Saturday, April 27, 2024

Return To Normal Proceedings; Andre Greipel back on top

-

HomeJournalsGarmin Physio Toby WatsonReturn To Normal Proceedings; Andre Greipel back on top
Andre Greipel
130km: do they even need a feed? In this weather, I think yes!

After the W Clarke bolt from the blue of yesterday, there was no way that Stage 3 of the TDU was going to be anything but a bunch sprint, and all of the key teams worked together to guarantee this today, with Andre Greipel from Lotto again the winner.

The big man can sprint! Will he finally threaten Cav this: year?

I certainly hope so — the best races are built around rivalries, not processions.

Hearing the big man’s comments today on how his team was decimated (not literally (for the nerds reading this)) in the Stage 1 crash, perhaps Lotto allowing yesterday’s break to go wasn’t so much a bluff as a necessity. We shall see if something similar to Stage 2 happens again tomorrow on Stage 4.

The stage has the shape of a bunch sprint, is only 130km long, and going on form, how could anyone bet against Greipel doing it all again tomorrow?

The winner of the whole race will likely be decided on Willunga Hill the following day.

We have had Valverde letting everyone know he is in good nick, Gerrans showing he has good legs with his nationals win last week, Rogers and Hesjedal being the class acts they are and Sanchez being the gun ready to explode.

It is highly unlikely the sprinters will get a chance at the overall, and so tomorrow they won’t leave anything in the tank. Makes for good bike racing!!

Read more from Toby at his site, Tobbloganning.

Toby Watson
Toby Watsonhttps://www.veloveritas.co.uk
Ex-Garmin Transitions physiotherapist and soigneur Toby Watson brings you inside the squad, and shows you what it's like to be working with a top team on the biggest races in the world. Through his regular blog updates, Toby shares his sense of drama and fun that were essential parts of his job. Toby is Australian, and currently lives in Girona with his fiancee Amanda. If he has any time, he enjoys reading and running, and occasionally skiing too, when he can.

Related Articles

Dave Millar Scores a Deserved Win (TDF 2012 Stage 13)

Dave Millar takes a superb stage; Stage 12 was as close to a guaranteed breakaway stage as there is with it’s steeply lumpy early: flat late profile. The sprinters lose too much time to be able to catch up and contest a bunch finish, but it is far too flat to result in any time gaps between the big hitters.

Bad Morning Good Day: TdF Stage 12 (3km wall finale)

Sadly, Tyler abandoned yesterday as his body finally said “enough”. We were all disappointed for him. It was very saddening to see his face, which showed the acute disappointment he felt. The race itself did go on, however, and typically, Garmin-Transitions were flying the flag despite the setbacks today at the TdF Stage 12.

(Just) Desserts And Grace

Desserts And Grace. Great food pun. Well, an ok food pun. I'm sure there are some unemployed former News Of The World staffers who could come up with something better". Enough of unimportant stuff though! Onto the cycling.

You’ve Bloody Done It: Eneco 2010 Stage 5

You've Bloody Done It. Stage 5 of the Eneco Tour had the race heading back into the bumpy territory that did so much damage on Stage 3, this time on similar roads to those used in the Amstel Gold spring classic.

At Random

Copenhagen Six Day 2009 – Day 3

VeloVeritas are in Copenhagen (south of Sweden) for day three of the six and it's time for the horror that is - the afternoon session. The highlight of the afternoon was the break dancing competition, manfully judged by Messrs. Rasmussen and Donadio. It's not well known, but break dancing has a long connection with cycling.

Il Giro d’Italia 2014 – Stage 15; Valdengo – Montecampione, 217 km. Fabio Aru Shines Through

I first heard of Fabio Aru (Astana & Italy) when he won the 2011 Giro della Val d’Aosta U23 stage race in Italy from US rider Joe Dombrowski – who’s now professional with Sky. Aosta along with the Tour de l’Avenir and the U23 Worlds are the big shop windows for the professional talent scouts. Aru had been fourth in Aosta the year previous and would win it again in 2012.

La Vuelta a España 2014 – Stage 8; Baeza – Albacete, 207.4 km. Nacer Bouhanni Battles

On Stage Eight to Albacete, once the break got caught with around 20 miles to go it looked like standard sprinter stage fare – Giant, Lampre, F de J and GreenEDGE would control it for their sprinters, with Nacer Bouhanni prominent.

Le Tour de France 2017 – Stage 5: Vittel – La planche des belles filles, 160.5km. Fabio Aru’s classy win

It may seem like scant evidence to base a major assertion upon but from what happened in the Stage One time trial – and yesterday’s first significant ascent of the race, La Planche des Belle Filles, Chris Froome (Sky & GB) has the 2017 Tour de France won barring disasters or acts of God.