TdF 2013 - Stage 20 ***Spoilers*** Annecy - Semnoz

alan_a

The final fling

The profiles





The view



The amateurs



What we hope for



What we'll probably get



What Froome is hoping for if the weather forecast is correct



How Bjarne Riis is feeling re Tana & Purito



The plan he's come up with for Bertie to jump ahead of Froome



The beer



The cheese



The cheese & potato dish



The geology



The minute we should spend saying a little prayer for the cyclist, the family and the two little girls who survived, whilst reminding ourselves that there is more to life than whether rider A, B or C doped or took an illegal gel.

napoleond

Fantastic! Meat?

above_the_cows

What a thread opener.

The TV Show set on location:



#TeamVictor

ddraver

I'm wondering why Lake Annecy is parallel to the Vuache Fault (suggesting it's fault controlled), whereas Lake Le Bourget cross cuts both the Culoz and Col du Chat Faults...I'd be surprised if the lakes are not flooded glacial valleys so why the difference.

The palaeozoic basement has been thrusted up on top of the younger mesozoic sediments that were deposited at the same time as the stuff in the Paris basin I wrote about earlier. Essentially you get thick layers of rock that have been pushed up on top of one another, Even the small bit of stuff we can see there is ~7km wide suggesting that these layers must have been kilometers thick!

doug5_10

Superb Alan A!

Yellow Peril

Above The Cows wrote:

What a thread opener.

The TV Show set on location:



#TeamVictor

A drama about the living dead on the roads around Annecy? ...it must surely star BMC

above_the_cows

Yellow Peril wrote:

A drama about the living dead on the roads around Annecy? ...it must surely star BMC

Well done!

nweststeyn

ddraver wrote:

I'm wondering why Lake Annecy is parallel to the Vuache Fault (suggesting it's fault controlled), whereas Lake Le Bourget cross cuts both the Culoz and Col du Chat Faults...I'd be surprised if the lakes are not flooded glacial valleys so why the difference.

The palaeozoic basement has been thrusted up on top of the younger mesozoic sediments that were deposited at the same time as the stuff in the Paris basin I wrote about earlier. Essentially you get thick layers of rock that have been pushed up on top of one another, Even the small bit of stuff we can see there is ~7km wide suggesting that these layers must have been kilometers thick!

Will you be here next year? I will have finished my 2nd year Geology modules and will hopefully feel like contributing. Until then, I'll just enjoy the GeologyRocks chat!

Yellow Peril

nweststeyn wrote:

ddraver wrote:

I'm wondering why Lake Annecy is parallel to the Vuache Fault (suggesting it's fault controlled), whereas Lake Le Bourget cross cuts both the Culoz and Col du Chat Faults...I'd be surprised if the lakes are not flooded glacial valleys so why the difference.

The palaeozoic basement has been thrusted up on top of the younger mesozoic sediments that were deposited at the same time as the stuff in the Paris basin I wrote about earlier. Essentially you get thick layers of rock that have been pushed up on top of one another, Even the small bit of stuff we can see there is ~7km wide suggesting that these layers must have been kilometers thick!

Will you be here next year? I will have finished my 2nd year Geology modules and will hopefully feel like contributing. Until then, I'll just enjoy the GeologyRocks chat!

Apparently on "Rock Radar" Forum they open their volcanic activity spoiler threads with pictures of bikes that might get ridden over them.

joelsim

Damn. First stage I can't watch and it's the most important.

I won't even get to see any highlights as I'll be in a field in Berkshire getting totally muntered.

Damn again.

Turfle

One final chance to throw the kitchen sink at Sky over the first 17k. Maybe not tricky enough terrain.

RichN95.

Turfle wrote:

One final chance to throw the kitchen sink at Sky over the first 17k. Maybe not tricky enough terrain.

No-one's looking at Froome any more. They need him to have a stinker to win. J-Rod, Bertie, Nick Nack and Wingnut are all looking at each other.

davidof

and the little girl who survived,

Two little girls who survived.


Pont d'Abime - maybe a chance to push Froome into the 200m chasm and raging torrents below?


Honestly I can' t see anything troubling Froome on this stage. Maybe Quimtana could take a bit of time out of him on le Semnoz but not his whole lead. The other climbs - well even Cavevans will make it up them ok.




Mont Blanc from the stage finish. I'm not sure you can see the lake, except if you have a helicopter.

Cleat Eastwood

Oh Chapeau - excellent stage intro - best yet - worthy of gracing the 100th edition.

Cleat Eastwood

And we need AtC's stage song selection too.

Turfle

RichN95 wrote:

Turfle wrote:

One final chance to throw the kitchen sink at Sky over the first 17k. Maybe not tricky enough terrain.

No-one's looking at Froome any more. They need him to have a stinker to win. J-Rod, Bertie, Nick Nack and Wingnut are all looking at each other.

I think you're right, but surely worth making it as hard a first 17km or so as possible, just in case. But yeah, most likely nothing until the final climb.

RichN95.

Turfle wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Turfle wrote:

One final chance to throw the kitchen sink at Sky over the first 17k. Maybe not tricky enough terrain.

No-one's looking at Froome any more. They need him to have a stinker to win. J-Rod, Bertie, Nick Nack and Wingnut are all looking at each other.

I think you're right, but surely worth making it as hard a first 17km or so as possible, just in case. But yeah, most likely nothing until the final climb.

If someone attacks, the others will look at Froome and he'll smugly hold up five fingers and they'll have to get on with the chase, which he will follow like it's a Sky paceline.

