Team Sky are in a league of their own. Especially with a strong head wind on the climbs. They seem unbeatable this year on mountain top finishes, so if you want to get them, you need a powerful kick and some steep percentages. Luckily for the spectators, that is exactly what we will see on this stage. The steep finish in Chieti has quickly turned into a classic Tirreno finish and it will be difficult for Team Sky to control the pack with gradients up to 19%.
The next instalment of the Roads to Ride series is the Col d’Eze that climbs out from the city of Nice, France’s fifth biggest city.
It’s a climb that’s been made famous by the Paris-Nice race since it was included in 1969. If Sunday will see the road closed and dedicated to cycling, then on a normal day it’s busy road that links Nice to the hills above, a ramp to climb high above the rooftops and escape the noise of the city.
For the next week this climb and the roads between it and the Poggio just over the border in Italy become the centre of world cycling.
Sandwiched between yesterday’s summit finish and tomorrow’s uphill time trial, it’s tempting to ignore today’s stage. But like all sandwiches, the filling in the middle should the tastiest part.
Today’s route is has plenty of climbing and tricky descents in the second half and there’s a chance to shake-up the overall classification. But if this doesn’t happen we’ll see exciting racing on scenic roads.
Peter Sagan won stage 3 as predicted and just like the last time Sagan won in Tirreno, the following stage will end on Prati di Tivo. Last year Peter Sagan’s teammate Vincenzo Nibali soloed away on the final kilometers, but I seriously doubt Nibali will be able to repeat that victory this year.
The big summit finish of the race. The start town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is somewhere to linger rather than leave. Once home to the Pope, the riders cannot stay because they have a meeting with heavens on the Montagne de Lure.
Will the race be decided today? Can Andrew Talansky cope? The answer is expected at 4.00pm today.
Mark Cavendish complained about his teammates after the second stage. He had the kick, but no help. Andre Greipel had a brilliant team, but didn’t have the legs despite being in a perfect position in the final. The big showdown between Cavendish and Greipel never came and I’m not sure we will see it on this stage either.
How does hotel look? Well it’s Garmin-Sharp’s place for the night during Paris-Nice and seems comfortable. But it’s nothing on what Lotto-Belisol and Team Saxo-Tinkoff have for the night…
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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.