Tour de France Stage 9 – July 13th, Gerardmer - Mulhouse **Unmasked Spoilers**

Darkglasses

The most up and down stage so far, but not quite into high-mountains country. It may be critical also to note that there is no flat start at all to warm the legs up, almost as soon as they clip in they will be climbing the lengthy Cat 2 Col de la Schlucht. Forgive me if I'm a little bit on the fence about how this one is going to pan out, but there's a number of possibilities. I would speculate that there's a strong chance that the important GC riders (Nibali, Contador, Porte) will trying to save themselves for the key stage on Monday, and the stage winner will come from somebody who can hang in comfortably on the many climbs (most importantly the Cat 2 Cote de Gueberschwihr I think).

The bookies strongly fancy Sagan for this, but I actually don't think he's climbing well enough for it tomorrow. Did not climb at all well today, and I don't think he was actually saving himself for tomorrow or anything. He can certainly make it over the final climb on it's own, but all of them to together I suspect will be too much. As a result, it's very difficult to pick a winner who is low enough in the GC to be let away for the right attack to win.

I think Rui Costa is probably the strongest rider for the parcours, but the obvious question is whether he'll be allowed away given his strong position in the GC. Ditto Valverde. Good luck picking a winner chaps

Oddschecker: Sagan 6/1, Bakelants 11/1, Voeckler 16/1, Kwiatkowski 16/1, Albasini 18/1, Costa 50/1

luapenak

Albasini

Interesting profile, possibly another day for the break. I think Garmin need to start putting men up the road and stop focusing 100% on GC, so possibly the likes of Acevedo for the stage.

TheBlaaMan

Need to change the date in the title ..... (and then delete this post as it will be meaningless..... )

Darkglasses

Vichot

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Need to change the date in the title ..... (and then delete this post as it will be meaningless..... )

Appreciate it, fixed!

seany15

Van Avermaet

You've left voekler out of the poll. That said i think peraud is far enough back to be let away if he goes for it. Bastille day and all.

Darkglasses

Vichot

seany15 wrote: »

You've left voekler out of the poll. That said i think peraud is far enough back to be let away if he goes for it. Bastille day and all.

I can only put down 25 names, I try to pick the 25 I think are most realistic, feel free to post up any others you think can win!

seany15

Van Avermaet

Darkglasses wrote: »

I can only put down 25 names, I try to pick the 25 I think are most realistic, feel free to post up any others you think can win!

tbh i doubt tommy v will, but his odds are among the shortest. Like i said, i think it'll be peraud.

Aoibheann

Kwiatkowski

It's not Bastille day 'til Monday... And that stage seems more suited to Peraud than tomorrow's stage anyway!

dastardly00

Kwiatkowski

I can't see Sagan being able to win this. There's just a bit too much climbing.

Inquitus

Rolland

Darkglasses wrote: »

I try to pick the 25 I think are most realistic

You put in Frank Schleck, come on, own up, what have you been smoking.

Hmmzis

Albasini

dastardly00 wrote: »

I can't see Sagan being able to win this. There's just a bit too much climbing.

Not sure if I'd count him out. While there is a lot of roads pointing upwards the gradients are not crazy steep and he should be just fine hanging in there. Also, there is a fairly long flat section before the line where his team can bring him back to the front if needs be.

That said, I'm rooting for a break to stay away today.

letape

Spilak

I'd put my money on Kwiatkowski for this. He's in super form like he was at the start of the season.

Talib Fiasco

Vichot

Rui Costa or Kwiat for me, he recovered well yesterday...cannot see Sagan doing anything tbh... I'm expecting this to be a rest day in essence for the GC guys, although Astana might be forced to lead the peloton which could be carnage for tomorrow

MPFG

Frank Schleck

I went with Simon Clarke from a breakaway ...but it is a lottery
Depends on how the teams ride this one

I expect Nibbles & Astana to attack on the downhill...tit for tat with TCS in who is the strongest of them all

Brian?

MPFG wrote: »

I went with Simon Clarke from a breakaway ...but it is a lottery
Depends on how the teams ride this one

I expect Nibbles & Astana to attack on the downhill...tit for tat with TCS in who is the strongest of them all

It would be extremely foolhardy for Nibali to attack today. He's 2.5 minutes ahead of Contador. Contador isn't a bad descender himself.

I am going for Valverde. He has the tactical nous to make something happen today.

Talib Fiasco

Vichot

JRod is finally doing something

Talib Fiasco

Vichot

Astana working very hard pulling the chasers back

Pudsy33

Chavanel

Nice to see the OPQS car fueling Di Marchi too

Talib Fiasco

Vichot

Gallopin is the virtual leader of the tour atm

MPFG

Frank Schleck

I wonder what Sean Kelly thinks of all the poetry ??

Someone was asking him to read one ...Can't see it myself

at1withmyself

Martin goes solo, if he continues and gets over the top he could well win today and [possibly be in the Polka Jersey!

Pudsy33

Chavanel

Really hope Tony stays out, he's some man.

luapenak

Albasini

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Really hope Tony stays out, he's some man.

He looks surprisingly good on this climb compared to the chasing group. The next 10k will be decisive. Seriously hope he can hang on

retalivity

Tony martin is such a beast of a rider...remeber seeing him power up mont ventoux in 2009, hes a decebt climber for a tt specialist

Talib Fiasco

Vichot

Pretty boring stage thus far but nice to see Tony Martin bossing it

retalivity

Also, gallopin with a real chance of taking yellow....astana and the peloton do not look bothered at all, already a min and a half up in the virtual yellow.

Get over the cat 1 and 3 with close to 5 mins and he could well do it

bazermc

Riblon

I love the way kelly pronounces "fatigue".

Aoibheann

Kwiatkowski

Cobbles.. On a descent... In the rain... Now THAT is a test of bike-handling skills. Probably a good thing that Froome's out!

drogdub

Pinot attacking for the Jersey?

retalivity

drogdub wrote: »

Pinot attacking for the Jersey?

Not sure what he's at other than he's from this area

drogdub

retalivity wrote: »

Not sure what he's at other than he's from this area

Whatever he was at it didn't work! Still the FDJ kit is nice

luapenak

Albasini

drogdub wrote: »

Pinot attacking for the Jersey?

Gaining some extra time for the decent. He's useless at descending

Boscoirl

Gallopin could possibly wear the yellow jersey on Bastille day says the chap on itv for the 50 millionth time

Heisenberg1

Some ride from Martin's today a real powerhouse I hope it's a German double today.

TheBlaaMan

Where's Nico.........he's not with Contador in the GC group ?

bazermc

Riblon

Does Lemond on tour drag that stupid standing area with half assed seats everywhere?

retalivity

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Where's Nico.........he's not with Contador in the GC group ?

Was another minute and a half back ..probabaly just rolled in

Talib Fiasco

Vichot

Might be a clever move from Astana getting rid of the Yellow jersey, they have no obligations to do the work in the peloton now...makes tomorrow's stage even more fascinating

Glass Prison 1214

Anyone notice that during the Tony Martin interview, it said that he was a Lotto Belisol rider?

Lusk_Doyle

bazermc wrote: »

Does Lemond on tour drag that stupid standing area with half assed seats everywhere?

It's his version of a Luas.

Eamonnator

Glass Prison 1214 wrote: »

Anyone notice that during the Tony Martin interview, it said that he was a Lotto Belisol rider?

No,it said, that his partner, is a Lotto Bellisol rider.
She also works on Le Tour. In fact, she is the Podium girl, who presented Martin with his flowers, today.