Tour de France - Stage 11, Wed Jul 10, Avranches - St Michel, **Unmasked Spoilers**

dastardly00

Stage 11, Avranches - Mont-Saint-Michel (ITT), 33 km

Although the route isn't entirely flat, this course will suit the strong powerful time trial specialists as there isn't a lot of shelter from the wind along the way. The finish of the stage to Mont-Saint-Michel is going to be spectacular.

Tony Martin is by far the big favourite for the stage. Although he crashed at the very start of the race, he performed very well in the TTT and appears to be back near his best. Other riders who are well down the GC that could finish near the podium are Svein Tuft from Orica GreenEdge and Sylvain Chavanel from OPQS.

Now, in terms of the GC, it's hard to see anybody coming close to Chris Froome. He probably will be Top-3 in the stage, while the other GC contenders will be hoping for damage limitation. Kreuziger, Rui Costa and Michal Kwiatkowski are decent TT-ers, but don't seem to be in the same league as Froome. And Contador seems to be quite poor in TTs at the moment.

Hopefully Dan Martin can put in a good performance. He has been focusing more on TTs over the last while, so hopefully he might stay in the Top-10 overall after the stage.

Full start order and times (CET!!) here.

Selected start times (again, CET):

14:58 ROCHE Nicolas

16:27 COSTA Rui Alberto
16:30 RODRIGUEZ Joaquim
16:33 MARTIN Daniel
16:36 QUINTANA Nairo
16:39 CONTADOR Alberto
16:42 KREUZIGER Roman
16:45 TEN DAM Laurens
16:48 MOLLEMA Bauke
16:51 VALVERDE Alejandro
16:54 FROOME Christopher





Last kilometre:


Stage betting: T Martin 8/15, C Froome 4/1, M Kwiatkowski 16/1.

Here's a link to the Irish riders' diaries thread.

Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 from 12.45pm, ITV4 from 2pm, and TG4 from 1.10pm.
Highlights on Eurosport1 at 11.45pm, Eurosport2 at 9.15pm, ITV4 at 7pm and 12.10am, and TG4 at 10pm.

Live text-ticker will be here.

Darkglasses

Love short TTs. Have to pray that Froomey doesn't win. But at least even if he doesn't, the time gaps won't be as big as last year's because of the shorter distance.

Well I got the top 2 right today, so tomorrow..Tony Martin 1st, Froomey 2nd.

Nico to have a stormer, relatively speaking. Even though he's on Dom duties, he's looked awesome to me so far.

Can't wait for the finish in Mont St. Michel, I was there years ago and it is completely stunning.

Reginald P. DuM

Your on a roll Darkglasses... Not overly imaginitive pics for the TT, but can't really fault them either.. Martin will win, Froome and Tuft should battle for 2nd & 3rd, barring a big ride from one of the Movistar gang.. Porte going nice and early should be an advantage to Froome too, Sky will be well aware of the output needed from Portes run. So ew Tuft at 33/1 Boyles is worth a little squeak... Gonna be a good afternoon though.

manafana

What a lovely part of france going enjoy a wonderful finish into a wonderful part of france.

Hard to see past tony martin 8 from 9 in time trials this year only beaten in the up hill one he took part in. Froome to chase it home. Prehaps tuft for the 3rd spot.

Betting info on stage 11

pelevin

Any chance Tony Martin would be willing to pretend to be Dan Martin and vice versa for the TT? One of the great TdF moments if Garmin could pull it off.

MPFG

pelevin wrote: »

Any chance Tony Martin would be willing to pretend to be Dan Martin and vice versa for the TT? One of the great TdF moments if Garmin could pull it off.

If its a Garmin result ..it will be Talansky or Ryder as better at TT
But this is a learning curve for Dan Martin.....lets not expect too much until he is ready......I am sure he will give it his best

Don't forget Rui Costa and Chava today...I think they will be up there
Not sure how TJ Van Garderen is but he can TT as can Cadel so maybe BMC will look to redeem themselves today

The one to watch is Bertie....he has to pull it of the bag

Talib Fiasco

Froome is getting serious backing it appear...justified but we'll see... Hope Valverde, Bertie, J Rod and Quintana hold their own... Many think the tour will be over after today. Crazy talk.

