2016 TdF, Stage 17: Bern → Finhaut-Emosson (185km)

Inquitus

Courtesy of cyclingnews



Stage 17: Bern → Finhaut-Emosson (184.5 km, Mountain)

Wednesday, July 20th • Stage info • Startlist • Roadbook • Rules • Weather: Start, Halfway, Finish
Starts at 12:15 - Live video from 14:15 - Finish at 17:20 (CEST) • Live ticker • Livestreams


Route:



Profile:



Mountain passes & hills:
Km 72.5 - Côte de Saanenmöser 6.6 kilometre-long climb at 4.8% - category 3
Km 105.0 - Col des Mosses 6.4 kilometre-long climb at 4.4% - category 3
Km 166.5 - Col de la Forclaz (1 527 m) 13 kilometre-long climb at 7.9% - category 1
Km 184.5 - FINHAUT-EMOSSON (1 960 m) 10.4 kilometre-long climb at 8.4% - category H





Preview:

[url=http://www.cyclingquotes.com/news/2016_tour_de_france_route_analysis/]CyclingQuotes.com[/url] wrote:

Last year the organizers designed four tough mountain stages in the Alps for four of the final five days after the second rest day. That made for an intensive and exciting end to the race where everything was almost turned around on the final climb of the race. Apparently, they liked the formula as they have repeated the idea in 2016. After the rest days, it will be all about the GC in the four days leading to the final parade into Paris. Three tough mountain stages – two of them with a summit finish – and one uphill time trial mean that the hardest part of the race come at the very end and it all kicks off with a tough summit finish on the Swiss climb Finhaut-Emosson which was the scene of a thrilling spectacle in the 2014 Criterium du Dauphiné.

The 184.5km stage is held in Switzerland and will bring the riders from the capital of Bern to the top of brutal mountain at Finhaut-Emosson. Starting in the flatter part of the country, the riders will get a chance to get the legs going after the rest day as they will first travel along relatively flat roads in a southerly and southwesterly direction. As they approach the Alps, the road will gradually start to rise, culminating at the top of the category 3 climb of Cote ede Saanenmöser (6.6km, 4.8%) at the 72.5km mark. Only a short descent will follow and it leads to more flat roads and the category 3 climb of Col des Mosses (6.4km, 4.4%).

A long descent now leads to Aigle where the UCI headquarters are located and then the riders will follow the flat valley road to the city of Martigny which often signals the start of climbing hostilities. It’s not different tin this stage but first the riders will contest the flat, straightforward intermediate sprint at the 150km mark.

In Martigny, the riders will turn to the southwest to head into the mountains where they will go up the category 1 mountain Col de la Forclaz (13km, 7.9%). It’s a very regular climb with a constant gradient of 7-8.5%. The top comes with 18km to go and is followed by 7.6km of descending. There are no flat roads in between the final two climbs as the riders will head straight onto the lower slopes of the final climb which is of the HC category. It averages 8.4% over 10.4km and is pretty brutal. The first three kilometres are not that hard but from there the gradient doesn’t drop below the 8% mark. The finale is the hardest as the gradient stays above 9% and the final 400m even average a massive 12.3%. There are several harpin bends on the climb but the final 1600m are on a straight, 5m wide road.

Mont Ventoux is a harder climb but Finhaut-Emosson is definitely the second toughest summit finish in this race. It’s rare for a Tour de France mountaintop finish to have so steep gradients and as it did in the Criterium du Dauphiné two years ago, it can do a lot of damage. To make things even harder, there are no valley roads in between the final two climbs and this means that it is possible to attack from afar and maybe even use the descent to increase the advantage. This is a day when a brave rider can really turn things around and where it is likely to be very evident who’s on form in the final week of the race. However, it’s also the first of four crucial stages so the riders may have a relatively cautious approach. That could also open the door for a successful breakaway as the main teams may prefer to save some energy for the stages to come.

As said, the climb made its debut at the 2014 Criterium du Dauphiné where it hosted the finish of the penultimate stage. Lieuwe Westra rode to victory from a breakaway but it was the battle between the GC riders that was the most exciting part. Chris Froome was on track for a second overall victory but after he had crashed in the flat stage one day earlier, no one knew how he was going. He turned out to be more injured than initially expected and he was unable to follow Alberto Contador who distanced him by 20 seconds and rode himself into yellow. Andrew Talansky was the second best GC rider and would go on to win the race one day later.

