Weekend Preview – Oman, Algarve, Haut Var, Etc.

Posted on February 18, 2011 by


http://www.voltaalgarve.com/


Here’s a preview of this weekend’s events:

1. At the Tour of Oman, we’ll get another chance to see if Robert Gesink can protect a leader’s jersey in an ITT during tomorrow’s 18.5-kilomter time trial in Al Jissah.  The Dutch climber from Rabobank won today’s Queen Stage atop Jabal al Akhdhar (“Green Mountain”), finishing alone 47-seconds ahead of Team Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen and 51-seconds clear Quick Step’s Dries Devenyns.  Giovanni Visconti and Christian Vande Velde finished 53-seconds back.

Gesink now holds a 45-second lead over Boasson Hagen—a far superior time trialist—heading into tomorrow’s race against the clock.  Thus, Gesink finds himself in a situation to last year’s Tour de Suisse, when after winning the Queen Stage to La Punt, he lost the race lead—and a spot on the podium—in the race’s final ITT.  Saturday will be an indicator of just how much time the Dutchman’s spent improving his skills—something he’ll need to do if he wants to have a realistic shot at this year’s Tour podium.

In the end, I see Boasson Hagen taking the overall win—but on Sunday, not Saturday—thanks to time bonuses earned in the final stage.  Look for Theo Bos’ ability to keep the Norwegian out of the points to be a major difference-maker.

2. Today’s Stage 3 at the Volta ao Algarve ended with some uphill fireworks as well.  (If you haven’t seen the results yet, take a minute and check them out—it was probably the most exciting day of racing we’ve seen thus far this season.)  The 180-kilometer stage ended atop the 2nd Category Alto do Malhão, with Sky’s Steve Cummings winning the sprint from a select 5-man group containing Tejay Van Garderen, Alberto Contador, Rein Taarame, and Tony Martin.

With Sunday’s 17.2-kilomoter time trail looming, the top-15 riders on GC are separated by a mere 44 seconds.  At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will take the win, but Contador and Martin—at 10 and 12-seconds back—are the most likely candidates.  My money’s on Tony Martin—he’s a much better time trialist than Contador.  Who would have thought that a 5-day Portuguese stage race in February would produce such excitement?

3. In France, the two-day Tour du Haut Var starts Saturday in La Croix Valmer.  Haut Var runs more like two one-day races than a stage race, and as such often suits aggressive riders who perform well on long, undulating courses.

Of the teams making the trip this year, Garmin-Cervelo looks to be the strongest with defending champion Christophe Le Mevel leading a squad that includes Med Tour fourth-place finisher Andrew Talansky as well as Daniel Martin and Peter Stetina.  Rinaldo Nocentini returns at the head of Ag2r; the Italian won Stage 1 last year before crashing violently a week later, breaking his leg and ending the first half of his season.  He’s supported by Mont Faron-animator Jean-Christophe Peraud.

Cofidis’ David Moncoutie won the Med Tour and the stage atop Mont Faron—he comes to Haut Var in good form, but is more likely to ride for last year’s third-place finisher, Julien El Fares.  FDJ also brings a talented roster including Pierrick Fedrigo, Remi Pauriol, Thibaut Pinot, and Jeremy Roy. Spain is be represented by Movistar and Euskaltel. Movistar has David Arroyo and Vasil Kiriyenka, while Igor Anton lines-up for Euskaltel alongside Gorka Izagirre and Mikel Nieve.  Saxo Bank brings Richie Porte, along with Chris Anker Sorensen.

The rest of the line-up features an assortment of domestic and international Continental squads, most of whom will be happy to place a rider in the break of the day.  As far as a winner’s concerned, I see Pierrick Fedrigo finding a way to add the race to his palmares, with Nocentini, El Fares, and perhaps Le Mevel lining-up behind him.  An interesting note: former winner Thomas Voeckler is absent for Europcar.

4. Saturday brings Italy’s Trofeo Laigueglia. The event has been won the last two years by Androni Giocattoli’s Francesco Giananni, there’s little reason to doubt his chances for a third title. The strongest team in the race has to be Lampre, with Damiano Cunego, Diego Ulissi, Francesco Gavazzi, and Alessandro Petacchi taking the line. That said, Liquigas brings Peter Sagan, a rider perfectly suited for a race such as Laigueglia.  If Katusha’s Danilo Di Luca can’t manage to escape by the finish (perhaps accompanied by Lampre’s Diego Ulissi), look for Sagan to take the win over Ginanni, Lampre’s Gavazzi, and FDJ’s Geoffrey Soupe.

