2014 Tour de France July 23, Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet 1

Inquitus

Stage details

Distance: 124.5km

Category: High Mountains

Highest point: 1,654m

ASO has developed a taste for jamming a short mountain stage into the last week. They reckon it encourages the best of the peloton to race from the dropped flag. And who's to argue after the exceptional 110km race to L'Alpe d'Huez in 2011, won by Pierre Rolland? Or last year's 125km stage to Annecy-Semnoz, where Nairo Quintana won by dropping Chris Froome and Joaquim Rodríguez?

This year, it a vicious 124.5km stage between Saint-Gaudens and the summit at Pla d'Adet. Climbs and non-technical descents of the Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde and the Col de Val Louron-Azet (all cat 1) precede the final HC ascent to Pla d'Adet, which starts off with plenty of double digit gradient before slackening off a little in the middle and final. It'll be a hectic stage where the risks and the rewards are at their greatest.





* Borrowed off another forum

Betting

Vincenzo Nibali 11/4
Rafal Majka 7/2
Thibout Pinot 11/2
Alejandro Valverde 12
Joaquim Rodriguez 14
Pierre Rolland 18

MPFG

Love the options there in the poll.....really extensive

Anyways ..I would really fancy this stage for Nico Roche if he isn't still tired (??/) it steep but short and suits his power climber abilities better than previous stages

However Tinkoff Saxo will be going all out to ensure Majka is in the break because of the number of KOM points available ....lots and lots ...double what anyone currently has

So If Roche does make the break he will have to work for Majka ...Poor Nico when he does end up in a Tour with the freedom to go for stages he is either cooked or has to work for someone else ...Stage 16 team tactics were all for Rodgers and they worked out ...so tomorrow will be all for Majka

pajor

Just read that Simon Gerrans won't be starting tomorrow. Past few days have taken their toll after the aches of Stage 1.

Darkglasses

Cheers for setting it up Inquitus. I'm picking Nieve for this one.

retalivity

Nieve, rolland and nico for teh lulz

eeeee

pajor wrote: »

Just read that Simon Gerrans won't be starting tomorrow. Past few days have taken their toll after the aches of Stage 1.

Oh no I like Gerrans, I was hoping he would come into himself later on, he had a good day last week so I had hope. Pity.

ZiabR

GC in this years TDF really has been a let down. Don't get me wrong, Nibali is riding very very well but there is no one that can take it to him. Its a shame.

I am going for Nibali today

Morrisseeee

Cool stage, a short-n-snappy roller-coaster, would have been interesting with Conti/Froome on board :rolleyes:
Still could be interesting though, would GC guys (maybe Pinot) do a Conti and attack on the first climb !, Rodriguez/DeMarchi will surely bite at this one.

Koobcam

logik wrote: »

GC in this years TDF really has been a let down. Don't get me wrong, Nibali is riding very very well but there is no one that can take it to him. Its a shame.

I am going for Nibali today

I suppose that's true in terms of the overall, but I think the podium/top 10 battle is pretty good. Looking forward to today's stage-I'm assuming Katusha and Saxo will be doing everything to get Rodriguez and Majka into the break, I reckon today will decide the KoM. I reckon Valverde will have a badish day today and maybe fall to third.

Brian?

Pinot looked very good yesterday, he could have a big day today.

Wouldn't it be great if he attacked early and took 4 minutes from Nibali? Anyone? No?

daramike

Of the favourites Pinot looks the strongest to me now. He has to attack to gain more time on Peraud before Saturday. A strong break could do it, but Majka and Rodriguez would have to be in it. Some of the non GC teams have to try something, Horner has a free reign now and could be dangerous. I'm sure Rolland will attack somewhere as well .

pajor

daramike wrote: »

I'm sure Rolland will attack somewhere as well .

Voeckler too, just to rob some KOM points for the lulz.

dastardly00

Retto Hollenstein (IAM Cycling) is a DNS today. He rode 222km of the 223km stage yesterday with a collapsed lung. He had crashed after 1km.

Legend.

Koobcam

dastardly00 wrote: »

Retto Hollenstein (IAM Cycling) is a DNS today. He rode 222km of the 223km stage yesterday with a collapsed lung. He had crashed after 1km.

Legend.

:eek:

Darkglasses

Early 8 man breakaway - Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Tom Jelte Slagter (Garmin-Sharp), Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling), Yukio Arashiro (Europcar), Nicolas Edet (Cofidis), Biel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing) and Sergio Paulinho (TInkoff-Saxo).

Darkglasses

Current KOM top 5

1 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo 89 pts
2 Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 88
3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 86
4 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 61
5 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr 49

MPFG

I agree with Sean ....new method of calculating the green jersey esp with Sagan in the race

Maybe double points for wining a stage ?

death1234567

MPFG wrote: »

I agree with Sean ....new method of calculating the green jersey esp with Sagan in the race

Maybe double points for wining a stage ?

It's not Sagan's fault he is so dominant. But I do think there should be more points for the final sprint of the day so that sprinters like Kittel/Cav have a chance for the green jersey and Sagan has to work to get into breakaways etc. to get intermediate points.

Darkglasses

Gap is down to 30 seconds with 76km left. Blistering pace so far, over 52kph avg.

lennymc

Darkglasses wrote: »

over 52kph avg.

