Tour de France 2017 Stage 18: Briançon - Izoard, 179.5kms

neris

In recent years, col d'Aubisque (2007), col du Tourmalet (2010) and col du Galibier (2011) have hosted extraordinary stage finishes whereas the Tour de France usually crests those summits and proceed to another destination. It's a mission to logistically organize stage finishes atop those legendary climbs. They aren't ski resorts but natural beauties. This year, it's the turn of the Izoard as the Grande Boucle celebrates the 40th anniversary of Bernard Thévenet's second victory.

If Chris Froome cares about the legend, he'll do his best to win with the yellow jersey in a solo effort atop the Izoard. It'll be his first time racing on this climb as it was the case at the Galibier on stage 17. He's got the team to help him achieve the maximum result but Rigoberto Uran and Romain Bardet who are only 27 seconds down on him on GC probably have other ideas. The grand finale in the mountains this year is an unprecedented one.

TV TIMES
Le Course also starts Thursday with TV coverage of the womens race up the Isoard at 8:55am on ITV4 and I cant see anything listed on Eurosport

TDF ITV 4 11:45am & Eurosport looks like 11:10am

The Izoard is a 14.1 kilometres climb that is averaging 7.3%. The last 10 kilometres go up at 9% and lead to the forbidding and barren slopes of Casse Déserte. A perfect and dramatic backdrop for the last summit finish in the 2017 Tour de France."

Current GC:

1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 73:27:26
2 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 0:00:27
3 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
4 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:53
5 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky 0:01:24
6 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:02:37
7 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:04:07
8 Louis Meintjes (RSA) UAE Team Emirates 0:06:35
9 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:07:45
10 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Sunweb 0:08:52

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVBWY7TjtPw

Inquitus

It's this way from Guillestre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw5qoB7tFSc

ThisRegard

neris wrote: »

I cant see anything listed on Eurosport

It's on Eurosport alright, I saw it in my planner this evening and was wondering what it was as it appeared automatically as part of the live coverage series link.

buffalo

Am I right in thinking Barguil has the Polka Dots won by now, with 129 points?

Roglic on 80 and De Gendt on 61 are his nearest rivals, and there's a max of 2+10+40 today, and 2+2+2 tomorrow, so 58. De Gendt can't overtake him, and Roglic is going to be a bit wrecked today after getting the stage yesterday.

Borderfox

Should be a good sort out on the last climb but in reality it will skybots all day to release Froome to play on the last 3-4km to take the stage. Best thing the other contenders can do is to keep changing the pace to promote attacks, Bardet should be perfect for this

retalivity

buffalo wrote: »

Am I right in thinking Barguil has the Polka Dots won by now, with 129 points?

Roglic on 80 and De Gendt on 61 are his nearest rivals, and there's a max of 2+10+40 today, and 2+2+2 tomorrow, so 58. De Gendt can't overtake him, and Roglic is going to be a bit wrecked today after getting the stage yesterday.

They said in commentary yday that he had mathematically won it but think thats incorrect. Nevertheless, the chances of roglic taking all remaining points available are practically zero

irishrover99

Lets hope Contador or someone of note attacks today or else it will be another controlled GC borefest with Froome then easily covering every move on the Izoard.

I'm thinking Phinot has to do something today or else all that sitting at the back of the peloton will have been for nothing.

retalivity

irishrover99 wrote: »

Lets hope Contador or someone of note attacks today or else it will be another controlled GC borefest with Froome then easily covering every move on the Izoard.

I'm thinking Phinot has to do something today or else all that sitting at the back of the peloton will have been for nothing.

Pinot abandoned yesterday

irishrover99

retalivity wrote: »

Pinot abandoned yesterday

Didn't see that. So he wasn't just sandbagging. I thought he was holding it back for this stage like he done a few years ago for alpe d'huez

Seems they are showing La Course live on Eurosport this morning coverage starting now.

dahat

After yesterday's heroics from Rogolic I'm going to keep my winnings and just watch today.
Ideally Froome would like to win here but I think he & Landa will.just mark all day leaving someone like Bardet to nick the stage win by small margins.

5/1 Bardet is tempting all the same.

irishrover99

dahat wrote: »

After yesterday's heroics from Rogolic I'm going to keep my winnings and just watch today.
Ideally Froome would like to win here but I think he & Landa will.just mark all day leaving someone like Bardet to nick the stage win by small margins.

5/1 Bardet is tempting all the same.

After my poor prediction of Phinot, i'd probably go for Landa been allowed off the leash if Froome has them covered coming into the last few km's.
They might think they owe him or he'll want to just make a small point without it looking like he's gone rogue.

buffalo

irishrover99 wrote: »

looking like he's gone rouge.

I have this weird image in my head now of Landa with rosy red cheeks.

rtmie

retalivity wrote: »

Pinot abandoned yesterday

On a side note you'd have to say team sponsors would have a right to ask serious questions about wtf FDJ were at in planning/prep for this tour. Pinot was never in it after giro efforts - why put your leading GC rider in as some kind of wild card when you already know he is nowhere near able to even think about GC and then the whole debacle of blowing out half the team with Demare.

MPFGLB

Breakaway to win

Unless Ag2R chase

MPFGLB

MPFGLB wrote: »

Breakaway to win

Unless Ag2R chase

Scrap that as Froome is going for the win

Inquitus

Its far from guaranteed Froome will win the TT later in the week, so today is perhaps his best opportunity to ensure he doesn't join this illustrious list!

De Gendt much have spent the most time in a break this year?