5. And last but not least, Sunday brings the first day of the 2011 Ruta del Sol, a 5-day race with a rather interesting list of participants.  Team Sky’s not bringing 2010-winner Michael Rogers, perhaps leaving the door open for last-year’s runner-up Jurgen Van den Broeck to take his first win of the season.

Of the Spanish teams taking part, Movistar—with 2010 stage-winner Francisco Ventoso and talented GC-rider Benat Intxuasti—brings a strong roster, as does Euskaltel with Samuel Sanchez and Romain Sicard.  And don’t discount Geox-TMC with Colombian Fabio Duarte and Rafael Valls. Leopard-Trek brings both Schlecks to the race, but Jens Voigt might be the team’s best hope for a high placing—he finished fourth last year.  Rabobank has Oscar Freire for stage wins (he took 2 last year), and Bauke Mollema for the overall (he finished fifth on GC in 2010). Interestingly, Vacansoleil’s Stijn Devolder has chosen the Ruta as his final prep for next Saturday’s Omloop, but Johnny Hoogerland’s a better bet for a win. And last but never least, Radio Shack comes prepared to contend for the overall and stage wins with Robbie Hunter, Levi Leipheimer, and Janez Brajkovic.

In the end, this event is usually a bit of crap-shoot.  Sunday’s Prologue suits Voigt, Leipheimer, and Brajkovic—especially since it’s shaped pretty much like a half-pipe with a long uphill drag to the line.  But anything can happen over the course of the race, especially with several Spanish squads eager to take the season’s first important home race.  I’ll pick Voigt to give Leopard-Trek its first stage race.

What about you—who are your picks for the weekend?


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Weekend Preview – Murcia, West Flanders, L’Eroica, and the Race to the Sun

