First mountain stage was awesome, lets hope this will be too.
Following his exploit in the first mountain stage, Greg Van Avermaet is still in the yellow jersey he took throughout the team time trial in Cholet on stage 3. But his lead is at risk again as stage 11 features gruelling climb. It even requires warm-up on rollers before the start from the Olympic city of Albertville (winter Games 1992) straight into the Montée de Bisanne that has similar gradients as L’Alpe d’Huez. It’s followed by the col du Pré (12.6km at 7.7%), unprecedented at the Tour de France but known by the participants of the Tour de l’Avenir, like Egan Bernal who won the race last year before tackling his first Tour de France. The exact same stage has been contested at the Critérium du Dauphiné this year, with Pello Bilbao surviving a breakaway from the early part of the race. The view from the Cormet de Roselend is probably the most spectacular in the French Alps. Its descent to Bourg-Saint-Maurice is a tricky one with a long list of victims in the Tour: Iñaki Gastón in 1992, Johan Bruyneel in 1996, Michael Rogers and Stuart O’Grady in 2007… The final ascent to La Rosière – a ski resort linked to La Thuile in the Italian Valle d’Aosta – is also unprecedented at the Tour de France. Throughout the village of Montvalezan, it’s one more demanding climb. The whole race is short and brutal.
The profile looks brutal.
Final climb of the day? looks tough.
Who's in the mix?
The Contenders: one reason the GC contenders took it steady yesterday was today’s stage. It’s going to be a lot more lively. The first climb should see a move go clear and if someone hopes to win they need to be a decent climber. Think Omar Fraile (Astana), Dani Navarro (Cofidis) and… actually given the reduced peloton and the number of teams with set GC objectives there are not so many breakaway climbers to pick from. Still with Urán’s plans going up in smoke is Daniel Martinez (EF-Drapac) released for the day? Fraile is strong pick but could be on duty for Fuglsang, the other are wild guesses.
But big attacks from the big names? Maybe on the final climb. Dan Martin (UAE Emirates) won a stage of the Dauphiné and it’s the same scenario, he’s down on GC but in good form so he has room to jump away, riders won’t shut him down right away. To a lesser extent Nairo Quintana is down on GC but he doesn’t have such an explosive jump and nor will others let him go so easily… while Mikel Landa may have the jump but if he moves the entirety of Team Sky will have to close him down, this isn’t a steep enough finish for the Basque.
Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) was second here in the Dauphiné and we’ll see if he’s as fresh today, he used the lesser gradients towards the top to ditch his GC rivals and could do once again. Chris Froome could also try to exploit the steep slopes and go away. Among the others Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) won’t have it easy but yesterday Primož Roglič (Lotto-Jumbo) looked to be floating.
And so to yesterday, bit of gravel anyone?
Stunning.
Hell of a ride from this guy.
But for me, the ride of the day was GVA.
Cool stage Bro’.
So the only flat bit is between the hotel room and the team bus then 😜
I’m punting left field today, no one has seen anyone from Astana other than LLS bouncing down the road the other day, so Valgren. Away on the last but one climb with 1:50 and that being clawed back by the GC guys with 500mtrs to go but not enough to deny Valgrens win.
I’m not thinking too hard about this stage becuse I will feel the anguish from the likes of Kristoff and Cav chugging away 15mins behind the leader.
Can’t really see Froomidge winning this one, not sure why but think he will claw back 4 buckets of time. G will fall backwards, Bernal might get a “go for it day pass” but highly unlikely.
GvA will come home in the Pack, a well deserved Yellow Jumper wearer if there ever was one.
Wonderful watching both races yesterday, agree GVA outstanding but top rider of the day van vleuten.
Depending on who you believe, the last grupetto (there were three on the road) scraped in with 33 or 11 seconds to spare or where a couple of seconds over the time limit but allowed to stay in the race. Given the short but brutal nature of the stage, I fear for Cav in particular today.
I think people often forget about the other battle at the back end of the race once the cameras start to pack up and the interviews are done. Can't be easy for the bigger lads.
Agree with the above, the big lads hate a break as that either speed everyone up chasing it or it adds means a quicker finish time. Cav and Kittel will really struggle today I fear.
I'm bloody watching it in the flesh!
Awesome ride by GVA yesterday,and my prediction of a breakaway succeeding was proved correct, Today will be a GC neutral day. They'll all be in the front group, but it is not the selection day. Dan Martin on a break on the final climb, With G allowed to take yellow if he can hold on.
