Paris Nice queen stage

Dave, I think the scores are out, JTL appears to have been given a 5 point bonus for Porte's win but I don't think he finished the stage, should he get that?

i still have space for two nice escapers tomorow
and then have a perfect team on sunday:)

Just done a bit of forward planning for Sunday and I'm 0.2 away from my perfect team.

1,3,4,6,7,9,11,12,16 for me fianly got my last badge:)

194 including 10 penalty points. Unfortunately those 10 points were for my Hivert -> Gesink transfer so I'm -20 ish on that, it also cost me my full house badge

Only 4 points off the top 10 so that's my aim for this tour now, that and retaining the lead in the Forum Scorum comp

Bloody mr Menchov, stopped me getting 1-2-3, mind you 1,3,4 is still canny plus 12 and 15.

Useless at the scores so i have no idea what that will add upto including gc points but i think about 150ish

Netted a cracking 171 after bringing in Porte and Péraud.

Now with 1,2,3,4,6 on GC in my squad, transfers for tomorrow should be a breeze!

Transferred Porte in last night, turned out nice again. That's three stage winners out of five this week.

Didn't put Talansky in though. Plonker.

A poultry 95 my punts did squat! (Roy & de gendt)
foolishly no Talansky in my team 2 days running

1,3,5,6,7,8,12 and 15. Gesink my only non-scorer

3,4,6,8,9 for me I think.

GC now

Porte
Talansky
Westra
Peraud
TVG
Chavanel
Spilak
Ulissi
Scarponi
Velits

Porte
Menchov
Talansky
TVG
Ulissi
Westra
Peraud
Quintana
Spilak
Scarponi

Jens Voigt I wonder how many times he has been shouting "Shut up legs" today?
What a machine.

And now Sebastian Hinault steps off his bike to head for home.

JTL isn't living up to the hype if you ask me....or his off season training hasn't gone well which under sky's management I can't see tbh

JTL has abandoned

Peter Velits (OPQ)
Gorka Izagirre (EUS)
Sylvain Chavanel (OPQ)
Nicolas Roche (SAX)
Lieuwe Westra (VCD)
Andrew Talansky (GRM)
Andriy Grivko (AST)
Andreas Kloden (RSN)
Diego Ulissi (LAM)

Took out Voigt last night. Now he's in the break! He better not win!

Quote:

Two abandons
Gianni Meersman (OPQ) and Gaetan Bille (LTB) have given up.

TJ
Keldenman
Talansky
Ulissi
Bouet
Peraud
Chavenal
Westra
Elmiger.

Wish I had not experimented with my purist team, it has 8 sprinters and now not worth watching, gonna try something different in Dauphin.

HUPOND Thierry, LONGO BORGHINI, LEMOINE Cyril and VOIGT Jens are the break with 6 mins after 55kms.

Just used the 1 transfer today leaving 4 for tomorrow:

Ulissi(in for Malacarne)
Westra
G Izagirre
Van Garderen
Kelderman
Grivko
Talansky
Quintana
Keizer

For me DeGendt or Clarke would be the break options today but just too expensive to get in to the team as it would mean dropping two guaranteed points scorers for a speculative punt and a squadfiller.

It's been a atrange race so far as usually theres a 3-5 credit DS in amongst the GC/KOM/Youth/Pts competitions which frees up a bit of budget but there's not one.

8 men standing in my purist team after Bouhanni's swan dive

Kelderman,Van Garderen,Spilak,Porte,Westra and then Kittel,Renshaw,Viviani who won't be much help now.

Gesink (for the win)
Westra
Talansky
Peraud
Roche
Quintana
Chavanel
Porte
Ulissi

Didn't plump for De Gendt in the end and didn't try to work in Van Garderen so if either of those two do anything today that'd hurt.