Posted on March 6, 2010 by
The season’s heating-up with several important events taking place this weekend. Here’s a run-down of what’s going-on:
1. Let’s begin in Spain, where the 5-day Vuelta a Murcia continues through Sunday—albeit without any Italian and some important Spanish teams. Tomorrow’s flat 22km time trial offers our first chance to see some of the Grand Tour favorites test their legs against the clock—and one another. The race marks Lance Armstrong’s 2010 European debut; he’s already expressed his willingness to use tomorrow’s ITT as a chance to check his progress. Andreas Kloden, Denis Menchov, and Bradley Wiggins will certainly use the stage as an opportunity to gauge their fitness as well. All four men sit within 5 seconds of Josep Jufré’s lead; a good ride Saturday will take the leader’s jersey. Watch-out for Frantisek Rabon; he’s proven he can time trial, and he’s 3rd behind Jufré, with the same time. While not a contender for the overall, Garmin’s Danny Pate seems to be riding himself into form; he’s no slouch in a time trial and could surprise tomorrow. The same can be said for Pate’s teammate Michael Kreder, who’s quickly looking to be a star in the making.
Sunday’s stage offers two more categorized climbs, but none come near enough to the finish to cause any shake-ups. Look for the leader at the end of the day tomorrow to carry-through to the finish of the Spanish stage race.
2. In Belgium, the Dreidaagse van West-Vlaanderen started today in Kortrijk with Cofidis’ Jens Keukeleire following-up his win in Le Samyn with another win. As a result, he takes what has to be considered one of the most unique leader’s jerseys in the world—are there any things more Belgian than frites, hops, endives, and bricks?
This 3-day Belgian affair takes place mainly on the flatter side of Flanders, with wind, rain, and cobbles constituting the main difficulties the riders will encounter. Sunday’s final stage does offer some hills, taking-in the major climbs of the traditional Ghent-Wevelgem route including the Rodeberg, the Monteberg and Kemmelberg, with finishing circuits that include 3 passes over the smaller Keiberg. The 2008 winner and this year’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne victor Bobbie Traksel returns hoping for another title—his victory Sunday proves he’s no wuss when it comes the worst Belgium has to offer. Other notable starters include Saxo Bank’s Nicki Sorensen, Milram’s Robert Forster, Landbouwkrediet’s Davy Commeyne, Topsort-Vlaanderen’s Geert Steurs, Skil-Shimano’s Kenny Van Hummel, and the ever-present Niko Eeckhout from An Post.
It’s a shame this race has no other choice but to share a weekend with L’Eroica and Paris-Nice, otherwise we might have another chance to see the stars hit Belgium’s cobbles.
3. This weekend’s main events begin Saturday in Italy with the 4th running of the Montepaschi Strade Bianche. Also known as L’Eroica, this race navigates over 55 km of Tuscany’s white gravel roads—the strade bianche that give the race its name. You can do the same in October during the L’Eroica cyclosportive event.
Taking place a few days before the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race, L’Eroica’s start list is conveniently filled with classics specialists including favorites on both the cobbles and in the Ardennes. Throw-in several Italian’s looking for a shot of glory and you’ve got all the makings of an exciting race.
From top to bottom, the strongest team in this year’s edition seems to be Garmin—a squad who’s come close to finding success here in the past. With Farrar, Hesjedal, Maaskant, Van Summeren, and Wilson, Garmin has a team capable of controlling the race from start to finish, and hopefully placing a man or two in the winning break. Other favored teams include Sky, who brings a squad nearly identical to the team that took a win in the Omloop and 3rd in Kuurne (but minus Edvald Boassen Hagen), and Katusha, who hopes Filippo Pozzato and Kim Kirchen can bring home a win. BMC brings two of the focal points of their Ardennes and Northern classics programs in Cadel Evans and Alessandro Ballan; Saxo Bank does the same with Andy Schleck and Fabian Cancellara—two more riders who have proven effective at handling L’Eroica’s white roads. Cervelo’s trio of Roger Hammond, Jeremy Hunt, and Andreas Klier could continue to exhibit the form they displayed in Belgium last weekend, while Omega Pharma-Lotto will be hoping Leif Hoste and Greg Van Avermaet can begin to show some fitness. And never forget HTC-Columbia—Cavendish is listed as a participant, but the bulk of the team’s hopes lie with Michael Rogers, Marco Pinotti, and the Velits Brothers. And last but not least, Liquigas might work for Franco Pellizotti, but they’re better-off trying to get Daniele Bennati into a situation in which he can find success.
As this race grows in prestige, it will soon become one of the highlights of the spring—it’s already a favorite event for many riders, especially the Italians who consider the race their version of Paris-Roubaix. I wonder how long before we see someone do the L’Eroica-Roubaix double?
Overall, this is tough race to pick—especially with so many favorites taking the line. In the end, I have a feeling Cadel Evans might be up to the challenge, but Pippo Pozzato will get the better of him. Acqua e Sapone’s Luca Polini will be up there as well—I just have a gut feeling.
4. The weekend ends Sunday with the first stage of the Race to the Sun, Paris-Nice. This 8-day, 1288km stage race begins Sunday with a short time trial in Montfort-l’Amaury before making a beeline for warmer weather on the French Riviera. Several long, hard stages are in store for this year’s participants, including several with multiple 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Category climbs. By the end, we’ll have a worthy winner, able to ride consistently well over the diffucult terrain. The main protagonists of the last 2 editions—Alberto Contador and Luis Leon Sanchez—are back for more, but several challengers seem primed for victory as well.
Last year’s winner, Luis Leon Sanchez, faces the tough task of not only overcoming Aleberto Contador for a second year, but also dealing with his teammate, Alejandro Valverde. It will be interesting to see how these two interact, as both have the form to dominate the race. Their toughest challenge will come from Contador’s Astana team, a squad brimming with confidence following Contador’s overall win in Portugal at the Volta Algarve.
Other challenges could come from Euskaltel’s Samuel Sanchez, Liquigas’ Roman Kreuziger, Lotto’s Jurgen Van den Broeck, and Radio Shack’s Levi Leipheimer. Dark horses include FDJ’s Christophe Le Mevel, Quick Step’s Kevin Seeldraeyers, HTC’s Tony Martin, Saxo Bank’s Frank Schleck, and Rabobank’s Lars Boom, a rider whose potential continues to impress. Garmin also brings a solid team of men hoping for good overall results including Tom Danielson, Dan Martin, and Christian Vande Velde.
In addition to these overall favorites, several riders come to the start Sunday hoping for stage wins including one-day stars like Quick Step’s Sylvain Chavanel, Cervelo’s Heinrich Haussler, and Lotto’s Philippe Gilbert. Katusha’s Alexander Kolobnev, Sergei Ivanov, and Joaquin Rodrigues will be hoping to hone their form for later in the spring—perhaps with a stage or two here—as will Lampre’s superstar Damiano Cunego. Team Sky’s Simon Gerrans is certainly hoping to continue his team’s successful start to the season. And let’s not forget French hopes Pierrick Fedrigo, Thomas Voeckler, and Samuel Dumoulin—all could take wins for the home fans.
Of the sprinters taking the start, HTC’s Andre Greipel, Saur-Sojasun’s Jimmy Casper, Liquigas’ Francesco Chicchi, Katusha’s Daniele Napolitano, and Vacansoleil’s Borut Borzic are the cream of the crop, with Sky’s Greg Henderson and Saxo’s Juan José Haedo hoping to steal a win as well.
In the end, I’m picking an all-Spanish podium with Valverde taking the win over Contador and Sanchez—but only by a handful of seconds. It will be one of the most exciting events in years, with everything coming down to the final day.
And you? It’s a big weekend, who are your picks?
Share your comments below.
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Weekend Preview – International Cyclocross

