TDF 2020 - Stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse - Champagnole 166.5 km *Spoilers*

Stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse - Champagnole 166.5 km

Two days before the end of the race, the title and podium contenders might have the freedom to start focusing on the challenge that awaits the following day. It’ll therefore be up to the sprinters having survived the Alps to seize this opportunity to shine. The finish is really made for strong men. CP



The 166 kilometres race travels from Bourg-en-Bresse to Champagnole, on gently rolling roads as the riders pedal through the foothills of the Jura Mountains. The route is far from pan-flat, but the fast men have nothing major to worry about.



The riders head north this time to follow a route on undulating terrain. The finish is in Champagnole – also known as the Pearl of the Jura -, which is a small town on the River Ain. The Mont Rivel is nearby, but the sprinters are treated to a fairly straightforward finish.





If the sprinter's teams keep the breakaway on a leash the fight for the stage honours will be theirs.
Winning this stage in Champagnole will be the sprinter’s way to pat oneself on the back after having survived in the gruppetto during the grueling mountain stages.

Favourites 19th stage 2020 Tour de France

*** Sam Bennett, Caleb Ewan,
** Elia Viviani, Alexander Kristoff, Cees Bol, Wout van Aert
* Matteo Trentin, Peter Sagan, Bryan Coquard, Niccolò Bonifazio

Bourg-en-Bresse

5 previous stages

Population : 40,300

Thor Hushovd in 2002, Tom Boonen in 2007: Bourg-en-Bresse often suited sprinters in the Tour de France. In 2014, for the start of a stage to Saint-Etienne, Alexander Kristoff confirmed the trend.
In 2016, for the last visit by the TOUR to the prefecture of Ain, Colombian Jarlinson Pantano broke the sprinting tradition by winning on his own in Culoz in a stage which started from Bourg.
Unfortunately, we now know how he managed that feat.

For Rick.


The poultry of Bresse: a long history
The history of Poultry of Bresse started in the Roman era, 400 years BC. But the first mention of poultry in the region dates back to 1591 when the town’s inhabitants offered two dozens of fat poultries to the marquis of Treffort, who had defeated and expelled the troops of Savoy. Bresse poultry was already seen as an offering and a fine gift.





Champagnole

Two previous stages

Population: 8,000

The town of Champagnole is located 540 meters above sea level, in the heart of the Jura department, between the vineyards of Revermont, the lake region and the first steps of the mountain range. This position promotes its economic, commercial and tourist development. Nicknamed the Pearl of the Jura, it is located on the edge of the Upper-Jura Regional Nature Park. This city of 8,000 is dominated by Mont-Rivel (812 m), a major Gallo-Roman archaeological site.



While Champagnole already hosted a Tour de France stage, very few remember this first visit as it was in 1937 for a 35-km team time trial, won by the Belgian team-mates of Sylvere Maes in front of the Frenchmen led by Roger Lapébie, the future winner, and Gino Bartali’s Italians. In 1964, a start took place in Champagnole, a few hours before a sprint victory by Jan Janssen in Thonon-les-Bains.


Specialties: delicatessen with Fumé du Jura.



Cheese: in the heart of the Comté region, Champagnole (goat cheese). Jura galette (sweet or sour pancake).



Champagnolais (pastry). Honey (epicea, flowers).



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

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    Feels like a stage where Sagan can claw back a few points.
  • Pross said:

    Feels like a stage where Sagan can claw back a few points.

    Ha ha hahaha
  • I would love it if Bennett rolls up to him tomorrow morning and casually asks if they're going in the break today...
  • 50x11
    50x11 Posts: 408
    Pross said:

    Feels like a stage where Sagan can claw back a few points.

    Feel like I've heard that before.
  • Stage 19: Bourg-en-Bresse - Champagnole 166.5 km

    While Champagnole already hosted a Tour de France stage, very few remember this first visit as it was in 1937 for a 35-km team time trial, won by the Belgian team-mates of Sylvere Maes in front of the Frenchmen led by Roger Lapébie, the future winner, and Gino Bartali’s Italians. In 1964, a start took place in Champagnole, a few hours before a sprint victory by Jan Janssen in Thonon-les-Bains.

    Lapébie had some luck to win the Tour that year, only being given the yellow jersey on stage 17 after Maes's team withdrew. Maes had been in yellow since stage 9, with over 3 mins lead ahead of Lapébie, but at the end of stage 16 his advantage had dropped to just 25 secs, partly because at a level crossing, reputedly the barriers purposely came down after Lapébie had gone through but before Maes could. Maes's team protested but the Tour direction changed nothing, so he and his team withdrew.
  • Another belter of a day. Two thirds of the way through the stage:




    Although, tomorrow's time trial may see things change significantly......
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Have a feeling it's going to be one of those days....

    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Not had the best 3 weeks has dear Christian

    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    edited September 2020
    ???



    Remi Cavagna out front, Dylan van Baarle trying to bridge
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    Impressive by Cavagna.
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • I know there's not a great deal to commentate on, but Eurosport doing the best to make a slow day seem even slower.
    It's bike race boys, not speakers corner.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 6,877
    ddraver said:
    I was stung on last night's ride.
    Hope his doesn't balloon like mine!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348

    I know there's not a great deal to commentate on, but Eurosport doing the best to make a slow day seem even slower.
    It's bike race boys, not speakers corner.

    Podcast catch up day for me...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,032
    edited September 2020





    Hope his doesn't balloon like mine!

    and the crowd say "Bo Selecta!"
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
    Instagramme
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217

    ddraver said:
    I was stung on last night's ride.
    Hope his doesn't balloon like mine!
    Think yourself lucky, some people pay a fortune for cosmetic surgery to achieve the bee stung lip look (yours looks better than most too!)
  • Was the Bee okay?
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    Cagey still . Odd stage
    "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
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    Hard for Ewan, shelled with 80k to go
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    inseine said:

    Hard for Ewan, shelled with 80k to go

    Presume he's back on now but not a good sign for my PTP pick.
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    C'mon Sam, win this to show that Sagan couldn't have beaten you anyway....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • Interesting point made about Sagan with a 53 point defeicit because of his headbutting shenanigans. He would be leading the competetion now but doubtful he could win in Paris in any case.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    I wonder what excuse the jury will come up with today to award the combativity to a Frenchman?
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • DeadCalm said:

    I wonder what excuse the jury will come up with today to award the combativity to a Frenchman?

    Literally the only combative rider today has been a Frenchman!
  • Luke Rowe tuning up for the worlds.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646
    +1 cavanaga too
    "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
  • craigus89 said:

    Interesting point made about Sagan with a 53 point defeicit because of his headbutting shenanigans. He would be leading the competetion now but doubtful he could win in Paris in any case.

    Following the intermediate sprint Bennett is now 53 points ahead of Sagan.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    Sivakov hits the deck again.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    Poor Pavel.
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet