First up, thanks to mikewsmith for the last few weeks, as he now has to be at work I thought I’d try my hand at it, if anyone else wants to job please tell me to bugger off… Anyway…

The sprinters have had their say in Valence, now it’s up to the attackers on the way to Gap where the Tour de France can’t be won but can be lost. The downhill of the col de Manse just before the finish in the prefecture of the Hautes-Alpes is a spectacular one. By experience, Alberto Contador knows how to use this terrain to put his rivals into trouble as he did to Andy Schleck in previous editions. Chris Froome is aware of the danger. He’s clearly worried about crashing the day before the rest day. He counts on his team to protect him and lead him safely to the finish. Most probably there’ll be two races again, a positive one for the stage win between the attackers who will break away in the first half of the race, and a defensive one in the surroundings of the yellow jersey. Gap is the often the home of world champions, reigning or not, Thor Hushovd and Rui Costa being the last two winners with the same kind of terrain at their disposal in 2011 and 2013. Michal Kwiatkowski is already kind of the super combative of the Tour this year, having received the red bib on two occasions. He knows what he has to as the race approaches the Alps with a rest day around the corner before hitting the biggest mountains.

And from Inrng:

The Contenders: it’s likely a breakaway goes away and stays away as long as it contains the right ingredients and a team or two is not forced to pull it back for hours. It’s hard to pick names from the breakaway lottery but remember names we’ve seen up the road are those feeling good and we’re likely to see them again. Think of Jacob Fuglsang, Thomas De Gendt, Wilco Kelderman, Adam Yates, Rigoberto Uran, Jan Bakelants or Romain Bardet as riders we’ve seen trying already and who can all do something on the final climb but these are a handful of names among others.

The GC teams will force the pace to the foot of the climb which could endanger a weak breakaway. Vincenzo Nibali is being tipped by many because of his mean descending skills and he’s desperate to save something from the this race. But descending takes skills, confidence and power and if he’s got the first the second two aspects aren’t on show, he’ll need to believe in himself and have the power to sprint out of the corners faster than the others. Tony Gallopin should find this finish suits him, especially if he can sprint from a small group into Gap where Alejandro Valverde is an obvious rival.

And as is traditional.

Well by at work I mean sat having beer and chips before heading to the airport 😉

Breakaway to win
Froome to piss on spectators
Porte to get in a fight with some old French roadies
Contador to admit that he thought he was still on the juice when he decided giro & tour double would work.

Breakaway yay!!
Has to include Bretagne Saches Perichon and of course a Lotto (either a belisol or jumbo) rider and this time I’m plugging for either Vanmarke or Kruj’sie.. I’ve got to be right one day shirley….

Was on the Col de Manse two years ago when Costa was on a solo, fond memories!

This’ll be interesting! Would love to see a Nibali descending masterclass, it’s not “gnarly” enough though I don’t think for him to get a big enough gap…might pray for rain!

When’s that stage that they did in the Dauphine?

Apparently todays route goes past where Armstrong did a spot of CX riding to avoid Joseba Beloki’s crash. Impressive riding irrelevant of the PED intake.
[video]https://youtu.be/h_8m5-sR6I4[/video]

good old rim brakes

Yay, cheers Lunge. I’m backing the break again but the finish is such a long straight the sprint teams may well have the scent in their noses.

I don’t think it’s a sprinty one today, though I can see Sagan staying in touch. So high speed descent by Contador and Sagan then TTing all the way into Gap. Some time clawed back for Albert and a stage win for Peter?

Impressive riding irrelevant of the PED intake.

Indeed. There are those who believe that Armstrong wouldn’t have won anything without PEDs, but I disagree. Had there been a level playing field (and there wasn’t – he upped the ante) he may not have won as much (we’ll never know), but he still had the skills and the mental capabilities to rise to the very top.

It’s interesting to speculate what would have happened had he been the one to take the career ending fall at that stage. Would the truth have come out ? I suspect it would have done eventually – too many people – but look at how hard it was for USADA to do it’s job. Had Lance gone into politics at that stage, who knows ?

I don’t think it’s a sprinty one today

no shit 😆 the sprinters will all be in the groupetto, Sagan won’t be near the front

When’s that stage that they did in the Dauphine?

Stage 17 into Pra Loup I think? That last descent will be one to watch for sure.

good old rim brakes

Melted tarmac was the problem.

TBH I’d rather the reliability of rim brakes on big alpine descents in that heat, had some scary moments on discs in the past.

