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TDF 2021: Stage 16 Pas de la Case > Saint-Gaudens 169 km **Spoilers**

blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 21,604
edited July 2021 in Pro race

Stage 16 Pas de la Case > Saint-Gaudens 169 km

13-7-2021
Start: 12-05pm

This is a medium mountain stage through the heart of the Pyrénées Ariégeoises and the rugged Couserans region to Saint-Gaudens. The stage of the Tour de France is tailor-made for a successful breakaway. It gets under way with a long descent from Pas de la Case down the Upper Ariège valley. At Tarascon, the route switches from north to west. The riders will follow the road that leads out of the mountains through the villages of Aspet and Soueich, where Ineos Grenadier's "Russian", Pavel Sivakov was raised.



The route continues to descend, albeit false flat, and moves through Ax-les-Thermes and Tarascon-sur-Ariège before the first climb of the day appears after approximately 40 kilometres.
Following three climbs (two 2nd catergory, one 1st catergory) but for a short, 4th catergory ramp, the finale is virtually flat, except for a short uphill kicker inside the last 10 kilometres.



The Climbs:







Final Kilometres
The final 500 metres to the line, which is located on what was once the Comminges motor-racing circuit, are quite sharply uphill.



As this stage is one of the very last chances that teams without an in-form GC leader or sprinter will have to go for a victory, expect there to be a lot of interest in getting into the break. This breakaway is more likely to be successful than most.

Favourites stage 16 Tour de France 2021

***** Ion Izagirre, Dylan Teuns, Julian Alaphilippe
**** Wout Poels, Bauke Mollema, Wout van Aert, Omar Fraile
*** Sergio Higuita, Thomas De Gendt, Patrick Konrad, Magnus Cort
** Ruben Guerreiro, Franck Bonnamour, Neilson Powless, Kasper Asgreen
* Matej Mohorič, Valentin Madouas, Pierre Rolland, Guillaume Martin, Simon Geschke


Pas de la Case

Tourist resort in the parish of Encamp in Andorra
Population: 3,000
El Pas de la Casa is an Andorran town and ski resort in the Pyrenees mountains, near the French border. Sitting at the Pas de la Casa mountain pass, it’s part of the Grandvalira ski area. The two main sources of wealth are trade and winter sports. The beginnings of the commercial fabric of Pas de la Casa date back to the end of the Second World War, a time of great economic and commercial crisis in France. The village was known as the place to find products that were not available anywhere else at that time.
In the winter of 1956-57, the first ski lift was installed to link the town of Pas de la Casa with the summit of Pic Blanc, at an altitude of 2,500 metres. The development of the skiing industry meant the construction of many hotels and restaurants. Consequently, it attracts a large number of British and Irish winter sports enthusiasts, as well as French and Spanish ones.




Saint-Gaudens

13 previous stages
Population: 12,000
Saint-Gaudens lies at an altitude of 405 m (1,329 ft) on a ledge overlooking the valley of the Garonne. It faces the Pyrenees and is a natural crossroads for routes between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and between Toulouse and the Val d'Aran in Catalonia.
Saint-Gaudens has been inhabited since ancient times. The town later developed around the 11th century Romanesque church.
Saint-Gaudens is one of the Pyrenean towns whose name is familiar to cycling fans. Situated at the crossroads of the various Pyrenean routes, the town has hosted nine stage finishes and ten starts, the last of which was in 2009. In 1970, for example, Bernard Thévenet left Saint-Gaudens to win his first stage in La Mongie.
During the last two visits of the Tour to the town, Saint-Gaudens served as a springboard for Pyrenean stages won at the Plateau de Beille by Jelle Vanendert in 2011 and in Saint-Lary-Soulan by Rafal Majka in 2014.
In 1955, Louison Bobet finally donned the Yellow Jersey here, during the first of his three, consecutive wins.



Mounjetade
Mounjetade, which takes its name from the Occitan word munjeto (white bean), is the Ariège version of cassoulet. It is also the traditional dish of Comminges and Saint-Gaudens.








"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Posts

  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 21,604
    It looks as if the Summer that never was continues and tomorrow's forecast will not please the riders one little bit.
    We do get the potential for some crosswind action during the battle for the breakaway.



    However, as the route turns North West, it becomes a headwind.



    All the way to the finish.


    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • jimmyjamsjimmyjams Posts: 703
    blazing_saddles said:







    Final Kilometres
    The final 500 metres to the line, which is located on what was once the Comminges motor-racing circuit, are quite sharply uphill.

