropped a bit 😃
Bessega🇮🇹 did well for Polti. I feared that, as too often, Polti would disappear in the last mile after having very visible or active.
The splits + the various time bonuses built an interesting GC before the final stage:
Several favourites, like Costiou1 (🇫🇷 FDJ) are in the group at 17′, which has about 30 riders.
A pity the breakaway men wasted a lot of time in the last kilometre, they could have entertained more hopes for final GC if they hadn’t.
note 1 : I mean, Costiou didn’t impress me so far this year, he always seems a bit limited and unable to make a difference (his GC win in Bessèges is only thanks to the final TT); but he is generally listed among the favourites, is still in that 30 riders group, and finished 2nd of the peloton today behind Strong🇳🇿, so he is not off the game yet.