TDF 2018, Stage 6: Brest > Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan 12/07/2018 - 181 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 21,815
Brest > Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan 12/07/2018 - Stage 6 - 181 km
At 181 kilometres, the 6th stage of the Tour de France runs from Brest to the Mûr-de-Bretagne. That's a summit finish after a punchy last climb. To pep things up, the finale takes in a double ascent of the 2 kilometres haul up to the line.
It’s been ten years since the Tour de France last visited Brest. In 2008, the Breton city was the scene of the Grand Départ – stage to Plumelec, Alejandro Valverde win -, while that edition was ultimately won by Carlos Sastre.
Now the riders set sail to the punchy arrival up the Mûr-de-Bretagne. But, for starters, they head for the Côte de Ploudiny, an 1.5 kilometres climb at 7% with its top 44 kilometres into the stage. Following the descent the route continues on a false flat to the highest point of the day, Côte de Roc’h Trévézel. The hill is crested after a 2.5 kilometres climb at 3.5% before a long and gradual drop takes the riders to a rolling section of almost 80 kilometres. Then the finale commences.
A finish on the Mûr-de-Bretagne accounts for a 2 kilometres closing climb with an average slope of 6.9%. The first kilometre is toughest as it is averaging almost 10%. This edition, the Mûr will be extra tough as the finale climbs the punchy hill twice. The first passage over the top is 16 kilometres from the finish back at the summit.
Straight after the descent it goes back up again to the village Saint-Mayeux, which is an 1.1 kilometres climb at 6,2%. To inspire attacks there are time bonuses up for grabs at the summit. After moving through Saint-Mayeux, there are 13 kilometres left, mostly on gentle descent. Just before tackling the closing climb the riders face a 500 metres section at 3.5% to the village Mûr-de-Bretagne. Then the final haul up kicks in, which – as said – begins with 1 kilometre at almost 10%.
In 2011, the Mûr-de-Bretagne made its first appearance on La Grande Boucle with Cadel Evans narrowly besting Alberto Contador. Four years later Alexis Vuillermoz attacked on the steep first part of the Mûr and soloed to victory. He crossed the line 5 seconds ahead of Dan Martin, while Alejandro Valverde won the group sprint 10 seconds down on the stage winner.
The 6th stage of the 2018 Tour de France starts at 13:40 and the finish is expected around 17:31cet.
Favourites 6th stage 2018 Tour de France
*** Alejandro Valverde, Julian Alaphilippe, Peter Sagan, Dan Martin
** Adam Yates, Greg Van Avermaet, Philippe Gilbert, Tom Dumoulin
* Alexis Vuillermoz, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Jelle Vanendert
The team hotels for this stage.
Brest
29 previous stages
Sub-prefecture of Finistère (29)
140,000 inhabitants (Brestois)
215,000 inhabitants within Brest Métropole (8 communes)
400,000 inhabitants for the Pays de Brest (89 communes)
Brest played a major part in the history of French cycling and in the creation of the Tour de France. Created by eminent journalist and editor in chief of the Velo magazine Pierre Giffard, the Paris-Brest-Paris race was the first long road cycling race held over 1,200 km in 1891. Some 400 riders were at the start and the race was won by Charles Terront, who became the first star of French cycling. But Pierre Giffard had a harsh rival named Henri Desgrange, who launched the rival L’Auto magazine and stage his own Paris-Brest-Paris, won by Maurice Garin in 1901. Two years later, he decide to do even better by creating a stage race around France called the Tour de France. The new race did not shun Brest, going to the Brittany port in 1906 and coming back every year until 1931. Brest staged the Grand Depart of the Tour three times, in 1952, 1974 – when Eddy Merckx won the prologue of his last winning Tour – and in 2008. Overall, Brest hosted the Tour 28 times in the past. From the pre-war days emerge the names of Gustave Garrigou, who won in Brest three times, or Henri Pelissier, winner in Brest in 1923, the year of his single Tour victory. Brest is also the birthplace of Jean-Pierre Genet, who won three Tour stages and held the yellow jersey in 1968, a year after finishing “lanterne rouge”. A team-mate of Raymond Poulidor, he died in 2005.
