TDF 2017: 15th July - Blagnac - Rodez - 181.5kms *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles

A slight pause while I wait to see if AtC is at the same thing.

OK then.
The day after Bastille and after the french getting to celebrate in style, with Barguil's win, we get this.



Then this.
Start 13h20

The route of stage 14 in the Tour de France takes in 181.5 kilometres between Blagnac and Rodez. Punchy arrival atop a 570 metres climb with an average gradient of 9.6%.

Two years ago, Olympic Champion Greg Van Avermaet outsprinted World Champion Peter Sagan on the steep uphill arrival on Rodez. Probably more or less the same with strong punchers eyeing up the stage win. Except for Sagan and Van Avermaet the likes of Michael Mathews, Alejandro Valverde and Philippe Gilbert will be wide awake, too.

The Blagnac-Rodez stage is marked by a flat opening before the last 100 kilometres of the race are played out on more rolling territory. No inhumanly steep ramps however, although two intermediate KOM climbs are averaging 7% and 7.7% – yet, the Côte du viaduc du Viaur and Côte de Centrès both amount to merely 2.3 kilometres.

The end of the stage is something else, though – simply because it is the end of the stage. The Côte de Saint-Pierre is short too – 570 metres -, while it is averaging 9.6%. Two years ago Kelderman was the last attacker to be reeled in halfway up the climb before the race came down to a Van Avermaet/Sagan clash with the other riders more than 3 seconds in arrears.

By the way, the last 10 kilometres of today’s stage are played out on exactly the same roads as in 2015.

Map:-


Profile:-

so


KoM:-

Km 131.0 - Côte du viaduc du Viaur2.3 kilometre-long climb at 7% - category 3

Km 145.0 - Côte de Centrès2.3 kilometre-long climb at 7.7% - category 3

Final kms:-



Blagnac

On the occasion of the last stage start in Blagnac in 2012, Mark Cavendish was probably inspired by the place. Several hours later after leaving the site where Airbus planes are assembled, the Brit powered to the line in Brive-la-Gaillarde to capture the 22nd of his thirty stage wins on the Tour with the help of a glamorous lead-out man: a Yellow Jersey named Bradley Wiggins.




Rodez

It was already on the occasion of a stage starting in Blagnac and designed on a similar course that Pierre-Henri Menthéour had clinched the only stage victory on the Tour of his career in 1984. Since then, the final straight during the 2015 edition was staged just a few hundred metres away from the famous gothic cathedral. Outsprinting Peter Sagan in a two-man sprint, Greg Van Avermaet had ended his long run of second positions there.

Where you can enjoy eating this.



or not so much, this.



Yum yum.

RichN95.

I'll miss it as I have to play hockey tomorrow - in July? Why? So that guarantees an epic solo win, crosswinds and at least one GC rider falling out of contention.

DeVlaeminck

This one looks like it might provide some interesting racing in the last 50k amongst the break.

Looking at the rest of the stages what have we got left for the GC men to take the required time on Froome - Galibier stage, Izoard stage - is tomorrow a possibility or one for the break?

gsk82

DeVlaeminck wrote:

This one looks like it might provide some interesting racing in the last 50k amongst the break.

Looking at the rest of the stages what have we got left for the GC men to take the required time on Froome - Galibier stage, Izoard stage - is tomorrow a possibility or one for the break?

Tomorrow could be another one for boring sky to isolate Aru early.

mfin

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Is that a computer image?

blazing_saddles

gsk82 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

This one looks like it might provide some interesting racing in the last 50k amongst the break.

Looking at the rest of the stages what have we got left for the GC men to take the required time on Froome - Galibier stage, Izoard stage - is tomorrow a possibility or one for the break?

Tomorrow could be another one for boring sky to isolate Aru early.

It certainly has the potential, if they are up for it.

Looks like we have and outside chance of an echelon alert sounding this afternoon.



No too favourable in the final kms, but it will be a straight crosspuff for much of the stage and the route should be pretty exposed in places.

knedlicky

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Great stuff – ideal next morning after an indulgent night out on the tiles.
Supposedly increases libido too!

There is a Polish aphorism about how tasty tripe is, maybe an omen for today’s winner?

Although, if an omen, based on its popularity in other parts of Europe, today’s winner could equally come from Lancashire, Normandy, Croatia (or most anywhere in eastern Europe), the Basque country, Portugal, southern Germany, Rome (or most anywhere in Italy).

