TDF 2019: Stage 10, Saint-Flour > Albi 15/07/2019 - 217,5 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
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Saint-Flour > Albi 15/07/2019 - Stage 10 - 217,5 km
Just when the riders think they should be on their first rest day, they get this: 217kms of the constantly rolling, heavy roads of the Massif Central. Easy, non? The 10th stage of the Tour de France is a race between Saint-Flour and Albi, venturing into the volcanic territory of the Aubrac.
The 2013 Tour de France saw its last finish in Albi. 23-Year old Peter Sagan won the bunch sprint ahead of John Degenkolb and Daniele Bennati. That stage came from the south, Montpellier. Stage 10 in the 2019 Tour de France comes from the north. Saint-Flour will be the departure place. The Aubrac, a volcanic and granitic plateau at an elevation of around 1,200 metres, is an intermediate passage, as are four moderate climbs.
The riders tackle the Côte de Mallet (2.2 kilometres at 5%),
Côte de Chaudes-Aigues (3 kilometres at 6.6%), Côte d’Espalion (5.2 kilometres at 4.9%) and Côte de la Marlic (3.6 kilometres at 4.7%),
while the rest of the route is not exactly flat either. Yet, the undulating terrain is unlikely to obstruct a bunch sprint in Albi.
Favourites 10th stage 2019 Tour de France
A bunch sprint is the most likely outcome in the shadow of the gigantic Albi Cathedral. Although the route follows the constant undulations of the Aubrac, the sprinters' teams should be able to control the breakaway. After all, their chances are scarce this Tour de France, so they should seize the opportunity when it presents itself.
*** Dylan Groenewegen, Elia Viviani, Caleb Ewan
** Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews, Alexander Kristoff
* Christophe Laporte, Giacomo Nizzolo, Jasper Stuyven
Saint-Flour
Three previous stages
Population: 7,130. 24,820 for the municipalities of Saint-Flour Community.
Of the three stages of the Tour to finish in Saint-Flour, it was undoubtedly the one clinched by Richard Virenque on Bastille Day in 2004 which made a lasting impression. Gone with Axel Merckx, the Frenchman finally went solo to win with a five minutes lead over German Andreas Kloden and seized the polka dot jersey he was to take to Paris for the seventh time. It was his seventh and last stage victory on the Tour. Seven years later, in 2011, Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez took the stage honours ahead of Thomas Voeckler, who took back the yellow jersey he had held for ten days in 2004. The Frenchman that year completed his most successful Tour de France, finishing fourth overall.
The walls
Camped on its basaltic rock, Saint-Flour was in the 14th century a fortress of strategic importance, protected by an enclosure of crenelated ramparts, lined inside a walkway. In Saint-Flour, the men of the Middle Ages made the city a formidable bastion, often besieged but never conquered. The circuit of the ramparts is a great introduction to the art of medieval defence. Today, the base of the ramparts remains and run along the ridge of the rock.
Specialties: cheese (Fourme d'Ambert, Cantal, Bleu d'Auvergne), truffles, aligot, Salers and Aubrac meats, Pounti (meat stuffing with herbs and prunes), T
ripoux, blond lentils.
Albi
12 previous stages
Population: 51,153. 83,000 in the 17 municipalities of the agglomeration
In 2013, while Albi had just been elected "Most Sporting City of France" of the year 2012, it was Peter Sagan who had prevailed in the prefecture of Tarn at the end of a long stage part of Montpellier. It was Slovakian's fourth stage victory and allowed him to widen the gap in his race to win the green jersey.
Albi is the hometown of Lilian Calmejane, solo winner of Les Rousses in the Tour 2017 and one of the most admirable forwards of the current peloton.
Some very big names in cycling won in Albi, starting with the biggest of all, Eddy Merckx, who had taken a time trial in 1971. In 2007, it was Cadel Evans who triumphed too in a lone effort. Another winner of the Tour, Roger Pingeon took the top step from Font-Romeu in 1968.