CoutinhoRed

Contador will crack during the last climb and J-Rod will secure 3rd in podium behind Quintana. That is the best scenario in my opinion!

mfin

CoutinhoRed wrote:

Contador will crack during the last climb and J-Rod will secure 3rd in podium behind Quintana. That is the best scenario in my opinion!

The best thing that could happen is Contador being taken off the podium, I doubt it would happen, but I will toast a beer to AC if it does and another 5 to NQ.

Yellow Peril

plenty to race for here in terms of podiums and polka dots. If I were Froome I'd definitely be angling to carry off both jerseys and would ride with that intent. He isn't the first Brit (plastic or whatever) to win the Tour and he's unlikely to win SPOTY after Murray but he could do something that no-one has done for a very long time

dgstewart

^This. I think he should be going for a 4th stage win and hence a possible/probable GC/KOM double (depending how other climbs go) as it would be quite an impressive achievement. Might depend if he wants, or feels the need, to allow Quintana take something from the stage/KOM.

DeadCalm

Yellow Peril wrote:

plenty to race for here in terms of podiums and polka dots. If I were Froome I'd definitely be angling to carry off both jerseys and would ride with that intent. He isn't the first Brit (plastic or whatever) to win the Tour and he's unlikely to win SPOTY after Murray but he could do something that no-one has done for a very long time

I'll be absolutely gutted if Froome takes the KOM.

inseine

Looks like there's 47 point on offer in the KOM and only 11 points covering the first 5 riders, but the points are so weighted towards the final HC climb that whoever wins there (it's going to be Froome BTW) will certainly be right up there unless one of the top guys takes all the earlier climbs.
An early attacker who bags all 5 of the other climbs will only get 21 points so will still need to be up there at the end.

richa

Summary...

YELLOW
1. FROOME C. SKY 77h 10' 00''
2. CONTADOR A. TST 05' 11''
3. QUINTANA ROJAS N. MOV 05' 32''
4. KREUZIGER R. TST 05' 44''
5. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER J. 05' 58

This is a short stage 3.5-4hrs. In theory it could be a manic, aggressive, attack filled roller coaster. But I reckon no GC attacks until last 10k. The finish is a much tougher last 5-10k than AdH so no reason why a 'tana & Purito attack can't get 30-50sec on Bertie. Both have looked strong this week.

POLKA
1. FROOME C. SKY 104 pts
2. ROLLAND P. EUC 103 pts
3. NIEVE ITURRALDE M. EUS 98 pts
4. QUINTANA ROJAS N. MOV 97 pts
5. RIBLON C. ALM 93 pts

The Polka could also be lively. Nice that it is going to come down to last climb. Rolland & Nieve are going to have to get in a very early break. What is he points distrib? Can the effectively secure the jersey before the final climb?

TEAM
1. TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF 230h 46' 35''
2. RADIOSHACK LEOPARD 03' 39''
3. AG2R LA MONDIALE 07' 37"

Don't foresee any changes. Saxo defended jersey yesterday and the shack have done incredibly to be where they are given no one in top 15GC.

WHITE
1. QUINTANA ROJAS N. MOV 77h 15' 32''
2. KWIATKOWSKI M. OPQ 10' 36''
3. TALANSKY A. GRS 10' 52''

Quintana too strong.

GREEN
1. SAGAN P. CAN 380 pts
2. CAVENDISH M. OPQ 278 pts
3. GREIPEL A. LTB 227 pts

Theoretically still on. 102 pts lead. 105 (?) still available. Cav to get in the break, then attack on Semnoz? Er, no. They thought it was Cav's year again. Sagan too good. Will Cav ever win another. The rise of Kittel & Griepel have diluted his point gains on the flat stages.

kleinstroker

Hope ATC doesn't mind...

todays song, with cool vid- Kraftwerk - Tour de France

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPIArqrutKA

RideOnTime

Moving all very moving.

Les Revenants looks cheery - I must catch that...

So only 47 seconds between 2nd and 5th... oooooooooooo
A race.

poppit

Froome to stay with the other GC guys until the last climb and then he'll give them all a good kicking, job done.

Macaloon

Thank you AlanA. Hors Cat thread starter.

Yesterday was about the only stage which failed to meet expectations, for one reason or another. Pretty good ratio. Big tension for Alberto today between his reputation as a death or glory racer, & responsibilities as a Pro cyclist with points to harvest for his team. But he looks toast. If Movi and Katuwa make it hard, he could lose a minute. Froome looks mentally shattered. Doubt he'll do anything but follow.

morstar

Amazing intro AlanA.

Movistar have got to make this tough from the start so that AC arrives at the last climb already fatigued. Too big a gamble to just hope you can get all the time on the final climb if everybody has just ambled to the bottom of it. I'm sure it's still doable but too risky to bank on another riders weakness rather than attack. Valverde to go early I guess.

(As an aside, never been a Valverde fan but he's been good value this race. A shame the way he went out of contention)

Froome will surely win the KOM by default. Tough for PR but haven't we all be saying for years how the competition needs to be changed so that proper climbers win it rather than breakaway specialists? That's exactly what has happened and for me the leader board reflects a list of who's who of climbers fairly well. PR needs to be there at the finish today but that is a big ask after yesterday.

LutherB

kleinstroker wrote:

Hope ATC doesn't mind...

todays song, with cool vid- Kraftwerk - Tour de France

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPIArqrutKA

The boys & their bikes

Macaloon

Not that it's needed today, but the original Autobahn comes in handy for valley transitions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-G28iyPtz0