Stage 1 in Le Tour is an uphill sprint, surely QS have to work for Steegmans

thunder said:

I think Gert Steegmans proved today he is the premier sprinter up short inclines in the peloton. Boonen could not come around him last year in the Tour, and he blew away Hushovd who I considered the best sprinter uphill before Steegmans.

The first stage this year ends with 3 kilometres up an incline I think, and the DS must make a call and work for Steegmans.

How steep for how long?

Today's PN stage finish didn't look very tough. Steegman's jump was powerful alright but you got to figure if it's steep enough for long enough he won't be around.

E.g. He wouldn't win up the Muur d'Huy and it's less than a km!

Wayne666 said:

How steep for how long?

Today's PN stage finish didn't look very tough. Steegman's jump was powerful alright but you got to figure if it's steep enough for long enough he won't be around.

E.g. He wouldn't win up the Muur d'Huy and it's less than a km!

thats cos he wont get there.

Normal flat stage, with final 3 km rising, but not too steep, remember stage 2 or 3 where Robert Forster won at the Giro last year. Perhaps a longer run in incline.

thunder said:

I think Gert Steegmans proved today he is the premier sprinter up short inclines in the peloton. Boonen could not come around him last year in the Tour, and he blew away Hushovd who I considered the best sprinter uphill before Steegmans.

The first stage this year ends with 3 kilometres up an incline I think, and the DS must make a call and work for Steegmans.

I was following the ilve update of today's stage. What a great race!

Wayne666 said:

How steep for how long?

[font=Verdana][font=Arial]It is 2,3 km long with 5% average gradient, max. gradient is 8%.[/font]

[font=Arial]BTW, first road stage of Giro has 3,7km climb with 5,5% average gradient.[/font][/font]