Posted on December 3, 2010 by
2010 Aspere-Gavere CX - Sven Nijs

Photo by Tim VanWichelen

Last weekend we watched Niels Albert take his first win of the season, a World Cup in the sand dunes of Koksijde, Belgium. This weekend, Europe’s top ’crossers make their way to Igorre, Spain, for the World Cup’s fourth round. Zdenek Stybar, the current World Cup leader, will be sitting out this weekend (and every other one until January) to allow his knee to recover. In his absence, expect all of the other heavy hitters to be at the front. Sven Nys has been on a tear lately; he’s been almost unbeatable at the majority of the big races over the past month. Obviously, Albert will be hunting for another win as well. And don’t count-out Kevin Pauwels, Klaas Vantornout, and the rest of the Belgian squad as they continue to dominate the top of men’s elite cyclocross.

My Predictions:

1. Sven Nys

2. Niels Albert

3. Kevin Pauwels

Who are your picks for the weekend? Share your comments below.

Come back later for a preview and predictions for this weekend’s domestic CX action.

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Weekend Preview – Giro, Picardie, ATOC, and Ardennais

Posted on May 13, 2011 by

Fotoreporter Sirotti

 

With several events starting today, here’s an early look at what to expect this weekend.

1. The Giro d’Italia really heats up this weekend, with two summit finishes sandwiching a flat stage with a sting in its tail.

The fun begins Friday with the shortest road stage of the race, a 110-kilometer jaunt from Maddaloni to Montevergine di Mercogliano. While short, the stage packs a punch with two serious climbs—the first of which will likely prove no more than a warm-up for the final climb to the Catholic sanctuary known to cycling pilgrims as Montevergine.

Katusha’s Danilo Diluca is an obvious favorite—he’s won twice here before and has displayed fine fitness with a fourth-place finish Thursday in Fiuggi. I also have a feeling we’ll see Michele Scarponi make an early bid for a stage win and the maglia rosa. The Italian rode an aggressive finale in Orvieto and should find Friday’s summit suits him in what should provide a reshuffling of the GC.

Saturday’s 214-kilometer stage from Sapri to Tropea is a largely coastal, pancake-flat affair—at least until the penultimate uphill kilometer. Look for the finish to thwart the sprinters’ chances for victory while putting a few inattentive GC contenders on the defensive (like Gilbert’s second stage win in last year’s Vuelta). However, the stage is sandwiched between two of the biggest mountain stages the race has seen so far, so I don’t expect to see any major fireworks from the race’s biggest names. Instead, look for men like David Millar, Jan Bakelants, Fabio Duarte, and Vasil Kiriyenka—men with talent to spare, but supporting roles on their teams—to duke it out for the win.

But Sunday’s stage should make the prior two feel like nothing more than a stroll, as the peloton tackles the most infamous volcano in Europe—Sicily’s Mount Etna—not once, but twice. Many riders have already made the trip to recon the 164-kilometer stage—it starts in Messina and will likely see at least one attack from the Sicilian-born Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas. Katusha’s Joaquin Rodriguez, Astana’s Roman Kreuziger, and Euskaltel’s Igor Anton also bear watching—as does Geox-TMC’s Denis Menchov, a rider who will appreciate Etna’s long, constant grades. While too early for the Giro d’Italia to be won, Sunday should see the hopes of at least a few GC contenders dashed.

