Tour de France - Stage 20, Sat Jul 20, Annecy - Annecy-Semnoz, **Unmasked Spoilers**

dastardly00

Stage 20, Annecy - Annecy-Semnoz, 125 km

This relatively short stage will finally settle the GC, the KOM jersey, and the Team classification. There are six categorised climbs on the menu, with the final climb up to Annecy-Semnoz being a hors catégorie. The 10.7km climb is very steep, with an average gradient of 8.5%, with parts of 10% near the summit.

Froome has the overall wrapped up. So the most interesting battle will be between Contador (2nd), Quintana (3rd), Kreuziger (4th) and Rodriguez (5th). Only 47 seconds separates 2nd place to 5th. This should be very exciting. I think Contador is the one that could struggle the most, and Quintana and Purito could end up leapfrogging the two Saxo riders.

The KOM competition is very tight as well. Froome has 104, Rolland has 103, Nieve has 98, Quintana has 97, and Riblon has 93. Expect Rolland, Nieve and Riblon to get into the breakaway early on, and build up a lead before they reach the final climb, which has a whopping 50 points on offer to the stage winner. I think the peloton will catch the breakaway, and Quintana or Froome will be KOM.

Saxo-Tinkoff lead the team classification by 3'39" from Radioshack-Leopard. Things will have to have gone very awry if Radioshack overtake Saxo.







Km / To Go | Climb | Length | Grade | Cat
12.5 / 113 | Côte du Puget | 5.4km | 5.9%| 2
17.5 / 108 | Col de Leschaux | 3.6km | 6.1% | 3
43 / 82 | Côte d'Aillon-le-Vieux | 6km | 4% | 3
51 / 74 | Col des Prés | 3.4km | 6.9% | 3
78.5 / 47 | Mont Revard | 15.9km | 5.6% | 1
125 / 0 | Annecy-Semnoz | 10.7km | 8.5% | HC

Stage betting: N Quintana 7/4; J Rodriguez 11/4; C Froome 6/1; A Contador 12/1.

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

Live TV coverage on Eurosport1 from 12pm, ITV4 from 2pm, and TG4 from 12.25pm.
Highlights on Eurosport1 at 9.15pm, ITV4 at 7pm, and TG4 at 9.10pm.

Live text-ticker will be here.

retalivity

i was in annecy at the 2009 tour...beautiful spot.

all anyone is going to take out of each other here is seconds as its so short, unless they go off like the clappers for the whole stage.

purito to win and get on the podium

pelevin

I wonder are the odds forgetting how much Froome was smashing the field earlier in the mountain stages. Not that I want him to win, still a few euros won on him would compensate & if he didn't win then I'd happily wave the money goodbye.

ThisRegard

Interesting chat with the guys in the studio about the carry on on Alpe d'Huez and the Sky team cars. Apparently the second one had James Murdoch in it and was brought to a halt at Dutch corner and they jumped all over it, Yates reckoned the driver just drove on driving over a few feet in the process.

Nice photo of a rider drinking a beer around there as he cycled up it too.

DominoDub

**Eurosport HD UPC Warning"

Heads up to those recording todays stage on UPC ..the EPG has it listed as "TV SHOP" may cause problems for those that have set their DVR to record todays coverage while out enjoying the weather.

Darkglasses

And we're live! And who would've guessed, there's the polka dot jersey in the breakaway. Good betting!

Reginald P. DuM

Darkglasses wrote: »

And we're live! And who would've guessed, there's the polka dot jersey in the breakaway. Good betting!

God loves a trier!!

Darkglasses

Rolland has taken 5 points off the Cote du Paget and 1 point off the Col du Leschaux.

Now the top looks like this: 1. Rolland 109, 2. Froome 104, 3. Nieve 98, 4. Quintana 97, 5. Riblon 93.

Riblon and Igor Anton (working for Nieve) are also in the ten man breakaway with Rolland.

happytramp

Ouch. Marting hanging off the back of the Peloton after 35k.

Bukman13

Movistar finally exacting revenge on Europcar for pushing the pace when Valverde punctured on Stage 13.

Also during the Mont Ventoux stage Europcar chased the breakaway down because they wouldn't let Rolland bridge, which allowed Froome (50pts) and Quintana (40pts) to fight it out for the point.

Reginald P. DuM

Contador has said he won't go at the Vuelta this yr, preferring instead to focus on the Tour next year.. Watch out Froome??? Who knows... That might give a chance for Roche in Spain later so, though it does come close enough after a bloody hard Tour. We saw what happened to Cadel after the Giro..

Ciaran

They had to choose pretty carefully who to show in that yellow jersey history segment I'd say.

gordongekko

Reginald P. DuM wrote: »

Contador has said he won't go at the Vuelta this yr, preferring instead to focus on the Tour next year.. Watch out Froome??? Who knows... That might give a chance for Roche in Spain later so, though it does come close enough after a bloody hard Tour. We saw what happened to Cadel after the Giro..

