TDF 2020 - Stage 20: Lure - La Planche des Belles Filles 36.2 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 20,675
in Pro race
Stage 20: Lure - La Planche des Belles Filles 36.2 km
The end of Tour time-trials are the less predictable of the discipline. They’re even less when the course on the menu is an uphill climb like the one to La Planche-des-Belles-Filles, 5.9kms long at an average of 8.5%. If the gaps are small coming into the trial, the positions on the podium could dramatically change. - Christian Prudhomme
The climb will be even harder than usual, as it serves at the finish climb of a 36.2 kilometres ITT.
The race opens with approximately 15 kilometres on virtually valley roads. Then the route begins to incline – at shallow gradients, but given the finale this is an interesting section. Save energy or keep on pushing? The riders crest the Col de la Chevestraye at kilometre 25 before a descent of almost 3 kilometres runs onto the last climb of the 2020 Tour de France.
La Planche des Belles Filles was first included in the Tour de France of 2012. Almost overnight it has become a feared and revered climb after its inclusions in the editions of 2014, 2017 and 2019. Last year, the route was pepped up by an unpaved last kilometre, but that section will be skipped.
La Planche des Belles Filles is 5.9 kilometres long with an average gradient of 8.5%. The steepest ramp, at 20%, appears just before the finish line.
The intermediate time checks are located at kilometre 14.4 and at kilometre 30.3, which is at the base of La Planche des Belles Filles.
A clash of team mates Roglic and Dumooulin could be on the cards. The course is similar to the ITT World Championships of 2017 in Bergen when Dumoulin took gold, Roglic silver and Froome bronze. That Bergen ITT was played out an a 31 kilometres route that was slightly undulating until the finish climb appeared. The ascent was not unlike La Planche des Belles Filles, only a little shorter and steeper.
Favourites 20th stage 2020 Tour de France
*** Tom Dumoulin, Primoz Roglic, Tadej Pogacar
** Lennard Kämna, Julian Alaphilippe, Wout van Aert
* Daniel Felipe Martínez, Richie Porte, Rémi Cavagna
Lure
No previous stage
Population: 8,500
The final time trial will look like a real lap of honour for Thibaut Pinot, who will start from his birthplace before riding for 35 km of roads he knows better than the palm of his hands. His hometown of Melisey, whose mayor is his father, lies only 10 km away from Lure.
This is possibly why the Groupama rider is still in the race and has not abandoned yet another Grand Tour.
Specialties: potée comtoise, cancoillotte (melted cheese), Luxeuil ham,
craquelés lurons (biscuits), griottines from Fougerolles, trésor des Ballons (pastry created by chefs from the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park)
La Planche des Belles Filles
Four previous stages
Population some sheep.
The sole ski resort in the Haute-Saone department and the last summit of the Vosges, La Planche des Belles-Filles made a smashing Tour de France debut when it revealed the climbing talent of Chris Froome. The English rider conquered his first Tour de France stage there in 2012 one year before his overall victory on the Champs-Elysees. That day, the man who was then Bradley Wiggins's main support, surged recklessly in the finale to drop Cadel Evans and win in style.
The sole ski resort in the Haute-Saone department and the last summit of the Vosges, La Planche des Belles-Filles made a smashing Tour de France debut when it revealed the climbing talent of Chris Froome. The English rider conquered his first Tour de France stage there in 2012 one year before his overall victory on the Champs-Elysees. That day, the man who was then Bradley Wiggins's main support, surged recklessly in the finale to drop Cadel Evans and win in style.
Specialities: cancoillotte cheese, Charcenne wine and cheese, Fougerolles AOC kirsch,
Villeminfroy water, Grillotines of Fougerolles,
myrtles in Belfahy, Montbozon biscuits, Luxeuil lace, Passavant-la-Tarbes Rochère glass and crystal.
The end of Tour time-trials are the less predictable of the discipline. They’re even less when the course on the menu is an uphill climb like the one to La Planche-des-Belles-Filles, 5.9kms long at an average of 8.5%. If the gaps are small coming into the trial, the positions on the podium could dramatically change. - Christian Prudhomme
The climb will be even harder than usual, as it serves at the finish climb of a 36.2 kilometres ITT.
The race opens with approximately 15 kilometres on virtually valley roads. Then the route begins to incline – at shallow gradients, but given the finale this is an interesting section. Save energy or keep on pushing? The riders crest the Col de la Chevestraye at kilometre 25 before a descent of almost 3 kilometres runs onto the last climb of the 2020 Tour de France.
La Planche des Belles Filles was first included in the Tour de France of 2012. Almost overnight it has become a feared and revered climb after its inclusions in the editions of 2014, 2017 and 2019. Last year, the route was pepped up by an unpaved last kilometre, but that section will be skipped.
La Planche des Belles Filles is 5.9 kilometres long with an average gradient of 8.5%. The steepest ramp, at 20%, appears just before the finish line.
The intermediate time checks are located at kilometre 14.4 and at kilometre 30.3, which is at the base of La Planche des Belles Filles.
A clash of team mates Roglic and Dumooulin could be on the cards. The course is similar to the ITT World Championships of 2017 in Bergen when Dumoulin took gold, Roglic silver and Froome bronze. That Bergen ITT was played out an a 31 kilometres route that was slightly undulating until the finish climb appeared. The ascent was not unlike La Planche des Belles Filles, only a little shorter and steeper.