Lanterne_Rogue

Ned Boulting teasing echelons...

blazing_saddles

mfin wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Is that a computer image?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE155-V3SLM

blazing_saddles

Voeckler kicks off the breakaway action from the gun.

blazing_saddles

BOTD established very early.
4 riders: De Gendt, Roosen, Voeckler and Bouet.

ridgerider

A thought for the day...

If Landa has accepted his position as no.2 in the Sky ranking, then it follows that he will not finish ahead of Froome in the GC.

On that basis, whatever card Sky play with him is irrelevant. He is not in the game anymore.

Richmond Racer 2

which the serious contenders on other teams will know

Sky might as well fly a banner from a plane

lettingthedaysgoby

Another snooze fest until the final 500m?

imatfaal

Ridgerider wrote:

A thought for the day...

If Landa has accepted his position as no.2 in the Sky ranking, then it follows that he will not finish ahead of Froome in the GC.

On that basis, whatever card Sky play with him is irrelevant. He is not in the game anymore.

Note sure that quite follows; perhaps one might say that Sky will not attempt to create a situation the aim of which is that Landa finishes in front of Froome - but I do not believe Sky would turn away from a situation, created by other teams or by default, which allowed Landa to finish leading the team. If the other teams let Landa away again on a big mountain day I do not believe he will be called back nor will the rest of the s-train chase hard

Sky definitely do not envisage Landa finishing in front of Froome - but then they do not see anyone leading Froome come the finish line in Paris. Landa is just a weaker bet than Froome for the overall - he will lose time in the TT

mfin

Blazing Saddles wrote:

mfin wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Is that a computer image?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE155-V3SLM

Dinyull wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

Landing at Alpe d'Huez is quite the experience

Is that a computer image???

blazing_saddles

Mmmmm, Pippa York being a little less than complimentary about women's cycling, perhaps?

rick_chasey

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

which the serious contenders on other teams will know

Sky might as well fly a banner from a plane

Landa really ought to go up the road on the next big day early in which case.

See what carnage ensues behind him.

rick_chasey

^^ If sky chase him. He plays the victim, gets a bit of support from his local fans and gets a bigger contract when he leaves next year.

Or they let him go and he gets into yellow - or sky's rivals chase, which is a tactical bonus.

kleinstroker

Mathews given up on Green jersey then?

kingstonian

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Mmmmm, Pippa York being a little less than complimentary about women's cycling, perhaps?

I didn't think so

rick_chasey

Apaz big headwind in the final 50 or so km, so unlikely to be the break's day.

blazing_saddles

Kingstonian wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Mmmmm, Pippa York being a little less than complimentary about women's cycling, perhaps?

I didn't think so

"They wouldn't want the extra kms if they knew what was coming with the Izoard."
"Women's racing tends to be hesitant." ?

Anyhow, Rob Hatch: First signs of the wind picking up.

blazing_saddles

Rick Chasey wrote:

Apaz big headwind in the final 50 or so km, so unlikely to be the break's day.

I mentioned that earlier.
Crosswind before, but headwind for more like 30kms, judging from the maps.

ridgerider

Rick Chasey wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

which the serious contenders on other teams will know

Sky might as well fly a banner from a plane

Landa really ought to go up the road on the next big day early in which case.

See what carnage ensues behind him.

He can go and get a 20 minute lead over Aru, but come the TT, Sky will tell him to go round in the granny ring so he looses 21 minutes and drops back a step or two on the podium.

DeVlaeminck

Ridgerider wrote:

A thought for the day...

If Landa has accepted his position as no.2 in the Sky ranking, then it follows that he will not finish ahead of Froome in the GC.

On that basis, whatever card Sky play with him is irrelevant. He is not in the game anymore.

If he's 2 minutes up the road I'm not convinced they'll be relaxed that he's "not in the game". The interesting thing will be whether Sky use him to mark the inevitable Contador long range attack and if they do how AG2R, Astana and Cannondale react.

kingstongraham

Just seen this http://commentators2.dimensiondata.live

Shows the live speed, distance from front, wind speed and direction etc for every rider in the race.

Pross

Who are BMC riding for, GVA?

Pross

Is it Mike Smith talking with Pippa? He seems to be calling her 'him'.

kingstongraham

Pross wrote:

Who are BMC riding for, GVA?

Will be, yes. He beat Sagan last time the Tour finished here.

Lanterne_Rogue

Meanwhile, that Beagle Street advert surely takes the award for 'worst advert of the Tour'. It's like something out of The Apprentice, only twice as hokey.