TDF 2018, Stage 16: Carcassonne > Bagnères-de-Luchon 24/07/2018 - 218 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 21,814
Carcassonne > Bagnères-de-Luchon 24/07/2018 - Stage 16 - 218 km
Stage 16 of the Tour de France 2018 is 218km from Carcassonne to Bagnères-de-Luchon. According to Christian Prudhomme, after a rest day, it should inspire climbers who have already lost touch in the General Classification.
After leaving Carcassonne they head for three impressive cols in the last 70 kilometres and, ultimately, Bagnères-de-Luchon. The route amounts to 218 kilometres and the last 10 kilometres are on descent.
Positioned as it is at the end of the stage, the Col de Portillon could prove decisive - the climb up it and/or the descent to Bagnères-de-Luchon.
With its medieval fortresses Carcassonne is a popular tourist attraction and the town receives some three million visitors annually. The knights of the road saddle their steel horses to head in southwesterly direction.
The riders go anti-clockwise on the boulevards around the town centre (square Gambetta, boulevard Jean Jaurès, boulevard d'Omer Sarraut). They cross the Canal du Midi on the N113, then turn left and cross back over it on the D118. They head west out of Carcassonne on the avenue Bunau Varilla then the D119 avenue Henry Gout. (It was Doctor Gout, by the way, which was probably very handy for him).
The départ réel, is on the D119 route de Montréal, by Carcassonne airport.
The first half of the route is played out on flat to rolling roads. The climbers stretch the legs on the Côte de Fanjeaux (2.4 kilometres at 4.9%) and Côte de Pamiers (2.3 kilometres at 5.8%), although attackers undoubtedly will want to do more than just stretch the legs – they want to go clear on the Fanjeaux. The hill is crested at kilometre 25, so it is a perfect place to break away.
Rolling terrain takes the riders on to Saint-Girons, on the river Salat. Saint-Girons is the location of the day's intermediate sprint. There's a very sharp bend to the right shortly before the line.
When they reach Saint-Girons, the riders have covered 121.5km. From Saint-Girons, the road begins to rise. The race leaves the Ariège département and enters the Haute-Garonne as it climbs towards the Col de Portet-d'Aspet.
The Col de Portet d’Aspet is crested at kilometre 155.5. The actual climb is 5.4 kilometres at 7.1% with its steepest section approximately 1 kilometre before the top.
On descent the riders pass the monument in honour of Fabio Casartelli, who died in a crash on the descent of the Portet d’Aspet in the 1995 Tour de France. Back in the valley the road immediately goes back up again, this time to head for the summit of the Col de Menté. This is a 6.9 kilometres climb at 8.1% with, early on, some intimidating double digit stretches.
After the summit of the Col de Menté, there's a descent to Saint-Béat.
A descent with a lot of hairpins, especially in the first part, takes the riders to the valley of the Garonne. Momentarily the Tour de France dips its toe into Spain and on rolling roads the route continues to the base of the Col du Portillon. The fairly regular closing climb is 8.3 kilometres at 7.1%.
The summit of the Portillon lies 10 kilometres before the finish. Fast descenders can take advantage as it’s almost all downhill after the top. Three hairpins in short succession with 5 kilometres out could be tricky – and on it goes on flying descent. The last kilometre is played out on the flat. The winner follows in the footsteps of Thomas Voeckler (2012), Michael Rogers (2014), and Chris Froome (2016).
That last victory was startling. People always thought of Froome as a poor descender, but when all GC-favourites reached the crest of the then last climb Peyresourde together, he dropped down like a rock and won the race 13 seconds ahead of his opponents.
Video of the last 5kms.
https://youtu.be/cIzfdWs61-M
The publicity caravan sets off from place Général de Gaulle at 0930, and the peloton at 1130. The estimated average speeds are 36, 38, and 42kmh, and depending on which is the most accurate, the riders should arrive at the finish at Bagnères-de-Luchon between 1654 and 1740cet.