:eek:

Darkglasses

lennymc wrote: »

:eek:

Yep!

Another bunch of riders have jumped off the front of the peloton to try and join the break, including J-Rod, Frank Schleck, Nico Roche and Rafal Majka. Crazy racing.

Darkglasses

J-Rod has taken the first KOM points on offer, looking really good. He's got the polka dot jersey now provisionally.

MPFG

Nico do not chase J-Rod ...you are not going to beat him to the line....Save energy for later

Darkglasses

Eeeek...Durbo knocked over by a Movistar soigneur, and gets a pretty good shove for it. Durbo up and riding again.

eeeee

Darkglasses wrote: »

Eeeek...Durbo knocked over by a Movistar soigneur, and gets a pretty good shove for it. Durbo up and riding again.

What the hell was the soigneur thinking?! I'd be livid if I was Durbo. It's not like they don't know what they're doing!!

Darkglasses

gadetra wrote: »

What the hell was the soigneur thinking?! I'd be livid if I was Durbo. It's not like they don't know what they're doing!!

Mistakes were made, he said "triste" and thankfully, no major harm done

retalivity

very, very strong front 20ish riders ahead of nibali

EDIT:
Pierre Rolland (Europcar), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lott-Belisol), Frank Schleck (Trek Factory Racing), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Peter Velits (BMC), Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Shimano), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Jon Izagirre (Movistar), Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Amaël Moinard (BMC), Yukio Arashiro (Europcar), Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Vasil Kiryienka (Sky), Biel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), Bauke Mollema (Belkin), Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo), Joaqium Rodríguez (Katusha), Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida), David Lopez (Sky) and Alessandro de Marchi (Cannondale)

Valverde sends 2 up the road...must be planning something

Darkglasses

Kiryienka gone away looking really strong

retalivity

kwiatowski in the grupetto already

MPFG

retalivity wrote: »

kwiatowski in the grupetto already

And he is lying 8th or 9th on GC.....he is up and down GC every other day :eek:

omicron

MPFG wrote: »

Nico do not chase J-Rod ...you are not going to beat him to the line....Save energy for later

I presume he's being told to chase him to minimise the points he gets so Majka has a better shot?

death1234567

MPFG wrote: »

And he is lying 8th or 9th on GC.....he is up and down GC every other day :eek:

He rides like a rider who has never done a more than a week long race before. You can't (anymore) go into the red one day and expect to be able to recover for another hard day the day after.

Brian?

Roche looks wrecked as usual, but he's riding very well. Can he do it?

Darkglasses

Brian? wrote: »

Roche looks wrecked as usual, but he's riding very well. Can he do it?

I think he'll be absolutely committed to working for Majka, there's so many points available on the final climb.

pajor

Darkglasses wrote: »

Kiryienka gone away looking really strong

I thought yesterday that he seems the man to salvage anything for Sky.

MPFG

omicron wrote: »

I presume he's being told to chase him to minimise the points he gets so Majka has a better shot?

Yes ..of course but if J-Rod has 20 metres on you no point in chasing to the line ...Purito sprints better than anyone....lots of climbs to come to keep an eye on him

Darkglasses

Currently 22 in the break

Pierre Rolland (Europcar), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lott-Belisol), Frank Schleck (Trek Factory Racing), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Peter Velits (BMC), Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Shimano), Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Jon Izagirre (Movistar), Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Amaël Moinard (BMC), Yukio Arashiro (Europcar), Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Vasil Kiryienka (Sky), Biel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), Bauke Mollema (Belkin), Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Saxo), Joaqium Rodríguez (Katusha), Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida), David Lopez (Sky) and Alessandro de Marchi (Cannondale)

Darkglasses

Nico and a movistar rider (Herrada?) have broken out of the main breakaway group, moving up towards Kiryienka

pajor

Darkglasses wrote: »

Nico and a movistar rider (Herrada?) have broken out of the main breakaway group, moving up towards Kiryienka

Sí señor.

Darkglasses

As it stands - Kiryienka -> Roche and Herrada @1'37, Majka group @ 2'01

gordongekko

Darkglasses wrote: »

As it stands - Kiryienka -> Roche and Herrada @1'37, Majka group @ 2'01

They should pack it in.

DDC1990

Roche caught?

Didn't see it but they have Mollema's group as group 2 now?

Darkglasses

DDC1990 wrote: »

Roche caught?

Didn't see it but they have Mollema's group as group 2 now?

Graphics are very confusing today, I don't know what the gap is between the Mollema group and the Schleck group.

DDC1990

Roche definitely caught. There with Majka.

letape

Nico doing a good job at the front of the chase group. Majka on his wheel.

MPFG

As I said wud have been a great stage for Nico if eh didn't have to work for Majka

letape

Should be an interesting sprint for the KOM points here

letape

Rodriquez gets them ahead of Majka!

letape

MPFG wrote: »

As I said wud have been a great stage for Nico if eh didn't have to work for Majka

He looks like he is carrying a lot more weight than at last year's Vuelta

MPFG

letape wrote: »

Rodriquez gets them ahead of Majka!

Purito impssible to beat on uphill sprint ...only a few can beat if any

gordongekko

Ag2r pushing things