Sainte-Cecile cathedral
The cathedral of Albi, built from 1282, is the largest cathedral made of brick in the world. It is 113 metres long and 35 metres wide. Alone of its kind, it is monumental thanks to a style typical of south-western France known as southern gothic. Set on one of the hills of the city, it bears witness to the strength of the Catholic faith after the Cathar heresy. Its originality is reinforce by the interior decoration, a true museum of Christian art. It is the only cathedral in Europe whose walls and vaults are entirely painted on a surface of about 18,500 m2.
Specialties: salted liver radish, Albi tripes, duck, repountchou (omelette, salad or custard dish),
Lautrec pink garlic, traditional pastries, navettes. Gaillac AOC wines (dry, sweet and pearly white, red and rosé),
Albi distilleries, Belin and Thuries chocolate makers.
Just when the riders think they should be on their first rest day, they get this: 217kms of the constantly rolling, heavy roads of the Massif Central. Easy, non? The 10th stage of the Tour de France is a race between Saint-Flour and Albi, venturing into the volcanic territory of the Aubrac.
The 2013 Tour de France saw its last finish in Albi. 23-Year old Peter Sagan won the bunch sprint ahead of John Degenkolb and Daniele Bennati. That stage came from the south, Montpellier. Stage 10 in the 2019 Tour de France comes from the north. Saint-Flour will be the departure place. The Aubrac, a volcanic and granitic plateau at an elevation of around 1,200 metres, is an intermediate passage, as are four moderate climbs.
The riders tackle the Côte de Mallet (2.2 kilometres at 5%),
Côte de Chaudes-Aigues (3 kilometres at 6.6%), Côte d’Espalion (5.2 kilometres at 4.9%) and Côte de la Marlic (3.6 kilometres at 4.7%),
while the rest of the route is not exactly flat either. Yet, the undulating terrain is unlikely to obstruct a bunch sprint in Albi.
Favourites 10th stage 2019 Tour de France
A bunch sprint is the most likely outcome in the shadow of the gigantic Albi Cathedral. Although the route follows the constant undulations of the Aubrac, the sprinters' teams should be able to control the breakaway. After all, their chances are scarce this Tour de France, so they should seize the opportunity when it presents itself.
*** Dylan Groenewegen, Elia Viviani, Caleb Ewan
** Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews, Alexander Kristoff
* Christophe Laporte, Giacomo Nizzolo, Jasper Stuyven
Saint-Flour
Three previous stages
Population: 7,130. 24,820 for the municipalities of Saint-Flour Community.
Of the three stages of the Tour to finish in Saint-Flour, it was undoubtedly the one clinched by Richard Virenque on Bastille Day in 2004 which made a lasting impression. Gone with Axel Merckx, the Frenchman finally went solo to win with a five minutes lead over German Andreas Kloden and seized the polka dot jersey he was to take to Paris for the seventh time. It was his seventh and last stage victory on the Tour. Seven years later, in 2011, Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez took the stage honours ahead of Thomas Voeckler, who took back the yellow jersey he had held for ten days in 2004. The Frenchman that year completed his most successful Tour de France, finishing fourth overall.
The walls
Camped on its basaltic rock, Saint-Flour was in the 14th century a fortress of strategic importance, protected by an enclosure of crenelated ramparts, lined inside a walkway. In Saint-Flour, the men of the Middle Ages made the city a formidable bastion, often besieged but never conquered. The circuit of the ramparts is a great introduction to the art of medieval defence. Today, the base of the ramparts remains and run along the ridge of the rock.
Specialties: cheese (Fourme d'Ambert, Cantal, Bleu d'Auvergne), truffles, aligot, Salers and Aubrac meats, Pounti (meat stuffing with herbs and prunes), T
ripoux, blond lentils.