2. Meanwhile in France, the ASO hosts the 64th edition of the 3-day Tour de Picardie, formerly the Tour de l’Oise. A mainly flat affair, Picardie is often the first re-entry of several classics stars following a busy spring. Riders such as Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen and Juan Antonio Flecha, Vacansoleil’s Stijn Devolder, and Katusha’s Filippo Pozzatto are all starting.

That said, keep your eyes on Vacansoleil’s Romain Feillu, FDJ’s Yauheni Hutarovich, and Ag2r’s Anthony Ravard, three riders able to challenge for stages and the overall win. Jimmy Casper’s one to watch as well—he’s always good for at least one stage win. Picardie also marks Zdenek Stybar’s second road race of the season—he’s out to prove his third-place finish on Saturday in Dunkirk was no fluke.

3. In California, the 2011 Amgen Tour of California kicks-off with what looks to be a cold, snowy road race around the perimeter of Lake Tahoe. I’ll be covering the first half of the race with Bicycling Magazine—you can follow me on Twitter at @BackseatDS and @BicyclingMag. Stay tuned to those sources for more.

4. Finally, we don’t often cover events for espoirs, but there’s one in Belgium worth keeping on eye on. The Triptyque Ardennais has a list of winners including Ivan Basso, Philippe Gilbert, Danny Pate, Jan Bakelants (Thomas de Gendt finished second), and other successful professionals. In fact, I’d wager that it’s probably one of the best indicators for future success on the U23 calendar. In addition to the top Belgian amateur and developmental squads, several foreign teams will be taking the line including the Geox Fuji Test Team (led by Pavé contributor Peter Horn) and the awkwardly-named Baby-dump—Lemmens—Wilvo Wielerteam. Keep an eye on the results for a sneak peak at some future champions.

Enjoy the weekend—and share your comments and picks below.

 

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Weekend Preview – Giro, Belgium, and Bayern

Posted on May 27, 2011 by

Pavé would like to thank Laekhouse for supporting our coverage of the 2011 Giro d’Italia.

Fotoreporter Sirotti

 

Here’s a preview of this weekend’s main events:

1. I wonder if this year’s Giro d’Italia has passed as quickly for the riders as it has for the fans? Regardless, the season’s first grand tour ends this weekend with what looks to be a spectacular mountain stage and long individual time trial in downtown Milan.

Tomorrow’s 242-kilometer trip from Verbania to Sestriere looks straightforward enough: 195 kilometers of flat roads followed by two major climbs, the last of which marks the end of the Giro’s final road stage. That said these two climbs—the Colle delle Finestre and the Sestriere are anything but usual. The Finestre was first used in the 2005 Giro d’Italia and it’s two main protagonists then—Danilo Di Luca and Jose Rujano—are both riding this year as well. Rising out of an Alpine valley, the climb is perhaps most famous for its final 8 unpaved kilometers—a surface that should produce serious time gaps and stunning racing for fans.

After a descent that could favor those willing to take a few risks, the riders will tackle the final climb to the ski resort at Sestriere. Ironically, Sestriere was the scene of Lance Armstrong’s mountain stage win in the 1999 Tour de France—a rain soaked victory that saw him seize control of the race for good.

Saxo Bank’s Alberto Contador requires no such heroics. With more than a 5-minute lead on his nearest rival, the Spaniard can ride comfortably, knowing that it would take nothing short of a major collapse for him to lose his maglia rosa. On the other hand, the battle for second and third is alive and well, with two Italians, Lampre’s Michele Scarponi and Liquigas’ Vincenzo Nibali, separated by less than a minute. Look for Scarponi and Nibali to use the Finestre’s ascent and descent respectively to try and launch their final bids to be #2. Other riders to watch include Androni’s Jose Rujano (the stage winner here in 2005), Katusha’s Joaquin Rodriguez (a rider trying to salvage a rather lackluster race for his team), and Acqua & Sapone’s Stefano Garzelli (the current leader of the KOM competition).

