TDF 2019, Stage 12: Toulouse > Bagnères-de-Bigorre 18/07/2019 - 209,5 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 20,675
Toulouse > Bagnères-de-Bigorre 18/07/2019 - Stage 12 - 209,5 km
At 209.5 kilometres, the Tour de France serves its first high altitude stage on the 12th day of action. Following the start in Toulouse the riders head into the Pyrenees for a race with a downhill finish in Bagnères-de-Bigorre.
he last time Bagnères-de-Bigorre was included as a stage finish on the Tour de France was in 2013. The race led over the Col de Portet-d’Aspet, Col de Menté, Col de Peyresourde, Col de Val Louron-Azet and La Hourquette d’Ancizan before ending with a descent of 30 kilometres. Daniel Martin bested Jakob Fuglsang in a two-up sprint, while the GC-contenders finished 29 seconds behind.
The 12th stage of the 2019 Tour de France is not as tough as that race.
Following the start in Toulouse the route travels on flat to rolling roads for more than 120 kilometres before the first mountain appears. Along the route there are several towns that hold a long association with the Tour.
Km 85
Saint-Gaudens (Pop: 11,700)
St Gaudens hosted 14 Tour de France stages with victories by such Tour de France greats as Gino Bartali (1950), Charly Gaul (1955), André Darrigade (1959) or Luis Ocana (1970). The last time the Tour came to town was in 2014 for the start of a stage won by Rafal Majka in Pla d’Adet.
Km 129.5
Bagnères-de-Luchon (Pop: 2,700)
Its ideal position at the foot of the great Pyrenees mountain passes allowed Bagneres-de-Luchon to host the Tour de France 55 times, a record for a town of this size. The spa town made the Tour history as early as 1910 when it hosted the first two high-mountain stages in the history of the race. Both were won by Octave Lapize, the eventual Tour winner.
The Col de Peyresourde (13.2 kilometres at 7%) is crested at kilometre 138 and the riders plunge down to the valley.
Up next is La Hourquette d’Ancizan, which is a 9.9 kilometres climb at 7.5%. The first three riders at its crest earn bonus seconds (8, 5 and 2) before the race ends with the same 30 kilometres downhill as five years ago.
The 2008 Tour de France also saw a stage from Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Featuring the Col de Peyresourde and the Col d’Aspin, the race ended with a descent to the finish. Riccardo Riccò soloed to the win. We all know what happened next!
Favourites 12th stage 2019 Tour de France
Aficionados of downhill finales are treated in the 12th stage. To win the race you have to be a good climber and dito descender. Arguably, the stage is likely to see the breakaway succeed. With no rider on board who is high ranked on GC, the route is tailor-made for the attackers to build an advantage that allows its members to decide the day’s honours between them. The best climbers will put each other to the test on La Hourquette d’Ancizan and, if necessary, in the downhill. The first part is steepest, so best suited to open up a gap, while the final kilometres are virtually flat.
*** Vincenzo Nibali, Thomas De Gendt, Tim Wellens, Warren Barguil
** Julian Alaphilippe, Alejandro Valverde, Romain Bardet, Dylan Teuns
* Mikel Landa, Adam Yates, Egan Bernal, Geraint Thomas, Thibaut Pinot, Matej Mohorič
Bagnères-de-Bigorre
11 previous stages
Population: 7,970 and 18,300 in the 25 communes of Haute-Bigorre.
A little less frequently visited by the Tour than its namesake of Luchon, the spa town of Bigorre has nonetheless crowned big names like Raphael Geminiani, winner of the first stage held in the city in 1952, or his protégé Jacques Anquetil, eleven years later in 1963. In 1952, "Gem" had won the day after a rest day, as he had previously done in Gap in 1950. The "Grand Rifle" never trained on days off, preferring to spend time with his wife. The method proved effective... The victory of Anquetil was particularly significant for the Norman as it was his first success in a mountain stage, and his first in a bunch stage since 1957!
Subsequently used primarily as a launch-pad for Pyrenean stages, Bagneres-de-Bigorre hosted two more finishes in 2008 and 2013, when Dan Martin won at the expense of Jakob Fuglsang the year of his victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
It was in Bagnères-de-Bigorre that Laurent Fignon set up a centre dedicated to cycling.
Specialties: garbure,
Bigorre black pork,
Trébons AOP onion, spit cake, pie, Madiran wine (AOC)
At 209.5 kilometres, the Tour de France serves its first high altitude stage on the 12th day of action. Following the start in Toulouse the riders head into the Pyrenees for a race with a downhill finish in Bagnères-de-Bigorre.
he last time Bagnères-de-Bigorre was included as a stage finish on the Tour de France was in 2013. The race led over the Col de Portet-d’Aspet, Col de Menté, Col de Peyresourde, Col de Val Louron-Azet and La Hourquette d’Ancizan before ending with a descent of 30 kilometres. Daniel Martin bested Jakob Fuglsang in a two-up sprint, while the GC-contenders finished 29 seconds behind.
The 12th stage of the 2019 Tour de France is not as tough as that race.
Following the start in Toulouse the route travels on flat to rolling roads for more than 120 kilometres before the first mountain appears. Along the route there are several towns that hold a long association with the Tour.
Km 85
Saint-Gaudens (Pop: 11,700)
St Gaudens hosted 14 Tour de France stages with victories by such Tour de France greats as Gino Bartali (1950), Charly Gaul (1955), André Darrigade (1959) or Luis Ocana (1970). The last time the Tour came to town was in 2014 for the start of a stage won by Rafal Majka in Pla d’Adet.
