Tour de France 2015 Stage 8 Rennes - Mûr de Bretagne *contains unmasked spoilers*

Darkglasses

The lumpy sprinty days continue, with a very similar finish as the stages into Le Havre and Huy. The actual Mur de Bretagne is over a kilometre long, beginning fairly gently before going above 10%, peaking at 15%. The final sprint is fairly level at about 2%. This will be too much for the likes of Greipel and Cavendish for certain. The bookies have put Sagan in as favourite, but I would see the climb as being too much for him. Instead, we are likely to see another shoot out between Joaquin Rodriguez, Chris Froome, Alexis Vuillermoz, Alejandro Valverde and hopefully also Dan Martin.

Oddschecker: Sagan 7/2, Valverde 13/2, Rodriguez 9/1, Gallopin 10/1, Froome 10/1, Martin 14/1

68 lost souls

Greg van Avermaet

Heart says Martin, velogames hope lie on him and Froome putting in a performance, head says Sagan

Edit: it truly is Ramon

Eamonnator

Autocorrect's a ducker, aint it?

spock.

Tony Gallopin

Rodriguez for me.
I'd love to see Dan win it though.

MPFG

Chris Froome

Froome could win this

Hope it is Dan Martin though

daramike

Chris Froome

With the TTT the following day don't be surprised if a break wins. Gaultier and Simon would be my pick from a break. The finish is too hard for Sagan.I expect Rodriguez, Martin,Froome and Gallopin fight for the win if a break doesn't make it.

SummerRebel

Well it won't be Luca Paolini anyway!! wtf was he doing cocaine for??

Maybe blood kept in a fridge from pre season partying came back to bite him

Arrow in the Knee

Greg van Avermaet

SummerRebel wrote: »

Well it won't be Luca Paolini anyway!! wtf was he doing cocaine for??

Maybe blood kept in a fridge from pre season partying came back to bite him

They used to take cocaine back in the day to keep them going during the tour while having a spare tyre around their shoulder.

Talib Fiasco

Chris Froome

Gallopin for me. I think this is a good test to see where the GC lads are at too, especially Contador who struggled a few days back.

dastardly00

Greg van Avermaet

This has to be Dan's best chance for a stage win. Not as steep as the Mur de Huy. And the road is wide, so he won't get trapped in if when he's badly positioned at the bottom.

Dr. Bre

Gallopin for me. watched the highlights of this finish back in 2011 on youtube. Contador was well up there

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

JA Flecha picks out Michael Matthews as one to watch? Maybe the heat is getting to him.

Talib Fiasco

Chris Froome

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Gallopin for me. watched the highlights of this finish back in 2011 on youtube. Contador was well up there

I remember watching that stage and thinking Contador could have well done the Giro-Tour double that year but alas it wasn't to be. He did peak for the Giro that year though and it showed in the 3rd week in the Tour. It'll be interesting to see how he does this time around given he wasn't as dominating in this year's Giro as he can be but obviously went deep into the reserves.

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

If you fancy the break, Perichon is 175/1 on PP, not bad e/w

Zzippy

I'm liking the Greg Lemond segment this year now that he's the one being interviewed and not trying to anchor the show. It was awkward viewing last year...

fat bloke

SummerRebel wrote: »

Well it won't be Luca Paolini anyway!! wtf was he doing cocaine for??

That's the maddest thing I've ever heard of. What the fcuk was he thinking? Why in the name of God would you need or do coke (apart from Cola) during a grand tour???!

There were people saying that it was a masking agent, but that's insane in itself, why take something illegal to mask something illegal. That's like shooting someone to take the focus off a robbery.

Daroxtar

Really haven't made my mind up on the BMC team helmets yet

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

fat bloke wrote: »

That's the maddest thing I've ever heard of. What the fcuk was he thinking? Why in the name of God would you need or do coke (apart from Cola) during a grand tour???!

