Tour de France Stage 11: Albertville - Col de Granon (151.7km)

retalivity

The first big day in the Alps, time for Jumbo Visma or Ineos to try and put Pog under pressure. Pog still favourite though, though there are some crazy names up there - Fuglsang? Woods??

No new covid dropouts yet...

Paddigol

You'd think that they have to try something early here, if to soften up the remnants of UAE and cause a bit of stress for Pog if nothing else. We've seen that if you leave it late to move, he's generally more than capable of covering moves himself, limiting losses and even using attacks as springboards for his own bid for the stage win.

Macy0161

I actually think they could ride the UAE doms off over the Telegraphe and Galibier rather than have to do something early. Set up the attack that way. I think JV can run a fast enough train that McNulty, Soler and Majka can't live with. Also, the heat a big unknown with Pog.

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119330447#Comment_119330447

Agreed, Jumbo and Ineos need to try get a rider each in the early break. Then attack with Roglic and Pidcock/Martinez on the Galibier to make UAE chase and soften them up early on. Vingegaard and Thomas/Yates then need to give it socks on the final climb and keep pinging attacks off him.

Mind you I could also see a scenario where Pog attacks solo on the Telegraph or the Galibier and holds it to the line.

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

Also hard to believe we are only halfway through this tour!

retalivity

Is the video on the Eurosport/GCN feed miles behind the audio??

mewso

We were going so well. 10 stage threads named with 'Tour de France' in them. My OCD is in overdrive :)

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119330651#Comment_119330651

Fixed!

De Bhál

Cattaneo trying to get in a break with those two, he obviously loves to suffer

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

Soler didn't need much encouragement to start chasing down that Movistar rider 😂

retalivity

This Montvernier climb is probably the most beautiful in the whole race

Mefistofelino

Soler would have chased that down even if he was still with Movistar

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119330620#Comment_119330620

Not just me, so

griffin100

That helicopter shot of the climb hurts my legs!!

Wounded will the laughing group struggle today with the time limits given the fast pace already on show.

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

Ollie Naesen out of the race 😢

The last climb today was used in 86 and hasn't been included since. Ominous maybe that even the google car hasn't been up there when I tried to drop the man on it.

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119331084#Comment_119331084

Dead end, narrow road so logistically difficult is the reason apparently. I don't think all journalists are being allowed to the top!

Dr. Bre

Van der Poel withdraws

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119331252#Comment_119331252

Weird, seeing as he was at the front for the first 50k. Go out with a bang i guess!

Dodge

love him but it goes to show that these days, you can’t do a Giro at full pelt and hope to do anything in the Tour

Dr. Bre

Surprised to see an attack on the telegraph!

retalivity

Here we go!

Wow kicking off early. Wasn't expecting this.

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

THIS IS BRILLIANT

neris

This is mad stuff they'll be bollixed

retalivity

Outrageous stuff

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

Great riding from Thomas to stay with all the attacks, I was sure he wouldn't be a factor in this Tour.

c.p.w.g.w

This is mental

We're spoiled this year we get to see these views again tomorrow.

retalivity

Pog vs 4 JV & WVA up the road!

Rog gone pop

dastardly00

Rog in trouble

Raoul Duke

Is this what Inios were hoping to do with their four? Hah!

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

Pog on the radio barely out of breath after dropping everyone except Vingegaard. He's unstoppable.

retalivity

Not sure why one of Kuss or Kruiswijk didnt go back for Rog

dastardly00

Unless Vingegaard can get some bit of a gap between himself and Pog, then WvA isn't really of much help.

Paddigol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119331661#Comment_119331661

Maybe Rog indicated he was done and better to keep 3 v. 1 than go from 4 v. 1 to 2 v. 1 in one go?

I can see Pog just seeing how Vingogogogogogo goes over the next 10k or so and then look to drop JV on his own. That would be a hammer blow to the rest of the peloton.

neris

Brad on a bike bumbling through what carlton could have told us

Mefistofelino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119331856#Comment_119331856

If we sent the Moto pilot an envelope containing €100 and a wire cutters, would he do the honourable and banjax the camera and mic wiring,?

Bardet is going for stages, not gc eh?

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

WVA riding Majka back to the front group? 🤔

neris

Fdj express hit the buffers

neris

Pog did the galibier in 50 minutes and average amateur time is 1 hour 44. That's 3 hours for me

retalivity

Pog looks like he wants to annihilate them all going up this final climb

and he's able to smile at the camera

Mefistofelino

Well, that was well worth WVA going back for Roglic. UAE net beneficiaries of JV tactics again.

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119331991#Comment_119331991

They brought Majka back, who then outlasted Rog & Kuss, backfired big time.

Mefistofelino

And blew up WVA who might have been of some use for the first 1-2 km on the climb

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

Looking like Pog will take another stage today and probably take some time out of the rest.

Mefistofelino

I think Yates will take this from the group of favourites. Sitting there, doing nothing. Not even breathing hard.

retalivity

Really surprised one of Ineos havent attacked, especially Yates. He must already be at 100%