Tour de France:- Stage 14: Grenoble - Risoul *Spoiler*

ridgerider

Mollema...breakfast...lets pull it all together here...

https://twitter.com/BaukeMollema/status/490395677156204544/photo/1

(if you want cycling facts...go to CN!)

ridgerider

FJS wrote:

RonB wrote:

What about Bauke Mollema and his steady rise up the GC?

July 15 10th place, July 16 9th place, July 17 8th place, July 18 7th place. How long can this go on?

As long as riders in front of him keep crashing out or having off days. That's how you ride into the top 10 or top 5 of the Tour. Not the most exiting...

Mr FJS, fellow Belkin supporter

Did you spot the lack of support for Bau by Lau yesterday? Has Bau burnt his Belkin bridges by announcing that he is cutting and running to Trek a couple of weeks too early???

mr_poll

Ridgerider wrote:

FJS wrote:

RonB wrote:

What about Bauke Mollema and his steady rise up the GC?

July 15 10th place, July 16 9th place, July 17 8th place, July 18 7th place. How long can this go on?

As long as riders in front of him keep crashing out or having off days. That's how you ride into the top 10 or top 5 of the Tour. Not the most exiting...

Mr FJS, fellow Belkin supporter

Did you spot the lack of support for Bau by Lau yesterday? Has Bau burnt his Belkin bridges by announcing that he is cutting and running to Trek a couple of weeks too early???

Have Belkin got a sponsor for next year? Otherwise can't blame a guy for avoiding redundancy.

Mollema has hugely improved his TT'ing - if he is top 5 and close to the dynamic french duo by the penultimate stage then it could be an interesting day.

RideOnTime

RideOnTime

AC's shoe

The_Boy

Riders getting dropped already. Gonna be as long day for them

inseine

Milton50 wrote:

If Nibali is feeling as good as it looks like then he should keep putting 40-50 seconds into his rivals. Anything can happen in the remainder of the race and if Nibali were to crash and lose 4 minutes he would never forgive himself for not extending his lead when he had the chance.

I think there is a decent chance of the breakaway winning today if there are some strong riders in the group. Sky won't help in setting the pace anymore so it's up to the likes of Movistar, FDJ, AG2R and BMC. I don't think those teams have enough strength to bring back a strong breakaway.

It's hard to know whether it's a good idea to bank these seconds here and there or is the effort more likely to provoke a bad day?
Then again if he's feeling good another stage win looks pretty good on his palmares.

DeadCalm

The race for white / to be top Frenchman / to be first Frenchman on the podium since the storming of the Bastille or thereabouts, is shaping up really nicely. I'd like to see AG2R launch Peraud on the Izoard but don't really think they'll be so bold. I do think he will work for Bardet from now on though which may make up slightly for the fact that Pinot is looking to be the stronger of the two at the moment.

The_Boy

Sky with several riders in break. Boring.

#ukpostalmountaintrain

Art Vandelay

DeadCalm wrote:

The race for white / to be top Frenchman / to be first Frenchman on the podium since the storming of the Bastille or thereabouts, is shaping up really nicely. I'd like to see AG2R launch Peraud on the Izoard but don't really think they'll be so bold. I do think he will work for Bardet from now on though which may make up slightly for the fact that Pinot is looking to be the stronger of the two at the moment.

I worry that this battle will hinder Bardet/Pinot and Peraud. At points yesterday Bardet and Peraud looked like they were racing against themselves for top AG2R rider.

Today - breakaway win.

RichN95.

Riders in the break: Nieve, Thomas, Herrada, Rodriguez, Majka, Roche, Sagan, De Marchi, Kruijswik, Riblon, Timmer, Serpa, Moinard, Gautier, Edet, Taaramae, Yates

Thomas best on GC +14.05

Art Vandelay

Bet Timmer is over-joyed to be amongst that lot about to head up the Lauteret

adr82

That's an interesting break:

Mikel Nieve and Geraint Thomas (Sky), Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Rafal Majka and Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff), Peter Sagan and Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale), Steven Kruijswijk (Belkin), Christophe Riblon (AG2R), Albert Timmer (Giant), José Serpa (Lampre), Amaël Moinard (BMC), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Nicolas Edet and Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis) and Simon Yates (Orica) form the front group since km 16

Edit: oops Rich already posted the names

DeadCalm

Art Vandelay wrote:

DeadCalm wrote:

The race for white / to be top Frenchman / to be first Frenchman on the podium since the storming of the Bastille or thereabouts, is shaping up really nicely. I'd like to see AG2R launch Peraud on the Izoard but don't really think they'll be so bold. I do think he will work for Bardet from now on though which may make up slightly for the fact that Pinot is looking to be the stronger of the two at the moment.

I worry that this battle will hinder Bardet/Pinot and Peraud. At points yesterday Bardet and Peraud looked like they were racing against themselves for top AG2R rider.

Today - breakaway win.

Peraud's legs cramped up on the final climb and he expressed disappointment that he couldn't keep Bardet closer to Pinot. Pretty sure now with the gaps the way they are he expects to be working for Bardet now. He did it in the Dauphine. Don't see why he wouldn't do it again.

RichN95.

The sun visor in the Broom Wagon. Valls has joined it today. It would make a hell of a squad.

rick_chasey

Great pic.

As much as I don't want to wish ill on anyone, if Nibali was to retire today, it'd be bloody brilliant for the race.

jotko

Nieve for the win.

The_Boy

RichN95 wrote:

The sun visor in the Broom Wagon. Valls has joined it today. It would make a hell of a squad.

Why is modolo's name on a white background?

Art Vandelay

Rick Chasey wrote:

Great pic.

As much as I don't want to wish ill on anyone, if Nibali was to retire today, it'd be bloody brilliant for the race.

I'd settle for Valverde losing 1 minute to spice up the podium fight. NIbs retiring would be tragic.

alan_a

Majka

P&P say Madgecar

C&S say Myka

which is correct?

Art Vandelay

The_Boy wrote:

Why is modolo's name on a white background?

1st rider out?

The_Boy

Rick Chasey wrote:

Great pic.

As much as I don't want to wish ill on anyone, if Nibali was to retire today, it'd be bloody brilliant for the race.

Not sure it would, tbh. If he lost a couple of minutes on the other hand.....

Art Vandelay

Alan A wrote:

Majka

P&P say Madgecar

C&S say Myka

which is correct?

Myka - although you'd put a almost silent J in there too

The_Boy

Buffalo? Buffalos?

alan_a

ta.

milton50

Nieve with a great chance of the win today because Geraint will sacrifice himself on the final climb if necessary.

oldwelshman

Glad to see 2 sky riders in the break, Nieve is a good shout, on form, I think with the way Astana struggled yesterday th evreak has very good chance to stay away as Astana not strong enough to bring it back alone. If last climb not attacked too hard would like to see G win but think his day will come another day. Nieve v Perrito I think/

nevman

Lets hope we get to see Bourg d`Oisans.Start of the Marmotte.

Macaloon

Impressive neo Tour for Yates. Two decent races in prospect. A meaty break, and the French connection shredding Valve to a membrane, behind. And thunderstorms.

Worried for Geraint. The stronger the performance the nearer the Kerrison-horizon he flies.

tailwindhome

I don't remember Macaloon being so down on Sky in previous years.