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TDF 2022:- Stage 13: Bourg D’Oisans - Saint Étienne, 182.6Km ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 20,675
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Stage 13: Bourg D’Oisans - Saint Étienne, 182.6Km

Start Time 13-05CET.

The 13th stage of the Tour de France goes from Bourg d'Oisans to Saint-Étienne. The race adds up to 192.6 kilometres. It’s fair to assume that an important episode in the battle for the green jersey will be played out in the home of Les Verts, the nickname of Saint- Étienne’s illustrious, green-shirted football team. A profile without any significant difficulty should, in theory, allow the teams that are focused on sprint finishes to make hay today.
That said, Côte de Saint-Romain-en-Gal, with its 7,7 km at 4,5%, could prove to be hard for the pure sprinters. On stages of this type, breakaway riders tend to have little room for manoeuvre, but they can still hope for the best.



Bourg d’Oisans mostly serves as the start hub after a stage to L’Alpe d’Huez. This time is no different. Four editions ago, the race travelled to Valence, where Peter Sagan sprinted to victory.
The riders head out in northeasterly direction. The first 27 kilometres go downhill before the Côte de Brié – 2.4 kilometres at 6.9% – offers KOM contenders a chance to gain some points and if it hasn't already gone, a chance for the BOTD to form.
The last Tour de France visit to the capital of the Loire department dates back to 2019. Thomas De Gendt went on a daring exploit in a race with seven climbs and 3,750 climbing metres. Finishing 6 seconds ahead of the chasing duo Thibaut Pinot and Julian Alaphilippe, the Flemish attacker pulled it off and he won from the breakaway.



Three relatively easy climbs lead onto an extended false flat before the last 7 kilometres are flat.
The last climb of the day, Côte de Saint-Romain-en-Gal (6.6 kilometres at 4.5%), is crested with roughly 40 kilometres to go.



Final Kms.

A downhill takes the riders onto a false flat of 20 kilometres long before the last 7.6 kilometres are played out on the flat.





What to Expect.
This is a typical transition stage in Le Tour, which offers just enough to entice those who still have the legs after the mountains, to challenge for the break. It then remains to be seen which sprinters and their teams feel confident enough in their ability to deal with the parcour, as they will be the ones trying to control the breakaway.
This is a stage that could go either way.

Le Bourg d'Oisans

Population: 3,300
Specialities: Farcis de l'Oisans (cabbage + pork), gratin dauphinois, crozets (potato gnocchi), génépi, goat cheese. Goodwin brewery. Crafts: about fifty crystal makers extract minerals from the mountain walls and put them on display. There is a partnership with the Chamonix Crystal Museum.

LE BOURG D'OISANS AND CYCLING

The peloton usually passes through Bourg d'Oisans before tackling the climb to Alpe d'Huez. The commune of Isère has also given many historic mountain stage starts, such as the first one in 1952 with a demonstration by Fausto Coppi in the direction of Sestrières. The Tour left Bourg d'Oisans to head west on five occasions, most often with Saint-Étienne as its destination. Marcus Burghardt was the last winner on this model in 2008.
Because of its position, Bourg d'Oisans is also the starting point for many Grand Fondos, some of which are among the most popular in the world. In the summer, tens of thousands of amateur cycling flock in the Oisans valley to climb the mythical passes of the Tour. It is this vocation that led to the creation in 2017 of Cycling-Lab-Oisans, a laboratory for cycling professionals with the aim of making Bourg d'Oisans and the valley a testing ground for the cycling sector as a whole. At the last start in town, in 2018, Peter Sagan won the stage finishing in Valence, clinching the eleventh of his twelve stage victories in the Tour.



Gratin dauphinois


Goodwin brewery.


Along the Route.

Km 144.8

SAINTE-COLOMBE (Pop: 1,900)

Condrieu vineyard
Condrieu is a white wine of controlled origin produced on the right bank of the Rhône, near Condrieu, south of the town of Vienne. It is an appellation of the northern Rhône Valley vineyards, between the production areas of Côte-Rôtie to the north and Saint-Joseph to the south. The Condrieu vineyard includes the Château-Grillet appellation. Only white wine is produced in these two appellations, using a single grape variety, Viognier, which finds its home here.



Saint-Étienne

Population: 174,000
Specialities: Pilat wines (Côte-Rotie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, Château-Grillet), bugnes, sarasson.