Favourites 16th stage 2018 Tour de France
*** Chris Froome, Primoz Roglic, Tom Dumoulin, Romain Bardet
** Geraint Thomas, Julian Alaphilippe, Alejandro Valverde, Adam Yates
* Bauke Mollema, Lilian Calmejane, Robert Gesink, Warren Barguil, Tejay van Garderen etc.
The team hotels for this stage are all Spanish, but for one, in the finish town.
Direct Energie winning the French team lottery, this time.
Carcassonne
See previous thread.
Bagnères-de-Luchon
58 previous stages
Chef-lieu de canton de la Haute-Garonne (31)
2,800 inhabitants (Luchonnais)
16,177 inhabitants in the Pyrénées Haut-garonnaises community of communes (77 communes)
The first thermal resort in Midi-Pyrénées has historically specialised in the classic treatment of respiratory affections and rheumatisms. The town can boast a rare spring with the highest level of sulphur in the whole of the Pyrenees. The Luchon Forme et Bien-Etre centre shelters the Vaporarium, a natural Turkish bath unique in Europe creating a temperature between 38 and 42 degrees.
BAGNÈRES-DE-LUCHON AND CYCLING
In 1910, the Queen of the Pyrenees made history by hosting the start and the finish of the first two high mountain stages in the Tour de France. They were both won by Octave Lapize , who had taken the opportunity to call Henri Desgrange a murderer.
July 14, 2017 marked the centenary of the death of “Tatave”, also know as “Curly”, shot down by a German plane above Toul in 1917. A century after the first Pryenees stage, Thomas Voeckler, won in Bagnères-de-Luchon like he did in 2012. In 2016, the attack launched by Chris Froome in the descent to Luchon put him in the overall lead and in the cycling books for his innovative descending position on the bike. One of the most visited towns by the race, Luchon was on the Tour map 58 times as the peloton tackled or left the Pyrenees. Since 2012, the peloton also visited the nearby ski resort of Peyrégudes, with a victory by Alejandro Valverde. In 2017, Romain Bardet surged in the final climb for an impressive stage win.
Specialities: water, Pyrenean gastronomy, Peteram (dish made with mutton guts), Pistachio (cassoulet variant), spit cake (family holiday cake), Oo organic trout, Dardenne chocolates (artisans since 1897), Abellio handmade soap.
Peteram
Peteram is a recipe made of mutton tripe typical of the Luchon region.
After carefully washing them with water and vinegar, briefly fry the tripe and mutton feet as well as a calf ruffle for 4 to 5 minutes and cut them in small pieces. Briefly fry onions and carrots in lard. In a pressure cooker, put two ham bones, the tripe, the ruffle, the feet, onions and carrots. Cover with water, add lots of pepper, spice with thyme, parsley and cloves. Cook for two hours and add potatoes. Cook again for an hour.
Dardenne chocolates
Stage 16 of the Tour de France 2018 is 218km from Carcassonne to Bagnères-de-Luchon. According to Christian Prudhomme, after a rest day, it should inspire climbers who have already lost touch in the General Classification.
After leaving Carcassonne they head for three impressive cols in the last 70 kilometres and, ultimately, Bagnères-de-Luchon. The route amounts to 218 kilometres and the last 10 kilometres are on descent.
Positioned as it is at the end of the stage, the Col de Portillon could prove decisive - the climb up it and/or the descent to Bagnères-de-Luchon.
With its medieval fortresses Carcassonne is a popular tourist attraction and the town receives some three million visitors annually. The knights of the road saddle their steel horses to head in southwesterly direction.
The riders go anti-clockwise on the boulevards around the town centre (square Gambetta, boulevard Jean Jaurès, boulevard d'Omer Sarraut). They cross the Canal du Midi on the N113, then turn left and cross back over it on the D118. They head west out of Carcassonne on the avenue Bunau Varilla then the D119 avenue Henry Gout. (It was Doctor Gout, by the way, which was probably very handy for him).
The départ réel, is on the D119 route de Montréal, by Carcassonne airport.
