TDF 2023: Stage 12: - Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais 169km ***Spoilers***

Stage 12: - Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais 169km

Thursday, July 13
Start Time: 12-05pmBST.

After a long transfer from yesterday’s stage finish, stage 12 starts in Roanne, 70 kilometres northwest of Lyon. Roanne is a small town on the river Loire. The riders head for the Beaujolais countryside to finish in Belleville, on the banks of that other main river in France, the Rhône, traversing rugged terrain.



The race takes in an elevation gain of over 3,000 metres. The stage through the vineyards will be tough for the riders, although ideal for a breakaway that can fight it out on the climbs and then race for the win in an uphill sprint. In other words, the route seems tailor-made for Classics specialists.



The Climbs.









Last Kms.

Mostly on descent, although some sections go up as well. Such as the Côte de Brouilly – 1.7 kilometres at 5.2% and with its summit 13 kilometres from the finish. That final section runs predominantly false flat downhill.





What to Expect.

GC riders will want to keep their powder dry with the brutal stages ahead, while the route is too hard for the sprinters. Which opens up the way for the break to be successful, the punchiest of whom should contest the win.

Roanne

Stage town for the second time.
Population: 35,000

Located on the banks of the Loire, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Roanne is a city rich with more than 2000 years of history. The one called Rodumna, in the Gallo-Roman period, still retains many traces of this glorious past, through its monuments, but also its culture. The marina is one of the major tourist attractions of Roanne. Inaugurated in 1994, it is located in the city center, and today is a starting point for a walk along the canal.

ROANNE AND CYCLING

Although Roanne has only hosted the Tour de France once, for the start of a stage won by Sylvain Chavanel in Montluçon after a great ride with Jérémy Roy. The town has often featured on the programme of the Critérium du Dauphiné and Paris-Nice. During the last visit of the Dauphiné, in 2019, Roanne was the scene of a demonstration by Wout van Aert in a time trial, but also the same day of a very heavy crash by Chris Froome, ending his season and taking the four-time Tour winner on a long road of recovery and convalescence.

Gastronomy.

Praluline
Praluline is a butter brioche with pink pralines, created by Auguste Pralus in 1955 in his chocolate factory in Roanne. The pink pralines are made with almonds from Valencia (Spain) and hazelnuts from Piedmont, coated with pink sugar, crushed and then incorporated into the brioche. Praluline is a registered trademark, since 13 May 1961.



Belleville-en-Beaujolais

Stage town for the first time.
Population: 13,340.

Belleville-en-Beaujolais is a commune of the Rhône department in eastern France. It was established on 1 January 2019 by merger of the former communes of Belleville (the seat) and Saint-Jean-d'Ardières. Belleville is a preferred gateway for exploring the Beaujolais region, its wines and its landscapes. Founded in the 12th century by Humbert III, Sire de Beaujeu, Belleville quickly became a center of trade and business, with its merchants, coopers and river port.

BELLEVILLE-EN-BEAUJOLAIS AND CYCLING

In the heart of the Beaujolais region, Belleville has not yet hosted the Tour de France, but is known to riders thanks to the Critérium du Dauphiné (Pascal Ackermann's victory in 2018) and above all Paris-Nice, which stopped here five times between 2000 and 2011. If the first four finishes of the Race to the sun in town were won by a sprinter (Fabio Baldato in 2000, Robbie McEwen in 2002, Tom Boonen in 2006, Gert Steegmans in 2008), it was Thomas Voeckler who won in 2011.

Gastronomy.

House of Beaujolais
The Maison des Beaujolais offers an interesting starting point for a discovery of the vineyard. Inaugurated in 1952, a real novelty at a time when places of this type were rare, it is located along the national road which, until the opening of the motorway, saw sun lovers and Mediterranean mildness passing by. It gives the visitor a complete overview of all the Beaujolais appellations and guides visitors in their purchases.



