TDF-Stage 16: Carcassonne–Bagnères-de-Luchon: *Spoiler*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
edited July 2014 in Pro race
Enough of the rest day, already.
Stage 16, Tuesday, July 22nd: Carcassonne / Bagnères-de-Luchon - 237.5km

Map
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Profile
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Launchpad
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Last kms
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Plat du Jour
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"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,116
    Cassoulet - a posh word for sausage and beans - as I once told a very young Jean-Christophe Novelli which sent him into an apoplectic rage.

    Romain Bardet says "There is going to be fight to get into an early break because it has a good chance of making it to the finish looking at the length of the stage. There may be an attack from the leaders on the Port de Bales who will then take advantage on the descent to stay away and make some time" - could suit Nibs again in that case.-
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,434
    Contador would have attacked on the Cote de Fanjeaux, had a picnic lunch on top of Col de Portet-d'Aspet, an ice cream on Port de Bales and still taken 34 minutes from Nibali.

    Form. Of. His. Life.

    He still could. But he's a really nice guy so he's letting Nibali have this one.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • fleshtuxedo
    fleshtuxedo Posts: 1,858
    Blazing Saddles wrote:

    Plat du Jour
    en_4f1d2a8bdcf4e38_Cassoulet.jpg

    Tomatoes in a cassoulet? The horror
  • cesco
    cesco Posts: 252
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Contador would have attacked on the Cote de Fanjeaux, had a picnic lunch on top of Col de Portet-d'Aspet, an ice cream on Port de Bales and still taken 34 minutes from Nibali.

    Form. Of. His. Life.

    He still could. But he's a really nice guy so he's letting Nibali have this one.

    Yep, we know the Port de Bales suits him

    article-1279618712653-0a7f7c2b000005dc-385766_636x606.jpg
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    Rui Costa DNS

    Chest infection
  • RideOnTime
    RideOnTime Posts: 4,712
    cesco wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Contador would have attacked on the Cote de Fanjeaux, had a picnic lunch on top of Col de Portet-d'Aspet, an ice cream on Port de Bales and still taken 34 minutes from Nibali.

    Form. Of. His. Life.

    He still could. But he's a really nice guy so he's letting Nibali have this one.

    Yep, we know the Port de Bales suits him

    article-1279618712653-0a7f7c2b000005dc-385766_636x606.jpg

    Is that 'lady' on the left tagged with a fluorescent tag?
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    A pretty heavy headwind for the first hour or two, but at least it's cool and dry.

    etape_16.gif
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    The early break containing Little Flower, Kiry and Adam Hansen has been caught.

    Meanwhile here's a picture of a cow I took after climbing the Col de Pailhères, not on the route today but it's the closest I can get:

    8f76f63c-0953-4e47-a817-47460fd179d3_zps784d90bb.jpg
    Correlation is not causation.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    The stage brings back memories from my Raid Pyrenees... we stopped in Saint-Girons at the bike shop owned by Frederic Moncassin... nice chap... we had a good chat about his time as a top sprinter in the peloton...

    Ah, those were the days... when Riis wore yellow!
    left the forum March 2023
  • gsvbagpuss
    gsvbagpuss Posts: 272
    So, post rest day 2 there are quite a few big teams with very little to show for their TdF. OGE, Sky, Garmin DSs all on the war path till Paris?
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    And still an hour to go before we have to make our PTP selection...lets just see who gets into the break du jour.
    Half man, Half bike
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    dsoutar wrote:
    Rui Costa DNS

    Chest infection

    Seems to be doing the rounds. Sky are claiming that's what melted the Toblerone.
    Ridgerider wrote:
    And still an hour to go before we have to make our PTP selection...lets just see who gets into the break du jour.