The first half of the route is played out on flat to rolling roads. The climbers stretch the legs on the Côte de Fanjeaux (2.4 kilometres at 4.9%) and Côte de Pamiers (2.3 kilometres at 5.8%), although attackers undoubtedly will want to do more than just stretch the legs – they want to go clear on the Fanjeaux. The hill is crested at kilometre 25, so it is a perfect place to break away.
Rolling terrain takes the riders on to Saint-Girons, on the river Salat. Saint-Girons is the location of the day's intermediate sprint. There's a very sharp bend to the right shortly before the line.
When they reach Saint-Girons, the riders have covered 121.5km. From Saint-Girons, the road begins to rise. The race leaves the Ariège département and enters the Haute-Garonne as it climbs towards the Col de Portet-d'Aspet.
The Col de Portet d’Aspet is crested at kilometre 155.5. The actual climb is 5.4 kilometres at 7.1% with its steepest section approximately 1 kilometre before the top.
On descent the riders pass the monument in honour of Fabio Casartelli, who died in a crash on the descent of the Portet d’Aspet in the 1995 Tour de France. Back in the valley the road immediately goes back up again, this time to head for the summit of the Col de Menté. This is a 6.9 kilometres climb at 8.1% with, early on, some intimidating double digit stretches.
After the summit of the Col de Menté, there's a descent to Saint-Béat.
A descent with a lot of hairpins, especially in the first part, takes the riders to the valley of the Garonne. Momentarily the Tour de France dips its toe into Spain and on rolling roads the route continues to the base of the Col du Portillon. The fairly regular closing climb is 8.3 kilometres at 7.1%.
The summit of the Portillon lies 10 kilometres before the finish. Fast descenders can take advantage as it’s almost all downhill after the top. Three hairpins in short succession with 5 kilometres out could be tricky – and on it goes on flying descent. The last kilometre is played out on the flat. The winner follows in the footsteps of Thomas Voeckler (2012), Michael Rogers (2014), and Chris Froome (2016).
That last victory was startling. People always thought of Froome as a poor descender, but when all GC-favourites reached the crest of the then last climb Peyresourde together, he dropped down like a rock and won the race 13 seconds ahead of his opponents.
Video of the last 5kms.
https://youtu.be/cIzfdWs61-M
The publicity caravan sets off from place Général de Gaulle at 0930, and the peloton at 1130. The estimated average speeds are 36, 38, and 42kmh, and depending on which is the most accurate, the riders should arrive at the finish at Bagnères-de-Luchon between 1654 and 1740cet.
Favourites 16th stage 2018 Tour de France
*** Chris Froome, Primoz Roglic, Tom Dumoulin, Romain Bardet
** Geraint Thomas, Julian Alaphilippe, Alejandro Valverde, Adam Yates
* Bauke Mollema, Lilian Calmejane, Robert Gesink, Warren Barguil, Tejay van Garderen etc.
The team hotels for this stage are all Spanish, but for one, in the finish town.
Direct Energie winning the French team lottery, this time.
Carcassonne
See previous thread.
Bagnères-de-Luchon
58 previous stages
Chef-lieu de canton de la Haute-Garonne (31)
2,800 inhabitants (Luchonnais)
16,177 inhabitants in the Pyrénées Haut-garonnaises community of communes (77 communes)
The first thermal resort in Midi-Pyrénées has historically specialised in the classic treatment of respiratory affections and rheumatisms. The town can boast a rare spring with the highest level of sulphur in the whole of the Pyrenees. The Luchon Forme et Bien-Etre centre shelters the Vaporarium, a natural Turkish bath unique in Europe creating a temperature between 38 and 42 degrees.
BAGNÈRES-DE-LUCHON AND CYCLING
In 1910, the Queen of the Pyrenees made history by hosting the start and the finish of the first two high mountain stages in the Tour de France. They were both won by Octave Lapize , who had taken the opportunity to call Henri Desgrange a murderer.
