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Yesterday looked like one of those soft tracks at athletic stadiums, only for cows to traipse across from one field to the other.
Today it was wet, but the amount of road furniture and road markings was excessive for such a narrow strip. Markets look decidedly terrible also, though. Nevertheless, if you look at the 2010/11 winners in Albasini and Boom respectively, they're quite hard riders, or at least Boom has worked to develpo himself in that way recently, and Albasini is a very strong classics rider. The Tour of Britain gives me the impression that it is like a bunch of bolted-together classics races, except for the ITT tomorrow. Gerald Ciolek comes into consideration for a little bit interest on the back of his Milan-SanRemo win this year, and hard riding so far to remain top on GC. He went too early in what was a sprinter's finish in stage 1 to finish 3rd. But his win up the incline to the finish on stage 2, was highly impressive. Not a noted time-trialer he'll be down on GC tomorrow, but stages 4 and 5 are well within his charateristic to perform well, and whilst it's difficult to gauge where he'll be, going into stage 6, he is giving the impression that turning 27 in a couple of days time, will confirm his impact on the scene this season. One to watch closely, although at 17/1 he looks unders with the Books, since he'll be down after the ITT, and Books will look to generate some profit on Wiggins, who looks set to win the ITT, but still looks underdone and with questions unanswered looks good to trade, if only the liquidity was there, which it isn't and won't be from past experience. Good luck to all, SP |
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Not one to bet on this, in my experience as it's completely unpredictable. I'm also going to be at stage 5 where I expect those going for the GC to make an impact, so wont be able to take advantage of it.
The TT looks like a battle between Wiggins and Dowsett. Dowsett probably the better value at 5's but not by much. Top 3 is probably where the value hides, but where do you stick a pin? I'm not having Vermote as third favourite, so you'd have to go for one of the UK riders. No idea. How tough is Haytor on stage 6? Some websites say 38% in places, that simply can't be true? |
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Cavendish 9/4 for today? I know its a lumpy stage but he looks in great form judging by his 10th in the TT. OPQS one of the stronger teams and looks enough flat at the end to bring it all back together. He was evens for grand tour stages a couple of months ago when he was competing against the best sprinters in the world. If this is a bunch sprint he should win it in his sleep.
I don't normally go overboard about prices for individual stages but I think that 9/4 is big enough to make it a lumpy bet. Also like Coledan each way 66/1. |
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Top call -- MC1.
SP. |
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Weather is absolutely atrocious for today's stage. Will be watching from home instead of Caerphilly mountain.
My head says lay Ciolek as I'm not sure he'll get up with the stronger climbers, but with the weather I don't expect it to be a really hard pace. Small bet on Lofqvist. |
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I like Stannard today
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Good luck to anyone who picked Sam Bennett out of that. Annoyed the weather was so changeable.
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CJ ive followed it live from Scotland to llanberis got absolutely soaked freezing cold but loved every bit of it toughen up man its only rain.
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Very fine stage -- good racing -- and the speed was terrific in the finale. Nope, didn't have Bennett, but have laid something like 11 or 12 stages in a row since the Vuelta, successfully.
It's no Tour Down Under, but you Brits can be mighty proud of such entertaining racing, I would suggest. SP. |
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I wanted it lashing it down on the descents so Wiggins would bottle it and Stannard would be given free reign to recreate his Milan-St Remo heroics. Ah well. Wiggo to lose a hat full of time tomorrow or have his hand held all the way home and be OK?
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