Albi
12 previous stages
Population: 51,153. 83,000 in the 17 municipalities of the agglomeration
In 2013, while Albi had just been elected "Most Sporting City of France" of the year 2012, it was Peter Sagan who had prevailed in the prefecture of Tarn at the end of a long stage part of Montpellier. It was Slovakian's fourth stage victory and allowed him to widen the gap in his race to win the green jersey.
Albi is the hometown of Lilian Calmejane, solo winner of Les Rousses in the Tour 2017 and one of the most admirable forwards of the current peloton.
Some very big names in cycling won in Albi, starting with the biggest of all, Eddy Merckx, who had taken a time trial in 1971. In 2007, it was Cadel Evans who triumphed too in a lone effort. Another winner of the Tour, Roger Pingeon took the top step from Font-Romeu in 1968.
Sainte-Cecile cathedral
The cathedral of Albi, built from 1282, is the largest cathedral made of brick in the world. It is 113 metres long and 35 metres wide. Alone of its kind, it is monumental thanks to a style typical of south-western France known as southern gothic. Set on one of the hills of the city, it bears witness to the strength of the Catholic faith after the Cathar heresy. Its originality is reinforce by the interior decoration, a true museum of Christian art. It is the only cathedral in Europe whose walls and vaults are entirely painted on a surface of about 18,500 m2.
Specialties: salted liver radish, Albi tripes, duck, repountchou (omelette, salad or custard dish),
Lautrec pink garlic, traditional pastries, navettes. Gaillac AOC wines (dry, sweet and pearly white, red and rosé),
Albi distilleries, Belin and Thuries chocolate makers.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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We're still in the Auvergne/Aubrac regions for stage 10 so we stay with the same breeds as stage 9 but they are quite marvelous so who cares...
Correlation is not causation.0 -
Nice cows!
A general downhill trajectory I predict a bunch finish.0 -
Alejandrosdog wrote:Nice cows!
A general downhill trajectory I predict a bunch finish.
Shame he crashed out, really, as having had a career with a general downhill trajectory Teejay VG would have been a perfect fit for this stage...
Meanwhile, I'm pleased to see that the general theme of this year's tour paying tribute to cycling legends continues with the first climb:
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I'm surprised at that final climb meriting a 3rd cat rating given there have probably been numerous harder climbs in the last few days that went uncategorised. I could understand in some of the flatter areas of France but you'd think it would make 4th cat at most on these lumpy days.0
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Calmejane was looking forward to this stage into his home town. Don't think he was expecting to be over an hour down0
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This horse is having a bit of a mid-life crisis. He (I'm assuming he) has been spending a lot of time in the gym after his divorce but he's not updated his hairstyle since the 90's when he was really into Pulp.Above The Cows wrote:Twitter: @RichN950 -
Whilst he may be going to the gym to try and rediscover his inner muscles, he cannot hide the fact that his heavy beer drinking has led him to be carrying too much timber.Half man, Half bike0
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Climb categorisation is pretty arbitrary - they do it as much to stimulate the racing as anything else.Pross wrote:I'm surprised at that final climb meriting a 3rd cat rating given there have probably been numerous harder climbs in the last few days that went uncategorised. I could understand in some of the flatter areas of France but you'd think it would make 4th cat at most on these lumpy days.0 -
bobmcstuff wrote:
Climb categorisation is pretty arbitrary - they do it as much to stimulate the racing as anything else.Pross wrote:I'm surprised at that final climb meriting a 3rd cat rating given there have probably been numerous harder climbs in the last few days that went uncategorised. I could understand in some of the flatter areas of France but you'd think it would make 4th cat at most on these lumpy days.
I appreciate that but this one seems more arbitrary than most given the overall terrain of the last few days. If they were somewhere in the west where it is generally a bit flatter it would make more sense but 3.8km at a pretty consistent 4.2% gradient just doesn't seem worthy of a 3rd Cat rating after what they've been over in the previous 2 stages.0 -
i dont know about the riders but im getting TDF fatigue0
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Who is in. The break?"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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mididoctors wrote:Who is in. The break?
