Stage 6 - Girona > Barcelona SPOILER
Right, time to kick off today's stage thread.
An interesting route through Catalonia. We might get another breakaway as the course is harder, more selective and the finish might put off some of the sprinters' teams, they might prefer to get a man or two into a break.
The finish in particular should be good, the final climb is about 30km from the end and if it's only a fourth category, it climbs from 75m to 330m.
Then into Barcelona and the "yellow wave" before the final climb up to Montjuic, which is 3% over 1.6km, but with a section over 6% for 500m. This sort of finish might suit a puncheur like Kirchen, Pozzato or Pineau more than a straight splinter.
But I still think there's a good chance that Cavendish cleans up, he can cope with uphill sprints, we saw this in the Tour of Switzerland stage that went over the 1st category Lukemanier pass before an uphill sprint into Lumino, Cav left Hushovd and Freire trailing.
It might be Armstrong's last chance to take yellow. Cancellara would be hard to drop but perhaps the Texan might launch an attack at the foot of the hill to gain that one second lead?
An interesting route through Catalonia. We might get another breakaway as the course is harder, more selective and the finish might put off some of the sprinters' teams, they might prefer to get a man or two into a break.
The finish in particular should be good, the final climb is about 30km from the end and if it's only a fourth category, it climbs from 75m to 330m.
Then into Barcelona and the "yellow wave" before the final climb up to Montjuic, which is 3% over 1.6km, but with a section over 6% for 500m. This sort of finish might suit a puncheur like Kirchen, Pozzato or Pineau more than a straight splinter.
But I still think there's a good chance that Cavendish cleans up, he can cope with uphill sprints, we saw this in the Tour of Switzerland stage that went over the 1st category Lukemanier pass before an uphill sprint into Lumino, Cav left Hushovd and Freire trailing.
It might be Armstrong's last chance to take yellow. Cancellara would be hard to drop but perhaps the Texan might launch an attack at the foot of the hill to gain that one second lead?
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Is the last hill hard enough for Armstrong to drop Cancellara?
Cancellara was ok on short sharp climbs last year when 7kg heavier, thinking of MSRIf suffer we must, let's suffer on the heights. (Victor Hugo).0 -
A very interesting stage. It's 44 years ago the Tour de France came to Barcelona, and it's not often the Tour has a stage finish in a large metropolis like this (Paris apart of course); the last 20 km will be all through city boulevards.
The coastal route between Sant Feliu and Lloret the Mar is up-and-down, and very, very narrow. I did it a week ago, and even on your own it's tricky and technical. I almost missed two surprise corners, on my own at training pace. Expect many crashes there, or a very slow peloton pace and a break-away getting many minutes.
The final climb isn't as tough as thought. It's certainly nothing like the steep climb on the other side they do every year in the October Montjuic crit. I did it yesterday pushing 50x16 - admittedly after 4 and not 179 km - and I reckon it's somewhere Cavendish can win.
There might be some gaps, but it's certainly not steep enough for Armstrong to really drop Cancellara. The other way round, Cancellara gaining some seconds on Armstrong, is just as likely.
Freire is the favorite in the newspapers here, but I can also see him play a little game with Flecha, one of only two Catalans in the peloton, and the only Barcelones.
It is raining heavily now in Barcelona.0 -
don't think the cat 4 climbs will be enough for LA to drop FC. Seeing that FC is getting ever so closer to losing the Yellow J, I'm waiting for something in the last 1K? Maybe to much up hill today?0
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I'm surprised to see Armstrong being speculated about for today.
Isn't it a finish that suits Cancellara more than Armstrong?
I was expecting a puncheur / classics rider to take the stage today - Cancellara, maybe Ballan, Boonen if he wasn't apparently sleepcycling through the tour.
Am I so wrong that we should be talking about Lance? If I was wrong, I thought it would be the other way, in that we shouldn't overlook Cav!0 -
is it worth watching for the french riders today ??? I would bet there will be breaks left right and centre today, and if everyone's watching the spanish riders then a french rider can slip under the radar
another stage for Voeckler ???
can't see any changes to the GC, I think they'll all be waiting for tomorrow to give it some beans and the climb won't be tough enough to really split the groupe Maillot Jaune"I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
--Jens Voight0 -
Tricky one today. I think Cav can still do it but its a bit closer. Be interesting to see how much Columbia put into the chase. If they think others are going to beat Cav then they may not be that unhappy to see a break go away and take the big points.0
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I can't see anything other than a successful breakaway today. It looks a good stage for someone who fancies the polka dots for the day, and they'll be a few candidates for that.
Plus I can't see who's going to chase. Columbia will have day off as they'll see this an opportunity for Hushovd to catch up some Green Jersey points on Cav and want to avoid that. But Cervelo will be saving themselves for Carlos tomorrow.
Rabobank and Liquigas will probably be the same although the finish looks very Freire friendly. I think both may send a rider in the break to avoid having to chase (Flecha being a prime candidate for Rabo).