Favourites 20th stage 2020 Tour de France
*** Tom Dumoulin, Primoz Roglic, Tadej Pogacar
** Lennard Kämna, Julian Alaphilippe, Wout van Aert
* Daniel Felipe Martínez, Richie Porte, Rémi Cavagna
Lure
No previous stage
Population: 8,500
The final time trial will look like a real lap of honour for Thibaut Pinot, who will start from his birthplace before riding for 35 km of roads he knows better than the palm of his hands. His hometown of Melisey, whose mayor is his father, lies only 10 km away from Lure.
This is possibly why the Groupama rider is still in the race and has not abandoned yet another Grand Tour.
Specialties: potée comtoise, cancoillotte (melted cheese), Luxeuil ham,
craquelés lurons (biscuits), griottines from Fougerolles, trésor des Ballons (pastry created by chefs from the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park)
La Planche des Belles Filles
Four previous stages
Population some sheep.
The sole ski resort in the Haute-Saone department and the last summit of the Vosges, La Planche des Belles-Filles made a smashing Tour de France debut when it revealed the climbing talent of Chris Froome. The English rider conquered his first Tour de France stage there in 2012 one year before his overall victory on the Champs-Elysees. That day, the man who was then Bradley Wiggins's main support, surged recklessly in the finale to drop Cadel Evans and win in style.
The sole ski resort in the Haute-Saone department and the last summit of the Vosges, La Planche des Belles-Filles made a smashing Tour de France debut when it revealed the climbing talent of Chris Froome. The English rider conquered his first Tour de France stage there in 2012 one year before his overall victory on the Champs-Elysees. That day, the man who was then Bradley Wiggins's main support, surged recklessly in the finale to drop Cadel Evans and win in style.
Specialities: cancoillotte cheese, Charcenne wine and cheese, Fougerolles AOC kirsch,
Villeminfroy water, Grillotines of Fougerolles,
myrtles in Belfahy, Montbozon biscuits, Luxeuil lace, Passavant-la-Tarbes Rochère glass and crystal.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
2
Posts
Just not worth watching until the last 10 minutes really, is it...
Be interesting to see how Carapaz Strava Lines the hill I guess...
- @ddraver
- @ddraver
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
Most likely. It's about a 36-38 minute flat section followed by a 15-16 minute climb.
He must have been the school-kid I saw cycling along past our hotel.
- @ddraver
16:36:00 VAN AERT Wout TJV BEL
16:38:00 VERONA Carlos MOV ESP
16:40:00 ROLLAND Pierre BVC FRA
16:42:00 QUINTANA Nairo ARK COL
16:44:00 BILBAO Pello TBM ESP
16:46:00 KUSS Sepp TJV USA
16:48:00 BARGUIL Warren ARK FRA
16:50:00 CARAPAZ Richard IGD ECU
16:52:00 MARTIN Guillaume COF FRA
16:54:00 CARUSO Damiano TBM ITA
General classification top-10 start times
16:56:00 VALVERDE Alejandro MOV ESP
16:58:00 DUMOULIN Tom TJV NED
17:00:00 URAN Rigoberto EF1 COL
17:02:00 YATES Adam MTS GBR
17:04:00 MAS Enric MOV ESP
17:06:00 LANDA Mikel TBM ESP
17:08:00 PORTE Richie TFS AUS
17:10:00 LOPEZ Miguel Angel AST COL
17:12:00 POGACAR Tadej UAD SLO
17:14:00 ROGLIC Primož TJV SLO
But that's likely to be after the intermediate split for the KOM timings...
Advantage Carapaz?
Pogacar will have to ride for the stage time, not the KoM, he's at 57" so a puncture for Roglic and he could win the tour. He's only 30" in front of Lopez, so a bad day could see him drop from 2nd to 3rd. Not a lot of room to play with the KoM.
Lar "Sytting" Bak suggested that the better TTers might not swap at all as they would be comfortable climbing on TT bikes, while climbers would want to ditch the TT bike.
Mikkel Bjerg, 3 time world u23 champion (and Pogacar teammate) was convinced that nobody wanted to carry an extra kilo or so up a climb with a 20% ramp on it.
I think Mikkel has the right idea.
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
Given how long the flat section is, a proper TT bike will be by far the fastest across the whole course if bike changes weren't allowed. Obviously with bike changes allowed it is different.
Discussion about when to change is interesting - I guess it hinges on whether saving 1-2 kilos will make back the ~20s the change will cost on the climb. I think the decision for Carapaz is pretty easy, but I still think he will do the flat section on a TT bike because it will be massively faster on that part. For Pogacar it is a lot more difficult decision as any issues with the bike change could potentially cost him the race (although as above Roglic also needs to have some misfortune).
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
Carapaz I'd expect to ride the whole thing on on a road bike just because you'd think you'd rather warm up for the climb on the same bike you were going to attack it on. I'm assuming the time cut won't require him to put significantly more into the flat section on a road bike.
Movistar should get the first ever Haimar Zubeldia team award.
The US Airforce could learn a thing or two about stealth from Valverde's Veiled Visions.