2025 Summer of Cycling

[Sasquatch]

Plapp should win the TDU but watch out for Fisher Black

 

[eth-dog]

No Hurricane Hamilton for Picnic-PostNL unfortunately. I think Welsford has the best train ahead of him with Mullen/Maciejuk (one likely to control the break), Pithie then DVP ahead of him. Eddy, Van Den Berg and Edmondson ahead of Andreson is okay but you wouldn't be super confident in it. Still think Bauhaus is the best sprinter in the field

 

[yaco55]

Do not be surprised if Tim Torn Teutenberg wins a stage as he is fast. Interested to see how fast brennan is in a sprint.

 

[eth-dog]

Women's TDU starts in about 3 hours. Not pancake so could be a select group for the bunch sprint. Ally Wollaston is my pick for today's stage (should be finished between 1:30 and 2)

 

[Orange Agent]

The tactics or lack of, in women's cycling still make it horrible to watch some times. This race has been a prime example.

 

[Orange Agent]

Plapp should win the TDU but watch out for Fisher Black

Can't see him beating Vine unless he gets very lucky.

 

[eth-dog]

Interesting ploy from Tronchon. Going up the road for 3 bonus seconds

 

[eth-dog]

Welsford crashed. That'll make today's stage difficult, I reckon Menglers Hill thrice might be a bit tough for him. Corbin Strong the favourite for me today

 

[Vader]

Menglers Hill is a long way from the finish line though, with 20+ km of flat roads for him to catch back up if he's dropped on the last climb.

The question is how much sting the fall has taken out of his sprint? I doubt that Menglers Hill will play much part in the final outcome.

 

[Vader]

So... with so many TDU stages ideally suited to the sprinters - why do none of the decent sprinters ever show up? For the last 2 Tours, the sprint stages have been dominated by Sam Welsford. Welsford is what? The 20th best sprinter in on the World Tour?

I get that the TDU is no longer a race in which sprinters can claim the outright win (not since the addition of Willunga Hill, many years ago), but surely there's still enough on offer for at least some of the better sprinters to turn up?

 

[eth-dog]

So... with so many TDU stages ideally suited to the sprinters - why do none of the decent sprinters ever show up? For the last 2 Tours, the sprint stages have been dominated by Sam Welsford. Welsford is what? The 20th best sprinter in on the World Tour?

I get that the TDU is no longer a race in which sprinters can claim the outright win (not since the addition of Willunga Hill, many years ago), but surely there's still enough on offer for at least some of the better sprinters to turn up?

I'd have him in the 10-15 range personally and he has the capabilities of rising further. Only guys I definitely have ahead of him are Phillipsen, Groves (who I thought might have raced here), Demare, Bennett (at his best), Girmay, Milan, Mads (do we count him as a sprinter?), Merlier, Jakobsen and Groenewegen.

 

[Vader]

I'd have him in the 10-15 range personally and he has the capabilities of rising further. Only guys I definitely have ahead of him are Phillipsen, Groves (who I thought might have raced here), Demare, Bennett (at his best), Girmay, Milan, Mads (do we count him as a sprinter?), Merlier, Jakobsen and Groenewegen.

Even so, my main point remains - none of the top 10 are here.

On SM-X205 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[eth-dog]

Even so, my main point remains - none of the top 10 are here.

On SM-X205 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Yeah, I'm surprised that Groves and Merlier aren't here in particular. Although Bauhaus could be argued as top 10 based on the past 2 years too FWIW

 

[yaco55]

The up and coming sprinters like kooij and magnier should have been at the TDU. Merlier is riding the Alula Tour.

 

[Orange Agent]

So... with so many TDU stages ideally suited to the sprinters - why do none of the decent sprinters ever show up? For the last 2 Tours, the sprint stages have been dominated by Sam Welsford. Welsford is what? The 20th best sprinter in on the World Tour?

I get that the TDU is no longer a race in which sprinters can claim the outright win (not since the addition of Willunga Hill, many years ago), but surely there's still enough on offer for at least some of the better sprinters to turn up?

UAE tour probably offers more incentive to turn up, and better roads. Some of the road surfaces in Adelaide are atrocious.

 

[Vader]

UAE tour probably offers more incentive to turn up, and better roads. Some of the road surfaces in Adelaide are atrocious.

There was a time when the TDU had this part of the calendar all to itself. No longer the case.

This is a reasonable explanation.

 

[Vader]

I note that Danny Van Poppel was given a yellow card for deliberately blocking the other sprinters, after dropping Welsford off near the line. Personally, I think he was lucky not to be thrown out of the race completely.

I also think the 2nd to last lead out rider was lucky not to cop a similar penalty, though his actions weren't quite as blatant or severe as Van Poppel's.

 

[Orange Agent]

I note that Danny Van Poppel was given a yellow card for deliberately blocking the other sprinters, after dropping Welsford off near the line. Personally, I think he was lucky not to be thrown out of the race completely.

I also think the 2nd to last lead out rider was lucky not to cop a similar penalty, though his actions weren't quite as blatant or severe as Van Poppel's.

Agreed. Pithie was ok. Van Poppel looked back, saw Anderssen and swerved at him. Either Bora should have lost the stage, which is probably not possible under the current rules, or he is on holidays for the rest of the race. The penalty didn't match the crime.