TDF 2021: Stage 11, Sorgues > Malaucène 198.9 km **Spoilers**
blazing_saddles
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Stage 11, Sorgues > Malaucène 198.9 km
7-7-2021Start 11-00am
Five years after a windy visit and some impromptu athletics , the Tour returns to the Giant of Provence. The race taking on the highly anticipated doubled ascent of Mont Ventoux will be all about the climbers and perhaps, the descenders. The riders begin to turn the pedals in Sorgues and follow an anti-clockwise route, initially along the flat. Just after Sault, the race enters the Ventoux circuit, where hopefully at some point, the fireworks will begin.
After 30kms of flat, there are two small, fourth category climbs, the Cote de Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and Côte de Gordes, followed by the first category Col de la Liguière.
These small climbs hold some significance, given the intermediate sprint appears between the two.
While the initial climb is short, it does have a 12% section towards it's top.
It could be that Bike Exhange and Bahrain may try to put the green jersey into difficulty here; not just in terms of the IS, but also, they could look to force the pace until the Col de la Liguière, with the specific aim putting Cavendish OTL.
The first time up Ventoux takes the easiest of three possible routes to the top but it’s also the longest, with 24.3 kilometres of climbing facing the riders. At the summit the riders drop down into Malaucène for the first time via one of the fastest descents. Another 12.5 kilometres on rolling roads later the riders reach Bédoin, which is where the Ventoux begins for real.
Finally, the riders tackle the rapid descent into Malaucène once again. The 22 kilometres to the line all fly downhill.
The Climbs.
Ventoux 1st passage
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Ventoux second passage
Final kilometres
The full assent of the Mont Ventoux returns to the Tour de France route for the first time since 2013, when Chris Froome climbed to victory ahead of Nairo Quintana and Mikel Nieve. 3 years later, the stage was cut short at Chalet Reynard, due to strong winds. That time Chris Froome won................the foot race!
With stage honours and bonification seconds at stake, GC riders will doubtless be motivated to go all out.
Favourites stage 11 Tour de France 2021
***** Tadej Pogacar,
**** Richard Carapaz, Michael Woods
*** Wilco Kelderman, Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Urán, David Gaudu
** Simon Yates, Miguel Ángel López, Guillaume Martin,
* Vincenzo Nibali, Jakob Fuglsang, Wout Poels, Enric Mas, Sergio Higuita
Sorgues
No previous stage
Population: 18,700
Sorgues is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. The river Ouvèze, a tributary of the Rhône, as well as its tributary Sorgue, which begins at the Fontaine de Vaucluse, run through the commune. Sorgues, which had a population of 18,680 in 2017, is located just north of Avignon, on the border with Gard.
Most famously Pablo Picasso arrived in Sorgues in June 1912 and it was here that birth of synthetic cubism took place.
Dinning in Sorgues can be quite an experience: where quintessential Provence and creative gastronomy produce a stunning canvas for the senses.
Ventoux and Malaucène
No previous stage
Population: 2,895
Mont Ventoux (1,912 m)
Also called́ the Bald Mountain or the Giant of Provence, it is the highest point of the Baronnies massif and the highest in the Vaucluse. Culminating at 1,912 m, it is about 25 km long on an east-west axis and 15 km wide on a north-south axis. Its geographical isolation makes it visible from great distances.
Since 1966, the summit has been topped by a 42-m-high observation tower with a 20-m antenna. A television transmitter with a power of 195 kw, whose signal is so strong that it can be received from 90 km away.
It was via Malaucène that the Ventoux was climbed for the first time in the Tour de France in 1951 during the Montpellier-Avignon stage, won by Louison Bobet. This climb on the north side, considered less arduous than the one from Bédoin (the south climb), was only used again by the Tour in 1972, when Bernard Thévenet won it. This time all three routes will be ridden, either uphill and downhill.
Ventoux cherries
With nearly 4,000 hectares planted, and an annual harvest of 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes, Vaucluse remains France's leading producer of cherries. The Ventoux region has become the preferred area for table cherries.
Ventoux wines.
The mountainous area 30km to the east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape produce the wines of Ventoux. They are identifiably Rhône in style, but with a distinctive lifted freshness. You can successfully make red, white or rosé.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
2
Comments
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The descent to malaucene was the best 24 minutes of my cycling life
"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago1 -
Ven...
Correlation is not causation.4 -
...toux!
Correlation is not causation.8 -
Those two posts have me giggling to myself more than is healthy.
Nice0 -
It's fantastic, but not quite as amusing as the genius that bleeped out every "count" in his counting song, which nearly finished me off the first time I saw it.I bleep slowly, slowly, slowly getting faster
Once I've started bleep ing it's really hard to stop
Faster, faster. It is so exciting!
I could bleep forever, bleep until I drop
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The Col de la Liguière, was tougher than it looked on paper when I did it in the baking heat. The ventoux twice is a fine idea great parcours ... Woods is not the guy for this stage given the descent finish ..sprint from a small bunch? Pog is not going to risk the descent even if has a lead over the top unless it's a really big one? The Sault ascent is easy enough to
Allow a big group of 10 min down guys to stay away."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 -
Thats good as well 😃Lanterne_Rogue said:It's fantastic, but not quite as amusing as the genius that bleeped out every "count" in his counting song, which nearly finished me off the first time I saw it.
