July 20, Stage 17: Gap - Pinerolo 179km

ednwireland

Last chance for the baroudeurs

The race heads into Italy via the Montgenèvre pass, climbs to Sestrières and then features a late complicating factor in the shape of the 7km Pramartino climb, off which the road descends steeply into the finish in Pinerolo. The overall contenders are likely to wait until that last test before making any move today but the temptation for most will surely be to hold something back for the epic test the next day. That once again gives breakaway riders another good chance of going all the way to the finish. In fact, it is likely to be their final opportunity to do so.

another downhill finish will a. schleck realise that racing is about getting time on your opponents or just complain

lebowski11

Would anyone hazard a guess on who is going to win this stage? I was thinking of going for Sammy Sanchez and Luis Leon Sanchez at 16/1 and 18/1. Any reasons why I should avoid either or both of these riders?

Lumen

Last 5km:

mfdc

Christ, that first kilometer looks like it's nearly 15% down. Wouldn't fancy racing down that, hope no-one comes a cropper!

AG2R

I wonder how Andy will tackle this one today

Gipo3

Roche going to try for break again.

Chips Lovell

lebowski11 wrote: »

Would anyone hazard a guess on who is going to win this stage? I was thinking of going for Sammy Sanchez and Luis Leon Sanchez at 16/1 and 18/1. Any reasons why I should avoid either or both of these riders?

Samuel Sanchez is too high up on the GC to be let away in a break. I wouldn't bet on him.

Sundy

AG2R wrote: »

I wonder how Andy will tackle this one today

Whats the weather like?
If its messy id expect evans to attack them again on the decent once again.

mahoo

my chavanel prediction fell flat on its face yesterday... i see the bookies have him as favourite today though... anyone know why he's not in great form this tour? he's been fairly active early on in stages, getting in to breaks but he seams to get dropped on even the smallest climbs...

loads of descending in the last 60k.. now that thor thinks he's a climber will he have another go? he could probably make up a good few minutes on your average joe (10minutes on the schlecks ) with all that down hill. would be funny if he did.

the only prediction id be confident of is that Roy will be in the break

mahoo

lebowski11 wrote: »

Would anyone hazard a guess on who is going to win this stage? I was thinking of going for Sammy Sanchez and Luis Leon Sanchez at 16/1 and 18/1. Any reasons why I should avoid either or both of these riders?

could be a day to suit LL Sanchez. he's a good descender and he's been very quiet the last while too

AG2R

17 degrees with light showers in Gap
Sunny in Pinerolo

lebowski11

mahoo wrote: »

could be a day to suit LL Sanchez. he's a good descender and he's been very quiet the last while too

I've had Sanchez backed for Thor's 2 stage wins. I'm tempted to back the Norwegian today as a safety measure, surely he can't do it again? Roy is 150/1, worth an each way punt.

Unregistered.

Roche to do well on this one.

gavkm27

does anyone know of any streams up and running,cheers

AstraMonti

gavkm27 wrote: »

does anyone know of any streams up and running,cheers

It doesn't start for another hour and a half.

Sundy

AstraMonti wrote: »

It doesn't start for another hour and a half.

Coverage starts at 12 on Eurosport HD!

or 12.30 on eursosport 1

kennyb3

Unregistered. wrote: »

Roche to do well on this one.

I must make sure to follow your tips, you ve been right all the other days ... oh actually no wait...

If you say it every day of every race though im sure you ll eventually get it right

lukester

David Harmon via Twitter:

Sun, Italy and the last descent is a race decider. Long, very technical and very steep, like a double length Poggio with holes.

niceonetom

Gerdemann.

Chips Lovell

niceonetom wrote: »

Gerdemann.

Interesting pick alright. Remember 2006.

lukester

niceonetom wrote: »

Gerdemann.

The ageless forest nymph of the peloton.

Pherekydes

AG2R wrote: »

I wonder how Andy will tackle this one today

He'll probably dismount on the descent.

AG2R

Will Tommy have his legs today or will today be the day he loses his jersey

GetWithIt

Looks like Roche will finally make the break of the day.

Pherekydes

Early break has Boasson Hagen and Casar in it. Don't these guys ever give up? Or take an easy day (such as it is)?

