Tour de France Stage 9 – Arras Citadelle > Roubaix – Page 3 – Bike Forum

lunge · 2018-07-15T08:27:29Z

Finally, finally, after far to many sprint stages, we get something interesting, cobbles. Lovely. Big love, as ever to INRNG for most of the text and CyclingTips for most of the images, both damn fine websites in their own right and well worth a visit. A Tour de France stage hasn’t featured as many cobblestones since stage 12 from Compiègne to Roubaix in 1981 that had 27.1km of pavés divided in 27 sectors. Stage 9 includes 15 of them from km 47.5 to 8km to go, for a total of 21.7km non asphalted. The finish is located on the avenue Maxence Van der Meersch near the legendary velodrome and its indoor version “Le Stab”. It’s the most feared stage for the GC contenders. They can lose a lot of time and illusions before reaching the mountains. Some Paris-Roubaix specialists may have to look after their captains rather than hunt for a prestigious stage win: Sep Vanmarcke for Rigoberto Uran, Oliver Naesen for Romain Bardet, Matt Hayman for Adam Yates, Gianni Moscon for Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas who is second on GC and likely to take advantage of this specific stage to definitely position himself as a potential winner of the Tour de France. It’s shorter than a classic and many ingredients are different but it’s a spectacle not to be missed! All very fluffy from the Tour website, INRNG have a better intro in my opinion. The Route: 156km and packed with pavé. Normally the Tour borrows a few sections of cobbles, for example 13.3km in total during a long stage in 2015. This time it’s 21.7km, way more than recent editions. It’s also borrowing several of the harder sections and the final sector comes just 6km from the finish. It’s as close to remake of Paris-Roubaix as you can get within reason during the Tour de France but at 156km it’s 100km less and this will make the stage more explosive. As ever the cobbles are dramatic and strategic but the approach matters too, a sprint among riders to get into position each time. The first sector comes after 47.5km and the race takes the Route Nationale out of Cambrai, a big wide road that’s downhill before a sudden fork to the left onto the cobbled track. This entry is fraught with risk, the peloton will bear down at speed on a wide road and suddenly there’s only room to ride 2-3 abreast on the cobbles. Appropriately enough the sector ends next to a chapel called Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows. Readers will recognise the names like Pont Thibault, Cysoing and Mons-en-Pévèle but note they’re not always the same as Paris-Roubaix, for example Mons-en-Pévèle is reduced from 3,000 to 900m, still plenty. The Finish: flat and tarmac. The finish is outside the Roubaix velodromes, not on the track and nor is the approach the same as in April. There’s a left hand bend before the flamme rouge, a right hander just under the kite and then another right-hander with 400m to go. Relatively flat finish. The contenders? Will, INRNG is on the fence here, as rightly said, will the classics guys be on domestique duties and allow an unexpected rider to take it? The Contenders: there are several classics contenders in the bunch who are going to be on team duty today but this need not rule them out. Their job today is to tow their leaders into position and if done well then it means they’ll be in the front group coming into Roubaix. Still those without responsibilities can save themselves rather than close gaps all day. This makes Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) the obvious pick, he can go for the stage while others in his team can shepherd Rafał Majka the best they can. Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) is a potential Paris-Roubaix winner and this stage suits him but can he stay in contention? Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) is similar and Cofidis are based near the finish so he and others will be active unlike recent stages were the red jerseys have been hard to spot. Will John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) be able to ride for himself. If he doesn’t have to protect Bauke Mollema then he’s in with a chance in the sprint. A similar story with Daryl Impey at Mitchelton-Scott. Quick Step will try to get Fernando Gaviria in contention for the finish but the likes of Niki Terpstra and Yves Lampaert can play their own cards if the Colombian struggles but again this isn’t Paris-Roubaix with its 250km, it’ll be much harder for them to escape today as the peloton will be more lively and neither packs much of a sprint, perhaps Philippe Gilbert can play his card and Bob Jungels too. Another test of team ambitions is with BMC Racing. Greg Van Avermaet is a likely stage winner and with the yellow jersey he’s got an extra right to defend his race lead for one more day. But Richie Porte needs all the help he can get to defend his chances. Among the GC contenders it’s hard to see them winning the stage but they finish the day in a winning position. Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) has the comparative advantage, this is the terrain he can exploit better than the rest, especially since Chris Froome has a saddle sore and that’s not going...

kilo

Posts: 6925

Free Member

Quite surprisingly, Geraint Thomas missed lots of opportunities to crash as well.

Yes amazing that the former winner of Paris roubaix as a junior was ok on the cobbles

Posted : 16/07/2018 8:46 am

mikewsmith

Posts: 52609

Free Member

Yes amazing that the former winner of Paris roubaix as a junior was ok on the cobbles

Yep, he was also luck to avoid everyone else crashing too. I guess it was always going to happen he is saving himself for a much easier place to have his.silly crash

Posted : 16/07/2018 8:53 am

butcher

Posts: 5300

Full Member

The difference between this and a climbing or TT stage, is that way too much is left to chance. Nobody wants to see a race won or lost on the flip of a coin.

Matt Hayman summed it up quite well. Many of these guys dedicate their entire year to this race, and make huge sacrifices. They shouldn't be subject to a stage as volatile as this.

These stages belong in one day racing in my opinion.

Posted : 16/07/2018 10:39 am

samuelr

Posts: 0

Free Member

I enjoyed watching that. I think its right to have it in as a stage. The TdF should have everything and thats why it’s the most prestigious tour. If you can win the tour tou are the best all round rider.

I think this will improve the racing in the Alps as riders now need to attack and potentially change tactics. It will make it more enjoyable as a spectator.

Posted : 16/07/2018 11:41 am

corroded

Posts: 2628

Free Member

Got to feel sorry for the riders now having to ride up some Alps this week. Took me many days to recover from the battering you get riding Roubaix - finger joints especially. I was also staggered at their average speed - 28.5mph.

Posted : 16/07/2018 12:27 pm

scud

Posts: 4108

Free Member

I really enjoyed it. I think that they need to mix it up and pay honour to TdF of old occasionally.

Ultimately if the Tour was the same every year and the GC was best "climber with a hint of TT" then you are only ever going to get the Froome's of the world winning.

Like above having ridden the sportive and 22 sections of cobbles, it adds to the experience as you just watch in wonder at how the hell they ride it that quick.

Glad he won stage too, i work for an insurers and had to look at the images of the accident they were involved in in Spain as part of the claim, some turned my stomach being a cyclist.

Posted : 16/07/2018 12:47 pm

slowoldman

Posts: 18029

Full Member

I feel the same about the TTT btw. Great spectacle, but can ultimately mar a close race for GC.

Yep, my inclination would be to drop TTT before dropping cobbles. Oh and bring back a mountain ITT.

Posted : 16/07/2018 1:32 pm

Forum menu

[Closed] Tour de France Stage 9 - Arras Citadelle > Roubaix