TDF 2022:- Stage 7: Tomblaine to La Super Plance des Belles Filles, 176.3km ***Spoilers***

Stage 7: Tomblaine to La Super Plance des Belles Filles, 176.3km

Start Time 13-05CET.

Although this is the first summit finish of the 2022 Tour, it doesn’t come at the end of an authentic mountain stage. However, Super Planche des Belles Filles always guarantees a high-intensity finish. As the one big climbing test of the day, the gaps at the finish shouldn’t be that substantial, but the riders’ finishing positions will give a strong indication of the form of the podium contenders.



It has been ten years since La Planche des Belles Filles first featured on the Tour de France. That stage also started in Tomblaine. Chris Froome turned out on top, finishing 2 seconds ahead of his then leader Bradley Wiggins.
This stage heads through the Vosges mountains, but the organizers have made sure that the stage isn’t too difficult before reaching the climb to the finish.
In most editions La Planche des Belles Filles was a climb of 5.9 kilometres with an average gradient of 8.5%. Yet, the 2019 edition featured an extra and unpaved section of 1 kilometre. This way, the ascent amounted to 7 kilometres at 8.7%.



The Climbs.





Just over a kilometer long, mostly on dirt, it averages 10 percent, with a 24-percent pitch near the top.





Final Kms.





What to Expect.
A stage that could go either way.
Given the gentle run-up, the race should be easy to control. But are the teams of the GC contenders willing to do so? Is it worth offering their leaders the chance to win the stage as well as time bonuses, or are the attackers given so much leash that one of them will turn out on top?


Tomblaine

Population: 8,000
Specialities: mirabelle plums, bergamots

TOMBLAINE, A STORY

Pelé, Platini and Maradona together.
Each of them left their mark on their own era, but it was in Tomblaine, and nowhere else, that Pelé, Diego Maradona and Michel Platini found themselves together in a football stadium.
The town near Nancy is home to the Marcel Picot stadium, home of AS Nancy-Lorraine, where Michel Platini started out and where he celebrated his jubilee on 23 May 1988.



Spiced Mirabelle Plum Galette.


Along the route.

Km 98.3

GERARDMER (Pop: 7,800)

Tradition attributes the foundation of Gérardmer (pronounced Gérarmé) to Gérard de Châtenois, known as Gérard d'Alsace, Duke of Lorraine from 1048 to 1070. He is said to have established a tower on the banks of the Jamagne around 1056. Gérardmer and its lake became a tourist attraction very early on. As early as the 17th century, the Dukes of Lorraine and the Canonesses of Remiremont came to rest here. However, it was in the 19th century that the banks of the lake began to be developed with hotels and villas, owned by rich industrialists and notables from Belgium, Nancy and Paris. The town earned its nickname of "Pearl of the Vosges".



La Super Planche des Belles Filles

Population: 1,010 for the commune of Plancher-les-Mines
Specialities: cancoillotte, wine and cheese from Charcenne, kirsch AOC from Fougerolles, water from Villeminfroy, Grillotines from Fougerolles, blueberries from Belfahy (wild blueberry festival in July), biscuit factory from Montbozon, lace from Luxeuil, crystal glass factory from Passavant-la-Tarbes Rochère



LA PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES AND CYCLING

In barely a decade, La Planche des Belles Filles has established itself as a classic of the Tour de France. The only ski resort in the Haute-Saône department largely owes this status to the finale of the 2020 edition, where Tadej Pogacar turned the tables and toppled Primoz Roglic in the final time trial to claim a resounding victory and a first Tour de France. A young winner for a young summit: the two were a pair. The Planche des Belles Filles had made a sensational entry in the Tour de France by confirming the brilliant climbing talent of Chris Froome. The British rider won his first stage there in 2012, one year before being crowned on the Champs-Élysées. That day, Bradley Wiggins' luxury team-mate put in an unstoppable acceleration in the final to drop Cadel Evans and win the stage. At the same time, his leader took the Yellow Jersey, that he kept all the way to Paris. Team Sky's hold on the Grand Boucle was growing. Two years later, it was Vincenzo Nibali who confirmed his festival in Sheffield to beak on his own and take the Yellow Jersey he never relinquished before reaching Paris. Finally, in 2017, it was Fabio Aru who went for a prestigious victory while Chris Froome, master of the place, took the Yellow Jersey that he would win for the fourth time. Finally, a longer and even steeper version of the final climb served as a springboard for Dylan Teuns to win his first stage in the Tour in 2019 while Giulio Ciccone took a short-lived Yellow Jersey.



