TdF 2017: Stage 17 La Mure - Serre-Chevalier 183kms *Spoilers*

above_the_cows

Well stage 17 sees the riders reach the highest point of this year's race as they crest the Col du Galibier at 2,642m and from the steeper side. But not until after they've negotiated the Croix de Fer and the Col owned by those weird brothers who live in the Channel Islands.

Alas we have another downhill finish that crosses the 45th parallel as a handy sign likes to tell you. But the descent is not likely to cause too many problems unless someone gets stuck at the traffic light in Le Monêtier-les-Bains.

The route looks like this...



The profile like this...



And the cols like this...





Anyone interested in the last KM, it looks like this:



So the BIG question is will Kidl be dropped on the first Cat 2 climb of the Col d'Ornon and will the one they call Bling take the intermediate sprint?



But now to the important stuff...

Traffic calming on the Galibier.



A marmot.



A rider into horticulture may wish to visit the Jardin Botanique at the Col du Lautaret, one of the world's leading research sites into mountain plants and with fabulous views of La Meije and the Massif des Écrins.

Pross

Not exactly steady climbs are they? The profiles are all over the place. Not sure if that favours any riders over others though.

tailwindhome

When you look at the profile you realise what a ridiculous sport this is.

above_the_cows

Drink:



Food:

Pierade (who the fook put prawns on a pierade?)


Tourtons


Tarte aux Myrtilles

above_the_cows

Pross wrote:

Not exactly steady climbs are they? The profiles are all over the place. Not sure if that favours any riders over others though.

Yeah the Galibier from the other side is much more steady.

kingstongraham

Will anyone give it a proper go and find out who's tired from today on the Croix de Fer?

kingstongraham

I found the Telegraphe to be annoyingly relentless - but that could be because it's a little bit dull, and I guess they won't be looking at the scenery on the Galibier to distract them.

lettingthedaysgoby

TailWindHome wrote:

When you look at the profile you realise what a ridiculous sport this is.

Yep. And gives me a huge level of respect for what those guys do.

DeVlaeminck

Ornon - battle to get in the break.
CdF - Contador tries to go on the early slopes before the village and the steep descent and kick up.
Telegraphe - nice constant gradient without too many switchbacks easy to set a fast tempo on if you have a team on the front.
Galibier - out of Valloire deceptively draggy could kill a lone breakaway but after Plan Lachat narrow, steep and windy ideal territory for a climber to attack. If Froome is isolated this will be dangerous. The first 5k of the descent is fast and not particularly easy imo - once you reach the Lautaret and go left then it favours a group but I don't think the finish necessarily neutralises the climb if the attacking starts early and riders are all over the mountain - no point in trying to get 10-20 seconds solo over the top though if there are half a dozen together behind you. If Aru and Bardet have any ambition to win this Tour they have to start the attacking with a number of kms left to the summit - they have to risk losing their GC position.

blazing_saddles

Oh, well played, AtC!
I was getting a bit played out doing the stages and you myrtilles tart is my favourite picture of the Tour.
Yum yum.
Briançon is yours, too, if you wish.

Here is the boring, technical stuff that nobody reads.

The route of the 17th stage in the 2017 Tour de France takes the riders over the infamous passes Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Télégraphe and Col du Galibier to finish downhill in Serre Chevalier. Totalling at 183 kilometres, the last 28 kilometres of stage 17 are a steady drop.

For departure place La Mure it is their first time in the Tour de France. Never before the town hosted La Grande Boucle. After the start the riders set sail for the Col d’Ornon, a 5.1 kilometres climb at 6.7% that’s crested with 30 kilometres done.

Descending into the valley of the Romanche River the route travels north to hit the Col de la Croix de Fer. The climb kicks in hard with steepest ramps of 10% in the first 7 kilometres. A descent brings some relief before other steep slopes appear. All in all, the Croix de Fer is a 24 kilometres toil with with an average gradient of 5.2%. The pass peaks at an elevation of 2,067 metres.

It will be 18th time the Col de la Croix de Fer is climbed in the Tour de France. The first time was in 1947 and the last time in 2015, then even twice – in stage 19 and in stage 20.

We’re just getting started… Halfway down the descent of the Croix de Fer the riders are halfway today’s stage. The infamous twin Télégraphe/Galibier is coming up next with the first the subset to the last. One of the most feared double-barreled climbs in the world.

The Col du Télégraphe is a steady 11.9 kilometres climb at 7.1% before a 4.5 kilometres drop brings the riders to the base of the Col du Galibier. To pass peaks at 2,642 metres and to get there the riders have to climb 1,225 vertical metres in 17.7 kilometres, therefore the average slope is 6.9%.

The first half of the Galibier is doable. Steeper parts alternate with flatter sections. The last 8 kilometres are with else with an average gradient of almost 9%, while the last kilometres goes up at 10%. After cresting there is 28 kilometres left to race. Basically, it is all downhill until the finish line in Serre Chevalier.

It’s the fourth time a Tour de France stage will finish in the ski resort. Today’s winner steps in the footsteps of Vicente Lopez-Carril (1974), Bernard Thévenet (1975) and Tony Rominger (1993).