Selection is coming, but I think it will be the shortest stage still to come.
I’d like another French guy to win today. Barguil or Bardet plees.
Barguil.
No, I'm kidding.
I'm not sure if G will be allowed to go for it today; Froome will need all the support he can get tomorrow and G is too important for that. I can't see Sky pushing too hard today given tomorrow's iconic climbs.
Barguil isn’t a bad choice ...
He said “I’m sandbagging so no one follows me when I break for it”
I reckon a bit of minor GC action but they will save the fireworks for tomorrow
I’m not sure if G will be allowed to go for it today;
He doesn't need to. Just needs to finish at the front with the GC riders, GvA admitted that he's handing back the maillot jaune today.
Reckon the second half of the descent of the Roselend could be interesting... chance for someone - Bardet? - to get a gap on the bunch onto the final climb
I reckon a bit of minor GC action but they will save the fireworks for tomorrow
This for me but there will be some canny eyes watching. If people start to look weak/in trouble via analysis I can see Froome pulling a Giro-esque manourve then sitting in the support tomorrow have put himself into contention. The call will come from Dave if so I bet you'll see Froome on the radio a lot.
I think when you hear people saying "Thomas and Froome are joint leaders" or could be, you only have to look how much time Froome spends on the radio compared to Geraint to see who is in charge there..
Like Dan Martin, i'd just like to see Geraint do well and have a run of good luck.
Sky reckon the leadership is still an open question so if G is in yellow after Alpe d'Huez it's tricky decision time for dave... I reckon Geraint will be ok today, every other year he's been part of the team that chases down breaks at the start of the stage so this year he'll be fresher
I can see Bardet and Barguil being the ones to really go for it today, Romain needs the time and Barguil needs points and a stage win
Movistar could be playing out today. They have been playing it pretty cool so far especially Quintana, its a surprise to me that they have been so disaplined thus far. At some point there'll send riders up the road for the big hitters to ride up to.
Where are you watching Wallop?
Breaks gone, Navarro and Baguil in it along with Sags (to hoover up the sprint points early on)
As expected.
Whatever Julian Alaphilippe had for breakfast, I want some.
Big breaks for breakfast..
Muy muy happy..
Valgrens made it in..
Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors), Warren Barguil and Amaël Moinard (Fortuneo-Samsic), Romain Sicard and Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie), Damiano Caruso and Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing Team), Anthony Perez and, Daniel Navarro Garcia (Cofidis, Solutions Credits), Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Mitchelton-Scott), Mathias Frank (AG2R La Mondiale), Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Bahrain-Merida), Marc Soler (Movistar Team), Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo), Michael Valgren Andersen and Tanel Kangert (Astana Pro Team), Thomas De Gendt and Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto Soudal), Pawel Poljanski (Bora-Hansgrohe), Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), Darwin Atapuma (UAE Team Emirates)
Well, this is dull. Again. With the exception of the Robaix stage this has been one of least interesting TDF's for years. Nice scenery though.
Well, this is dull. Again. With the exception of the Robaix stage this has been one of least interesting TDF’s for years. Nice scenery though.
The descents look good!
At least Movistar are trying!
Hopefully another team will put pressure on sky.
Those people slacklining tho...
💥 It's not dull now...
🤣
Holy shit this is good!
Feel bad for Nieve!
Brilliant!
AWESOME Finale!!!!!!!!!!!
That's shaken things up a bit...
Great ride by big Tom, hopefully sunweb can invest in some more help for him for next year.
Crikey!
Wow - that was one of the most exciting finishes for a while.
I guess it helps that I've been rooting for Geraint ever since he joined the pro peloton!
Why do I gain so much pleasure from watching Quintana getting left behind?
FFS I missed the end because the ITV player showed so many ads before playing. I had time to go out make a drink, have a pee, and do 5 minutes of work before the ads finished! Looking forward to the highlights now
tense around the sky dinner table tonight 🙂
Was not expecting that! Brilliant to see Dan Martin slowly making up time.
V good Thomas, really pleased for him. re Quintana comment above, has he ever really done it on the big stage? He's always talked up by the commentators but then blown away by riders who physiologically are less suited to climbing than him, eg Tom D and GT.
Blimey! Froome probably owes Dan Martin a pint, or is it Dan owes him a pint! Bring on tomorrow.
Whodafunkit ?
So when does gt have his bad day planned?
So when does gt have his bad day planned?
When Froome is second in GC and has buffer to third I'd suggest, half way through week 3 then?
Looks like Cavendish might not have made the cut 🙁