Specialties: pancakes, seafood (fish, scallops from the harbour of Brest), salted butter caramel, cider, kig ha farz - around Brest: the oysters of Belon and Prat-Ar-Coum, were the favourites of Jean-Pierre Coffe, clams, abalone (molluscs on rocks) - vegetables (strawberry, tomato, artichoke, cauliflower, onions, shallot), galette (we do not talk about pancakes in Brest!), cider, beer (1st region for micro breweries): Coreff, Britt, Trimartolod in Bénodet.
The best known recipe is arguably cod à la Brestoise, simple to cook and delicious in the plate. Leeks, potatoes and onions must be minced, like the cod itself, and grated to create a dish halfway between gratin and brandade.
Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan
Two previous stages
Population: 2,560
While the Guerlédan lake is one of the most emblematic sites of the Côtes d'Armor, the tourist attractions of Central Brittany are often little known. To make the area even more attractive, the department launched an unprecedented tourism development program. The plan aims to promote and develop three major sites, the open air playgrounds and lake of Guerlédan, the Nantes to Brest canal and the Bon-Repos abbey in order to enrich the local tourism offer based on green tourism, nature sports and architectural heritage. The lake of Guerlédan will be equipped with attractions (acrobatic courses, monumental toboggans, zip line), in addition to its current nature sports activities to make it even more of a family favourite. The Nantes to Brest canal is gradually adjusted to facilitate trekking and canoeing, fishing or hiking. It will be partly reopened to navigation in 2020 to offer boat rides and rentals. Lock houses will host entertainment facilities or other services to visitors. Finally, the abbey of Bon-Repos will be enhanced as well, to improve its accessibility.
Nicknamed the Breton Alpe d'Huez the Mûr de Bretagne ascent, a long straight climb of 2 kilometres, has already hosted two stage finishes, won respectively in 2011 by the future winner of the Tour, Cadel Evans, and in 2015, by Alexis Vuillermoz. As for Guerlédan, known for its artificial lake, it is now the name of the new town uniting Mûr de Bretagne and Saint-Guen. It was in 1947 that the coast of Mûr de Bretagne gained its first mention in cycling history books. Located at the 65th kilometre of a gruelling 139-km time trial between Vannes and Saint-Brieuc, it marked the defeat of René Vietto, crowned Pierre Brambilla and revealed Jean Robic, cheered by his enthusiastic fans. The climb was then conquered by the greatest climbers, like Lucien Van Impe, then defending Tour champion, who was first at the top in 1977.
Mashed potato galettes (pancakes) The recipe is from Pontivy, but the short 16 km between the two cities mean that Mûr-de-Bretagne can claim this pancake baked with mashed potatoes as its own.
At 181 kilometres, the 6th stage of the Tour de France runs from Brest to the Mûr-de-Bretagne. That's a summit finish after a punchy last climb. To pep things up, the finale takes in a double ascent of the 2 kilometres haul up to the line.
It’s been ten years since the Tour de France last visited Brest. In 2008, the Breton city was the scene of the Grand Départ – stage to Plumelec, Alejandro Valverde win -, while that edition was ultimately won by Carlos Sastre.
Now the riders set sail to the punchy arrival up the Mûr-de-Bretagne. But, for starters, they head for the Côte de Ploudiny, an 1.5 kilometres climb at 7% with its top 44 kilometres into the stage. Following the descent the route continues on a false flat to the highest point of the day, Côte de Roc’h Trévézel. The hill is crested after a 2.5 kilometres climb at 3.5% before a long and gradual drop takes the riders to a rolling section of almost 80 kilometres. Then the finale commences.
A finish on the Mûr-de-Bretagne accounts for a 2 kilometres closing climb with an average slope of 6.9%. The first kilometre is toughest as it is averaging almost 10%. This edition, the Mûr will be extra tough as the finale climbs the punchy hill twice. The first passage over the top is 16 kilometres from the finish back at the summit.
Straight after the descent it goes back up again to the village Saint-Mayeux, which is an 1.1 kilometres climb at 6,2%. To inspire attacks there are time bonuses up for grabs at the summit. After moving through Saint-Mayeux, there are 13 kilometres left, mostly on gentle descent. Just before tackling the closing climb the riders face a 500 metres section at 3.5% to the village Mûr-de-Bretagne. Then the final haul up kicks in, which – as said – begins with 1 kilometre at almost 10%.
