Tour de France 2016, July 7 Stage 6 Arpajon-sur-Cère Montauban 190.5km *Spoliers*

neris

So the Tinkoff bus is screwed and it looks like Contadors tour hopes have come off like a loose wheel nut but the wheels are still in motion even though they lost yellow today. After Wales have been turfed out of the Euros will Froome wing man Geraint Thomas haven given up all hope or will he be more driven to prove that welshman can do more then catch sheep and do god knows what after

When Thursday, July 27
From Arpajon-sur-Cère
To Montauban
Length 190.5km
Category Hilly


Irish interests overall:
Dan Martin 10th
Sam Bennett 197th
and Wicklow native (and spice girls fan) Chris Jul Jensen 182nd

Stage 6 is targeted by the sprinters as the finale has no difficulty. It'll be another occasion for the warriors of the road to pay tribute to the soldiers after Mark Cavendish was full of praise for them when he won on Day-1 at Utah Beach. Stage 4 started in Saumur in front the French most famous cavalry school. In Montauban, the race will be won in front of another barracks: the tenth dragon's regiment. However, it might as well be a solo win or a small breakaway group like the only time the Tour de France previously stopped in that city on the shores of the Tarn. In 1998, Jacky Durand outsprinted his five breakaway companions including Andrea Tafi and Joona Laukka. In its first half, stage 6 is contested on a lumpy terrain, very suitable for breakaways to take shape. Five points are up for grabs in the King of the Mountains competition. Thomas De Gendt who now wears the polka dot jersey might be eager to break away again to defend his position but as far as the overall ranking is concerned, Greg Van Avermaet made clear that only one day in the yellow jersey is already a huge achievement for him. Since his BMC team has other targets in the mountains with Tejay van Garderen and Richie Porte, the door is open for other opportunists. It'll be a hot day in the South West of France!

Last KM



Stupid fact of the stage on the finish town (nicked from wikipedia)

The town is home of the rugby union club US Montauban. The team gained promotion from the Pro D2 competition for the 2006–07 Top 14 season. The whole town supports rugby,

TV Coverage
Europsort 1pm
ITV 2pm

dastardly00

GVA to be in the breakaway again today, and extend his lead by another five minutes :pac:

Darkglasses

I reckon another nanometre close sprint finish, too far between the finish line and the last climb. Assuming Sam is still out of the running, I'd be happy if Coquard would finally get his win. Worrying that my phone autocorrects his name to "Coward"

Decuc500

It's good to see another sprinter competing against the usual suspects. I hope Coquard gets his win today.

Lusk_Doyle

Greipel and Kristoff won't be happy bunnies if they don't get at least a win each this year after their respective recent performances. Cav's resurgance coupled with the rise of the "lesser" sprinters is making for very exciting finishes.

LCD

A day of epic gurning by Vockeler before his valiant attempt falls short by 10km ish.

French housewives, while having a glass of red, are left flushed by the whole experience.

dastardly00

Nice!

Taxuser1

from my betting blog

Greipel has won either Stage 5 or Stage 6 in each of the last 4 Tours (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) against every sprinter - that is indicative of his ability to click when others are starting to fade. With his sprint train among the best, I find it impossible to leave him out in all picks today.

velo.2010

Interesting read on Cyclingnews. Tinkoff management all but admitting that their riders, namely Kreuziger and Majka, are riding for themselves with next year in mind and that Contador is effectively on his own.

dragratchet

velo.2010 wrote: »

Interesting read on Cyclingnews. Tinkoff management all but admitting that their riders, namely Kreuziger and Majka, are riding for themselves with next year in mind and that Contador is effectively on his own.

just read the articles there. sounds like contador has one option. hope to recover and go for stages later in the race which may help new contract negotiations with a future squad. it doesnt sound like he has the team support around him to quit now and focus on the gc @ the vuelta

velo.2010

dragratchet wrote: »

just read the articles there. sounds like contador has one option. hope to recover and go for stages later in the race which may help new contract negotiations with a future squad. it doesnt sound like he has the team support around him to quit now and focus on the gc @ the vuelta

That's a very good point!

I thought he might quit and go for the Vuelta but as you say, what's to stop Majka and Kreuziger doing the same thing in the Vuelta - though I still think Contador could almost win it without them, as he did in last years Giro.