La Mure

The little common of Isère has already seen the pack of the Tour go by several times when it races on the N85 road, also known as Route Napoléon and it heads from Grenoble to Gap. The people of La Mure have had the opportunity to cheer two local heroes: Anatole Novak who took part in ten editions of the Tour de France, from 1961 when he won a stage in Metz, to 1970, and Thierry Bourguignon who competed on the Tour seven times from 1991 to 1999. More recently, in 2014, the Critérium du Dauphiné had a stage finish in La Mure claimed by Slovenian Simon Spilak.


Serre-Chevalier

The most important ski resort of the southern Alps has welcomed several legs of the alpine skiing World Cup in the nineties, but more importantly saw the debut of a future winner of that World Cup, Luc Alphand. The Tour has already stopped four times in Serre-Chevalier. In 1975, Bernard Thévenet spent his first day in yellow after taking off from Barcelonnette before knocking his rivals out as he reached the summit of the Izoard on his own. He was then on his way to his second consecutive stage win, dominating the likes of legendary Eddy Merckx.

Some holiday snap type photos.

above_the_cows

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Briançon is yours, too, if you wish.

I will do it gladly. I have some good pics as it is my favourite place.

daninexile

Well I'm bored to tears working from home so I've been looking forward to this stage. I'm desperate for fireworks as I'm sick to death of looking at Excel.

hypster

Sky to steadily ramp up the pressure on the Galibier with Froome lauching an attack some way from the top. Bardet and Uran go with him and they all put time into Aru by the finish.

above_the_cows

daninexile wrote:

Well I'm bored to tears working from home so I've been looking forward to this stage. I'm desperate for fireworks as I'm sick to death of looking at Excel.

Well fireworks or not we'll be here to relieve your boredom. I'm also supposed to be working finishing a boring book chapter but I'm sure I'll find much to amuse myself with in the stage.

Be sure to pop in for Stage 18's thread too for some Briançon car parking tips.

above_the_cows

I've had a rummage and found some more snaps.

The Col du Galibier up...





The crest... (Not to be attempted in cleats)



The descent...

Mountains09

hypster wrote:

Sky to steadily ramp up the pressure on the Galibier with Froome lauching an attack some way from the top. Bardet and Uran go with him and they all put time into Aru by the finish.

These long climbs are the ones Froome is best suited to aren't they? Cycling podcast reported Barguil saying he thinks this stage will be more decisive for the GC than the following day where he thinks there may be attacks 1-2km from Izoard summit but no major time gaps. Can certainly see it kicking off on the Galibier. If someone really goes for it the GC could splinter.

Thankfully I've got a half day so I can watch it unfold 8). Can't watch Thursdays sadly

slim_boy_fat

Really looking forward to the next two days but I'd forgo them both for a slice of that Tarte aux Myrtilles!

kleinstroker

Well wouldnt you know it, two more awesome stages to come & ive been called in to work. Can't see past Froome really, although Gonzo has shown he can wheelsuck with the best then pounce last 500m so should be fun.

Lanterne_Rogue

I hope this stage lives up to the hype - we've been pretty lucky so far in that the stages that offered something have delivered, even to the extent that the wind played ball today.

DeVlaeminck

I could see Sky playing it safe if they can and just try and neutralise attacks - keep as many riders on the front as far up the Galibier as possible and try and keep Landa there right to the top rather than Froome attacking. He doesn't need time and if he attacks he risks isolating himself - if he does attack I reckon it's because he feels he hasn't really imposed himself on the race yet - he doesn't need to but he may want to.

amrushton

Contador has form for this one. Back when Evans won, Bertie attacked at the foot of the Telegraph on the way to AdH and Schleck was forced to go with him. Evans had mechanicals and ended riding with a group. Voeckler rode so hard it cost him 3rd place in Paris. Stage was won by Rolland I think putting Contador into 3rd on the stage

Crozza

I fancy Quintana to throw the Hail Mary on this one, not sure why

blazing_saddles

One word: Headwind.

rick_chasey

Blazing Saddles wrote:

One word: Headwind.

slim_boy_fat

Blazing Saddles wrote:

One word: Headwind.

That'll just kill it if Sky set a strong tempo on the front. Which they will. Could be a damp squib then.

specialgueststar

Poor old YoYo Offredo. Sick as a dawg. Lost 2kg ( too much information). Can Wanty get all 9 to Paris is their cry. Lots of races in the Tour. Many just a race of survival.

davidof

Just came out of the house to drive into work and saw Adrien Petit (Team Direct Energie) hobbling around the road looking very stiff and unhappy. I guess it is going to be a long day today for some.

blazing_saddles

As mentioned, SSW = Headwind on the top sections of the Galibier.

kleinstroker

Why can't we embed videos on forum timeline??

veloviewer of todays stage

https://twitter.com/VeloViewer/status/887343635141971968

ocdupalais

15*C forecast on the Galibier my @rse... in the numerous mid-summer times I've been up there the temperature has been about 5*C with a biting wind.

blazing_saddles

Poor Marcel.



Tough luck after all those billiard table stages.