Pherekydes

GetWithIt wrote: »

Looks like Roche will finally make the break of the day.

Working with Hushovd.

Feck off, will ya Thor.

AG2R

Break is
Luis Gerdemann
Luis-Leon Sanchez
Remy Di-Gregorio
Rui Da Costa
Edvald Boassen Hagen
Geraint Thomas
Sandy Casar
Danillo Hondo
Tejay Van Gardenen
Thomas De Gent



Thor and Roche have been reeled back in

ontheditch2

AG2R wrote: »

Break is
Luis Gerdemann
Luis-Leon Sanchez
Remy Di-Gregorio
Rui Da Costa
Edvald Boassen Hagen
Geraint Thomas
Sandy Casar
Danillo Hondo
Tejay Van Gardenen
Thomas De Gent



Thor and Roche have been reeled back in

I'm going for de gent, has a decent chance today. The money is down.

AG2R

I think the break has been caught, according to the Eurosport website there is only a pack now :S

RobFowl

Break caught

Here's some live SRM data (for Lumen and Beasty esp)

Chips Lovell

Hondo, Thomas and Boassen Hagen can all sprint. If the break stays together, my money would be on one of them.

The rest of them will know this though. LL Sanchez is a good descender, as is Gerdemann when he puts his mind to it. Guys like them would need to split the break on the last climb, rocket down to the finish and hope the GC action doesn't kick off again behind them.

Chips Lovell

Yep, break caught, all that speculation out the window now.

RobFowl

RobFowl wrote: »

Break caught

Here's some live SRM data (for Lumen and Beasty esp)

http://data.srmlive.de/TDF/

D3PO

jeez its going to be a long day for Roche if hes been shelled albeit it only for a few moments.

His legs must be shot to pieces. Good chance he wont finish the tour this year me thinks

mahoo

average speed so far today is 50km/hr... no wonder the breaks aren't getting away. pray for nico, its going to be a LONG 3 days for him

on_the_nickel

Backed Cunego yesterday, I'm going to have to go with him again today.

RobFowl

• 

A new break has formed. Boassan Hagen is there again and he's been joined by Perez, Tjallingii, Fofonov, Muravyev, Amador, Paterski, Chavanel, El Fares, Casar, Bozic, Leukmans, Hivert and the bunch are 1:30 back

AG2R

New break.
Ruben Perez Moreno
Bauke Mollema
Maarten TJallngii
Dmitriy Fofonov
Andry Amador
Maciej Paterski
Edvald Boassen Hagen
Sylvain Chavanel
Sandy Casar
Julien El Fares
Borut Bozic
Bjorn Leukmans
Johnathan Hivert

niceonetom

Average speeds for yesterday were 46+ for the whole stage which is ludicrous when you look at the profile. It seems that for whatever reason breaks are going later and having to try harder to get away than is usual for this phase of the tour.

I wonder if that very aggressive riding and bump in avg speed is hurting some of the GC contenders more than others.

mahoo

RobFowl wrote: »

http://data.srmlive.de/TDF/

never looked at that before...was just wondering why El Fares was going 10km/hr faster than anyone else and then realised there had been a break!

AG2R

Tiralongo has withdrawn from the race

Lumen

Tiralongone?

kmart6

Lumen wrote: »

Tiralongone?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcYppAs6ZdI

check_six

mahoo wrote: »

never looked at that before...was just wondering why El Fares was going 10km/hr faster than anyone else and then realised there had been a break!

Like it when it looks like the riders have taken a shortcut on the course when the map isn't updating correctly, or when someone updates all of a sudden and moves about a mile up the road instantly catapult style!

ednwireland

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jul/20/tour-de-france-2011-schleck-dangerous-descent

andy schleck needs to get off this tour

kmart6

G'wan Nico!!!

AG2R

He needed to go. Hoogerland on the chase

CianRyan

Roche on the attack, go on boy!

Have to leave the house in a few minutes... Bloody hell!

John.Icy

Legs looked good there for nico..maybe a better few days in prospect...the little trio have gained almost a minute already...

gavkm27

Brilliant stuff,go nic!

Esroh

De Weert is a place above Ag2r's top placed rider. Will Nico work with him