Taxuser1

I'm not sure it's completely accurate. Kreuziger was pretty selfless for Sagan on Stage 2, why wouldn't he do the same for Contador. Majka has always been a lone wolf.

irishrover99

I hope Contador leaves for Trek as is been reported/suggested today and they give him a decent team to help him have one last bash at the tour. He has won both his grand tours for Tinkoff virtually with no help and against Astana last year in the Giro he was up against one of the hardest teams to beat i can remember. Saying that, his legs will still be one year older.

neris

WTF was that Peter sagan rocky thing on eurosport

neris

another kellyism - Patrick Le Favour

Thud

neris wrote: »

WTF was that Peter sagan rocky thing on eurosport

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/peter-sagans-rocky-tribute-video/

De Bhál

Anyone else having issues with the live LeTour tracker?

http://racecenter.letour.fr/#/stageprofile


edit : working now

dastardly00

neris wrote: »

WTF was that Peter sagan rocky thing on eurosport

I bet Bouhanni wishes it was him instead!

Thud

De Bhál wrote: »

Anyone else having issues with the live LeTour tracker?

http://racecenter.letour.fr/#/stageprofile


edit : working now

it's run by dimension data, their direct site is better:
https://tourdefrance.livetracking.dimensiondata.com/?utm_source=DD.com-TDF&utm_medium=Homepage&utm_campaign=TDF2016#/stageprofile

you can get individual rider live data by typing in their number

Thud

Eamonnator

This is so boring, I'm tempted to go out and mow the lawn.

pelevin

Just turned on. Would have thought - it's the TdF, why would only 2 riders be in the break for the day even if they are doomed? It's plenty tv coverage for smaller teams without sprinters for starters.

neris

if french farmers stopped protesting & drawing in their fields for the tour they might actually get some farming done

Eamonnator

Did I miss anything?

Moflojo

neris wrote: »

if french farmers stopped protesting & drawing in their fields for the tour they might actually get some farming done

They must have heard you, they just flew over a tractor actually working a field there!

68 lost souls

Looks like the horse is going to catch the breakaway

xxyyzz

Tommy V is some glutton for punishment riding on the front.

68 lost souls

Sam was sticking with the peleton well today, hopefully a sign he is recovering. Starting to drop off the back a little now with the pace increased.

Thud

Sam 1.46 off the back of peloton, not going to be involved in sprint today

neris

Cav kittel mcclay

68 lost souls

Cav did a great job there, came flying up past Kittel. Take over the badger on wins.

McLay might have done it if there a few more meters for him he was catching fast

isitraining

neris wrote: »

Cav kittel mcclay

What a tour for McClay! (And and Cav obviously! Second overall in TDF stages now.)

REBELSAFC

Kittel went too soon. He had to accelerate again with 50m to go but Cav had it timed perfectly. Very impressive from Cavendish. I had him written off for this Tour but you have to admire his "bounce-back-ability". I am growing to like him!!!!

neris

thought kittel was going to get back over cav there but they got to the line just in time for cav. he seems really chilled out this tour and relaxed in the interviews, maybe he,s finally enjoying riding his bike

Thud

Col D'Aspin climb near finish tomorrow will sort things out a bit in the GC

isitraining

neris wrote: »

thought kittel was going to get back over cav there but they got to the line just in time for cav. he seems really chilled out this tour and relaxed in the interviews, maybe he,s finally enjoying riding his bike

You're spot on. I wonder with his focus this year being on the Olympics if that has removed some of the pressure in the Tour. Also, maybe winning that first stage and finally getting the yellow got another monkey off his back.

Lusk_Doyle

isitraining wrote: »

You're spot on. I wonder with his focus this year being on the Olympics if that has removed some of the pressure in the Tour. Also, maybe winning that first stage and finally getting the yellow got another monkey off his back.

The setup and atmosphere in the team is also much more relaxed than in his previous teams, I'd say.

TheBlaaMan

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

The setup and atmosphere in the team is also much more relaxed than in his previous team, I'd say.

That wouldn't be difficult - ask Dan Martins ears!
http://cyclingtips.com/2016/07/holm-if-dan-martin-doesnt-finish-top-ten-ill-cut-off-his-ears/