In 2011, the Mûr-de-Bretagne made its first appearance on La Grande Boucle with Cadel Evans narrowly besting Alberto Contador. Four years later Alexis Vuillermoz attacked on the steep first part of the Mûr and soloed to victory. He crossed the line 5 seconds ahead of Dan Martin, while Alejandro Valverde won the group sprint 10 seconds down on the stage winner.
The 6th stage of the 2018 Tour de France starts at 13:40 and the finish is expected around 17:31cet.
Favourites 6th stage 2018 Tour de France
*** Alejandro Valverde, Julian Alaphilippe, Peter Sagan, Dan Martin
** Adam Yates, Greg Van Avermaet, Philippe Gilbert, Tom Dumoulin
* Alexis Vuillermoz, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Jelle Vanendert
The team hotels for this stage.
Brest
29 previous stages
Sub-prefecture of Finistère (29)
140,000 inhabitants (Brestois)
215,000 inhabitants within Brest Métropole (8 communes)
400,000 inhabitants for the Pays de Brest (89 communes)
Brest played a major part in the history of French cycling and in the creation of the Tour de France. Created by eminent journalist and editor in chief of the Velo magazine Pierre Giffard, the Paris-Brest-Paris race was the first long road cycling race held over 1,200 km in 1891. Some 400 riders were at the start and the race was won by Charles Terront, who became the first star of French cycling. But Pierre Giffard had a harsh rival named Henri Desgrange, who launched the rival L’Auto magazine and stage his own Paris-Brest-Paris, won by Maurice Garin in 1901. Two years later, he decide to do even better by creating a stage race around France called the Tour de France. The new race did not shun Brest, going to the Brittany port in 1906 and coming back every year until 1931. Brest staged the Grand Depart of the Tour three times, in 1952, 1974 – when Eddy Merckx won the prologue of his last winning Tour – and in 2008. Overall, Brest hosted the Tour 28 times in the past. From the pre-war days emerge the names of Gustave Garrigou, who won in Brest three times, or Henri Pelissier, winner in Brest in 1923, the year of his single Tour victory. Brest is also the birthplace of Jean-Pierre Genet, who won three Tour stages and held the yellow jersey in 1968, a year after finishing “lanterne rouge”. A team-mate of Raymond Poulidor, he died in 2005.
Specialties: pancakes, seafood (fish, scallops from the harbour of Brest), salted butter caramel, cider, kig ha farz - around Brest: the oysters of Belon and Prat-Ar-Coum, were the favourites of Jean-Pierre Coffe, clams, abalone (molluscs on rocks) - vegetables (strawberry, tomato, artichoke, cauliflower, onions, shallot), galette (we do not talk about pancakes in Brest!), cider, beer (1st region for micro breweries): Coreff, Britt, Trimartolod in Bénodet.
The best known recipe is arguably cod à la Brestoise, simple to cook and delicious in the plate. Leeks, potatoes and onions must be minced, like the cod itself, and grated to create a dish halfway between gratin and brandade.
Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan
Two previous stages
Population: 2,560
While the Guerlédan lake is one of the most emblematic sites of the Côtes d'Armor, the tourist attractions of Central Brittany are often little known. To make the area even more attractive, the department launched an unprecedented tourism development program. The plan aims to promote and develop three major sites, the open air playgrounds and lake of Guerlédan, the Nantes to Brest canal and the Bon-Repos abbey in order to enrich the local tourism offer based on green tourism, nature sports and architectural heritage. The lake of Guerlédan will be equipped with attractions (acrobatic courses, monumental toboggans, zip line), in addition to its current nature sports activities to make it even more of a family favourite. The Nantes to Brest canal is gradually adjusted to facilitate trekking and canoeing, fishing or hiking. It will be partly reopened to navigation in 2020 to offer boat rides and rentals. Lock houses will host entertainment facilities or other services to visitors. Finally, the abbey of Bon-Repos will be enhanced as well, to improve its accessibility.
Nicknamed the Breton Alpe d'Huez the Mûr de Bretagne ascent, a long straight climb of 2 kilometres, has already hosted two stage finishes, won respectively in 2011 by the future winner of the Tour, Cadel Evans, and in 2015, by Alexis Vuillermoz. As for Guerlédan, known for its artificial lake, it is now the name of the new town uniting Mûr de Bretagne and Saint-Guen. It was in 1947 that the coast of Mûr de Bretagne gained its first mention in cycling history books. Located at the 65th kilometre of a gruelling 139-km time trial between Vannes and Saint-Brieuc, it marked the defeat of René Vietto, crowned Pierre Brambilla and revealed Jean Robic, cheered by his enthusiastic fans. The climb was then conquered by the greatest climbers, like Lucien Van Impe, then defending Tour champion, who was first at the top in 1977.
