TDF 2013 Stage 16 **Spoilers** Vaison-la-Romaine - Gap

mididoctors

the french have to agree not to chase if their team misses the break

fleshtuxedo

Would like to see a French win today. Feeling sorry for Pinot

DeadCalm

mididoctors wrote:

the french have to agree not to chase if their team misses the break

Not got going to happen. This is probably the last, certainly the best, chance of a French stage win this Tour.

hammerite

DeadCalm wrote:

hammerite wrote:

DeadCalm wrote:

hammerite wrote:

DeadCalm wrote:

David Millar ‏@millarmind 14m
I predict a riot the first hour of today's stage. Might treat myself to a caffeine gel on the start line

Everyone trying to get in the break. Cannondale will be trying to hold it together for Sagan's chances.

How about a Frenchman to get their first win of the Tour? Has there been a tour where the French haven't won a stage?

Last happened in 1999 I believe. I'm sure the conspiracy theorists could have some fun with that.

Thanks for that. I wondered whether it had happened at all.

It may well be the only time it has ever happened. I went back as far as 1965 and that was the only instance I could find. It's pretty much unimaginable that they didn't win at least one stage in all the Tours before that isn't it?

Yes any time before that would have been dominated by French riders (if not the overall, then the field would be predominantly French).

Macaloon

Froome gave another fairly interesting interview yesterday (ITV highlights) where he speculated in some detail about the tiny gaps between 2nd-5th & Quintana, and how they may make for more defensive riding. Contador said he cares as much for second as tenth. Given that Sky would love a break to go, what can other teams realistically do today to deliver Sky exactly what they don't want?

Saxo & Movi to help Cannondale to rip it up? Saxo and Movi to continually fire guys up the road?

alan_a

letour ticker

The 16th stage is only a minute from starting: the peloton is waiting in Vaison-la-Romaine and is ready to roll on a warm day in Provence. The temperature at the start is 28.5 degrees Celsius.

alan_a

Danny Van Poppel did not start this morning.

alan_a

The official start of the 16th stage was at 1.22pm. There are 179 riders still in the race. The non-starters are Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) and Danny van Poppel (VCD).

The first attack has come from a rider from Vacansoleil-DCM.

dish_dash

Bring on the racing... first hour should be hectic!

RideOnTime

Oh No!!!!
The Boy Van Poppel.

Is he sick?

dish_dash

RideOnTime wrote:

Oh No!!!!
The Boy Van Poppel.

Is he sick?

nah... just 19 and they didn't want to knacker him out... he's done well to get through this far!

RideOnTime

dish_dash wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

Oh No!!!!
The Boy Van Poppel.

Is he sick?

nah... just 19 and they didn't want to knacker him out... he's done well to get through this far!

Let's just hope he wasn't up all night drinking Alco-pops with the Froomedog.

Actually let's face he wouldn't do that.

I expect Quintana will be looking better after his Oil of Ulay regime. Mind you it's not been working all that well.

It sayes in the Guardian that Sky have been doing short burst interval training and producing 650w and the result was seen with Froomes acceleration away from Contador on Ventoux. :?

alan_a

In honour of today's 20th anniversary of this



today's opening hour will hopefully be va va voooooooom.

goonz

Come on Voekler do it for France!!!

alan_a

There is a group of 20 riders at the front of the 16th stage. Names to follow shortly... if the break is established. We can report that Voigt (RTL) is present in the early move. So too is Peter Sagan (CAN).

Macaloon

Strava speed?

above_the_cows

hammerite wrote:

deejay wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Towns with just three letters? Can I have Aix minus the -en-Provence because no one uses the -en-Provence...

So what is the difference with AIX-Les-Baines in the Alps. ??

Or Aix les Thermes in the Pyrenees.

Aix means waters. Bains means bathroom. So think I think most of them are spa towns.

OK so when I said 'everyone' I sort of meant more, me and everyone I know, in my academic circles it is just Aix because it is a university town and loads of my colleagues, myself included have links to Sciences Po there.

So anyway racing. I'm bored of Gap, they always go to Gap. Gap on the Tour is as generic and bland as a Gap T-shirt. Let's hope someone tries to mix it up a bit today. Full gas from the off, no messing, drop a grenade and pedal like mad men. Boom!

secretsqirrel

deejay wrote:

Call yourselves cyclists.
The first name I thought of
HUY

Looked up Epo on google maps. It's in China and Spain, apparently :shock:

DeadCalm

dish_dash wrote:

Bring on the racing... first hour should be hectic!

Yep. Gutted there's not coverage from the start. Could well be the best bit of the stage.

Macaloon

Ticker humour:

"FDJ.fr missed the move...

With the 20 men still only 20" ahead (at 9km) we can report that: 1. There is no FDJ.fr rider in the escape; and, 2. That FDJ.fr is at the front of the peloton.

Ah, do you reckon that points one and two are related...?"

alan_a

Sagan (CAN), Voigt (RTL), Didier (RTL), Hansen (LTB), Bennati (TST), Roche (TST), Brutt (KAT), Kadri (ALM), Ribon (ALM), Costa (MOV), Rojas (MOV), Mori (LAM), Boom (BEL), Velits (OPQ), Navardauskas (GRS), Degenkolb (ARG), Dumoulin (ARG), De Gendt (VCD), and Vuillermoz (SOJ) are the riders in the lead of the stage. They have an advantage of 29".

RideOnTime

Above The Cows wrote:

hammerite wrote:

deejay wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Towns with just three letters? Can I have Aix minus the -en-Provence because no one uses the -en-Provence...

So what is the difference with AIX-Les-Baines in the Alps. ??

Or Aix les Thermes in the Pyrenees.

Aix means waters. Bains means bathroom. So think I think most of them are spa towns.

OK so when I said 'everyone' I sort of meant more, me and everyone I know, in my academic circles it is just Aix because it is a university town and loads of my colleagues, myself included have links to Sciences Po there.

So anyway racing. I'm bored of Gap, they always go to Gap. Gap on the Tour is as generic and bland as a Gap T-shirt. Let's hope someone tries to mix it up a bit today. Full gas from the off, no messing, drop a grenade and pedal like mad men. Boom!

To be fair London Underground had long been warning the TdF not to go there.

DeadCalm

Costa in the lead group. Interesting.

No FDJ though and they are chasing.

RideOnTime

Alan A wrote:

Sagan (CAN), Voigt (RTL), Didier (RTL), Hansen (LTB), Bennati (TST), Roche (TST), Brutt (KAT), Kadri (ALM), Ribon (ALM), Costa (MOV), Rojas (MOV), Mori (LAM), Boom (BEL), Velits (OPQ), Navardauskas (GRS), Degenkolb (ARG), Dumoulin (ARG), De Gendt (VCD), and Vuillermoz (SOJ) are the riders in the lead of the stage. They have an advantage of 29".

SECONDS NOT INCHES.

Just to clarify...

goonz

No TV in the group? This tour is over for Tommy!

DeadCalm

Saxo and Movistar each with 2 in the break. No Belkin.

LeicesterLad

goonz wrote:

No TV in the group? This tour is over for Tommy!

nah, he's waiting for d'Huez

goonz

Saxo still got some left in the tank eh?

bigmat

They won't let this get away will they? A lot of times won't like the look of that group.

DeadCalm

As well as Belkin, Sky, BMC, FDJ, Astana, Euskaltel, Cofidis (surprise, surprise) and Orica-GreenEdge missing out.