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Panzerwagon to beast it!
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Don't think it's a course made for Tony Martin, and don't think he is in as good a shape now as he was in the TDF.
The first 11 km are virtually all uphill with some very steep sections, one part 14%+, so it will be a question of whether Martin can regain time on the second half of the course, I doubt he will. It's only 32.5 km too which is probably shorter than Martin would prefer. Obviously such is the TT prowess of the man that it would not surprise if he were to win today but I don't think he will, and at odds on i definitely would no way be back him today.
It looks like a course that Froome should win on, theres the climb in the first half for him to take time on the TT specialists and the fairly flat second half for him to use his power to take on the climbers/gc riders, and to me he is the most likely winner. The one reservation is his rather tame display on sunday?? Having said that he will have targetted this from the start as the stage where he can take time off all his rivals, and in all probability take the red jersey. After losing a bit of time on sunday he will be desperate to make up for that here and put up a big show.
The 7/2 available (VC) looks a decent price to me, expected he might be joint favourite, he is by no means a cert but looks the likely winner today.
Of his rivals, the form Contador has showed he is sure to go well here but I would still expect him to be fairly comfortably beaten by Froome. I think his biggest danger may come from Uran, who after a low key and bit disappointing first week, looked back to better form on sunday where he did go on the attack briefly on the run to the final climb. He is another rider who will have looked at todays as a stage where he can take time on most of his rivals, and i expect him to go very well today.
Of the riders at bigger prices who may be able to provide a shock, theres 2 i have had a small ew interest in at big prices, Jesse Sergeant 100/1 and Tanel Kangert 250/1.
Gl all.
The first 11 km are virtually all uphill with some very steep sections, one part 14%+, so it will be a question of whether Martin can regain time on the second half of the course, I doubt he will. It's only 32.5 km too which is probably shorter than Martin would prefer. Obviously such is the TT prowess of the man that it would not surprise if he were to win today but I don't think he will, and at odds on i definitely would no way be back him today.
It looks like a course that Froome should win on, theres the climb in the first half for him to take time on the TT specialists and the fairly flat second half for him to use his power to take on the climbers/gc riders, and to me he is the most likely winner. The one reservation is his rather tame display on sunday?? Having said that he will have targetted this from the start as the stage where he can take time off all his rivals, and in all probability take the red jersey. After losing a bit of time on sunday he will be desperate to make up for that here and put up a big show.
The 7/2 available (VC) looks a decent price to me, expected he might be joint favourite, he is by no means a cert but looks the likely winner today.
Of his rivals, the form Contador has showed he is sure to go well here but I would still expect him to be fairly comfortably beaten by Froome. I think his biggest danger may come from Uran, who after a low key and bit disappointing first week, looked back to better form on sunday where he did go on the attack briefly on the run to the final climb. He is another rider who will have looked at todays as a stage where he can take time on most of his rivals, and i expect him to go very well today.
Of the riders at bigger prices who may be able to provide a shock, theres 2 i have had a small ew interest in at big prices, Jesse Sergeant 100/1 and Tanel Kangert 250/1.
Gl all.
Apparently that shirt was deep yellow at the start of the season. It's only when we start getting into important races that it gets brighter and glows in the sun.
WD hope you won plenty Kimble.
It was a very strange TT that as i don't think anyone put up an outstanding performance and the winning time was a good minute outside the time a lot of people had been saying would be needed to win the stage ( low 46m was predicted). I have a feeling a Wiggins or Nibali would have won yesterday very easily.
Even though Martin won, it was not one of his great performances, and he said at the finish it was a lot tougher than he thought it was going to be. It's probable that the poor road conditions were a lot to blame for this. The likes of Contador, Uran, Valverde and Purito did good TT's and will be happy, but again none were great they have all done better ones in the past.
The thing to take out yesterday would appear to be that Chris Froome is just not in a good place right now. His TT was very poor, about as bad as could get for him. Looking at the 2 summit finishes we have had and again yesterday, Froome just doesn't look comfortable on his bike at the minute. Whether the problem is mental that the successive crashes are playing on his mind or if he is feeling pain and its physical i don't know but he is clearly not in great shape. He may well be able to ride in to better form by the final week, and he is still not too far behind so you couldn't write him off totally but to me looks like he is getting progressively worse with each stage and wouldn't surprise me if he was to have a disaster stage in the next day or 2 and drop out of contention altogether??
It was a very strange TT that as i don't think anyone put up an outstanding performance and the winning time was a good minute outside the time a lot of people had been saying would be needed to win the stage ( low 46m was predicted). I have a feeling a Wiggins or Nibali would have won yesterday very easily.
Even though Martin won, it was not one of his great performances, and he said at the finish it was a lot tougher than he thought it was going to be. It's probable that the poor road conditions were a lot to blame for this. The likes of Contador, Uran, Valverde and Purito did good TT's and will be happy, but again none were great they have all done better ones in the past.
The thing to take out yesterday would appear to be that Chris Froome is just not in a good place right now. His TT was very poor, about as bad as could get for him. Looking at the 2 summit finishes we have had and again yesterday, Froome just doesn't look comfortable on his bike at the minute. Whether the problem is mental that the successive crashes are playing on his mind or if he is feeling pain and its physical i don't know but he is clearly not in great shape. He may well be able to ride in to better form by the final week, and he is still not too far behind so you couldn't write him off totally but to me looks like he is getting progressively worse with each stage and wouldn't surprise me if he was to have a disaster stage in the next day or 2 and drop out of contention altogether??
I'm surprised Froome is anywhere near contention after the last few months he's had especially the time off the bike. I assumed he'd be coming here and using it as a training ride and potential stage hunt. So much so that I backed Nieve( Yeah, that's gone well).
One interesting fact that I took from yesterday's TT is that Uran seems to be turning himself into a Wiggins style GT rider. Sacrificing his top end climbing abilities for a little more weight and TT ability. A strategy that probably wont pay dividends in the Giro or Vuelta but could easily put him in contention for a Tour win.
One interesting fact that I took from yesterday's TT is that Uran seems to be turning himself into a Wiggins style GT rider. Sacrificing his top end climbing abilities for a little more weight and TT ability. A strategy that probably wont pay dividends in the Giro or Vuelta but could easily put him in contention for a Tour win.
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