Mashed potato galettes (pancakes) The recipe is from Pontivy, but the short 16 km between the two cities mean that Mûr-de-Bretagne can claim this pancake baked with mashed potatoes as its own.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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Because we are still in Brittany have some more absolute units...
They're even absolute units as wee ones..
They will all definitely be arriving in the autobus of tomorrow's stage.Correlation is not causation.0 -
Excellent as always BSaddles. ATC, is the above a Percheron? I love a Percheron, me.Ecrasez l’infame0
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RichN95 wrote:
If horses had Love Island, this prick would be on it.Above The Cows wrote:
Looks like the ex-France hooker Dimitri Szarzewski0 -
BelgianBeerGeek wrote:Excellent as always BSaddles. ATC, is the above a Percheron? I love a Percheron, me.
It's a Breton. Percheron are also absolute units.Correlation is not causation.0 -
Another excellent stage introduction - thank you.
Pete0 -
So presumably Katusha need to be up and away early to get round the Rennes ring road in time for the start?
As you can tell the hotel selection by ASO seems strange to me.0 -
Pross wrote:RichN95 wrote:
If horses had Love Island, this prick would be on it.Above The Cows wrote:
Looks like the ex-France hooker Dimitri Szarzewski
Top shout!0 -
BM5 wrote:So presumably Katusha need to be up and away early to get round the Rennes ring road in time for the start?
As you can tell the hotel selection by ASO seems strange to me.
It's this kind of comment that makes me love this forum. You don't get this level of analysis in 'The Sunken Place'.Correlation is not causation.0 -
The hotel thing has been a bit of an eye opener. I knew riders got put in some pretty poor quality hotels but I assumed that was due to limited accommodation near the start towns. I hadn't realised they had crap hotels and were miles from the start. It would be interesting to see where the ASO big wigs are housed as well - you'd think that, as they know the route before anyone, they could get the pick of the closest and better quality hotels for the teams and leave the spectators / media / general hangers on to fight over what's left once the route is published but they don't seem to do that. I assume they have deals with a few hotel chains as no-one seems to be put up in independent places.
Edit - looking again there do seem to be some non-chain hotels on some of the stages.0 -
The bookies chainrings rating:
Alaphilippe, Valverde, Sagan
Martin, Yates, Gilbert, Colbrelli
Vuillermoz, GVA, Roglic, Vanendert
3 clear groupings, with the top rung around 3-4/1, the middle rung around 10-12/1 and the bottom rung around 20-25/1.
This compares to the Inrng ratings: Julian Alaphilippe, Peter Sagan Dan Martin, Alejandro Valverde Colbrelli, Andersen, Nibali, Gilbert, Thomas, GVA 0 -
I should imagine it's all part of the negotiation process between the mairies and ASO. The towns will want lots of tourists to come and spectate, spend money etc, and if all the choice hotels are already booked out by ASO, that might not happen.Pross wrote:The hotel thing has been a bit of an eye opener. I knew riders got put in some pretty poor quality hotels but I assumed that was due to limited accommodation near the start towns. I hadn't realised they had crap hotels and were miles from the start. It would be interesting to see where the ASO big wigs are housed as well - you'd think that, as they know the route before anyone, they could get the pick of the closest and better quality hotels for the teams and leave the spectators / media / general hangers on to fight over what's left once the route is published but they don't seem to do that. I assume they have deals with a few hotel chains as no-one seems to be put up in independent places.
Edit - looking again there do seem to be some non-chain hotels on some of the stages.
Remember, it's not *really* about the bike race, and it's especially not about the riders...Pannier, 120rpm.0 -
Pross wrote:RichN95 wrote:
If horses had Love Island, this prick would be on it.Above The Cows wrote:
Looks like the ex-France hooker Dimitri Szarzewski
Haha, word!
Following a comment from yesterday's thread, today's combined race/caravan route looks rather like a seahorse0 -
not sure why Calmejane was told to mark for the polka dot for Chavanel - lot of dicking about for nothing. He's better than that...