Cancoillotte,















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

  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,341



    TOMBLAINE, A STORY

    Pelé, Platini and Maradona together.
    Each of them left their mark on their own era, but it was in Tomblaine, and nowhere else, that Pelé, Diego Maradona and Michel Platini found themselves together in a football stadium.
    The town near Nancy is home to the Marcel Picot stadium, home of AS Nancy-Lorraine, where Michel Platini started out and where he celebrated his jubilee on 23 May 1988.



    One for the irony thread? 🤣
    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.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Pinot ...any one pick him .
    "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 pm
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,313
    that plum galette looks awesome!
    left the forum March 2023
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Need a breakaway of hitters . Woods Conner pinot types
    "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 pm
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
    Pinot is probably chaperone for Gaudu today
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  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Pinot is probably chaperone for Gaudu today

    Yeah he may be up for the big big days in the mountains
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    It is his local climb
    "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 pm
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
    Bit of a following wind near the start and rolling countryside with open sections, according to DK comms. Could mean a big break gets away, going to be hard for UAE to control. Pogacar wants the stage, but he won't break his team for it
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  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,165
    Everyone is going to want to be in this break. Sprint before the first climb, potential stage win.

    Plus Ineos and TJV will probably try and stop anyone with any GC podium ambitions getting away.

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,165
    Quickstep's DSs have both got Covid.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Quickstep's DSs have both got Covid.

    Oh FFS ....
    "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 pm
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655

    Everyone is going to want to be in this break. Sprint before the first climb, potential stage win.

    Plus Ineos and TJV will probably try and stop anyone with any GC podium ambitions getting away.

    They'll want to put someone in the break. I think they'll be more interested in working over UAE domestiques in prep for the Alps.

    If I were Ineos I'd try and get Pidcock away - too high up to let ride but not a real gc threat. JV might not be happy with it but might be persuadable
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  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,057

    Quickstep's DSs have both got Covid.

    Cav says hi. :D
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,165

    Everyone is going to want to be in this break. Sprint before the first climb, potential stage win.

    Plus Ineos and TJV will probably try and stop anyone with any GC podium ambitions getting away.

    They'll want to put someone in the break. I think they'll be more interested in working over UAE domestiques in prep for the Alps.

    If I were Ineos I'd try and get Pidcock away - too high up to let ride but not a real gc threat. JV might not be happy with it but might be persuadable
    I just think anybody too high up for UAE to let ride would be too high up for other teams to let ride.

    Kruijswijk would be an interesting one though...
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
    JV & Ineos need some sort of pact really, but I suspect they're already keeping half an eye on podium places
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  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Flying start
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    ..
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Bennet mechanical... Race full gas
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    edited July 2022
    Soler mechanical!

    UAE saddle issues
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Ciccone trying to get up the road
    "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 pm
  • Here comes the cavalry
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,698
    Cav appeared on the Never Strays Car podcast today. Worth a listen just for some Classic Cav.

    He seems like a happy boy
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    No break.yet ...a lot of 5 min guys trying to slip 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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    No one can break the elastic
    "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 pm
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Ganna and Geshke having a decent go.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    And then Ganna sits up and leaves Geschke solo.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
    Peloton finally sits up. Strong break gone, Woods potato hunt
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  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    I think we may have a break.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Ciccone theuns schacmann break getting away about a dozen riders
    "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 pm
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
    And Magnus
    Still more riders trying to come off the front
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