Tuft: 38:04...just over 52 kph

Reginald P. DuM

Tuft 38:04, wonder is that a money time.. Gonna be hard to catch anyway. Sky's Geraint Thomas finished over 2 mins back, which is admirable given his condition..

dastardly00

Seems like a decent time set by Tuft....
1'02" faster than Westra
1'42" faster than Jack Bauer
2'21" faster than Cameron Meyer.
The 3 above are all good TT-ers.

manafana

dastardly00 wrote: »

Seems like a decent time set by Tuft....
1'02" faster than Westra
1'42" faster than Jack Bauer
2'21" faster than Cameron Meyer.
The 3 above are all good TT-ers.

bauer isnt a good tt rider, meyer is holding back saving himself for other days, martin probably get man off who can get near him.

RobFowl

Tony Martin blitzing the first check...

Reginald P. DuM

He means business alright, 22 seconds inside at first split.. Yikes!!

Moflojo

I think they've missed a trick here, it should just be a 500m downhill TT from the top of Mont St Michel to the bottom! It would have it all: 30-40 degree slopes, 180degree switchbacks, cobbles - the lot! Any chance???

RobFowl

Reginald P. DuM wrote: »

He means business alright, 22 seconds inside at first split.. Yikes!!

Even more at 2nd split....

1.MARTIN T. OPQ in 24' 42''
2.DE GENDT T. VCD in 25' 21'' at 0' 39''
3.TUFT S. OGE in 25' 35'' at 0' 53''
4.ROY J. FDJ in 25' 52'' at 1' 10''
5.WESTRA L. VCD in 26' 13'' at 1' 31''
6.BOOM L. BEL in 26' 23'' at 1' 41''

Talib Fiasco

36.29 for Martin.

lennymc

i think i saw on twitter that Tony Martin was using a 58 up front....

dastardly00

I'll be amazed if anyone goes quicker than Tony Martin...





... Chris Froooome will probably smash Martin's time now or something.

Lumen

lennymc wrote: »

i think i saw on twitter that Tony Martin was using a 58 up front....

I doubt he's using the 11. Bigger cogs are more efficient.

http://djconnel.blogspot.ie/2010/01/drivetrain-losses-introduction.html

manafana

lennymc wrote: »

i think i saw on twitter that Tony Martin was using a 58 up front....

is it one those o symmetric rings on front, must look weird in a 58.

skerry

Apparently some disgruntled fan threw urine over Cav during his TT today, cue yellow jersey jokes

Idleater

Lumen wrote: »

I doubt he's using the 11. Bigger cogs are more efficient.

http://djconnel.blogspot.ie/2010/01/drivetrain-losses-introduction.html

Interesting, is that science related to that custom aftermarket campagnolo derailleur AstraMonti mentioned somewhere recently?

dastardly00

skerry wrote: »

Apparently some disgruntled fan threw urine over Cav during his TT today, cue yellow jersey jokes

that's piss-poor behaviour in fairness.

Reginald P. DuM

skerry wrote: »

Apparently some disgruntled fan threw urine over Cav during his TT today, cue yellow jersey jokes

Is it bad to hope that is true!!!!?

skerry

Reginald P. DuM wrote: »

Is it bad to hope that is true!!!!?

Definitely not. It was mentioned on the BBC Live feed, they said they'll have more on it later.

valleyoftheunos

Slightly OT but is anyone able to watch the ITV coverage on UPC? mine tells me its unavailable in ROI because of rights issues, presumably with TG4.

Waitsian

skerry wrote: »

Definitely not. It was mentioned on the BBC Live feed, they said they'll have more on it later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/23251598

manafana

valleyoftheunos wrote: »

Slightly OT but is anyone able to watch the ITV coverage on UPC? mine tells me its unavailable in ROI because of rights issues, presumably with TG4.

you not get eurosport its part of all packages bar the most basic one well worth it.

yeah itv4 has all its sports blocked on upc even the stuff you cant watch anywhere else very silly

Reginald P. DuM

We have confirmation that pi$$ was flung on Cavendish.. That's sick.. But funny.. Think twice before ya nick a dictaphone is the moral of that story..

Darkglasses

That's flipping rotten. Hope the person who did it gets what's coming to them, too. Or at least a good smack.

MPFG

Sean Kelly cracking me up on Eurosport

Contador will lose 27 secs
Valverde 1 min 26 secs


and a cheeky smile on him as he delivers such precise predictions

nomdeboardie

Mont San Michael – quelle radhairc!

Feckin’ TG4

Talib Fiasco

Sagan is class. He'll turn into some GC cyclist in a few years I reckon.

IM0

btw martin's time = 55k/hr avg :eek:

IM0

nomdeboardie wrote: »

Mont San Michael – quelle radhairc!

Feckin’ TG4

TG4 are disrepectfull dickheads, remember hearing them slagging ulrich years ago [before I had europsort..]