MPFGLB

Though break is very strong

buffalo

MPFGLB wrote: »

Though break is very strong

54 riders!

neris

https://twitter.com/DeGendtThomas/status/887953302893232128

dahat

So Cummings is today's wager...20/1, not expecting anything like yesterday.

Ah great I was only saying to myself this morning when watching the womens race they should have Joanna Rowsell on for a bit today for the mens race on Eurosport commentary.

Always liked her commentary when watching the womens series highlights.

retalivity

8mins for the break and climbing...looks like the winner will come from there with a sky procession behind....


(Hope im wrong)

Itziger

Last chance saloon today. Not just for the GC hopefuls but for the race itself, otherwise it'll go down as one of the more timid, predictable and let's be honest, boring Tours in living memory. We've had the added of interest of Dan going for a top place but if it weren't for that............ And to think there's only a couple of minutes covering the top 5, you'd swear there were 5 minute gaps between 'em.

Lusk_Doyle

Inquitus wrote: »

Its far from guaranteed Froome will win the TT later in the week, so today is perhaps his best opportunity to ensure he doesn't join this illustrious list!

Or, in Oscar Pereiro's case, you don't actually have to finish first to win the tour!

JoeyJJ

My company wifi kicking me off wonder how much data 2 hours of sky go will come to.

Hopefully not a procession Uran looks content with podium, surely he has to try something today?

Dcully

I thought Kirby on eurosport was bad enough with his team sky and froome love but I was stuck with itv 4 out on holidays and David Millar is worse nauseating stuff. For what it's worth Landa looks like he could beat anyone if he was allowed, it's like Wiggins and Froome all over again. Yes I don't like sky.

JoeyJJ

Brian Holm (Quick-Step): "Dan Martin is set to attacking"
15:58
Brian Holm (Quick Step) spoke to letour.com this morning: "To be honest, we don't need to speak to Dan Martin, his own mind set is attacking. Nobody has to tell him in the radio. Sometimes he breaks his neck, sometimes he acts silly but I love the way he does it. He goes, he goes, he goes. For sure, really I wish he'll go again. He 's trying all the time, we never try to stop him. He just follows his head. Let's hope that today he has the same legs he had yesterday. He could be a factor today because he was really flying yesterday. Let's he has the diamond legs today again and we'll all be happier."

djemba djemba

Is anyone watching the tour on TG4. What in the jaysus is happening with the commentary

DDC1990

djemba djemba wrote:

Is anyone watching the tour on TG4. What in the jaysus is happening with the commentary

Woeful. Usually a massive fan of their coverage. Pathetic excuse for comedy with random imitators.

buffalo

Do you know what's been bugging me a lot this Tour? Every map and profile I've come across is marked with km done, so today the Cat 1 is at 129.5km.

Yet every commentary and live tracker seems to use km to go, so I have to do some horrible mental maths to figure out when the next key point is when following a race.

WHHHHHYYYYY!?

Rambling Man

Its like Bosco is commentating

MPFGLB

buffalo wrote: »

Do you know what's been bugging me a lot this Tour? Every map and profile I've come across is marked with km done, so today the Cat 1 is at 129.5km.

Yet every commentary and live tracker seems to use km to go, so I have to do some horrible mental maths to figure out when the next key point is when following a race.

WHHHHHYYYYY!?

Make sure you keep your little grey cells alive

Dcully

djemba djemba wrote: »

Is anyone watching the tour on TG4. What in the jaysus is happening with the commentary

I watch at times for the glorious hd but only pick up on maybe 20% at best of what they are saying usually playing catch up as the auld gaeilge comes to me slowly

BobCobb

I think it's 'PQ' himself that's doing the imitating!
It's a bit silly alright, but HC climbs above the patter on itv4, where they sound completely disinterested to me

brianhalpin

djemba djemba wrote: »

Is anyone watching the tour on TG4. What in the jaysus is happening with the commentary

I'm switching between TG4 & ITV (Albeit usually for last climb). It's annoying, but not half as bad as 5 min ads for loans & insurance scams (Who is their target audience!) every 3 mins. And then you've got D. Millar - I'd rather revisit the pain of my school years with Irish.

Inquitus

brianhalpin wrote: »

I'm switching between TG4 & ITV (Albeit usually for last climb). It's annoying, but not half as bad as 5 min ads for loans & insurance scams (Who is their target audience!) every 3 mins. And then you've got D. Millar - I'd rather revisit the pain of my school years with Irish.

Loans at 50% APR to well over 100% APR, how this is legal I don't know!

MPFGLB

I like it better when they tell you the distance between groups ...because time i so variable

BobCobb

Edet Izoard?

neris

BobCobb wrote: »

Edet Izoard?

Eddie izzard?

Doc07

T De Ghent congratulating his rival Barguil on winning Pokadot jersey with quick on-bike handshake was a nice touch of class

brianhalpin

Btw, anyone watching on TG4 have issues with audio (Slight occasional buzz/crackle in background - also noticeable during other broadcasts)?

neris

https://twitter.com/ukcyclingexpert/status/887974146805829632

BobCobb

BobCobb wrote: »

Edet Izoard?

Darwin award I meant!

neris

Ugh skybots

Inquitus

Dan didn't look great there, when the acceleration went on, Brambilla brought him back.

Djoucer

This stage has been **** so far.

funnights74

Aru in trouble, Sky putting the boot in. The s**t is hitting the fan.

Choochtown

Why did AG2R do all the work today and allow Froome to arrive at the last 6km with 3 fresh team mates?

What was the thinking behind that?

brianhalpin

Go on Bertie - get the stage!