TDF 2017: Stage 11 - July12th. Eymet - Pau - 203.5kms *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
edited July 2017 in Pro race
If you think today was boring, take a lot at this little gem.

Stage 11: Eymet - Pau. Stage start: 13-05cet.

After the frenetic crazy weekend, the riders after enjoying a rest day, get a pair of flat, featureless stages.
Hopefully, these stages will allow the remaining GC contenders to further re-charge their batteries. No pun intended!

So, to the second of these stages, as the race continues it's move South to Pau and a date with the Pyrenees.

Pau and the Tour de France are intertwined. As for the 68th time, the city in the foothills of the Pyrenees is to host La Grande Boucle.

In recent editions Pau was merely departure place. We have to go back to 2012 for the last finish of a Tour stage. Back then, Pierrick Fédrigo brought an early escape home, finishing 12 minutes ahead of the peloton. Who is going to step in his shoes?

Map:-
CARTE.jpg

Eymet / Pau

Going through the areas of Les Landes and Gers, the command of the pack will probably be left to the teams of sprinters. The escapees having made the effort to take off will, why not, have the opportunity to make a prayer at the Notre-Dame-des-Cyclistes Chapel, situated in Labastide-d’Armagnac.

Profile:-
PROFIL.png

KoM:-
Km 145.5 - Côte d'Aire-sur-l'Adour1.2 kilometre-long climb at 4.2% - category 4

Intermediate Sprint:-
PROFILSPRINT.png

Final Kms:-
PROFILKMS.png

Eymet

A newcomer on the map of the Tour de France, Eymet welcomes a cycling race of international level for the very first time. The little common of Dordogne however finds itself just by Marmandes, a city that the peloton will go through during the stage and that saw the birth of one of the finest actors of the race, Pierrick Fédrigo. Recently retired, the four-time stage winner on the Grande Boucle (including two wins in Pau) will this time be a simple spectator

Chateau-D-Eymet--5-.jpg


Pau

The city of Henri IV, entry to the Pyrenees is a privileged destination of the Tour de France. In the ranking of the most visited places, it's even the third of the country behind Paris and Bordeaux with a total of 68 visits. On the long list of stage winners in Pau are Yellow Jerseys such as Jean Robic, Fausto Coppi or Bernard Hinault, world class sprinters like Sean Kelly or Erik Zabel but also breakaway experts like Jean-Pierre Danguillaume and Pierrick Fédrigo, the last man to have won there back in 2012.

vue.panoramique.du.ch.teau.de.pau.jpg
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Good to see you were so interested in the stage that you found the time to set this one up.

    I for one am...
    excited-baby.gif
    ...in anticipation.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    best stage town bar none loads of happy memories there
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Some local produce to make the stage pass more quickly.

    IMG_3500.JPG
    :P

    The compulsory shot of the local breed.
    Before:
    boeuf5.jpg

    After:
    6a1ee54fb7401cc8f0a42e2a4114e696--landes-france-midi.jpg

    The unfortunate local ducks..

    000_lw1i81.canards.m.jpg
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    I've always wanted to go to Pau. It was a theme I had...

    (I'll fetch me coat)
  • I can barely contain my excitement for this one.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    6a1ee54fb7401cc8f0a42e2a4114e696--landes-france-midi.jpg

    That looks lekker!
    Correlation is not causation.
  • type:epyt
    type:epyt Posts: 766
    The regional anthem (according to the Yates brothers): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T4sV3lqzKqQ
    Life is unfair, kill yourself or get over it.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    That beef is making me hot under the collar. Bet it would make a nice carpaccio.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    I've only had a dinner of bitterballen en kaastengels with a few olives, so that beef is really making me hungry.

    Anyway the weather forecast for tomorrow.

    ?url=http%3A%2F%2Faccuweather-bsp.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff4%2F07%2Fd12a8a5a4b4c9809c14d1cfcc6ad%2Ftdf-7-11.jpg
    Correlation is not causation.
  • hypster
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    We had a holiday in Eymet some years ago, it's a lovely little town. I was shocked to hear Ned Boulting quote the statistic today that 75% of residents there now are British. That can't be right Shirley?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    You never know, if that wind just picks up a bit it could be interesting (I think I've said that before, the problem being an optimist is you so often get disappointed!).
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Pross wrote:
    You never know, if that wind just picks up a bit it could be interesting (I think I've said that before, the problem being an optimist is you so often get disappointed!).

    Everybody quick get on the beans.