SAINT-ÉTIENNE AND CYCLING

Shunned by the Tour before the war because of its central position in France, Saint-Étienne has since redeemed itself and has hosted the Grande Boucle on 25 occasions since 1950, often for memorable finishes. The names of the winners in town (Geminiani, Bobet, Hinault, Herrera or Zoetemelk) speak for themselves. One of the most memorable episodes of the Tour's passages in the Forez was undoubtedly the end of the “friendly” rivalry between Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond in the 1986 edition. The individual time trial around Saint-Étienne was the Badger's last stand, his 28th and final stage victory. His victory over his team-mate and rival was however too narrow (25") to allow him to threaten the American and claim a sixth Tour title two days later in Paris. The passing of the baton, as we know, was not easy, and LeMond’s crash in this time trial led him to accuse his team-mates of sabotage in favour of Hinault. The Breton swore that he had made a pact to ensure LeMond's victory and that he stuck to it.
For the last visit of the race in town, Thomas De Gendt strengthened his reputation as the eternal long-distance escapee. The Belgian rider won after a 200-km solo at the end of a stage that put two French riders on the provisional podium of the overall classification: Alaphilippe back in yellow, and Pinot 3rd.



Bugnes













"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
«134567

Posts

  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    The sprint teams have been feeding on scraps and luckily for them today's stage was raced well behind schedule so they might still have legs. Not a day for the break, I think. If that finish is slightly uphill then it might be Mads P's time to shine, though a 90degree left at 600 to go suggests position will be everything. Mørkøv is still smarting from not getting his lead out right on stage 3, he'll really be on it for this one if Jakobsen has legs and losing Asgreen hasn't hurt them
    “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: 67,631 Lives Here
    Wout the favourite, surely?
    _
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    rick_chasey said:

    Wout the favourite, surely?

    Definitely. Though he's worked bloody hard these last two days
    “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!
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 26,748
    rick_chasey said:

    Wout the favourite, surely?

    It depends on the break. I think a fairly large one may get away. Jumbo will tell him if there's a sprint you can sprint, but I think they'll tell him not to bother with the break.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • r0bhr0bh Posts: 1,875
    Warren Barguil out of the race with Covid
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    Happy to be proved wrong but I think it's a day for the break today. Looking forward to tuning in for the early skirmishes
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    I've changed my mind. It's baking hot and a couple of those climbs are nastier than they look. All the sprint teams looking to get a man in the break and knock off for the day.
    “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!
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    McEwen teasing us with crosswind talk
  • ProssPross Posts: 36,442
    Chance of crosswinds in the Rhone valley apparently.
  • above_the_cowsabove_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Readying the Klaxon...
    Correlation is not causation.
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    Lovely wide roads at the moment mean that every breakaway is getting immediately chased down. Like watching a 4th cat race
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 14,704
    Hard stage to call this
    "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
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    mididoctors said:

    Hard stage to call this

    Properly. Great parcours.

    If I was the DS of a sprint team I'd be happy to let the break go, given how hard the last two days have been plus the grippy looking profile, it'd be hard work to bring any break back
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    Lined out down a dual carriageway as a group of 5 dangle off the front. Approaching Cote de Brie and we can all be very grateful for the presence of Rob Hatch, rather than his alternative..
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    "and the breakaway has broken up much like a lump of brie left out on this meltingly hot day Sean, and why not for goodness sake!"
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 14,704
    Unexpected splits
    "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
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 14,704
    Kung and ganna is quite a combo unit
    "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
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    Ganna, Kung and Jorgenson off the front over the top of that short climb with a group of maybe 15 behind chasing. Bunch in bits behind with Sagan, Jakobsen, froome, roglic all in small splits off the back
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    mididoctors said:

    Kung and ganna is quite a combo unit

    Not one you want to try and bring back, motoring now
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    That's a mad strong chase group, Alpecin not happy and all in to chase it back
    “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!
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    Alpecin getting absolutely flogged for missing the break. 5 of them on the front
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    Blimey, Jasper Philipsen put the last pull in to close the gap. That was some serious work
    “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!
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    Big split in the bunch 20 riders down as Alpecin make the junction to the chase group - 3 still out front. Another flat stick stage start
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    I would gamble on Alpecin missing any counter attacks now has they're all gassed from that effort
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    Mads P seems to have an extra large box of matches today, now potato hunting with Quin Simmons
    “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!
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    Owain Doull on a solo potato hunt, think he'll blow up like a chip pan fire
    “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!
  • No_Ta_DoctorNo_Ta_Doctor Posts: 12,215
    Mads P group make the catch, 7 man break now
    “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!
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190
    Ganna, Houle, Pedersen, Jorgensen, Wright, Kung, Simmons now in front. Praying that's the end of the action as Kirby takes over
  • JtomesgreenJtomesgreen Posts: 190


    Alpecin DS car - pretty sure pulling a break back to help your sprinter/get a rider in the break doesn't work if you absolutely bray all your riders (sprinter included) to do it
  • andypandyp Posts: 9,450
    Jtomesgreen said:



    Alpecin DS car - pretty sure pulling a break back to help your sprinter/get a rider in the break doesn't work if you absolutely bray all your riders (sprinter included) to do it

    They want a sprint for Philipsen, a 20 rider break would be very hard to bring back, so they shut it down quickly to reduce the size of it.
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