2014 Tour de France July 23, Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet 1

Inquitus · 22-07-2014 9:37pm #1

Stage details

Distance: 124.5km

Category: High Mountains

Highest point: 1,654m

ASO has developed a taste for jamming a short mountain stage into the last week. They reckon it encourages the best of the peloton to race from the dropped flag. And who's to argue after the exceptional 110km race to L'Alpe d'Huez in 2011, won by Pierre Rolland? Or last year's 125km stage to Annecy-Semnoz, where Nairo Quintana won by dropping Chris Froome and Joaquim Rodríguez?

This year, it a vicious 124.5km stage between Saint-Gaudens and the summit at Pla d'Adet. Climbs and non-technical descents of the Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde and the Col de Val Louron-Azet (all cat 1) precede the final HC ascent to Pla d'Adet, which starts off with plenty of double digit gradient before slackening off a little in the middle and final. It'll be a hectic stage where the risks and the rewards are at their greatest.

* Borrowed off another forum

Betting

Vincenzo Nibali 11/4
Rafal Majka 7/2
Thibout Pinot 11/2
Alejandro Valverde 12
Joaquim Rodriguez 14
Pierre Rolland 18

MPFG · 22-07-2014 9:46pm

Love the options there in the poll.....really extensive

Anyways ..I would really fancy this stage for Nico Roche if he isn't still tired (??/) it steep but short and suits his power climber abilities better than previous stages

However Tinkoff Saxo will be going all out to ensure Majka is in the break because of the number of KOM points available ....lots and lots ...double what anyone currently has

So If Roche does make the break he will have to work for Majka ...Poor Nico when he does end up in a Tour with the freedom to go for stages he is either cooked or has to work for someone else ...Stage 16 team tactics were all for Rodgers and they worked out ...so tomorrow will be all for Majka

pajor · 22-07-2014 10:20pm

Just read that Simon Gerrans won't be starting tomorrow. Past few days have taken their toll after the aches of Stage 1.

Darkglasses · 22-07-2014 10:58pm

Cheers for setting it up Inquitus. I'm picking Nieve for this one.

retalivity · 22-07-2014 11:28pm

Nieve, rolland and nico for teh lulz

eeeee · 22-07-2014 11:40pm

pajor wrote: »

Just read that Simon Gerrans won't be starting tomorrow. Past few days have taken their toll after the aches of Stage 1.

Oh no

I like Gerrans, I was hoping he would come into himself later on, he had a good day last week so I had hope. Pity.

ZiabR · 23-07-2014 8:18am

GC in this years TDF really has been a let down. Don't get me wrong, Nibali is riding very very well but there is no one that can take it to him. Its a shame.

I am going for Nibali today

Morrisseeee · 23-07-2014 8:59am

Cool stage, a short-n-snappy roller-coaster, would have been interesting with Conti/Froome on board

:rolleyes:
Still could be interesting though, would GC guys (maybe Pinot) do a Conti and attack on the first climb !, Rodriguez/DeMarchi will surely bite at this one.

Koobcam · 23-07-2014 9:44am

logik wrote: »

GC in this years TDF really has been a let down. Don't get me wrong, Nibali is riding very very well but there is no one that can take it to him. Its a shame.

I am going for Nibali today

I suppose that's true in terms of the overall, but I think the podium/top 10 battle is pretty good. Looking forward to today's stage-I'm assuming Katusha and Saxo will be doing everything to get Rodriguez and Majka into the break, I reckon today will decide the KoM. I reckon Valverde will have a badish day today and maybe fall to third.

Brian? · 23-07-2014 10:09am

Pinot looked very good yesterday, he could have a big day today.

Wouldn't it be great if he attacked early and took 4 minutes from Nibali? Anyone? No?

daramike · 23-07-2014 10:23am

Of the favourites Pinot looks the strongest to me now. He has to attack to gain more time on Peraud before Saturday. A strong break could do it, but Majka and Rodriguez would have to be in it. Some of the non GC teams have to try something, Horner has a free reign now and could be dangerous. I'm sure Rolland will attack somewhere as well .

pajor · 23-07-2014 10:27am

daramike wrote: »

I'm sure Rolland will attack somewhere as well .

