Walbrzych > Duszniki Zdroj 162km
The third stage of the race has a very hard start, perfect for attackers, and a worry for the GC teams. The break rolled off the front in the first two stages, I can’t see that happening again, this should be a good fight in the first hour.
Weather
Cloudy, but it should stay dry.
Key Points
This is the opening 50km, which features several climbs. It starts with some kickers, before hitting the two cat 2 climbs. Will we see any serious attacks from GC riders?
This is the cat 2 climb which crests with 14km to go. It’s not that hard.
The final 2.3km isn’t easy, especially the final kilometre. The bunch take a tight right-hand bend, then hit a little wall. It’s a very narrow path, not a road, positioning is very important for the right turn. Then it’s around 500m at 11%, before it gets a little easier towards the line.
Tactics
Will we see a strong break establish in the first hour never to be seen again? It might only be the third stage, but we do have big gaps on GC, the problem is if a rider high on GC gets in the move. If the break is relatively big, you can bet that someone within 2 minutes of Mohorič is in it, which will trigger a chase from Bahrain, UAE will also be willing to lend a hand. If the break doesn’t contain a threat, it could have a good chance of success, I don’t think there are too many teams who’ll fancy chasing all day given the type of finish we have.
If the win comes from the GC group, the descent from the cat 2 climb to the foot of the final climb is going to be very important. The roads will be dry, thank God for that, it’s going to be very fast with riders taking risks. This will be a worry for Almeida, we’ve seen that he’s turned into a poor descender, if he doesn’t stay near the head of the peloton, he won’t win this stage. This is music to the ears of a certain Matej Mohorič, one of the best descenders in the pro peloton.
The final climb is easier than today, but I would expect the same names in the mix, maybe not in the same order. To win the stage, you need a strong team to get you in position for the turn at the flamme rouge, then it’s over to the legs. The steep section will require a lot of grunt, but sprinting speed will be needed to win the stage.
Contenders
Matej Mohorič – that was a brilliant win today, he said it was his best day on a bike. The good news for Matej is that this finish suits him a little better than today, bad news for everyone else. Bahrain did a great job positioning Mohorič for the final climb today, but they won’t have as many men to help in this stage, they’ll need to use two or three chasing down the breakaway. This means positioning will be a little harder, but the descent should allow Mohorič to position himself for the final 2km. Given the way he finished today, he starts as the favourite for this stage.
João Almeida – I have massive concerns about his ability to stay near the front on the descent down to the final climb. Also, as the final climb is shorter, it doesn’t suit him as well as today’s finish.
Michał Kwiatkowski – Ineos always do well in terms of positioning, I expect them to get Kwiato into a perfect spot for the final kilometre, then it’s over to his legs. Today, he was the best of the rest, I would have liked to see what would have happened if he was on the wheel of Almeida when Mohorič attacked, Kwiato was a little further down the bunch and couldn’t react in time. The shorter final climb in this stage should suit him better, he should be fighting for the win.
Andrea Vendrame – finished 15th today, 30s behind Mohorič, but that was a positive display by the Italian. This finish suits him much better, he should be fighting for the win, but I worry about his position for the final kilometre.
Sergio Higuita – Bora worked for him today, but he finished in 21st. I think they’ll go again, hoping that the Colombian will be better with some racing in his legs. The easier finish is much better news for him, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him fighting for the win.
Koen Bouwman – breakaway hopeful number 1.
Lennard Kämna – breakaway hopeful number 2.
Rune Herregodts – the type of rider who could attack on the final descent and get the win.
Prediction Time
With 45 riders sitting within 2 minutes of Mohorič, I expect a GC threat to be in the break, meaning it won’t last to the finish.
Another win for Matej Mohorič, he’s got Tour Legs!
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