In Sunday’s 31.5-kilometer time trial in downtown Milan, Alberto Contador will put his final stamp on what might just be one of his most convincing grand tour victories. As for the rest of the podium, if Scarponi and Nibali are still close, the stage favors the rider from Liquigas. Scarponi will need the ride of his life to defend any advantage smaller than 45-seconds. As for a stage winner, watch out for Saxo Bank’s Richie Porte (his form is improving) and Garmin-Cervelo’s David Millar (one of the Giro’s most aggressive riders) to battle for victory.

2. As for the Tour of Belgium—the other national tour wrapping-up this weekend—a familiar rider is now wearing the black jersey as race leader: Omega Pharma-Lotto’s Philippe Gilbert. Depending on how motivated he is, tomorrow’s Stage 4 is not a day that should challenge King Phil—a mini-Ardennes classic with several climbs including the Mur de Huy, the Stockeu, the Haute Levée, and an uphill finish. If he’s there at the end—and it’s hard to see any reason why he wouldn’t be—look for the day and the overall title to go to Gilbert. And if all goes well for Belgian fans, Sunday will see Quick-Step’s Tom Boonen take the stage and points title.

3. Germany’s Bayern Rundfahrt concludes this weekend with an individual time trial Saturday and a Sunday stage that will likely end in a field sprint. HTC-Highroad’s Michael Albasini won today’s Stage 3, winning a 9-man group sprint to the take the day and overall race lead. As the gap to the main peloton was over 5 minutes, look for one of today’s escapees—whichever has the better ride tomorrow—to take the overall victory Sunday. My money’s on Saxo Bank’s Nicki Sorensen, a talented time trialist who should take the lead tomorrow and defend it well Sunday. My sentimental pick: Garmin-Cervelo’s Andreas Klier, although a win for Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas would be nice to see as well. These three men all sit within 12 seconds of Albasini and appear to have the best chances to win the 2.HC event.

4. And finally, the US Professional Championships take place Saturday and Monday in South Carolina with all of the country’s best riders participating. In Saturday’s time trial, I see David Zabriskie taking the win over Levi Leipheimer and Taylor Phinney. On the other hand, national championship road races are always tough to call—look for the Radio Shack and Garmin-Cervelo to do the lion share of the work while the smaller teams do their best to upset the apple cart. In the end, fitness and experience will rule the day—in other words, look for Chris Horner to add the stars and stripes to his ATOC win. Garmin-Cervelo’s Andrew Talansky and BMC’s George Hincapie will round out the podium.

And there you have it—a quick rundown of what to expect this weekend. What are your picks and predictions?

And in case you have yet to do so, enter our Laekhouse Colle delle Finestre Contest. Guess the first rider over the Finestre and win a t-shirt from Laekhouse!

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Weekend Preview – From the Giro to Dunkirk

Posted on May 6, 2011 by

Fotoreporter Sirotti

 

The 94th Giro d’Italia opens this weekend with a 19.3-kilometer team time trial Saturday in Torino and a long trek from Alba to Parma Sunday. With several teams looking to take the first maglia rosa and the first road stage of the 3-week event, the action should be fierce.

While Saxo Bank, Liquigas, Sky, and Garmin-Cervelo will do their best to take the win Saturday, I expect HTC-High Road to deliver Marco Pinotti the first maglia rosa of his career. Pinotti was a member of the HTC squad that won the Giro’s TTT in 2009, although that year’s pink jersey went to Mark Cavendish.

Luckily for Cav, Sunday’s 244-kilometer ride suits his talents. He’s a good bet to take the win over Garmin-Cervelo’s Tyler Farrar and Lampre’s Alessandro Petacchi—if all goes well Saturday, a win Sunday should also be enough to make his teammate’s stay in pink a rather short one. But don’t discount Farrar. His team will likely finish within the top-3 of the TTT, leaving the American in shouting distance of the pink jersey should he win Sunday.

Moving north, another pink jersey will be awarded over the weekend, this time for the overall winner of the 4 Days of Dunkirk. Skil-Shimano’s Marcel Kittel has maintained a stranglehold on the race thus far, winning all three of the race’s stages—he heads into the weekend with a 30-second lead. With few difficulties on offer, there’s no reason at this point to think the young German won’t win the overall title.

That’s all she wrote—at least for this weekend. Enjoy the sensitivities, and share your picks below.

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