Maybe today??0 -
As someone already mentioned, ASO try to balance out the hotel standards over the 3 weeks, so that by the time they reach Paris, if one were to add up the stars of each hotel stayed in, each team will have the same number of stars.Pross wrote:The hotel thing has been a bit of an eye opener. I knew riders got put in some pretty poor quality hotels but I assumed that was due to limited accommodation near the start towns. I hadn't realised they had crap hotels and were miles from the start. It would be interesting to see where the ASO big wigs are housed as well - you'd think that, as they know the route before anyone, they could get the pick of the closest and better quality hotels for the teams and leave the spectators / media / general hangers on to fight over what's left once the route is published but they don't seem to do that. I assume they have deals with a few hotel chains as no-one seems to be put up in independent places.
Edit - looking again there do seem to be some non-chain hotels on some of the stages.
Similarly, ASO try to balance out the average distance each team will have to travel to the stage starts, roughly alternating things for the teams each day (today far away, tomorrow close by, and so on).
ASO provisionally reserve the hotels about a year in advance, so before the exact final route has been decided. But the hotels are only notified which teams they will accommodate about two weeks before the actual stage day.
The larger hotels aren't completely full with teams, e.g. at the Mercure in Vannes the other day, the 4 teams there only occupied 60 of the 89 rooms. Two-thirds of the remaining rooms were occupied by journalists and the media.
I don't know but it wouldn't surprise me if some of a team's mechanics, etc, sleep in their buses/motor homes, like some teams used in the past for star riders (banned for riders by ASO a few years ago).
The teams have to critique the hotels and submit their critiques at the end of the Tour. That helps ASO decide whether to use the same hotels another time.
All the hotels used around Vannes just recently were the same as those used for the TTT in the area during the 2015 TdF, so all the critiques for those hotels then must have been favourable.
ASO pay the bills (except for extras).0 -
Crozza wrote:Following a comment from yesterday's thread, today's combined race/caravan route looks rather like a seahorse
Ladies, gentlemen and non-binary folk, we have our annual TDF meme.
Tomorrow's stage looks like a shellfish.Correlation is not causation.0 -
Really? I'm seeing a slug...Above The Cows wrote:Tomorrow's stage looks like a shellfish.Pannier, 120rpm.0 -
I see a pie.
Is it not lunchtime yet?0 -
Above The Cows wrote:
Ladies, gentlemen and non-binary folk...
I don’t mean to be awkward, but I’m pretty sure I don’t fit into any of those categories...0 -
Is it only me that fails to be all that impressed by the Mûr-de-Bretagne?
Yeah, it's got a steep section, and it's long enough to have some bite, but it's a good surface and wide, so it's possible to ride it fast and sit in the wheels.
Anyone else hoping for a Gilbert attack first time over it to soften the race up for Alaphilippe?Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
TGOTB wrote:
Really? I'm seeing a slug...Above The Cows wrote:Tomorrow's stage looks like a shellfish.
I won't say what I'm seeing - I'd fail a Rorschach test!0 -
OCDuPalais wrote:Above The Cows wrote:
Ladies, gentlemen and non-binary folk...
I don’t mean to be awkward, but I’m pretty sure I don’t fit into any of those categories...
There are 10 types of people in this world.... Those that understand binary and those that don't.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Please can nobody mention anything which spherical today.0
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Also anything beginning with cro or fra.0
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Bit breezy today, headwind on the Mur, so good for Sagan.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
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The OP has missed a bit of culinary/cycling history with today's stage starting in Brest...
The Paris-Brest cake was created in 1910 by pastry chef Louis Durand, upon request from the organiser of a bicycle race between Paris and Brest. The cake has a large ring shape representing bicycle wheels.
Nowadays, the legendary Paris-Brest can be found in all French pâtisseries and is one of the most popular desserts in the country.
Rule No.10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster0 -
Usual suspects in the breakWarning No formatter is installed for the format0
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Gesink!!! :shock:RichN95 wrote:Today's PTP picks
21 Valverde
16 Alaphilippe
6 Sagan
3 Martin
1 Barguil, Gesink, Gilbert, van Avermaet, Yates0 -
No tA Doctor wrote:Usual suspects in the break
That is lazy journalism
Pichon
Grellier
Gaudin
Turgis ( Anthony)
Smith (Dion)
2 Direct Energie again in break - not sure what strategy Bernaudeau is employing here... !0