July 14, 2017 marked the centenary of the death of “Tatave”, also know as “Curly”, shot down by a German plane above Toul in 1917. A century after the first Pryenees stage, Thomas Voeckler, won in Bagnères-de-Luchon like he did in 2012. In 2016, the attack launched by Chris Froome in the descent to Luchon put him in the overall lead and in the cycling books for his innovative descending position on the bike. One of the most visited towns by the race, Luchon was on the Tour map 58 times as the peloton tackled or left the Pyrenees. Since 2012, the peloton also visited the nearby ski resort of Peyrégudes, with a victory by Alejandro Valverde. In 2017, Romain Bardet surged in the final climb for an impressive stage win.
Specialities: water, Pyrenean gastronomy, Peteram (dish made with mutton guts), Pistachio (cassoulet variant), spit cake (family holiday cake), Oo organic trout, Dardenne chocolates (artisans since 1897), Abellio handmade soap.
Peteram
Peteram is a recipe made of mutton tripe typical of the Luchon region.
After carefully washing them with water and vinegar, briefly fry the tripe and mutton feet as well as a calf ruffle for 4 to 5 minutes and cut them in small pieces. Briefly fry onions and carrots in lard. In a pressure cooker, put two ham bones, the tripe, the ruffle, the feet, onions and carrots. Cover with water, add lots of pepper, spice with thyme, parsley and cloves. Cook for two hours and add potatoes. Cook again for an hour.
Dardenne chocolates
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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Can we take this opportunity to mourn the loss of the Pyrenean Ibex, this here is Celia the last known Pyrenean Ibex who died in 2000 after a tree fell on her. [This is not a joke]
In happier news here are some Pyrenean stallions in fine fettle.
Many horses graze semi-wild in the mountain pastures and can be found atop many Pyrenean cols. Aren't they magnificent!
Along with horses you will also of course find cows!
But you should be careful because while the might look very innocent...
They are cold blooded killers!
Cows in the Pyrenees have been known to kill people, in July 2013 an 85 year old hiker was killed near the Col d'Azet and four others injured including two children. Belonging most generally to the Bearnaise and Blonde d'Aquitaine breeds the cows can be aggressive during the summer when their calves are with them. Pascal Sancho (who may or may not have a boss who likes windmills it is not known) of the Pyrenean Mountain rescue warns "People need to keep their distance, and not approach the cows, [t]hey are not pets." https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10213491/Pyrenees-hiker-killed-by-charging-cows.html [Sorry Torygraph, I'm just citing my sources]
This will probably have to make do for the Pyrenean horse and cow and other assorted animals (oh no I hear you all cry, no really I do, I know you love this, stop sniggering in the back) as I am off to the Hautes-Aples tomorrow and while I will have access to the interwebs and may join you every day for the last kms of the coming stages, I will be too busy getting out and up and down on my bike to be bothering with livestock.Correlation is not causation.0 -
Mmm...calf ruffle. Celia was a handsome beast, wasn’t she? Something quite noble about her. Splendid pics as always ATC, enjoy your vacation.Ecrasez l’infame0
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BelgianBeerGeek wrote:Mmm...calf ruffle. Celia was a handsome beast, wasn’t she? Something quite noble about her. Splendid pics as always ATC, enjoy your vacation.
Noble but sad, like she knew she was alone.
Let's hope the ongoing attempts to re-introduce them from DNA taken from her ear and spliced with other Ibex DNA will be successful.Correlation is not causation.0 -
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From memory, none of these climbs are super punishing (in the context of the high mountains).
Having done the likes of the Tourmalet & Aubisque the day before, they were definitely a notch or two easier.0 -
Impressive. I've never figured out how to get my bike to go backwards.Rick Chasey wrote:So I have actually ridden the final 100km of this stage, albeit backwards.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:So I have actually ridden the final 100km of this stage, albeit backwards.
Skillz! Bike Radar's very own Danny McAskill!
https://youtu.be/HhabgvIIXik?t=3m40sWarning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
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I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills. Going fast downhill does not equate to being a good bike handler. If I was a confident descender,* I'd be looking to not allow Sky to dictate the pace of the descent as they too often get away with doing, and try to force a mistake. It's a longshot but probably the best hope of Roglic or Bardet to put Froome under pressure.
