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Primož Roglič (Team Jumbo-Visma) is the strongest rider in the race, there is no doubt about that.
The surprise of the day was how far down the order Egan Bernal (Ineos) is. Even his own teammate, Pavel Sivakov who I marked as one Ineos’s strongest riders – above G and Froomie – dropped Bernal in the finale. Last year’s Tour de France winner did not look good, and I don’t know if there is enough time for Bernal to make up him form in time for the third week of that ride around France.
I see Roglič winning both the Dauphiné and Le Tour, but more on his own that with the help of his bumblebees in the Tour’s third week.
Sepp Kuss is on another level. He looks like he’s not even trying until the final 2k, then he gets on the front at 7w/kg and drops half the group. I hoped Dumoulin would be better, but I really had no expectation for a rider coming off a 16-month knee injury. The same can be said for Chris Froome. The fact that he is racing is yet another testament to his complete dedication and work ethic which borders on insanity.
Movistar looks terrible. The trident looks to have melted in the August heat.
Tiesj Benoot (Team Sunweb) took the ‘ol DNF today. Not sure what happened, but that’s a bad sign for the Belgian who I’ve been a fan of for a long time. He has a unique style and fearless aggression that has seen him finish in the Top-10 on all sorts of terrain.
Why is André Greipel (Israel Start-Up Nation) racing the Dauphiné? Did he now see the profile? Did he not know that he would be finishing in the groupetto every single stage? No disrespect to der Gorilla, but every stage is an uphill/summit finish after 2500+ meters of climbing. Maybe he’s just using the Dauphiné as an expensive training camp – complete with motor pacing, descending practice, heat adaptation, and a team car following behind.
I think a breakaway makes it on Stage 4, and a group of 20 GC guys coming into the final 1km together. Stage 5 is much harder – I foresee a large breakaway filled with teammates of GC riders, and Jumbo-Visma facing a big test in controlling the race.
I see Gregor Mühlberger (BORA-hansgrohe) and Tanel Kangert (EF Pro Cycling) in tomorrow’s breakaway and fighting for the stage win.