    The descent from the Col de Portet-d’Aspet is where Casartelli crashed and where there is the monument to him. Tomorrow they will descend past it.

    The Comminges circuit at Saint-Gaudens is where Luis Ocana won his first ever Tour stage.

    (I've heard a rumour that Nibali won't start tomorrow, don't know much validity to give it)

  • notquite6footnotquite6foot Posts: 248
    The rumour's true - next stop Tokyo, unlike Bilbo Baggins (who was informed of his non-selection just before yesterday's stage)
  • andypandyp Posts: 9,996
    jimmyjams said:

    blazing_saddles said:







    Final Kilometres
    The final 500 metres to the line, which is located on what was once the Comminges motor-racing circuit, are quite sharply uphill.

    The descent from the Col de Portet-d’Aspet is where Casartelli crashed and where there is the monument to him. Tomorrow they will descend past it.

    The Comminges circuit at Saint-Gaudens is where Luis Ocana won his first ever Tour stage.

    (I've heard a rumour that Nibali won't start tomorrow, don't know much validity to give it)

    I'd give it a lot of validity, given his team tweeted about earlier.

  • pblakeneypblakeney Posts: 24,629
    jimmyjams said:

    blazing_saddles said:







    Final Kilometres
    The final 500 metres to the line, which is located on what was once the Comminges motor-racing circuit, are quite sharply uphill.

    The descent from the Col de Portet-d’Aspet is where Casartelli crashed and where there is the monument to him. Tomorrow they will descend past it.

    The Comminges circuit at Saint-Gaudens is where Luis Ocana won his first ever Tour stage.

    (I've heard a rumour that Nibali won't start tomorrow, don't know much validity to give it)

    There is a gravel car park at the monument. Guy on our trip ignored my warnings and went straight into it and off. Not a dignified remembrance, but apt.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 70,647 Lives Here
    edited July 2021
    Have actually ridden this entire stage in one day but in reverse
    _
  • TheBigBeanTheBigBean Posts: 19,917
    No stars for BROXXIC? (Best rider of 21st century)
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 21,604
    rick_chasey said:

    Have actually ridden this entire stage in one day but in reverse

    Which is more than the peloton will do.

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 21,604
    edited July 2021
    TheBigBean said:

    No stars for BROXXIC? (Best rider of 21st century)

    My reasoning is that if he is chasing the Polka Dot jersey, he would be targeting the following two days.
    Having said that, Like 3rd week Wout, the best rider of the 21st century should be able to manage 3 big efforts in 3 days.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,031
    Is he BROXXIC or GROXXIC (Greatest rider of the 21st century)? I think I'm going with GROXXIC.
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

    @DrHeadgear

    The Vikings are coming!
  • Dorset_BoyDorset_Boy Posts: 6,665
    Nah, GROXXIC is the guy he can't beat in one dayers, cyclocross or MTB.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 11,177
    blazing_saddles said:

    TheBigBean said:

    No stars for BROXXIC? (Best rider of 21st century)

    My reasoning is that if he is chasing the Polka Dot jersey, he would be targeting the following two days.
    Having said that, Like 3rd week Wout, the best rider of the 21st century should be able to manage 3 big efforts in 3 days.
    That 1st cat climb must be worth a few points?

    I've no idea what the points structure is for the KOM... need to learn it quickly as it looks a lot more competitive than the GC!
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,031
    blazing_saddles said:

    TheBigBean said:

    No stars for BROXXIC? (Best rider of 21st century)

    My reasoning is that if he is chasing the Polka Dot jersey, he would be targeting the following two days.
    Having said that, Like 3rd week Wout, the best rider of the 21st century should be able to manage 3 big efforts in 3 days.
    The following 2 days will be gc action, so it's far from certain those hc double point finishes will go to the break. I think he'll want to tank up on the smaller points here today and try and get a margin, then try and take the first climbs the next stages
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

    @DrHeadgear

    The Vikings are coming!
  • TheBigBeanTheBigBean Posts: 19,917
    No_Ta_Doctor said:

    Is he BROXXIC or GROXXIC (Greatest rider of the 21st century)? I think I'm going with GROXXIC.

    I went back to review the original BR trademark application and the word used was "best"; however, during the application process a number of expert witnesses did use the term "greatest", so perhaps the end result was a successful trademark of both.

  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,031
    So B/GROXXIC then.
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

    @DrHeadgear

    The Vikings are coming!
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 70,647 Lives Here
    Here is the most trivial and boring of trivial boring facts.