Current GC standings:



Withdrawals Stage 16:
None

All Withdrawals:
BRESCHEL, LANGEVELD (CDT) RENSHAW (DDD) TULIK (DEN) LADAGNOUS, PINEAU, PINOT (FDJ) FRANK (IAM) MØRKØV, VAN DEN BROECK (KAT) DEBUSSCHERE (LTS) HERRADA (MOV) GERRANS (OBE) CONTADOR (TNK) THEUNS (TFS)
183 of 198 riders remain in the race.



← Stage 16 Thread • Stage 18 Thread →

Odds
Froome 5/2
Quintana 8/1
Porte 8/1
Majka 12/1
Mollema 12/1
Zakarin 20/1
Aru 22/1
Costa 33/1
Bardet 40/1

Burial.

Aru and/or Bardet are very good for those odds. If Quintana doesn't have the legs, you'd think they'll be the only two who'll be brave enough to make a proper go of it.

RobFowl

Not Cav anyway, he's withdrawn to prepare for Rio

Darkglasses

RobFowl wrote: »

Not Cav anyway, he's withdrawn to prepare for Rio

Pity, the finish really suits him.

RobFowl

Darkglasses wrote: »

Pity, the finish really suits him.

Was looking forward to him and Kittel battle it out......

Tigerandahalf

I see the temp was in the 40s in Europe today and is expected to continue like that until Sunday. It could be an interesting finale yet.

RobFowl

Weepsie wrote: »

Froome was apparently showing signs of a chest infection or mild cough. Suspicion was he may have been putting it on. Might have been on bike radar can't remember

Sure wouldn't he just get steroids again.........

ThisRegard

Weepsie wrote: »

Froome was apparently showing signs of a chest infection or mild cough. Suspicion was he may have been putting it on. Might have been on bike radar can't remember

The implication to get a TUE?

dastardly00

I hope we see plenty of action, but with the uphill ITT on Thursday I wouldn't be surprised if everyone just played it safe

Brian?

Valverde, Frank Schleck and Nibali need to attack on the penultimate climb. Then Mollema, Aru and Quintana can take turns trying to bridge to them.

Nibali especially needs to do something to justify his participation. He could at least do something for Aru.

Taxuser1

only 2 can win this - Majka or Froome, one from a break, one by annihilation

retalivity

Would be very surprised if mollema or trek did anything except try to follow sky.

Would be great if sky had one of their post rest day off-days of old, to mix it up a little, highly doubt it though

kilns

Its roasting here in Switzerland today, the route will go by some interesting and beautiful places today like Gstaad where the very very rich people live and down into Aigle where the UCI is based and then up the final climb which is a nightmare, hopefully we see some fireworks there and not just a procession up the mountain

RobFowl

retalivity wrote: »

Would be very surprised if mollema or trek did anything except try to follow sky.

Would be great if sky had one of their post rest day off-days of old, to mix it up a little, highly doubt it though

Mollema was the one who attacked and looked strongest on the Ventoux. When they hit the bike to me Froome loked to be struggling to hold on, though to be fir he looks like he is struggling pretty much ll the time !

donfers

can't see anyone but Dan Martin win the stage today, the top 6/7 will be marked by SKY and TJ doesn't have the legs

RobFowl

donfers wrote: »

can't see anyone but Dan Martin win the stage today, the top 6/7 will be marked by SKY and TJ doesn't have the legs

Hate to say this but think Dan will be shelled by the Skybot train and come in 40 seconds or so behind the main group who will have watched Froome spin away at 200rpm plus

Pudsy33

Have to agree, Dan and rest days generally don't go well either.

lissard

Please, please , please let there be some GC action today. So far this TdF has been pretty dull on that front. Think I've been spoiled by the Giro and the Vuelta which are so much more open and fun.

retalivity

52km covered in the first hour...hopefully that tires a fair few out for later!!

at1withmyself

A break seems to be forming at last:

SAGAN, Peter (TNK),
MAJKA, Rafal (TNK),
CLEMENT, Stef (IAM),
KANGERT, Tanel (AST),
PANTANO, Jarlinson (IAM),
ZAKARIN, Ilnur (KAT),
POZZOVIVO, Domenico (ALM),
MORABITO, Steve (FDJ),
DURASEK, Kristijan (LAM),
FEILLU, Brice (FVC)

More chasers moving up so should grow as the peleton are slowing down now

dastardly00

^^^^^
No Thomas de Gendt!

isitraining

at1withmyself wrote: »

A break seems to be forming at last:

SAGAN, Peter (TNK),
MAJKA, Rafal (TNK),
CLEMENT, Stef (IAM),
KANGERT, Tanel (AST),
PANTANO, Jarlinson (IAM),
ZAKARIN, Ilnur (KAT),
POZZOVIVO, Domenico (ALM),
MORABITO, Steve (FDJ),
DURASEK, Kristijan (LAM),
FEILLU, Brice (FVC)

More chasers moving up so should grow as the peleton are slowing down now

38 seconds behind that group:

Tommy V (Direct Energie)
Greg Van Avermaet (BMC)
A. Lutsenko (Astana)

JK.BMC

Brian? wrote: »

Valverde, Frank Schleck and Nibali need to attack on the penultimate climb. Then Mollema, Aru and Quintana can take turns trying to bridge to them.

Nibali especially needs to do something to justify his participation. He could at least do something for Aru.

Frank Schleck attacking????
You will need to rewind to about 2007 for that....

Sure maybe Kittel will take the stage victory in that case so

isitraining

Tommy V group catches the front group on the descent and they are now nearly 11 minutes ahead of the yellow jersey group.

Winner from the breakaway today.

neris

JK.BMC wrote: »

Frank Schleck attacking????
You will need to rewind to about 2007 for that....

Sure maybe Kittel will take the stage victory in that case so

schlek must be finished this year

neris

quintana looks out the back door

neris

Mullet down

https://twitter.com/letourdata/status/755751466846085120

mloc123

neris wrote: »

schlek must be finished this year

Schlek is in the tour this year? Who knew...

kilns

Switzerland has never looked so good, amazing country:D

neris

kilns wrote: »

Switzerland has never looked so good, amazing country:D

get an offshore bank account to stash your illegally gotten millions in and it,ll look like an even better country

kilns

neris wrote: »

kilns wrote: »

Switzerland has never looked so good, amazing country:D

get an offshore bank account to stash your illegally gotten millions in and it,ll look like an even better country

Or work and live there and pay 4% income tax

godtabh

kilns wrote: »

Or work and live there and pay 4% income tax

and €10 for a bar of chocolate

pelevin

Froome is isolated with only 5 teammates.

retalivity

This looks ominous...

Burial.

pelevin wrote: »

Froome is isolated with only 5 teammates.

I legit LOL'd :pac:

pelevin

Here comes Greg . . .10, 9, 8. .. . He's here!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's gone again.

WinnyThePoo

I don't see anything happening with the gc favourites at all.

xxyyzz

Damn, sky are boring.

kilns

IS Froome struggling with the Astana pace? he looks to be working very hard

neris

the racing from the other GC teams has been poor this year. Sky are riding a good race but everyone just seems content to let them walk away with it and not bother to take a risk

gordongekko

Huge Irish support today

whacker00

Been jumping between ITV4 and Eurosport for coverage, David Millar gives some good insight

kilns

At least Dan looking strong, will jump at least one place on GC over TJ

neris

yes carlton zakarins had a great season so far, falling off the side mountain and nearly ending up in a freezing river must be the highlight of his year so far

AlreadyHome

xxyyzz wrote: »

Damn, sky are boring.

This sort of comment irritates me.

Sky are the only team whose GC contender has made meaningful and risky attacks. On the back of that they've afforded themselves the luxury of a measured, watchful pace.

What have Astana or Movistar done?

neris

whacker00 wrote: »

Been jumping between ITV4 and Eurosport for coverage, David Millar gives some good insight

think ned and millar are quite good and alot more level headed and livlier as a pair then carlton and kelly

irishrover99

Waiting for Poels to whip out a can of coke

godtabh

A few attacks but nothing gets past Sky

longshanks

Good man Dan

godtabh

Dan attacks. For play Dan come on

68 lost souls

Go Dan! Pushing for it!