TDF 2022:- Stage 16: Carcassonne - Foix 178.5km ***Spoilers***
blazing_saddles
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Stage 16: Carcassonne - Foix 178.5km
Start Time: 12-30CET.
The first day in the Pyrenees could be a good moment for breakaway riders... provided that they’re well equipped to deal with the mountains, of course. So, don’t expect the GC leaders to make a big deal of this first day in the Pyrénées. They will be happy to see a breakaway succeed and reserve their strength for the monster climbs ahead.
The opening 110 kilometers include a couple of small climbs and a sprint that will allow a break to form. To celebrate victory in Foix, the riders will first have to deal with the climb to the Port de Lers and then make their move on the Mur de Péguère. The Mur de Péguère is very steep, very narrow, and access will be prohibited to the public, as was the case in 2017. The 20 or so kilometres from the summit towards the administrative centre of the Ariège aren’t particularly testing.
This century has seen three Tour de France stage finishes in Foix. In 2008, Kurt Asle Arvesen took the spoils; in 2012, it was Luis León Sánchez who turned out on top; and in 2017 Warren Barguil outgunned Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and Mikel Landa. On all occasions, the winner came from the breakaway.
The finale of the last two races to Foix was identical.
The Climbs:
The Port de Lers is a 11.4 kilometres ascent with an average gradient of 7%.
The Mur de Péguère is a killer. The first 6 km are easy and steady, but it follows with 3,5 km at 11,9% average, one kilometre at 13% and a steepest sector at 18%.
Final Kms.
The first rider over the top enters a flying descent of 17 kilometres. The downhill flattens out a little in the last 10 kilometres, but still, the road continues to go downhill. So a finish at breakneck speeds is to be expected.
What to Expect:
This looks set up for a very long battle to get into the break. If strong climbers who can descend make it, then expect the breakaway to take the spoils. If the breakaway tussle goes on until the terrain changes, then it's possible that the GC teams may still be within reach to contest the finale.
I favour the former.
Along the Route.
OCCITANIA REGION
Departments: Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Gard, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Hérault, Lot, Lozère, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Orientales, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne
Population: 5.9 million
Prefecture: Toulouse.
Specialities: foie gras, cassoulet, aligot, tielle sétoise, brandade de morue (cod brandade), haricots tarbais (beans), garbure (soup), sweet onion, Céret cherries, wines (Pic Saint-Loup, Corbières, Cahors, Costières de Nîmes, blanquette of Limoux, Minervois, Tavel, Madiran). Perrier spring water.
Brandade de morue
Km 97.5
TARASCON-SUR-ARIEGE (Pop: 3,000)
Tarascon has an exceptional prehistoric heritage. During Antiquity, the iron mines of the region were dearly coveted, while Tarascon underwent successive invasions by the Franks, the Vandals, then the Visigoths and the Saracens. The history of Tarascon really began in 778, when the town was the scene of a battle in which Charlemagne's troops repelled the Saracens. Once the region was pacified, it came under the control of the Counts of Foix from the 11th century onwards. The Count's castle was built three centuries later.
Foix
Population: 9,600
Specialities: liver sausage (pork), azinat (stuffed cabbage), mounjetado (enriched cassoulet), duck, Tomme des Pyrénées, Flocons d'Ariège (confectionery), Hypocras (medieval aperitif)
FOIX AND CYCLING
The last visit of the Tour de France in Foix was marked by the beautiful victory of Simon Yates on the Prat d'Albis, but it was Thibaut Pinot who made the biggest impression in this stage, attacking 6 km from the summit to surprise the other favourites and to establish himself as a serious candidate for the final victory. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, a knee injury decided otherwise. The prefecture of Ariège has recently been favourable to French riders since, the year before, in a short stage from Saint-Girons, Warren Barguil had won and collected precious points for the conquest of the polka dot jersey. This first stage victory of "Wawa" in the Grande Boucle was all the more convincing as the Frenchman had outwitted a prestigious trio composed of Alberto Contador, Mikel Landa and Nairo Quintana. In 2008, Kurt-Asle Arvesen became the third Norwegian winner of a Tour stage at the foot of the castle, after a sprint won with millimetre accuracy in front of Swiss Martin Elmiger and Italian Alessandro Ballan. In 2012, Luis Leon Sanchez confirmed his taste for the roads of Ariège. The Spaniard won both in Saint-Girons in 2009 and in Foix in 2012. A few years earlier, the 1984 Tour de l'Avenir was largely played out around Foix, with Charly Mottet being part of a breakaway. The next day, he won the stage that started in Foix and finished in Saint-Gaudens, before taking the lead in the general classification. Ariège is also home to one of the world's greatest Grand Fondos, the Ariégeoise, one of whose routes, the Passejade, passes through Foix in June.
Mounjetado
Hypocras
Start Time: 12-30CET.
The first day in the Pyrenees could be a good moment for breakaway riders... provided that they’re well equipped to deal with the mountains, of course. So, don’t expect the GC leaders to make a big deal of this first day in the Pyrénées. They will be happy to see a breakaway succeed and reserve their strength for the monster climbs ahead.
