I didn't post a rest day roundup thread here but ITV4 did a great job of a highlights programme well worth a watch - ITV Hub or it'll be on at 1pm today in advance of live coverage at 2pm.
Also a "best of" gallery here: https://www.letour.fr/en/image-gallery/best-of-photos-de-la-2nde-semaine
Onto Stage 16 - today has a teaser of the Pyrenees with two 1st Category climbs coming in the final half before a long descent to the finish line in Foix.
[img] 
[/img]
The profile is going to make it tough to get a breakaway established early on - too flat for climbers to get away but any of the big diesel engines managing to escape will then be suffering on the climbs later.
[img] 
?01[/img]
Last time here (2017), Warren Barguil won from a breakaway that also contained Nairo Quintana; Barguil of course no longer in this year's Tour due to Covid but that long descent to the finish has all sorts of hallmarks of [b]Tom Pidcock[/b] and [b]Matej Mohorič[/b] (him and his dropper post winning on similar 'flat - hills - descent' terrain on Milan San Remo earlier this year).
Jumbo-Visma are looking a little depleted now so it's unlikely that Wout van Aert will be allowed to be Wout van Aert, he may have to be content with super-domestique duties rather than super-attacking ones.
Question is of course if Pogacar will want to use the steep slopes of the later climbs to test Vingegaard's lack of teammates...
Mohoric has been my biggest dream team let down, a paltry 6 points. MvdP has done loads better and he was ill and has went home. Had been hoping for at least a stage win by now, so finger out please.
Froome 😇
Fantasy League standings are here, with the top two still having a considerable lead over the peloton.
Mohorič targeted Milan San Remo as his big race of the year so he may not be in form now. Some of the riders are struggling in the extreme heat and he may be one of them. It's been a hot race since stage 2
I'd really like to see Fred Wright pull it off today, could be one for him if he can get into the break and stay in touch on the climbs.
Froome 😇
I’d really like to see Fred Wright pull it off today
that long descent to the finish has all sorts of hallmarks of Tom Pidcock
So we're agreed. Top three on today's stage is going to be Pidcock, Wright, Froome. 😉
Piddcock is in the top ten and only 8 mins back. He's not a threat to Vinegard or Pogacar, but the other teams in the top ten will want to protect their riders ranking position.
The other riders won't let him get in the break either as that would force the peloton to keep them in check. Without any top 10 threats in the break the peloton may let them head off and win the stage
Froome could be a good shout, he's a very good descender so the finish may suit him. A stage win would be amazing after he nearly died!!!
(him and his dropper post winning on similar ‘flat – hills – descent’ terrain on Milan San Remo earlier this year)
I was wondering the other day whether anyone is running droppers in the Tour for these kind of stages.
If pidcock goes on the final descent i wonder who there is in the peloton that could bring him back though
If pidcock goes on the final descent i wonder who there is in the peloton that could bring him back though
Mohoric certainly has the chops to go with him.
perhaps something suicidal from Bardet ? this stage would be a shoe in for Thor Hushovd
super cagey start!!!!
Big break gone clear (including van Aert!).
Gilbert in there too.
looking like a crazy day.... the wind looks really frisky in places
Should I be watching this live then?
G having an issue (visit to the medical car)?
G having an issue
Suncream application apparently.
I wonder why the graphics show the green jersey in the break but not the polka dot. There was some discussion (on Eurosport) about the hierarchy of the jerseys with it being perceived that the mountains classification carried more kudos than the points.
WvA being a bit of a dick there 😕
Marc Soler seems quite ill. Pogacar now down another teammate...
Vlasov upto virtual 4th on gc
WvA being a bit of a dick there
What did he do? I missed it.
What did he do? I missed it.
Got beaten in the intermediate sprint and had words with the DSM rider who beat him
with some shoulder barging thrown in for good measure.
the peleton is going to get smashed on this climb! and who has post rest day blues (someone always does) ?
Lovely to hear Dan Martin in the commentary booth. He's on holiday and seems happy to be helping out itv4.
was hoping some one in the peleton would have taken it up early #disappointed
Movistar taking it up from the peloton.
are G && Yates are going to go in a bit (both all over yellow)
Bearing in mind he has Points jersey pretty much sown up, surprised they are still letting WvA still go off and play, and it seems more than just having a man out front, as then he'd be trying to save energy and sit at back of the breakaway not chasing everything..? The team is down in numbers, so i'd thought he'd have been the one to drag Jonas along on the flatter early section?
...aaanddd he's off! Vingegaard straight onto his wheel though.
Boom!
working over yellow now (A WvA might be useful right now)
Bardet just popped.
This *really* needs Pidcock up the front at this point!
I'd like to see Pidcock come to front, just to see his descent to the line..
If Pidcock took the lead on the final descent i could see it benefitting Pogacar maybe more than anyone. He'd be able to hold the wheel,how much the others would is debatable.
Galloping Tony not doing much galloping any more...
Is pidcock in the GC group?
Seems he is 👍
Seems he is was
LMFTFY
TP can get back on using the descent, it's only 500m to the summit then downhill the whole way.
G is getting back to them...
G back on, can pidcock catch up again with yates?
Ouch. As good as pidcock is there's no point taking undue risks.
Bet that stings.
Hopefully they can all do the descent without accidents
Maybe it is just me, but I am surprised that not more riders have fallen foul of the heat, i am struggling to walk to greenhouse and back in 39 degrees, let alone a 3 week race..
Cracking emotional win for Houle, well done.
The commentators are constantly talking about Yates helping Thomas up the mountains. Can someone explain this to me as Thomas looks stronger, there’s no drafting benefit because they are going too slowly, and Thomas is quite capable of pacing himself - what don’t I understand? ( quite a lot probably! )
On a similar note, where is the benefit when one rider has a teammate ride in front on the climb e.g. Mijca riding in front of Pogacar?
The commentators always get very excited, but in the example above, Vingegaard is getting the same aero benefits as Pogacar (or more of he's third in line) and also in the example above, was Pogacar really worried about having to neutralise any possible attacks?
The commentators are constantly talking about Yates helping Thomas up the mountains. Can someone explain this to me as Thomas looks stronger, there’s no drafting benefit because they are going too slowly, and Thomas is quite capable of pacing himself – what don’t I understand? ( quite a lot probably! )
There's always some aero benefit, even if it's very small. OK, maybe not always, but certainly on the faster sections.
On a similar note, where is the benefit when one rider has a teammate ride in front on the climb e.g. Mijca riding in front of Pogacar?
For the most part, keeping the pace high prevents attacks from behind because it puts everyone on the limit.
On a similar note, where is the benefit when one rider has a teammate ride in front on the climb e.g. Mijca riding in front of Pogacar?
A lot of it is psychological. The aero benefits are very limited but if you're there with a teammate and your opponent is on his own, it's easy to start playing mind games or to let one person attack, the other one hangs back forcing the opponent to chase.
And then the negative thoughts creep in - can I stay with both of them, can I counter the next attack, what if I get a puncture and need a bike swap urgently, what if I run out of gels and want one from a team-mate...?
Pics from today's stage:
https://www.letour.fr/en/stage-16/image-gallery
We were at this yesterday, on the descent of the final climb just short of the summit (we were too hot/slow/faffing to reach the other side before they shut the road).
We had a good spot and saw everyone come through in dribs and drabs. It was seriously hot, tarmac was melting. Some of the domestiques look absolutely broken. Soler came past us about 15 mins after we started the descent back to Foix! Deserves to start today.
Nothing was ever going to happen on the descent into Foix, nowhere near technical enough.
Would post pics but the data where we are sucks.
Short ride long lunch today!