Saxo won't mind losing Yellow a day earlier than expected. Which leaves Quick Step, who have shown little inclination to do anything so far (though Boonen could do well on that finish).
Also that 'Yellow Wave' thing in the last kilo - it's never going work.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Still raining. According to a Sporza-radio commentator blog video at noon they still had difficulties drawing a finish line
http://christophevandegoor.sporza.be/wp ... -regen.wmv
no finish today0 -
How many men will Cervelo need for sastre tomorrow though? Wont he only need, say, two men unless they are going to do a lot of work on the front? They cant do all the work by themselves. i like the idea of Flecha breaking away today. Besides, Rabobank have one less person to look after today and tomorrow now which should free them up a bit.0
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Sorry, but for the uninitiated, what's a "Yellow Wave"?0
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That would be major dissapointment; it's all the city has been advertising all week all over the city: "come join the biggest yellow wave in the world"...RichN95 wrote:Also that 'Yellow Wave' thing in the last kilo - it's never going work.
I've already got my yellow paper ready.
But if it keeps raining like now, I agree, it'll never work - instead everyone will use them to keep dry: the biggest yellow roof in the world
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Graeme_S wrote:Sorry, but for the uninitiated, what's a "Yellow Wave"?
http://www.bcn.cat/tour/ca/com.html
an idea of the Barcelona city council. spectators raise a yellow placard above their head when the riders pass -- result, a 'yellow wave'0 -
Good on them for trying, if it works, it should look pretty coolFJS wrote:Graeme_S wrote:Sorry, but for the uninitiated, what's a "Yellow Wave"?
http://www.bcn.cat/tour/ca/com.html
an idea of the Barcelona city council. spectators raise a yellow placard above their head when the riders pass -- result, a 'yellow wave' 0 -
down to 177 riders today as Geshink has abandoned after breaking his wrist yesterday...
however chapeau to him for finishing the stage...I couldn't imagine myself riding 70-odd km's with a broken wrist :shock:
The BBC commentary is talking of thunderstorms for the last third ("t-u-r-d" if your listening on eurosport with Kelly ) and standing water through to Barcelona....so it could be interesting into the finish..... 0 -
Thunderstorm currently at Barcelona airport.0
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I've had a punt on Boonen today. Not very good so far but 60/1 was too good to turn down.0
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FJS wrote:
That would be major dissapointment; it's all the city has been advertising all week all over the city: "come join the biggest yellow wave in the world"...RichN95 wrote:Also that 'Yellow Wave' thing in the last kilo - it's never going work.
I've already got my yellow paper ready.
But if it keeps raining like now, I agree, it'll never work - instead everyone will use them to keep dry: the biggest yellow roof in the world
I'd love to see it work - it would be incredible. It just seems a little ambitious to me.Twitter: @RichN950 -
n ot just at the airportCumulonimbus wrote:Thunderstorm currently at Barcelona airport.
... still heavy rain and thunder in the city...
Meanwhile in the race, that curvy narrow hilly coastal road after Sant Feillu is causing splits... 10 riders, with Cancellara, in a first group0 -
Spawn of Cabbie wrote:I've had a punt on Boonen today. Not very good so far but 60/1 was too good to turn down.
There seemed to be some really good value today. I guess the chance of a break and a random win are deemed high.
I had Cav, Canc and Ciolek all around 20/1 and Ballan at 50/1
Freire and Pozzato were the favourites at around 9 or 10/1
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¡ Ay ay, que gran tempesta de trons !0
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David Millar having a punt today. 45 seconds up on the peleton with Chavanel.0
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Sastre just had a fall, he's behind and surrounded by his team mates.0
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Commentators curse strikes again....
138 km La pluie a fait son apparition sur la Catalogne. Ce sont de grosses averses qui inondent les routes. Attention aux chutes !
shortly followed by....
135 kmCHUTE DE SASTRE ! !!0 -
Probably a good day for the likes of Millar and Zabriskie to try a punt at yellow.0
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Cumulonimbus - not a bad call -
Millar, Chavanel & Auge opened up a 1 minute gap... 0 -
Minute and a half lead now and growing slowly. Auge has joined the group.0
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Saxo will be forced to chase today - or risk losing the Yellow jersey to Millar who only sits 1'05" down on Cancellara.
Which means that Columbia may catch a break and not have to do ALL the work to get Cav to the finish line for the win.0 -
hmm - my frenchie prediction may come true !! if millar offers to to lead out to let them two duke out the stage in return for them working it right to the line to get up the GC then they've got a chance.... slim one tho..."I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
--Jens Voight0 -
Depends how keen they are on keeping the jersey. If Cancellara loses any time tomorrow then he will be out of it anyway. They may want to save their energy for the Schlecks. They'll want it to come back but how much?0
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Still thunder being reported from Barcelona Airport. 9mm of rain has fallen there this morning. Could be wet for the riders later on. Quite breezy in places too.0