I remember that it was the heat of the day, brakes heating the rim, his tub glue melting and the tyre rolling off? Still, fractured femure and pelvis was the result.

Big break is away…

Given how much work getting a break going can be, a great effort by Sagan there again. Should mop up at the intermediate.

I remember that it was the heat of the day, brakes heating the rim, his tub glue melting and the tyre rolling off?

That was my understanding too. A grim crash that one.

From Velonews:

Beloki’s tire rolled as a result of his slide, it didn’t cause the slide. On a slick tar patch, his rear wheel lost traction under braking and when it almost instantaneously regained traction, Beloki high-sided. The tire rolled because he was sliding sideways. Even the best installed tubular will roll under extreme side loads.

and

Hot tacky asphalt and misjudging his speed doomed Beloki.

Seem Peter Kennaugh has abandoned, no details as to why as yet that I can find.

He had a cold the other day. Not good cycle racing when you’re struggling to breathe.

I assume it’s that.

Either way, fingers crossed they all get down safe today and there’s a proper tear up on that road into Gap. Hushovd’s win to be repeated by fellow Norwegian, EBH?

He had a cold the other day. Not good cycle racing when you’re struggling to breathe.

I assume it’s that.

Cav was ill with a stomach upset the other day too, that’s why he was in the grupetto while Greipel and Sagan were up there battling it out in a sprint.
Shame about Peter Kennaugh, always good seeing the stripy National Champion jumper in the bunch.

no shit

Well maybe I was stating the bleeding obvious but I was simply responding to lemonysam who thought the sprinters might fancy a stab at the approach to Gap.

Still fancy Sagan though. I reckon he can get over 2 cat 2s

Still two breaks and one of my Bretagne boys is in the front group and one in the chasing group 😀

Yay!

As is the front lot have 5mins 20 on the peeloton.

Cripes, one group out front now with 23 in it 😯 and..
and..

11mins on the peeloton 😯

Lots of poncheurs in that lead group, Grivko (Astana), Riblon (AG2R), Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo), De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Geschke (Giant Alplecin), Haller (Katusha), Irizar and Jungels (Trek), Oliveira and Plaza Molina (Lampre), Navarro (Cofidis), Erviti (Movistar), Hansen (Lotto Soudal), Golas and Trentin (Etixx), Voeckler (Europcar), Mate (Cofidis), Pantano (Cannondale Garmin), Fedrigo and Perichon (Bretagne Séché), Boasson Hagen, Pauwels and Teklehaimanot (MTN).

That’ll go to the end that lot.. who will win?

Jungels, Mate, Pantano (I hope) Fedrigo or Perichon (who clearly is looking for another team to ride for 😯

EBH and Sagan currently issuing a descending lesson, seriously impressive to watch.

Sagan a busted flush – wont get up last climb in the break.
Hansen – with his shoulder?
Voekler – not the best descender – remember his riding into several verges and drives last year?
I think the pure climbers will struggle in a race to Gap with the Rouleurs so Navarro, Tek etc won’t win.

I think it’ll be a 3 way sprint between Trentin, Golas and EBH with Eddie Boss winning against an Ettix duo – a la Stannard.

😀

Whoohoo, Eurosport laters then 😀

Roche looks like he’s suffering now, illness @teamsky?

I’d love to see EBH win this, it’s unlikely as, well, he never wins anything any more, but it would be awesome to see nonetheless.

14 minutes!

Some on the lesser top ten guys might need to send their guys to the front soon. There’s a couple of guys at 35 – 40 minutes down in the GC, which if the peloton don’t wake up could see then knocking at the door of the top ten.

Of course the peloton always wakes up eventually.

15 minutes 30.

They really don’t want to chase.

Go on Hansen! Am a huge fan.

Haller’s doing a lot so the feed says.. Hansen too but Sag’s and a few others are chasing on.

Can’t see the Peloton chasing anymore, think they’ve had enough with the heat today and just riding in waiting for the rest day. 😕

On the final climb now. Fascinating one this. Some cagey riding going on.

Peloton having a day off.

EBH and Sagan currently issuing a descending lesson, seriously impressive to watch.

That will be because they are ex-mountain bikers. In this sport of professional cycling.

Sagan will certainly be reaching into his suitcase of courage on the descent.

here we go

Sagan, the former mountain biker, will certainly be reaching into his suitcase of courage on the descent.

Ligget’ed

Peleton’s woken up.

is it steep enough for Sagan to make up a minute?