Paris-Nice: Stage 3
Lumpy stage today but not as bad as tomorrow. Sounds like a reduced bunch sprint is most likely with the proper sprinters getting dropped on the final climb about 12km from the finish.
Gallopin, Simon, Gilbert etc all seem very popular but who's your money on today? Can Viviani keep the lead?
And how are you managing your team ahead of tomorrow and the proper mountains? Time to drop your sprinters now or wait another day? I've gutted my team making a penalty transfer to rid myself of Kittel, Renshaw, Hutarovich and Bouhanni but I've kept Viviani for now.
No penalty transfers, so if the sprinters make it to the finish I still have 4, but if they don't I have 3 or 4 that might contest a reduced sprint, plus a cheap guy that I'm hoping will hit the break today or tomorrow. So hedging my bets cagily today...
Haven't carried over any transfers, but do have 30 credits in hand. Will probably drop 2 sprinters after today, and 2 more after tomorrow, just need to decide which GC guys to bring in...
I've started bringing in the GC guys now hoping that today and tomorrow they top 20 at the finish. I don't expect Kittel or Renshaw to be anywhere at the finish so I can't really lose (famous last words).
Well Ive kept Kittel and Viviani just inacase. Ive worked out abit of a plan in my head for the next couple of days 
Tomorrow may be won by a break, and Ive gonna put the perfect guy in along with a GC guy.
As for today I already have a couple of GC guys that are also there for the final TT. Along with a few that could be there for the stage. Still waiting for Grivko to go in a break (the day after I take him out?)
Viviani
Kittel
Gallopin
Meersman
Ulissi
Hivert
Grivko
Chavanel
Tejay
Viviani
Chavanel
Haussler
Soupe
Hivert
Gallopin
for the finish and
Westra
Roche
Talansky
for finish line points and the long haul.
you don't think Chavanel for the long haul? I think he has a great chance of a podium with only 1 summit finish and seems on good form
Tejay for the win overall though
Yeah, I'll be keeping him for the duration but he's listed for the finish today as I think it suits him down to the ground and he may try and make up some time on the climbers today so I see him as a good bet for the finish today.
I'll be bring TJ back in for Friday, maybe Gesink too if I can shift some credits around.
I've got rid of all my sprinters now and filled the team with what i hope will require no changes till the end and only have Kittel in my purist team.
Stumpy
Standard
Kelderman for Bouhanni
Gerrans for Kittel
Gallopin
Chavanel
Viviani
Westra
Renshaw
Porte
Petacchi
Considered Gilbert but didn't want more penalties
I nearly brought in Kelderman but went for Roche, I have no idea why, just a hunch. Hoping that Roche is there or there abouts on every stage.
He's nothing if not consistent (and boring).
Four Frenchmen in for a 20 point penalty.
Chavanel
Gallopin
Soupe
Hivert
Howard
Meersman
Rojas
Westra
Porte
I got rid of Viviani...
I got rid of Viviani...
I very nearly did but at least expect him to get some GC/jersey points today. He'll get the boot tonight though.
I may regret taking out all of my sprinters...
Here's a quote from someone at Greenedge:
"A lot of sprinters teams have ambitions today and there's only the small hill 15 kms from the finish to handle. If we manage it right, why not count on Leigh Howard? He failed us a little bit in stage 1 but took his revenge yesterday by finishing third in a finish that didn't suit him that much."
If Kittel is anywhere near the top 20 I'm going to cry.
Na kittel dosen't climb well normally....... 
Phew, Kittel has been dropped
OUCH!!!! 
Viviani at the back
The Italian Yellow Jersey holder reached the top of Cote de Mauvagnat (Km 155) 1:22 behind the leaders.
What do you reckon? 1:22 over 12km, can he pull it back?
Still waiting for Grivko to go in a break (the day after I take him out?)
You may be in luck Ter, Grivko attacking off the front.
TERatcliffe26 wrote:Still waiting for Grivko to go in a break (the day after I take him out?)You may be in luck Ter, Grivko attacking off the front.
Think he took the cat 2 points
Talansky takes it!
Wooo! Go Talent-sky!
Bad for my team, but an exiting stage to watch.
Got Talansky, Izagirre and porte in my purist
Talansky in my standard, Porte in my purist.
Talansky was one of my last minute changes this morning when I decided to ditch my sprinters. For once a risk pays off!
Decent score I guess for me considering, had I had Talansky it would have been good. Had 7th,8th,12th inthe end. Good call bringing in Ulissi and sticking by Grivko/Hivert
Nearly picked talanski for bouhanni, but went for porte instead...not too bad...still going up ghe leagues.
Singletrack MTB mag
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