Voeckler too, just to rob some KOM points for the lulz.

dastardly00 · 23-07-2014 12:45pm

Retto Hollenstein (IAM Cycling) is a DNS today. He rode 222km of the 223km stage yesterday with a collapsed lung. He had crashed after 1km.

Legend.

Koobcam · 23-07-2014 12:47pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

Retto Hollenstein (IAM Cycling) is a DNS today. He rode 222km of the 223km stage yesterday with a collapsed lung. He had crashed after 1km.

Legend.

:eek:

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 1:14pm

Early 8 man breakaway - Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Tom Jelte Slagter (Garmin-Sharp), Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling), Yukio Arashiro (Europcar), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Biel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing) and Sergio Paulinho (TInkoff-Saxo).

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 1:14pm

Current KOM top 5

1 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo 89 pts
2 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 88
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 86
4 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 61
5 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr 49

MPFG · 23-07-2014 1:21pm

I agree with Sean ....new method of calculating the green jersey esp with Sagan in the race

Maybe double points for wining a stage ?

death1234567 · 23-07-2014 1:30pm

MPFG wrote: »

I agree with Sean ....new method of calculating the green jersey esp with Sagan in the race

Maybe double points for wining a stage ?

It's not Sagan's fault he is so dominant. But I do think there should be more points for the final sprint of the day so that sprinters like Kittel/Cav have a chance for the green jersey and Sagan has to work to get into breakaways etc. to get intermediate points.

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 1:41pm

Gap is down to 30 seconds with 76km left. Blistering pace so far, over 52kph avg.

lennymc · 23-07-2014 1:45pm

Darkglasses wrote: »

over 52kph avg.

:eek:

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 1:47pm

lennymc wrote: »

:eek:

Yep!

Another bunch of riders have jumped off the front of the peloton to try and join the break, including J-Rod, Frank Schleck, Nico Roche and Rafal Majka. Crazy racing.

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 2:04pm

J-Rod has taken the first KOM points on offer, looking really good. He's got the polka dot jersey now provisionally.

MPFG · 23-07-2014 2:04pm

Nico do not chase J-Rod ...you are not going to beat him to the line....Save energy for later

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 2:06pm

Eeeek...Durbo knocked over by a Movistar soigneur, and gets a pretty good shove for it. Durbo up and riding again.

eeeee · 23-07-2014 2:12pm

Darkglasses wrote: »

Eeeek...Durbo knocked over by a Movistar soigneur, and gets a pretty good shove for it. Durbo up and riding again.

What the hell was the soigneur thinking?! I'd be livid if I was Durbo. It's not like they don't know what they're doing!!

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 2:13pm

gadetra wrote: »

What the hell was the soigneur thinking?! I'd be livid if I was Durbo. It's not like they don't know what they're doing!!

Mistakes were made, he said "triste" and thankfully, no major harm done

retalivity · 23-07-2014 2:13pm

very, very strong front 20ish riders ahead of nibali

EDIT:
Pierre Rolland (Europcar), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lott-Belisol), Frank Schleck (Trek Factory Racing), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Peter Velits (BMC), Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Shimano), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Jon Izagirre (Movistar), Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Amaël Moinard (BMC), Yukio Arashiro (Europcar), Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Vasil Kiryienka (Sky), Biel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), Bauke Mollema (Belkin), Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo), Joaqium Rodríguez (Katusha), Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida), David Lopez (Sky) and Alessandro de Marchi (Cannondale)

Valverde sends 2 up the road...must be planning something

Darkglasses · 23-07-2014 2:17pm

Kiryienka gone away looking really strong

retalivity · 23-07-2014 2:20pm

kwiatowski in the grupetto already

MPFG · 23-07-2014 2:23pm

retalivity wrote: »

kwiatowski in the grupetto already

And he is lying 8th or 9th on GC.....he is up and down GC every other day :eek:

omicron · 23-07-2014 2:25pm

MPFG wrote: »

Nico do not chase J-Rod ...you are not going to beat him to the line....Save energy for later

I presume he's being told to chase him to minimise the points he gets so Majka has a better shot?

2014 Tour de France July 23, Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet 1

Who will win tomorrows stage 17 votes

Comments