Switzerland's Gotthard Pass
We are opening the rolling metal door to the VSP generator and warming it up for this weekend’s start of the Tour de Suisse. As usual, the big hitters of the Tour are riding the Dauphine; I should be more excited about that race but, yawn, not so much. The Swiss tour is longer, more climbing, generally a more awesome race and with any luck they will climb the Passo San Gottardo. The Swiss don’t fool around with their roads, tunnels or cows. Here is your start list.
OK, everyone knows the drill here. Delgado-ing is right out, this starts on Saturday, you have been warned. Prizes, rules, go to the VSP pages for the specifics.
[vsp_results id=”47525″/]
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
Tough day at the office, nice ride by JoDomBro, more disappointment for TJVG maybe he just isn't dumb enough. Top ten is inside 1.03 so lots to race for. Another big day tomorrow.
Holy Abandons Batman!!!
This race has had so many abandons this year. Between the parcourse and the weather, they're dropping like flies!
Beautiful suffering going on right now, on finish at Rettenbachglacier in Austria. Snow on Festum Propaetae!
@KogaLover
Are you there now??? Such a BRILLIANT stage going on right now!!!
Prophaetea (begging for Merckxy mercy)
(Merde +*&%"ç§x!!!) Prophaetae (begging for Merckxy mercy^2)
And Buck, no, am not there physically (although am in Switzerland) but Swiss TV does live streaming. Btw, TJ just crashed the rest.
I am guilty of this. So someone please help me understand. Those of us who cheer for the USofA watch Teejay but forget Andrew Talansky. Why do we do that?
@Erik
That may change next month when it looks like van Garderen will be riding in a support role for Richie Porte.
Regarding your initial question, I think it is because Talansky has historically dropped down the standings pretty quickly in big races. As a result, he is out of sight of the lead and therefore out of mind. Tejay, on the other hand has at least made it to the rest day near the top of the standings and therefore top of our minds.
I keep waiting for Talansky to have a break out year. I am hoping this is the one!
@Erik
Don't know, never understood that either, but there is something I just don't like about Van Garderen. Their results are similar, top ten and top five results in world tour stage races, they've both won top shelf stage races :::shrug:::
@Rick
You know, I'd never pick either one for a top ten (let alone top five) finish in a Giro/TdF/Vuelta. They both have trouble finishing three weeks, albeit Talansky's 2014 TdF abandon was epic (2 crashes, lot's of pain, but finished the stage) and Van Garderen's 2015 TdF abandon was sad (he had a migraine).
I do prefer watching Cannondale versus BMC. Obviously Cannondale is not as strong as BMC, but there's lots of exciting great young talent on that team, BMC just feels like a second or third place. I mean, what's not to like about Joe Dombrowski, Formolo, Brown, Moser, Navardauskus, et al?