    My cycle computer ran out of battery half way up the Col de la Core (on which I was in a very bad way - the side they go down is south facing and my god it was hot - lost my mind a bit on that) and I have not ridden with one since - something like 35,000km later.
    _
  • JimD666JimD666 Posts: 1,781
    blazing_saddles said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Have actually ridden this entire stage in one day but in reverse

    Which is more than the peloton will do.

    Is this still the case? Can't see anything on TdF website or elsewhere apart from Cycling Tips.
  • ddraverddraver Posts: 26,242
    rick_chasey said:

    Here is the most trivial and boring of trivial boring facts.

    My cycle computer ran out of battery half way up the Col de la Core (on which I was in a very bad way - the side they go down is south facing and my god it was hot - lost my mind a bit on that) and I have not ridden with one since - something like 35,000km later.

    I'm trying to drag my sorry self back into riding and throwing the garmin away has been the best decision I've made so far...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 70,647 Lives Here
    edited July 2021
    ddraver said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Here is the most trivial and boring of trivial boring facts.

    My cycle computer ran out of battery half way up the Col de la Core (on which I was in a very bad way - the side they go down is south facing and my god it was hot - lost my mind a bit on that) and I have not ridden with one since - something like 35,000km later.

    I'm trying to drag my sorry self back into riding and throwing the garmin away has been the best decision I've made so far...
    Liberating. Also, the advent of strava on your phone means you can record it and look at it after the fact without the low numbers staring at you during your ride, doing your head in.
    _
  • elbowlohelbowloh Posts: 7,078
    You can turn the screen off on the Garmin also right?
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  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 11,177
    elbowloh said:

    You can turn the screen off on the Garmin also right?

    Or put it in your back pocket, which is what I usually do for MTB.

    I use mine to follow routes, I just have 3s power and HR showing on the map screen - but you could take those off and only show the route... Can't imagine following a new route without stopping at junctions all the time without having the map screen (which is what I got it for in the first place really).
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,031
    blazing_saddles said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Have actually ridden this entire stage in one day but in reverse

    Which is more than the peloton will do.

    If this is true then it's going to be ridiculously manic to make the break, there's only around 25 km left to the foot of the first col.
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

    @DrHeadgear

    The Vikings are coming!
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 21,604
    JimD666 said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Have actually ridden this entire stage in one day but in reverse

    Which is more than the peloton will do.

    Is this still the case? Can't see anything on TdF website or elsewhere apart from Cycling Tips.
    Dunno, but it doesn't look very promising up there.


    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bigmatbigmat Posts: 5,134
    bobmcstuff said:

    I use mine to follow routes, I just have 3s power and HR showing on the map screen - but you could take those off and only show the route... Can't imagine following a new route without stopping at junctions all the time without having the map screen (which is what I got it for in the first place really).

    Same here, I generally ignore the numbers until I get home but find it very handy knowing when there are turns / junctions approaching. Pretty invaluable on fast descents. Also use the gradient screen so I can pace myself up climbs a bit better (really helpful knowing how close you are to the top!).
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,031
    DK TV2 reporting neutralisation of the descent as well now. A number of DK riders unhappy, Magnus Cort lives locally and had targeted the stage.
    “Road racing was over and the UCI had banned my riding positions on the track, so it was like ‘Jings, crivvens, help ma Boab, what do I do now? I know, I’ll go away and be depressed for 10 years’.”

    @DrHeadgear

    The Vikings are coming!
  • darkhairedlorddarkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    blazing_saddles said:

    JimD666 said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    rick_chasey said:

    Have actually ridden this entire stage in one day but in reverse

    Which is more than the peloton will do.

    Is this still the case? Can't see anything on TdF website or elsewhere apart from Cycling Tips.
    Dunno, but it doesn't look very promising up there.


    this should break up the GC on the descents.
  • ddraverddraver Posts: 26,242
    edited July 2021
    elbowloh said:

    You can turn the screen off on the Garmin also right?

    Too tempting to look at for me.

    It's switching mindsets from "I'm going to ride 100km*" to "I'm going to just ride until it stops being fun today"

    (* or whevs)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • larkimlarkim Posts: 2,474
    High quality "watch men in lycra get undressed" footage now for the niche viewers...
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  • Lanterne_RogueLanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,091
    Reminded me of getting changed after swimming at primary school. Did anyone bring one of those towels that their mum had sewn up into a tube with some elastic at the top to get changed in?
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
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