Paris Nice Stage 4 - Nevers to Belleville

Thats awesome Johnny, good stuff. I was 50-50 between Slagter and Izagirre, but Slagter has hardly ridden this year so I didn't gamble. Although there were others I rejected for the same reason that did bugger-all so I can't really complain.

Talking of betting - Horner is 33/1 for the Giro at present, I thought it was worth an e/w...

Wish I hadn't taken Degenkolb out. I was tempted not to, but my itchy fingers got the better of me.

I made 4 changes and would have scored more had I made none

That went a little bit wrong!! nevermind....

Scores on the way

Top 20
1 SLAGTER Tom-Jelte Garmin Sharp 50 5:00:09
2 THOMAS Geraint Team Sky 30 ,,
3 KELDERMAN Wilco Belkin-Pro Cycling Team 18 0:05
4 MATTHEWS Michael Orica GreenEDGE 13 ,,
5 STYBAR Zdenek Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 10 ,,
6 VICHOT Arthur FDJ.fr 7 ,,
7 VELITS Peter BMC Racing Team 4 ,,
8 ROJAS José Joaquin Movistar Team 3 ,,
9 GAUTIER Cyril Team Europcar 2 ,,
10 DUMOULIN Samuel AG2R La Mondiale 1 ,,
11 COSTA Rui Lampre - Merida ,,
12 IZAGIRRE Ion Movistar Team ,,
13 SEPúLVEDA Eduardo Bretagne - Séché Environnement ,,
14 WELLENS Tim Lotto Belisol ,,
15 BETANCUR Carlos AG2R La Mondiale ,,
16 CARUSO Damiano Cannondale ,,
17 JEANNESSON Arnold FDJ.fr ,,
18 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw Lampre - Merida ,,
19 SCHLECK Fränk Trek Factory Racing ,,
20 BARDET Romain AG2R La Mondiale ,,

and photo Top 10 Courtesy of @Movistar

oh bugger, 25% ? kept my sprinters in

Got this one wrong by the looks. Gone to check Wig_Billy transfers...yep that's what I should have done

Eurosport have gone with Tirreno live (130-3ish) with highlights of Paris-Nice straight after. So might watch as-live and avoid the thread from now on...

had an indifferent bunch of sprint stages to date, so hoping for better now that we hit some hills.

gone for:

costa
kelderman
gva
thomas
slagter
gallopin
sepulveda
degenkolb
seb chava.

suspect sylv chava is going to show well, but couldnt make it fit! and nibali, and betancur, and stybar... cant fit them all!

I got rid of Degenkolb because of the next few stages being mountainous and the stupid gradient in today's stage.

Costa
Nibali
Betancur
Thomas
Kelderman
Delaplace
Chernetski
Jungels
Fouchard

Didn't really know what to do, and kept Degenkolb as although expensive, should score at least 5 points the next two days, which is better than a kick in the teeth when anything could happen!

Degenkolb
Rui Costa
Bakelants
Chavanel
Slagter
Thomas
Chernetski
Zingle
Hinault

Whenever I bring in the breakaway guy from stage one, he never goes again. Whenever I don't, he's in every break of the tour. Bloody Laborie.

No idea about today, I'm expecting Nibali/Betancur et al to put the hammer down on the climb, but there's no guarantee they'll stay away. If they don't, my purists might do OK, if they do, I have them in standard. So guaranteed to be disappointed one way or the other!

Betancur
Nibali
Degenkolb
Thomas
J Izagirre
Gallopin
Laborie
Hinault
Rovny
(no pens)

When I quickly looked at the stage profile before making my transfers the climbs didn't look too hard so left in most of my sprinters. I failed to notice that section at 25% though! At only 14km from the finish that is going to end most sprinters chances, although Degenkolb seems to be in good form and can climb quite well.

I think stage 5 is potentially a bit sprinty, plus Degenkolb will still be in Green at the end of the day so didn't take a pen. Already had Thomas and brought 4 in

Betancur
Stybar
Gallopin
Thomas
Chavanel
Chernetski
Fonseca
Sepulveda
Degenkolb

that looks fun

five transfers for me, 1 pen. costa/majka/chava/betancur for me too, + thomas and simon yates for a bit of UK interest