I bleep slowly, slowly, slowly getting faster
Once I've started bleep ing it's really hard to stop
Faster, faster. It is so exciting!
I could bleep forever, bleep until I drop0 -
He has a twitter account. Ah ha ha.1
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I love this bit of France. Had a great day doing all 3 climbs. Sault is the easiest but at the end of my day it was horrid. Going to look forward to the pictures tomorrow0
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The story going around about Pierre Rolland targeting today's stage is pretty funny. Apparently he claimed during the rest day that he had been quiet throughout the Tour because he was targeting Mont Ventoux.
"But Pierre, are you confident you can stay away on the 22km of descent at the end?"
Pierre Rolland is no longer targeting today's stage.1 -
The thought of Pierre Rolland targetting any stage these days is pretty amusing. Outside of the Tour of Rwanda his last win in a .1 level race or higher was 2017 and he hasn't won a Tour stage since 2012 (he did get a 2nd last year to be fair though).0
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Weather report delivered by genuine meteorologist on DK TV2 suggests it's going to be a windy edition instead of a hot one today.
18c at top, wind gusting to 40kmh.
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
In other news, is anyone playing the official fantasy league? I seem to have fluked my way into a top 10 gc position in the global league
Warning No formatter is installed for the format1 -
Errr....No_Ta_Doctor said:Weather report delivered by genuine meteorologist on DK TV2 suggests it's going to be a windy edition instead of a hot one today.
18c at top, wind gusting to 40kmh.
Not the summit I know, but also here:-
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Currently 14kph with 24kph gusts.
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.1 -
Oh God, it's CK's turn to do the finish, isn't it?1
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Isn't that pretty similar to what I posted? I forgot the potential thunderstorm risk though it was mentioned..blazing_saddles said:
Errr....No_Ta_Doctor said:Weather report delivered by genuine meteorologist on DK TV2 suggests it's going to be a windy edition instead of a hot one today.
18c at top, wind gusting to 40kmh.
Not the summit I know, but also here:-
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Currently 14kph with 24kph gusts.
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
They should have done all three climbs and signed up all the riders for The Cingles. They would have to stop and get their cards stamped though.
https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/15797271#Comment_157972710 -
Except for the fact that the meteofrance one suggests the wind dropping in the afternoon to pretty much flat calm.No_Ta_Doctor said:
Isn't that pretty similar to what I posted? I forgot the potential thunderstorm risk though it was mentioned..blazing_saddles said:
Errr....No_Ta_Doctor said:Weather report delivered by genuine meteorologist on DK TV2 suggests it's going to be a windy edition instead of a hot one today.
18c at top, wind gusting to 40kmh.
Not the summit I know, but also here:-
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Currently 14kph with 24kph gusts.
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Mind you, they were wrong yesterday about the crosswinds."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.1 -
French tv are already on Cavwatch."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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DQS patrolling the front, the intermediate sprint is fairly early.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
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Is it time to start climbing Zwift's Ven-Top and seeing how feable we are yet?================
2020 Voodoo Marasa
2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
2016 Voodoo Wazoo0 -
Looking around i can see quite a lot of variation in wind forecasts.blazing_saddles said:
Except for the fact that the meteofrance one suggests the wind dropping in the afternoon to pretty much flat calm.No_Ta_Doctor said:
Isn't that pretty similar to what I posted? I forgot the potential thunderstorm risk though it was mentioned..blazing_saddles said:
Errr....No_Ta_Doctor said:Weather report delivered by genuine meteorologist on DK TV2 suggests it's going to be a windy edition instead of a hot one today.
18c at top, wind gusting to 40kmh.
Not the summit I know, but also here:-
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Currently 14kph with 24kph gusts.
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Mind you, they were wrong yesterday about the crosswinds.
The TV2 reporter has an anemometer with him. Will keep you updated if we get any info
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Mads P agrees with me that today shouldn't be a problem for chubby sprinters. Sunday was the nightmare.blazing_saddles said:French tv are already on Cavwatch.
Cav was right up the front there, suggesting he might go for the pts if availableWarning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Cav policing the break.Correlation is not causation.0
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It is quite amusing watching Cavendish bobbing around up there. Hoping to get on the back of a break for free so he can go more slowly later?0
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Alaphilippe and Quintana have a small gap.
Tony Martin is bleeding in a ditch
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
I hope he's going to be on duty for Thursday and Friday. A collective prayer to NjǫrdNo_Ta_Doctor said:
Looking around i can see quite a lot of variation in wind forecasts.blazing_saddles said:
Except for the fact that the meteofrance one suggests the wind dropping in the afternoon to pretty much flat calm.No_Ta_Doctor said:
Isn't that pretty similar to what I posted? I forgot the potential thunderstorm risk though it was mentioned..blazing_saddles said:
Errr....No_Ta_Doctor said:Weather report delivered by genuine meteorologist on DK TV2 suggests it's going to be a windy edition instead of a hot one today.
18c at top, wind gusting to 40kmh.
Not the summit I know, but also here:-
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Currently 14kph with 24kph gusts.
https://www.meteo-ventoux.fr/
Mind you, they were wrong yesterday about the crosswinds.
The TV2 reporter has an anemometer with him. Will keep you updated if we get any info "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.1 -
Think Morkov is the only DQS rider not to have ended up in a group off the front so far.
Tony Martin in a ditch looking smashed up.0 -
Tony Martin has finally Ko'd himself.
No way he's getting back on."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