Poire à la Beaujolaise

Poire à la Beaujolaise is a traditional dessert of the wine-growing region of Beaujolais, and belonging to the cuisine of Burgundy and Lyon. It is an old recipe for poached pears dating from the 19th century. Using ripe but firm pears poached in Beaujolais red wine and black currant sauce.













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

  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,796
    Jonas seems to think UAE are going to light it up

    Which may just be a case of him rallying the troops as he had to chase moves down himself on Tuesday
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 27,610
    Those last three climbs add up to 16km at about 6.5% so not nothing.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,796
    Just looking through yesterday's results trying to add credence to Jonas' prediction and only Pog, Yates and Trentin finished in that front split for UAE.

    So either they were resting up, or they're really tired lol
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663

    Those last three climbs add up to 16km at about 6.5% so not nothing.

    There’s also the bottom 2kms of the Cotes de Brouilly, while uncategorised, tops out just over 13kms from the finish.

    This stage could be every bit as crazy as Tuesday’s stage, or one for the break, with the GC boys saving their ammo for what is to come.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • stage_hunter
    stage_hunter Posts: 304
    Jakobsen out
  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,587
    Is this the Belleville from Belleville rendezvous?
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • red.rider
    red.rider Posts: 1,181
    Motivational words for today:

    Now is the hour! Riders of Roanne! Oaths you have taken, now fulfil them all, to lord and land!
    Éomer Éadig

  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,796
    pangolin said:

    Is this the Belleville from Belleville rendezvous?

    The Yates' will be summonsed for some hilarious press photos. Especially if their brother Sean is at the race
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    pangolin said:

    Is this the Belleville from Belleville rendezvous?

    Belleville is a metaphor for new York Paris Montreal Quebec cultural composite .. western consumer culture circa the 20s 30s
    "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
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,322
    Belleville was also Lego's first attempt at what is now Friends, with slightly freaky dolls. The thought of them bladdered on Beaujolais is kind of interesting...



  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,322
    (on another Lego note, I still have my Peter Sagan brickhead...)

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980
    It's team bus time - had to mute it.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484
    Mads P solo from the flag-drop. Got a decent gap already to kick things off. He's just trying to be there for Skjelmose
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  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Their pedalling fast
    "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
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980
    This is going to hurt, originally thought they were going to get away easily.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980
    Hope something goes soon as I have to walk the dogs.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663
    At least they have started like Tuesday......
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484
    Pross said:

    This is going to hurt, originally thought they were going to get away easily.

    This is the last hilly stage for the breakaway specialists. After this it's pretty much sprints and mountains.
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  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,322
    It's not shifted the sprinters yet - simply not tough enough yet to force the gap?
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484
    edited July 2023

    It's not shifted the sprinters yet - simply not tough enough yet to force the gap?


    Give it a coupld more km now they're on the first cat3
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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663
    So much for saving themselves for the mountains.
    This is brutal
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 42,980
    I keep thinking a group has got away but the gaps stay at a bike length or two. Not sure why Wout is chasing everything down, surely having the right break go suits Jumbo?
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484
    MVDP cöck-up there, a 10 man break with Søren Kragh in it was slipping away and he closed it
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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,663
    The way they are racing you would think there was a Beaujolais vineyard up for grabs on the podium.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,692
    Trying to.split it in the wind
    "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
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,388
    Just tuned in to see De La Cruz down with what looks like a collarbone again?

    Not having a good tour are they Astana...
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484

    Just tuned in to see De La Cruz down with what looks like a collarbone again?

    Not having a good tour are they Astana...

    Elbow I think
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  • Gah - gutted that group didn't get away
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,322

    Just tuned in to see De La Cruz down with what looks like a collarbone again?

    Not having a good tour are they Astana...

    Elbow I think
    It certainly looked a lot more painful than the usual collarbone.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,484
    Skjelmose is just a bit too keen. He'll probably get into whatever gets away, but will break himself doing it
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