There were people saying that it was a masking agent, but that's insane in itself, why take something illegal to mask something illegal. That's like shooting someone to take the focus off a robbery.

Meant to be a bit of a party animal, at least according to Ned Boulting

https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/619631119651205120

MPFG

Chris Froome

Gosh Paolini is really a doo dah but he could be a bit of craic on a weekend away . Maybe he'll hit Alp d'Huez and Irish corner ?
Wonder if he'd be up for learning the Fields of Athenry.

godtabh

What time is due to finish? Have to catch a train at 4:30

funnyclub

I see Cav is on his old venge.

ROK ON

Joaquin Rodriguez

Darkglasses wrote: »

Meant to be a bit of a party animal, at least according to Ned Boulting

https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/619631119651205120

Ah, he was only havin a bit of craic . . . crack!!!

I'm here all week folks.

Talib Fiasco

Chris Froome

Interesting break here...

Pudsy33

Garmin drilling it, Martin must be up for it

MPFG

Chris Froome

Are Cannondale Garmin not riding a bit too early for them

Nadser

Greg van Avermaet

I know, I have a sinking feeling Dan "won't have the legs" for the finish.

Arrow in the Knee

Greg van Avermaet

MPFG wrote: »

Are Cannondale Garmin not riding a bit too early for them

I agree.

Pudsy33

Nadser wrote: »

I know, I have a sinking feeling Dan "won't have the legs" for the finish.

No mad 20% ramps this time so no reason he can't get up it

mhiggy09

Cannondale garmin arnt making any headway, they should let some1 else do the work and help then.

ROK ON

Joaquin Rodriguez

Yet again Garmin seem to be committing tactical hari kari.
Hope Im wrong but I can see this ending badly.

I though Valverde will win this - and given that I haven't seen him at all today I am feeling more confident in that.

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

Bunch of riders being dropped, including Mark Cavendish.

Edit: And Degenkolb

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

Starting the final climb. Dan HAD to be in a good position there. Sky up front though.

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

GOOOO DAN!

mhiggy09

goo dan gooooo

Eamonnator

2nd

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

Ahhh well

mhiggy09

fk he went to late and couldn't catch the ag2r rider

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

Looks like Nibali lost another chunk of time

Inquitus

Greg van Avermaet

Sometimes he's tactically brilliant, last year at Lombardy for instance, but other times he is tactically inept, like today, shame, great ride by Dan.

PowerToWait

Damn it.

pajor

Dan gains 5 seconds though.

Inquitus

Greg van Avermaet

pajor wrote: »

Was there a time gap?

Yes Nibali defo gapped.

REBELSAFC

I think we will all have to chip in and buy Dan a new watch. His timing let him down again.

Talib Fiasco

Chris Froome

Nibbles back about 9 seconds to the Froome/Contadr group. Anyone see where Quintana was?

Dr. Bre

pajor wrote: »

Dan gains 5 seconds though.

Wont matter way down on GC

nilhg

Unfortunately I think Dan's skills at navigating through the bunch rival mine, that has to be one that got away.

Darkglasses

Dan Martin

1 Vuillermoz
2 D Martin+5
3 Valverde+10
4 Sagan
5 Gallopin
6 Van Avermaet
7 A Yates
8 Froome
9 Mollema
10 Van Garderen

Pudsy33

He was boxed in against the barrier the whole climb. He's obviously in super form but that's disappointing.

godtabh

He looked pissed at the end which I think is a good sign. He knows he needs to improve

Talib Fiasco

Chris Froome

Sagan in green by 3 points. A monster TTT by Saxo and a poor TTT from Sky should have him in green, white and yellow Sunday night. Amazing achievement if it happens

lukegjpotter

Tony Gallopin

Vuillermoz beat him in Huy too.
If this was WWE, there's be a long running feud between them.

Nibali lost another 10 seconds on Froome, Contador, TJVG and Quintana.