Km 129.5
Bagnères-de-Luchon (Pop: 2,700)
Its ideal position at the foot of the great Pyrenees mountain passes allowed Bagneres-de-Luchon to host the Tour de France 55 times, a record for a town of this size. The spa town made the Tour history as early as 1910 when it hosted the first two high-mountain stages in the history of the race. Both were won by Octave Lapize, the eventual Tour winner.
The Col de Peyresourde (13.2 kilometres at 7%) is crested at kilometre 138 and the riders plunge down to the valley.
Up next is La Hourquette d’Ancizan, which is a 9.9 kilometres climb at 7.5%. The first three riders at its crest earn bonus seconds (8, 5 and 2) before the race ends with the same 30 kilometres downhill as five years ago.
The 2008 Tour de France also saw a stage from Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Featuring the Col de Peyresourde and the Col d’Aspin, the race ended with a descent to the finish. Riccardo Riccò soloed to the win. We all know what happened next!
Favourites 12th stage 2019 Tour de France
Aficionados of downhill finales are treated in the 12th stage. To win the race you have to be a good climber and dito descender. Arguably, the stage is likely to see the breakaway succeed. With no rider on board who is high ranked on GC, the route is tailor-made for the attackers to build an advantage that allows its members to decide the day’s honours between them. The best climbers will put each other to the test on La Hourquette d’Ancizan and, if necessary, in the downhill. The first part is steepest, so best suited to open up a gap, while the final kilometres are virtually flat.
*** Vincenzo Nibali, Thomas De Gendt, Tim Wellens, Warren Barguil
** Julian Alaphilippe, Alejandro Valverde, Romain Bardet, Dylan Teuns
* Mikel Landa, Adam Yates, Egan Bernal, Geraint Thomas, Thibaut Pinot, Matej Mohorič
Bagnères-de-Bigorre
11 previous stages
Population: 7,970 and 18,300 in the 25 communes of Haute-Bigorre.
A little less frequently visited by the Tour than its namesake of Luchon, the spa town of Bigorre has nonetheless crowned big names like Raphael Geminiani, winner of the first stage held in the city in 1952, or his protégé Jacques Anquetil, eleven years later in 1963. In 1952, "Gem" had won the day after a rest day, as he had previously done in Gap in 1950. The "Grand Rifle" never trained on days off, preferring to spend time with his wife. The method proved effective... The victory of Anquetil was particularly significant for the Norman as it was his first success in a mountain stage, and his first in a bunch stage since 1957!
Subsequently used primarily as a launch-pad for Pyrenean stages, Bagneres-de-Bigorre hosted two more finishes in 2008 and 2013, when Dan Martin won at the expense of Jakob Fuglsang the year of his victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
It was in Bagnères-de-Bigorre that Laurent Fignon set up a centre dedicated to cycling.
Specialties: garbure,
Bigorre black pork,
Trébons AOP onion, spit cake, pie, Madiran wine (AOC)
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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(To be fair this is actually two horses)
Then there are our bovine friends...
2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
Absolutely.
If Ineos were a French team...
It's the first serious mountain stage in the Tour, therefore the GC candidates will animate it.
Yeah, it should be good today especially with the TT tomorrow. Stage six was a real kicker too which Dan and a few of the other riders said could be the toughest day.
FTFY
I think the only thing Alaphilippe will be thinking about today is expending as little energy as possible to stay in contention so that he can possibly hold on to the yellow jersey through the TT tomorrow.
Yes, nearly 17 minutes. I think it's likely he'll have a go. Hopefully taking my boy Ciccone with him.
Mohoric?
He'll certainly be eyeing up that downhill. Nobody quicker.
The profile has something of this top fish about it...
My money would be on Alaphilippe though.
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
the GC contenders will keep it under control; if any second tier GC riders or break aways go they will let them. Theres plenty of time in the mountains to come and a time trial tomorrow.
Nice viewing not a decisive day.
Very very happy to be proved wrong
Im very glad weve got rid of long time trials that suit riders who'd otherwise be nowhere like when wiggins won.
If they are left to it.
Counter move is for Astana and or movistar to ramp it up on the peyresoude and smash the ineos train early though isolating themselves in the meantime. If movistar/Astana get riders in the break to support a early attack by having guys to bridge too we will see the intent. Risky cos it can backfire. But they have to do something.
Jumbo? Follow best they can.
DQS are the new factor. If they ride to defend early it helps out ineos a lot.
Agree. Don't see the prevailing logic that everyone will be saving themselves for TT.
Attack Ineos today and take the risk, otherwise there will be only 3rd place on the podium up for grabs in Paris.
Id like to see that. it might be a launch pad for Bernal. which thomas might be under orders to support later.. but will Bernal fall apart at the end? will thomas be wasted in support of the doomed bid for yellow. Can valverde find himself in yellow!
ok maybe not valverde
which team can get in yellow today and keep it through the very hilly final? If i were ineos id keep the powder dry and leave the yellow jersey elsewhere for a few days. Unless something very odd happens.
As for the GC mobs, there was talk about Ineos looking a little weaker than usual on the Plank (although talk also of riders saving energy) with Thomas and Bernal isolated early. I can see a few teams giving it a bit of a go just to see if there's any weakness there.
The Lovely Girls Plank sounds like something from Eurotrash