We’re halfway. The race is maturing and the profile for Stage 4 has more red dots than a teenager with acne.
But the race is far from decided. If Andrew Talansky is the new leader, his advantage on the others is slim and his Garmin-Sharp team will have to work hard to keep him in yellow. A long stage with plenty of climbing awaits and if you get déjà vu later, don’t worry, as the explanation is below.
Omega Pharma Quickstep got the best possible start when they won the opening team time trial and placed Mark Cavendish in the blue leader’s jersey. Now it’s time for the season’s first showdown between Cavendish and Andre Greipel.
Blel Kadri’s win on Sunday certainly Filippo Pozzato by surprise. The Italian triumphantly threw his arms up in the air only to discover that Kadri had crossed the line 37 seconds earlier. It wasn’t just Pozzato who was confused, sections of the Italian media and fans in general were wondering who he is. After the race his name was spelled incorrectly and even the well-informed Eurosport podcast seemed to call him “Gadri” in their latest episode.
But in fact he’s a rider who’s long due a big win and if there’s none of the star factor of Moreno Moser, there’s a very different family tale.
Slowly the route changes as the race heads south and Stage 3 starts to include more climbing. The race crosses the Auvergne region in central France and the finish includes a second category climb that’s designed to thwart the sprinters.
This is the same team time trial stage that opened the race last year. It’s only 16.9 km but most of the route is alongside the sea and the wind and the rain could easily be a factor. The weather forecast isn’t very promising but let’s hope all teams get the same conditions – wet or not.
With daily previews of Paris-Nice and other features on here, covering Tirreno-Adriatico looked like a step too far but at the same time it’s an unmissable race with a stellar start list, whether the overall contenders or for the sprinters and classics contenders.
So this week I’m teaming up with Mikkel Condé of C-Cycling to supply him with Paris-Nice previews whilst in return this site will be showcasing his Tirren0-Adriatico analysis. His previews are excellent… and often bolder than mine with sharp picks for the wins. So without delay, here’s the first of the daily Tirreno-Adriatico C-Cycling previews, starting with the overall contenders for the race. I’ve added details on TV coverage at the end.
“A real Moser” said La Gazzetta Dello Sport. The day after Moreno Moser won the Strade Bianche, Italy’s sports newspaper went to town on the family connections because Moreno is just the latest of the Moser clan to make a name for himself in the sport.
Above all though the new Moser has, to borrow a phrase from L’Equipe, so much panache he’s selling the surplus. Saturday’s race provided the perfect result for RCS but also for Italian cycling in general. Finally an Italian won and one with charisma and a famous name too.
Stage 2 looks like a copy of Stage 1. A flat route, a circuit finish, narrow roads and the sprint teams wanting a win make this look like a repetition of the previous day, no? Only this isn’t so, the stage finish includes a loop through narrow woodland roads reducing the chance of crosswinds and crucially the final kilometre is uphill.
David Lappartient is the President of the French Cycling Federation and was elected President of the European Cycling Union, the UEC over the weekend. Does it matter? Well he’s talked of delivering an “electric shock” to pro cycling but in reality “Frenchman running European cycling” is probably as conservative as it sounds.
Lappartient’s agenda isn’t too obvious but he’s made two public statements that stand out. To support President McQuaid and to reject the idea of a closed league format of racing, the so-called “World Series Cycling.”
On paper a stage for the sprinters… but just as paper is easily scattered by the wind, so too can the bunch be broken apart by crosswinds in the final. But the weather forecasts vary and the most likely scenario is a bunch sprint and a change in the overall lead.
Here’s the preview of Stage 1 including TV schedules, the weather, a local rapper and more.