*I'm not. Think Wiggins, Giro 2013, or Pinot doing his best Bambi on ice impression.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
I'm not convinced by Roglic's decending skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNRYgKyZBAIDeadCalm wrote:I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills. Going fast downhill does not equate to being a good bike handler. If I was a confident descender,* I'd be looking to not allow Sky to dictate the pace of the descent as they too often get away with doing, and try to force a mistake. It's a longshot but probably the best hope of Roglic or Bardet to put Froome under pressure.Twitter: @RichN950 -
bardet tried that the other day and nearly crashed on the first corner
but your right , i think their only hope i a big mistake on a decent. 0 -
RichN95 wrote:
I'm not convinced by Roglic's decending skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNRYgKyZBAIDeadCalm wrote:I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills. Going fast downhill does not equate to being a good bike handler. If I was a confident descender,* I'd be looking to not allow Sky to dictate the pace of the descent as they too often get away with doing, and try to force a mistake. It's a longshot but probably the best hope of Roglic or Bardet to put Froome under pressure.
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! :shock:Correlation is not causation.0 -
Above The Cows wrote:RichN95 wrote:
I'm not convinced by Roglic's decending skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNRYgKyZBAIDeadCalm wrote:I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills. Going fast downhill does not equate to being a good bike handler. If I was a confident descender,* I'd be looking to not allow Sky to dictate the pace of the descent as they too often get away with doing, and try to force a mistake. It's a longshot but probably the best hope of Roglic or Bardet to put Froome under pressure.
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! :shock:
Makes you wonder at what point during all that the penny dropped that he didn't really want to be doing this anymore, doesn't it?0 -
Yikes!RichN95 wrote:
I'm not convinced by Roglic's decending skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNRYgKyZBAIDeadCalm wrote:I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills. Going fast downhill does not equate to being a good bike handler. If I was a confident descender,* I'd be looking to not allow Sky to dictate the pace of the descent as they too often get away with doing, and try to force a mistake. It's a longshot but probably the best hope of Roglic or Bardet to put Froome under pressure.
But he did get down the hill pretty sharpish which tends to support my theory that fast doesn't necessarily equate to good.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
DeadCalm wrote:
Yikes!RichN95 wrote:
I'm not convinced by Roglic's decending skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNRYgKyZBAIDeadCalm wrote:I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills. Going fast downhill does not equate to being a good bike handler. If I was a confident descender,* I'd be looking to not allow Sky to dictate the pace of the descent as they too often get away with doing, and try to force a mistake. It's a longshot but probably the best hope of Roglic or Bardet to put Froome under pressure.
But he did get down the hill pretty sharpish which tends to support my theory that fast doesn't necessarily equate to good.
D'you think he would have had more control with discs?
Edited to add that we probably ought to go back and check the skidmarks for an answer to that...0 -
I think Bardet is probably my favourite descender. He just seems to find elegant lines, looks really smooth.
Sagan probably best for judging exactly how much rubber needs to be in contact with the asphalt (clue: it's less than you think).Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Bardet's best descents (the ones we remember) are done in the Alps though, due to greater familiarity. AG2R are based there and I think he lives around thereNo tA Doctor wrote:I think Bardet is probably my favourite descender. He just seems to find elegant lines, looks really smooth.Twitter: @RichN950 -
RichN95 wrote:
I'm not convinced by Roglic's decending skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNRYgKyZBAIDeadCalm wrote:I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills. Going fast downhill does not equate to being a good bike handler. If I was a confident descender,* I'd be looking to not allow Sky to dictate the pace of the descent as they too often get away with doing, and try to force a mistake. It's a longshot but probably the best hope of Roglic or Bardet to put Froome under pressure.
Hat It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:From memory, none of these climbs are super punishing (in the context of the high mountains).
Having done the likes of the Tourmalet & Aubisque the day before, they were definitely a notch or two easier.
Where you doing the raid Pyrenees?"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0 -
Correlation is not causation.0
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DeadCalm wrote:I know that this descent is where Froome supposedly laid to rest for good the suggestion that he is a poor bike handler but, at the risk of invoking the opprobrium of the forum, in my opinion, he showed balls of steel rather than good bike handling skills.
This isn't the same descent. That was the peyresourde, this is the portilon. If i remember correctly from climbing it from Luchon it'll be quite a technical descent."Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0 -
RichN95 wrote:
Bardet's best descents (the ones we remember) are done in the Alps though, due to greater familiarity. AG2R are based there and I think he lives around thereNo tA Doctor wrote:I think Bardet is probably my favourite descender. He just seems to find elegant lines, looks really smooth.
That's what I was saying on another thread today. Everyone is half hoping AG2R go on some mad-cap team descent raid, except they only do that in the Alps, and only the Savoie Alps around Chambèry which is the team's home. Remember last year when there were lots of crazy descents in the Dauphiné and the Tour around Lac Bourget, like the Mont du Chat (where Porte came off), they were crazy, in fact it was an AG2R attack on the descent that led to Porte going all out in the chase. AG2R don't do crazy descents elsewhere that I can remember.Correlation is not causation.0 -
ITV4 highlights the other night had an analysis of mad descending skillz in the wind tunnel
Apparently Froome's mad effort would have cost him time.
Sagan's the most efficient.“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
Above The Cows wrote:
That wasn’t the funniest part of the post you quoted.0 -
Above The Cows wrote:RichN95 wrote:
Bardet's best descents (the ones we remember) are done in the Alps though, due to greater familiarity. AG2R are based there and I think he lives around thereNo tA Doctor wrote:I think Bardet is probably my favourite descender. He just seems to find elegant lines, looks really smooth.
That's what I was saying on another thread today. Everyone is half hoping AG2R go on some mad-cap team descent raid, except they only do that in the Alps, and only the Savoie Alps around Chambèry which is the team's home. Remember last year when there were lots of crazy descents in the Dauphiné and the Tour around Lac Bourget, like the Mont du Chat (where Porte came off), they were crazy, in fact it was an AG2R attack on the descent that led to Porte going all out in the chase. AG2R don't do crazy descents elsewhere that I can remember.
Oh you're absolutely right, but it's still just absolute artistry (you may want to turn the sound off - you know who).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj-8VwfjrxoWarning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
There was a nice example of Sagan's descending position in action watching live yesterday (I think on the decent of the second-to-last climb). He just drifted effortlessly off the front of the breakaway.TailWindHome wrote:ITV4 highlights the other night had an analysis of mad descending skillz in the wind tunnel
Apparently Froome's mad effort would have cost him time.
Sagan's the most efficient.0 -
I think this stage may be very similar to the one Luis Ocaña crashed out on when he looked set to beat Merckx to win the Tour in what would have been perhaps the best performance against the greatest cyclist ever. Both crashed on the descent of the Portillon in a rain storm but famously Ocana having got up unhurt was then smashed into by two other riders (Thevenet and Aghostinho?) who also crashed on the same corner putting him out of the race.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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DeVlaeminck wrote:I think this stage may be very similar to the one Luis Ocaña crashed out on when he looked set to beat Merckx to win the Tour in what would have been perhaps the best performance against the greatest cyclist ever. Both crashed on the descent of the Portillon in a rain storm but famously Ocana having got up unhurt was then smashed into by two other riders (Thevenet and Aghostinho?) who also crashed on the same corner putting him out of the race.
Wrong climb - col de Menté.
Is on the route though. And it was Zoetemelk who ran into the stricken Ocaña, who had crashed into Merckx himself.0 -
Yes you are right - I think the Portillon was coming up on same stage (maybe ?). Aghostinho and one other supposed to have hit him so that was probably Zoetemelk then!
If it's the Mente that's also the one where Casartelli suffered his fatal crash yes?[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
DeVlaeminck wrote:Yes you are right - I think the Portillon was coming up on same stage (maybe ?). Aghostinho and one other supposed to have hit him so that was probably Zoetemelk then!
If it's the Mente that's also the one where Casartelli suffered his fatal crash yes?
No that’s the col de portet d’aspet.
All the climbs are in the stage, though.0