The opening 110 kilometers include a couple of small climbs and a sprint that will allow a break to form. To celebrate victory in Foix, the riders will first have to deal with the climb to the Port de Lers and then make their move on the Mur de Péguère. The Mur de Péguère is very steep, very narrow, and access will be prohibited to the public, as was the case in 2017. The 20 or so kilometres from the summit towards the administrative centre of the Ariège aren’t particularly testing.
This century has seen three Tour de France stage finishes in Foix. In 2008, Kurt Asle Arvesen took the spoils; in 2012, it was Luis León Sánchez who turned out on top; and in 2017 Warren Barguil outgunned Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and Mikel Landa. On all occasions, the winner came from the breakaway.
The finale of the last two races to Foix was identical.
The Climbs:
The Port de Lers is a 11.4 kilometres ascent with an average gradient of 7%.
The Mur de Péguère is a killer. The first 6 km are easy and steady, but it follows with 3,5 km at 11,9% average, one kilometre at 13% and a steepest sector at 18%.
Final Kms.
The first rider over the top enters a flying descent of 17 kilometres. The downhill flattens out a little in the last 10 kilometres, but still, the road continues to go downhill. So a finish at breakneck speeds is to be expected.
What to Expect:
This looks set up for a very long battle to get into the break. If strong climbers who can descend make it, then expect the breakaway to take the spoils. If the breakaway tussle goes on until the terrain changes, then it's possible that the GC teams may still be within reach to contest the finale.
I favour the former.
Along the Route.
OCCITANIA REGION
Departments: Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Gard, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Hérault, Lot, Lozère, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Orientales, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne
Population: 5.9 million
Prefecture: Toulouse.
Specialities: foie gras, cassoulet, aligot, tielle sétoise, brandade de morue (cod brandade), haricots tarbais (beans), garbure (soup), sweet onion, Céret cherries, wines (Pic Saint-Loup, Corbières, Cahors, Costières de Nîmes, blanquette of Limoux, Minervois, Tavel, Madiran). Perrier spring water.
Brandade de morue
Km 97.5
TARASCON-SUR-ARIEGE (Pop: 3,000)
Tarascon has an exceptional prehistoric heritage. During Antiquity, the iron mines of the region were dearly coveted, while Tarascon underwent successive invasions by the Franks, the Vandals, then the Visigoths and the Saracens. The history of Tarascon really began in 778, when the town was the scene of a battle in which Charlemagne's troops repelled the Saracens. Once the region was pacified, it came under the control of the Counts of Foix from the 11th century onwards. The Count's castle was built three centuries later.
Foix
Population: 9,600
Specialities: liver sausage (pork), azinat (stuffed cabbage), mounjetado (enriched cassoulet), duck, Tomme des Pyrénées, Flocons d'Ariège (confectionery), Hypocras (medieval aperitif)
FOIX AND CYCLING
The last visit of the Tour de France in Foix was marked by the beautiful victory of Simon Yates on the Prat d'Albis, but it was Thibaut Pinot who made the biggest impression in this stage, attacking 6 km from the summit to surprise the other favourites and to establish himself as a serious candidate for the final victory. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, a knee injury decided otherwise. The prefecture of Ariège has recently been favourable to French riders since, the year before, in a short stage from Saint-Girons, Warren Barguil had won and collected precious points for the conquest of the polka dot jersey. This first stage victory of "Wawa" in the Grande Boucle was all the more convincing as the Frenchman had outwitted a prestigious trio composed of Alberto Contador, Mikel Landa and Nairo Quintana. In 2008, Kurt-Asle Arvesen became the third Norwegian winner of a Tour stage at the foot of the castle, after a sprint won with millimetre accuracy in front of Swiss Martin Elmiger and Italian Alessandro Ballan. In 2012, Luis Leon Sanchez confirmed his taste for the roads of Ariège. The Spaniard won both in Saint-Girons in 2009 and in Foix in 2012. A few years earlier, the 1984 Tour de l'Avenir was largely played out around Foix, with Charly Mottet being part of a breakaway. The next day, he won the stage that started in Foix and finished in Saint-Gaudens, before taking the lead in the general classification. Ariège is also home to one of the world's greatest Grand Fondos, the Ariégeoise, one of whose routes, the Passejade, passes through Foix in June.
Mounjetado
Hypocras
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Posts
Maybe a day for Ineos to send one of their top ten up the road? I'd expect Pog to have a go unless he's cooked.
Back in the day an Armstrong would have mainlined EPO and gone for a flyer on the Lers, getting 5 minutes on the GC group.
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Having said that it looks pretty wide open so I've gone for him in PTP anyway as I haven't got a better suggestion!
Van Aert says "I shall attack from k0"
If Ineos try and get Pidcock in the break or UAE try and get Majka then Van Aert will definitely mark them. All of them could be useful up the road for a leader
Cross tail start will give us a hectic opening
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
It can be both - making Jumbo ride hard wouldn't stop him going for the stage - but stage ambitions and race ambitions won't necessarily coincide.
How convenient...
Thinking more tomorrow plus val louron is tech descent .pidcock would be disappear down the road
Who could say ....anything could happen
😱
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
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For a rider who has been in front a lot of the tour he hasn't had much luck
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Now only 26 DNFs stand between Froome and 5th Tour win.
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
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