Gallopin, Berhane and some real jokers.
All a bit pointless and the peloton aren't giving them an inch."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Ahh man so thrown off by today not being a rest day. Will be all over the place all week now0
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I thought it was going to be a rest day.Alejandrosdog wrote:i dont know about the riders but im getting TDF fatigue
I need some time to recover after the cricket.0 -
Wha? Not a rest day?0
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KingstonGraham wrote:Wha? Not a rest day?
Bastille Day off for the Frenchies presumably with the day itself falling on a Sunday so they obviously don't want to waste it with a rest day.0 -
Not a thrilling stage but LOVE this part of France. Superb touring country for anyone with a couple of weeks and a couple of panniers.0
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RichN95 wrote:
This horse is having a bit of a mid-life crisis. He (I'm assuming he) has been spending a lot of time in the gym after his divorce but he's not updated his hairstyle since the 90's when he was really into Pulp.Above The Cows wrote:
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Ned Boulting definitely reads this forum.
He's just mentioned the possibility of a "red alert ***KLAXON***" for possible echelons.Correlation is not causation.0 -
Hi Ned.0
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I'm warming up the klaxon just in case...
Correlation is not causation.0 -
Above The Cows wrote:Ned Boulting definitely reads this forum.
He's just mentioned the possibility of a "red alert ***KLAXON***" for possible echelons.
And now an update on the Lanterne Rouge - apparently Offredo is struggling to hold wheels whenever it goes upwards.
Edit -> And with that, Offredo falls off the back on a 72km attack. No sign of anyone coming back to join him.0 -
Is there, is there, is there a split forming...?Correlation is not causation.0
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We are now getting a little echelon action!
Luke Rowe of course is right at the pointy end."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Oooooh, is that a split? Have I turned on the telly at the right time?0
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There seems to be 2 pelotons 25s apart according to the graphic (just turned on)0
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According to the CN liveblog it was Rowe who really kicked it all off.
Nobody that important caught behind - polka dots, plus Stuyven who Porte could have made use of, but otherwise the main GC contenders are in front of the split.0 -
bobmcstuff wrote:According to the CN liveblog it was Rowe who really kicked it all off.
Nobody that important caught behind - polka dots, plus Stuyven who Porte could have made use of, but otherwise the main GC contenders are in front of the split.
It was indeed Rowe.Correlation is not causation.0 -
5 minutes of interest in 5 hours. So glad the Sun is shining and the chateaux, castles and countryside look splendid."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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Pross wrote:bobmcstuff wrote:
Climb categorisation is pretty arbitrary - they do it as much to stimulate the racing as anything else.Pross wrote:I'm surprised at that final climb meriting a 3rd cat rating given there have probably been numerous harder climbs in the last few days that went uncategorised. I could understand in some of the flatter areas of France but you'd think it would make 4th cat at most on these lumpy days.
I appreciate that but this one seems more arbitrary than most given the overall terrain of the last few days. If they were somewhere in the west where it is generally a bit flatter it would make more sense but 3.8km at a pretty consistent 4.2% gradient just doesn't seem worthy of a 3rd Cat rating after what they've been over in the previous 2 stages.
I'm not a devoted follower of any pro races, but unlike Strava's mathematical formula, the categorising of climbs at TDF often involves a fair chunk of "artistic license."
In Strava, cat climbs must average over 3%...
Cat4: Climb 262 feet in under ~1.65 miles
Cat3: Climb 525 feet in under ~3.3 miles
Cat2: Climb 1050 feet in under ~6.6 miles
Cat1 : Climb 2100 feet in under ~13.2 miles
https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/art ... gorization
Today's stage final climb that they did in the last ~15mins looks pretty comparable to this Strava cat3 climb near Longleat Center Parcs https://www.strava.com/segments/17614717 , which is 544 feet over 2.53 miles.================
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