Roche is team leader of saxo for vuelta

Dr. Bre

thats silly from Anton trying to deny Rolland KOM points. Sure Nieve not in the breakway so he cant win the polka dot now

at1withmyself

Bit of a shove from Rolland on Anton there for the climb points, I'm sure that might be investigated.

gordongekko

Dr. Bre wrote: »

thats silly from Anton trying to deny Rolland KOM points. Sure Nieve not in the breakway so he cant win the polka dot now

50 point for the final climb today

at1withmyself

Dr. Bre wrote: »

thats silly from Anton trying to deny Rolland KOM points. Sure Nieve not in the breakway so he cant win the polka dot now

The breakaway is not going to last so maybe Nieve has the final climb in mind for an attack.....

Reginald P. DuM

Could Rolland be punished for that?? He harsh given the circumstances....

Ciaran

Reginald P. DuM wrote: »

Could Rolland be punished for that?? He harsh given the circumstances....

If Cavendish had done that there'd be uproar.

gordongekko

Ciaran wrote: »

If Cavendish had done that there'd be uproar.

but he used to ride for sky

at1withmyself

Jens Voigt off the front on Revard going for the stage win perhaps or is it too early!!!

dastardly00

gordongekko wrote: »

Roche is team leader of saxo for vuelta

Where did you hear that?

DominoDub

Jens Voigt, alone on the mountain having been dropped from the leaders, with no chance of winning, finished his last bottle of water. He saw a young child on the side of the road and decided to roll the bottle towards him. However a man pushed the kid aside and took the bottle for himself. Jens stopped, turned around, and biked back down the hill to confront the man. Under pressure from Jens and the rest of the crowd, he gave the bottle to the young boy. This prompted one of the biggest cheers of the day.

http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1io8xc/nicest_guy_on_the_tour_jens_voigt_turns_back_half/

dastardly00

Carlton Kirby said a few minutes ago that Jens has 6 children!
So not only does Jens have a big engine when on the bike, but also a big engine in the bedroom! :eek: :pac:

gordongekko

dastardly00 wrote: »

Where did you hear that?

his pops said it on the wireless a week ago. Apparently it was part if the deal that brought him to saxo.

Reginald P. DuM

dastardly00 wrote: »

Carlton Kirby said a few minutes ago that Jens has 6 children!
So not only does Jens have a big engine when on the bike, but also a big engine in the bedroom! :eek: :pac:

The poor wife must be old before her time. 6 kids passed thru her, and a lot of work to do solo when he's on the road.. Love to see him stay out and win.. Alas Tis a dream..

ThisRegard

DominoDub wrote: »

http://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1io8xc/nicest_guy_on_the_tour_jens_voigt_turns_back_half/

That's years ago isn't it?

at1withmyself

ThisRegard wrote: »

That's years ago isn't it?

Nah, Jens has done it every year he's been in the Tour, including the years it doesn't even include the Alp D'huez!!!!!

DDC1990

Come on Rolland. Decided to put a mad bet on him for KOM. Jens trying to scupper that but you can't be mad at Jens!

15 points ahead won't be enough unless the GC boys decide not to bother.

Ciaran

Unless the break stays away, the polka dot will be between Froome and Quintana I think.

DDC1990

Ciaran wrote: »

Unless the break stays away, the polka dot will be between Froome and Quintana I think.

Yup, but a guy can hope! A Jens win and a top 10 finish from Rolland would he ideal.

Of course Rolland will blow and Feoome will win giving Jens the 2 fingers passing him in the final 200m

dastardly00

Gilbert is putting in a serious amount of effort at the front of the breakaway.

Darkglasses

I don't like him one bit, but Porte does deserve a stage victory considering the work he's been doing this Tour.

BQQ

Skybots to the front now for their usual party trick.

Morrisseeee

Froome setting this one up for Porte

at1withmyself

Some pace on the front of the Peleton did you notice them having to literally shove Rolland a side to get passed as they caught his group!

BQQ

Noooooo!

SHUT UP LEGS! :mad:

Reginald P. DuM

Kudos to Jens Voight.. This gonna get saucy!!!

dastardly00

Only Valverde, Porte, Froome, Contador, Quintana, and Rodriguez left now!!!

dastardly00

Froome just went full retard.

DominoDub

**Disclaimer** the above is just a WOW reaction to that amazing change of pace !

Morrisseeee

They're going so fast they're nearly missing the corners :eek:

AG2R

The pace Froome just found is scary

Russman

Wow, having to brake going into corners on a HC climb, magnificent stuff.

gordongekko

I can sense another round of bans coming

DominoDub

Looks like P.Rolland will loose his KOM now..Yeah ?

dastardly00

DominoDub wrote: »

Looks like P.Rolland will loose his KOM now..Yeah ?

Yeah 100%
Froome or Quintana to win KOM.

AG2R

yeah he will

Darkglasses

DominoDub wrote: »

Looks like P.Rolland will loose his KOM now..Yeah ?

Yeah

Bertie and Kreuziger are both going to come off the podium too as it stands.

dastardly00

Bertie is gonna lose his podium spot.

nerraw1111

Darkglasses wrote: »

Yeah

Seems like a fair result. He's not even remotely King of the mountains.

Great to see Contador dropping off the podium.