July 7, Stage 6: Dinan - Lisieux 226km

ednwireland

A trick in the tail

You could be forgiven for wondering whether Philippe Gilbert sketched out his dream scenario for week one and the Tour simply went with it. This is by some distance the Tour's longest stage, taking in undulating roads. There are no big hills as such, just constant up and downs taking a toll. Even though you would expect the sprinters to be in control in this region, there is sure to be a late twist on the short, sharp rise towards the basilica in Lisieux, little more than a kilometre from the finish. Any riders who gain seconds there are likely to dispute the finish between them.

bikenut

Thanks ednwireland - these previews are great.

Does anyone else think it's strange they use GMT instead of CET? We're GMT + 1 at the mo so France is GMT + 2 (corresponds to a 17:10 finish time which sounds about right).

For my part - Vinokourov tomorrow at 22/1 - I'm not a fan but I'd rather that than Gilbert at 10/3.

ednwireland

just stealing em off cyclingnews

SomeFool

Reckon it's a stage made for a breakaway myself, could be a good one.

Sundy

Looking forward to todays stage. Holidayed in Dol de Bretagne a couple of times. Will be nice to see it on the TV!

ednwireland

Sundy wrote: »

Looking forward to todays stage. Holidayed in Dol de Bretagne a couple of times. Will be nice to see it on the TV!

i pulled up the drawbridge on that castle at cap frehel on yesterdays stage

Sundy

ednwireland wrote: »

i pulled up the drawbridge on that castle at cap frehel on yesterdays stage

Sweet! thats what i love about the tour

bcmf

All Quick Step riders are starting today after the carnage of yesterday according to QS twitter

Lumen

I love the way the food stop icon on those stage maps is a knife and fork.

Reminds me of this sort of thing.

I think Harmon was talking yesterday about some guy who rode with a broken collarbone whilst pulling on the bars with his teeth. More here.


Battered and riding with a broken collarbone, Magni couldn't pull on the bars so he gripped a length of inner tube in his teeth in the 1956 Giro

Morrisseeee

^^ ah the good auld days, when men were men and stages took 13 hours to complete :cool:

tippx

Maybe could suit cunego today if he trys some thing in a breakaway or sandy ceaser its a bit like the Amstel Gold with out the twists up and down all day so maybe a classics rider ,Gilbert of coures will be there abouts Come on the breakaway!!!:rolleyes: If the break goes without jhonny H today wont seem right:D

niceonetom

@inrng - Solid breakaway: Johnny Hoogerland, Lieuwe Westra, Anthony Roux and Adriano Malori are all excellent rouleurs. Leonardo Duque is odd man out Duque is more of a sprinter, useful on uphill finishes. If break stays he'll like the finish but other four won't try their luck against him

Morrisseeee

The finish today, it looks tricky, and challenging, also note the last km is flat(ish):

kmart6

Jesus terrible conditions atm!

Roy in the break away again....he really wants those red numbers back!

Pherekydes

Hoogerland takes the first climb and is the virtual leader of the mountains classification.

kmart6

Cav winning the second sprint to the intermediate! Wasn't challenged to it really! Rojas and Gilbert had to ease up to stay on their bikes!

BQQ

Break looks like being caught with about 20 kms to go.

Reckon someone from the bunch will have a go before is becomes a sprint.
Gilbert probably / maybe Cancellera

yop

What was all the hooting about at about 21km from home? Watching it on TnaG there.
Loads of cars, bikes and cyclists but the car/bike was going mad!

kmart6

yop wrote: »

What was all the hooting about at about 21km from home? Watching it on TnaG there.
Loads of cars, bikes and cyclists but the car/bike was going mad!

Was that when Voeckler was trying to get back on?! Coulda just been letting the team cars know there was 2 riders coming behind them!

Leiphemier skidded down there...up and going straight away!

kmart6

Contador went there...and then stopped himself...interesting!!

kmart6

Boassan Hagen with the win!

BQQ

Roche 21st

happytramp

Roche 21st

happytramp

^^ weird

kmart6

...and moved up to 23rd in the GC!

yop

kmart6 wrote: »

Was that when Voeckler was trying to get back on?! Coulda just been letting the team cars know there was 2 riders coming behind them!

Leiphemier skidded down there...up and going straight away!

That was probably it. There were 2 riders.

kmart6

Yeah that was him and one of his Europcar team mates...he had to change his bike so they were catching up!

bcmf

Tweet of the day goes to DZ about 20mns after the fininsh:
"One time while self administering a colonic I think I saw Jesus......That is how I feel right now at this very moment"

mloc123

Contador is loving the tarmac these days..

kmart6

mloc123 wrote: »

Contador is loving the tarmac these days..

Eh what?!...he didn't fall today!

Hermy

Was it just a bike exchange or did he go down?

kmart6

Hermy wrote: »

Was it just a bike exchange or did he go down?

Bike exchange...took Navarro's bike initially....and then seemed to stop again, missed by Eurosport, but the word on the second stop was that it was to get his own spare bike cause the car wasn't close to them the first time!

Hermy

Ta - so no crash this time.

kmart6

Not that I could tell of!

mloc123

kmart6 wrote: »

Not that I could tell of!

ah okay, I presume bike swap meant another crash