    Mollema obviously. Or maybe Ten Dam?
    Correlation is not causation.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Shame about Rui. He had bronchitis which caused his initial drop in performance. I guess he held on as long as he could.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Shame about Rui. He had bronchitis which caused his initial drop in performance. I guess he held on as long as he could.

    bah... at least brochard had a Bandana!

    photoine_frero.jpg
    left the forum March 2023
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    "It's a long day today. It's obvious that Purito wants it badly and I'll fight against him. But shall Vincenzo [Nibali] win the uphill stage finishes, he'll be the king of the mountains too because the points are doubled at the top. I feel good. I've rest well. The desire to win another stage for Tinkoff-Saxo is big. I'll do my best.”
    -Majka

    He just took one point so is virtual leader.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Break:

    Michael Rogers (TInkoff-Saxo), Jérémy Roy (FDJ.fr), Michael Alabsini (Orica-GreenEdge), Kevin Reza (Europcar), Anthony de la Place (Bretagne Séché Environment), Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale) and Bernard Eisel (Sky),Vasil Kiriyenka (Sky), Jon Izagirre (Movistar), Jose Serpa (Lampre) and Roger Kluge (IAM Cycling).
    Contador is the Greatest
  • mechanism
    mechanism Posts: 891
    I hope someone has taught Phil Liggett the correct pronunciation of Majka for the next few stages.

    Also, now that Rui Costa is out Chris Horner can show all the youngsters how to climb.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Orica bus driver has knocked over a sign :roll:

    btizmrqieaebkha_large_670.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • OPQS
    OPQS Posts: 187
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Shame about Rui. He had bronchitis which caused his initial drop in performance. I guess he held on as long as he could.

    bah... at least brochard had a Bandana!

    photoine_frero.jpg

    I wonder if Festina would ever sponsor a Pro Tour Team again?
  • OPQS
    OPQS Posts: 187
    Mechanism wrote:
    Also, now that Rui Costa is out Chris Horner can show all the youngsters how to climb.

    He has spent most of the Tour at the back of the Peloton. Has he 'ridden himself into form'?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    OPQS wrote:

    I wonder if Festina would ever sponsor a Pro Tour Team again?

    Maybe not, but they clearly still believe the Tour de france is good promotion for them
    left the forum March 2023
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Garmin unhappy they missed that break and are working to bring it back. Nieve, Chavanel and Greipel are out the back.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,436
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Garmin unhappy they missed that break and are working to bring it back. Nieve, Chavanel and Greipel are out the back.

    Porte and JvdB out the back too apparently. What has happened to Nieve? He looked great in the Dauphine but has been poor.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    OPQS wrote:
    He has spent most of the Tour at the back of the Peloton. Has he 'ridden himself into form'?

    WIth all respect for his achievements, recent Vuelta history suggests there are exploits that are only possible at the Vuelta: Cobo, Mosquera, Horner, unlikely to be seen on the podium elsewhere
    left the forum March 2023
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Orica bus driver has knocked over a sign :roll:

    btizmrqieaebkha_large_670.jpg

    ...and gone the wrong way down a one way street.
    Half man, Half bike
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    r0bh wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Garmin unhappy they missed that break and are working to bring it back. Nieve, Chavanel and Greipel are out the back.

    Porte and JvdB out the back too apparently. What has happened to Nieve? He looked great in the Dauphine but has been poor.


    If there's illness doing the rounds, that might explain Nieve's drop in form.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • mechanism
    mechanism Posts: 891
    OPQS wrote:
    Mechanism wrote:
    Also, now that Rui Costa is out Chris Horner can show all the youngsters how to climb.

    He has spent most of the Tour at the back of the Peloton. Has he 'ridden himself into form'?

    I thought I'd seen him climbing with the top guys but dropping back to help Costa.
  • mike6
    mike6 Posts: 1,199
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    OPQS wrote:

    I wonder if Festina would ever sponsor a Pro Tour Team again?

    Maybe not, but they clearly still believe the Tour de france is good promotion for them

    They don't need to realy, they are still basking in the publicity from last time. Big publicity posters of Virenque outside shops selling Festina, at least in France. Tricky Dickie is still a hero in France and they have no problem using him to promote the brand. :D
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Rodriguez and Sagan out the back. JRod is not doing very well at the moment.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Gap was close on 2mins but now about 30secs.

    --

    Apparently every team had drug testing yesterday. Extra staff were called in to facilitate it.
    Contador is the Greatest

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