IM0

and thats really rediculous what some of the crowd did to cavendish, moronic sheeple :rolleyes:

Reginald P. DuM

Sagan goes 7th for now. Opted not to rest today ahead of sprints.. Ya gotta hand it to him, pure class... Top 15 get green jersey points

manafana

TheComeUp wrote: »

Sagan is class. He'll turn into some GC cyclist in a few years I reckon.

nah he wont gc is different ball game hes very well paid to do what he does now, got got get those classics

valleyoftheunos

manafana wrote: »

you not get eurosport its part of all packages bar the most basic one well worth it.

yeah itv4 has all its sports blocked on upc even the stuff you cant watch anywhere else very silly

Sadly I hardly ever watch the thing so I'm on the most basic package alright. Are Eurosport covering the Vuelta this year? might consider upgrading if they are.

Anyone

Boohoo for Cavendish...I dont agree with piss being thrown at him, but he's lucky to be in the race after the crap he pulled yesterday. Whiney git as well, hope he gets plenty of more abuse for the rest of the tour

Reginald P. DuM

Interviewed after Tony Martin says he predicted 36:37... Came in 8 seconds under. He thinks Froome his only threat.. Think he might be being tactful, he'd probably be amazed privately if Froome beats him...

Reginald P. DuM

Anyone wrote: »

Boohoo for Cavendish...I dont agree with piss being thrown at him, but he's lucky to be in the race after the crap he pulled yesterday. Whiney git as well, hope he gets plenty of more abuse for the rest of the tour

Back him to win tomorrow, when he's mad he's quite dangerous!!

valleyoftheunos

Reginald P. DuM wrote: »

Back him to win tomorrow, when he's mad he's quite dangerous!!

According to the Guardian His Directeur Sportif described him as "...sad, he is not upset, just sad."

He still has a point to prove though.

Reginald P. DuM

valleyoftheunos wrote: »

According to the Guardian His Directeur Sportif described him as "...sad, he is not upset, just sad."

He still has a point to prove though.

Sad?? Someone slings piss at me it's not sad I'm gonna get!!

IM0

Anyone wrote: »

Boohoo for Cavendish...I dont agree with piss being thrown at him, but he's lucky to be in the race after the crap he pulled yesterday. Whiney git as well, hope he gets plenty of more abuse for the rest of the tour

you clearly know nothing about sprinting like the knob who threw piss on him and the people who booed him today on the TT

Brian?

valleyoftheunos wrote: »

Sadly I hardly ever watch the thing so I'm on the most basic package alright. Are Eurosport covering the Vuelta this year? might consider upgrading if they are.

Eurosport are most certainly covering the Vuelta.

Eurosport cover every cycling race worth covering to be honest; 3 grand tours, all major classics, all the 2nd tier races and all the weird new ones like the tour of Azerbeijan.

valleyoftheunos

Brian? wrote: »

Eurosport are most certainly covering the Vuelta.

Eurosport cover every cycling race worth covering to be honest; 3 grand tours, all major classics, all the 2nd tier races and all the weird new ones like the tour of Azerbeijan.

Thanks for that!

Anyone

IM0 wrote: »

you clearly know nothing about sprinting

I know what I saw I dont automatically believe British media when they say Cav did nothing wrong I've seen and heard enough from Cavendish to know he is at times a detestable cyclist

Darkglasses

Impressive ride by tom dumoulin. Had high hopes for him

IM0

Anyone wrote: »

I know what I saw I dont automatically believe British media when they say Cav did nothing wrong I've seen and heard enough from Cavendish to know he is at times a detestable cyclist

that doesnt change the fact you are talking out of your arse, the proof of this is you think he did something wrong, he didnt, I can see it for obvious reasons and the ref in the race [the commisaire] can see this and rightly judged he did noting wrong. the other rider did wrong he cycled into cavendish. cavendish knew what was going to happen and braced for it so the other guy hit the deck

Anyone

IM0 wrote: »

that doesnt change the fact you are talking out of your arse, the proof of this is you think he did something wrong, he didnt, I can see it for obvious reasons and the ref in the race [the commisaire] can see this and rightly judged he did noting wrong. the other rider did wrong he cycled into cavendish. cavendish knew what was going to happen and braced for it so the other guy hit the deck

The tour wont kick out one of its main cash cows to enforce what he did:) Had that been the other way around Veelers would have been disqualified in my opinion

GetWithIt

Roche 19th at first time check (+40). That's 8 seconds better than Riblon who was generally his par at AG2R. 6 seconds slower than Sagan.