    Baked-beans-007.jpg?w=700&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=648e93fb06b03993813bf002b5a71b8e
    Correlation is not causation.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Andrey Amador is a non-starter
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Remember the second Tour i went over to watch 1989 - we cycled from London to Pau and got there the night before the stage - which Martin Early won. It was 9.30 pm and still 31 degrees on the pharmacy neon! Three team cars whizzed by with a police escort - I thought it was the most exciting place to be in the whole wide world at that point. Pau still gives me a little kick each time I see it.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,436
    Surely all the other "sprint" teams need to get a rider in a decent strength break and let QS do all the chasing?
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    r0bh wrote:
    Surely all the other "sprint" teams need to get a rider in a decent strength break and let QS do all the chasing?

    Katusha have been bizarre so far - done a lot of work on the front when Kristoff clearly isn't going to win.

    Could be a good day for Tony Martin to get some TT training in....

    And despite the commissaire's best efforts to keep Bouhanni in the race, he still doesn't appear to have a chance, so Cofodis need to try something else (they won't).
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647
    So I'm stuck bruised and battered at home and all I get are bloody sprint stages... still not giving me much enthusiasm for this tour...
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,119
    Have they realised yet that as long as Kittel is in the same departement as the leader, he wins? The other sprint teams need to do something different, but I'm not holding my breath.

    (and it should be 300km, not 200.)
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    dish_dash wrote:
    So I'm stuck bruised and battered at home and all I get are bloody sprint stages... still not giving me much enthusiasm for this tour...

    What happened?

    I am really not feeling this Tour if I'm being honest. Oh well, it's a good thing because I have lots of work to do over the next 10 days.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    RichN95 wrote:
    Andrey Amador is a non-starter
    Fake news. He is starting now.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • I see Kidl has started referring to himself in the third person

    Not a good sign

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kittel- ... lt-better/
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647
    dish_dash wrote:
    So I'm stuck bruised and battered at home and all I get are bloody sprint stages... still not giving me much enthusiasm for this tour...

    What happened?

    I am really not feeling this Tour if I'm being honest. Oh well, it's a good thing because I have lots of work to do over the next 10 days.

    A bit of a ramble about it here to get it off my chest. viewtopic.php?f=40007&t=13081975#p20175404
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,431
    https://www.facebook.com/merlincycles/v ... 531487149/

    Partridge or Kirby? Kirby or Partridge?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    dish_dash wrote:
    dish_dash wrote:
    So I'm stuck bruised and battered at home and all I get are bloody sprint stages... still not giving me much enthusiasm for this tour...

    What happened?

    I am really not feeling this Tour if I'm being honest. Oh well, it's a good thing because I have lots of work to do over the next 10 days.

    A bit of a ramble about it here to get it off my chest. viewtopic.php?f=40007&t=13081975#p20175404

    :shock:

    Nice write up though, hope the road rash is healing.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    dish_dash wrote:
    dish_dash wrote:
    So I'm stuck bruised and battered at home and all I get are bloody sprint stages... still not giving me much enthusiasm for this tour...

    What happened?

    I am really not feeling this Tour if I'm being honest. Oh well, it's a good thing because I have lots of work to do over the next 10 days.

    A bit of a ramble about it here to get it off my chest. viewtopic.php?f=40007&t=13081975#p20175404

    Seems equal parts fun and equal parts terrifying. Descending in the wet and clouds is never fun and yes the neck spasms from tension. Ouch.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647
    Salsiccia1 wrote:
    dish_dash wrote:
    dish_dash wrote:
    So I'm stuck bruised and battered at home and all I get are bloody sprint stages... still not giving me much enthusiasm for this tour...

    What happened?

    I am really not feeling this Tour if I'm being honest. Oh well, it's a good thing because I have lots of work to do over the next 10 days.

    A bit of a ramble about it here to get it off my chest. viewtopic.php?f=40007&t=13081975#p20175404

    :shock:

    Nice write up though, hope the road rash is healing.

    Thanks! They are still in the weeping stage... hobbling about and finding a sleep position is a real challenge. I seem to wake myself up every couple of hours. But dosed up on painkillers and they are helping!

    Maybe if I move to the sofa I'll be lulled to sleep for a bit by Kirby...
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Listening to Eurosport's pre stage chat. From various interviews it seems that many of the riders are as fed up with the routes as the fans trying to watch..

    One again, flag goes down and immediately today we have 3 riders who can be arsed.
    So, as you were, as you were, as you were.......

    Quite clearly the commentators are cheesed off as well.
    What were the ASO thinking, dishing up this route to kick off the era of whole race coverage.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,119
    Love the fact the graphic showed the peloton slowing down to 2 kmh.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,119
    Moto 3 showing families waving flags one side of the road, cyclists having a pee the other side.