TdF Stage 15 – A Fully Deserved Winner [Spoilers]

This stage is the longest of this 100th Tour. It is also one of the most prestigious because nobody wins by chance on the Ventoux, especially not on 14 July? There are two scenarios: either a group gets away from a long way out and maintains enough of an advantage for the escapees to fight it between themselves; or the leaders shut down the race as far as the foot of the climb, transforming the stage into one enormous hill-climb! Depending on the weather, a lot of damage could be done today. Imagine what it could be like if there’s blazing heat all day? Whether you’re in the yellow jersey or not, if you do badly on this climb you will lose a quarter of an hour!

Another great win, and a very exciting finish.

Photos from Stage 14[/url]

This is going to be fun. Maybe Quintana to win (especially as he’s got a load of domestiques dedicated to him now)? Froome could get another one in the bag? Or even Contador? Unless they let a break go… Of course, with it being Bastille day and all, everyone remotely French is going to want to win. Chavanel? Rolland? Gadret? Bardet? Roy? Pinot is meant to be ill, and Voeckler is crap and everyone hates him, so I think they’re out..

It sounds like Evans and Schleck want to give it a go too, but, well…

Here’s a reminder of what happened to Tony Martin on Ventoux in 2009..

Weather is looking quite warm, but not massively so. No real wind predicted either. Nice. I’ve heard the estimated number of fans to be on Ventoux is around 300,000.

A few useful links

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Mike’s Men – no Fro by mikewingrave has taken 1st place again, knocking Ro5ey’s Roulers by andy rose into 2nd, in the fantasy league. Time to do some crashing still at the bottom in the loser league… Yawn…

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-gallery-mont-ventoux – more reminders here

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-riders-appeal-to-public-via-twitter – but will they listen…

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/the-storming-of-froomes-bastille – …but you should always listen to Millar

I believe it was 46 years ago yesterday that Tom Simpson died. I remember stopping by his memorial on Ventoux when I was there – I imagine it will look quite different today.

And once again, the backstage pass video from OGE is always worth a watch

One of the write ups/previews I caught said they were forecasting a potentially decent tali wind for the first 200km which would end up being a head wind on the summit run. That would really make things interesting.

I wonder if the french guys are drawing lots as to who has to go for it on Bastille day, will have to wait for the highlights in the morning but I reckon this will be a finish to remember.

This is also how the approach looks in my head from the height profile above

I’m calling Rolland for the stage win, he’s been relatively quiet so far.

I reckon plenty of the French lads will turn themselves inside out to nail this one. They’re French so I guarantee they will all be in cahoots with each other, will nominate a winner before the race even starts and then will cross-team support that guy to win. What Froome needs to do is work out who that is and stay on his wheel.

That’s my armchair opinion.

Rolland for me.

Froome to take more time out of the GC guys but I’d be surprised if he actually wins the stage – that would be nice though – I suspect a breakaway will bag the win.

Frome will be boxed in and then spat out the back today. Saxo/Movistar maybe one other team will isolate him and pen him in then they’ll attack and spit him out.

Bertie for the win.

Hard days racing.

Come on Tommy V! 😀

It’s going to get messy. French guys riding Luke their tails on fire, valverde out for revenge after he get a lesson in Belgian riding, Saxo bank riding everyone else legs off and sky getting a kicking. Should be good viewing

I’m looking forward to see what Quintana will do. Especially now it looks like he will have super domesique support. whatever happens it looks like a good day ahead.

If Tommy V wins today, I, and most of France, will require a change of underwear.

I say this as a proud Brit.

I was gutted Simon couldnt hold on yesterday. But would have an ear to ear grin for the rest of the Tour if Voekler managed something heroic today. But I think he said his legs have deserted him this year 🙁

OOh, maybe it was a bluff? Please, lets hope he was bluffing and he is strong as ox!

Today is going to be special. It’s Bastille day and it’s Ventoux. But mostly because, for me, Givors, today’s start town, is where our most precious, beautiful but oh so crazy daughter Pia was born. Unfortunately I’m not with my family as working in Azerbaijan, but I will be glued to live streaming.

As much as I REALLY want Tommy V to do it today, like Sean Kelly said on Eurosport yesterday, he’s had some bag falls early season meaning he didn’t do the Dauphiné: He did the little known Rhone Alpes Isere Tour as a warm up.

Quite nice to think that for such a special stage, my home is on that map above too 😀

Movistar are looking strong for this today. Possibly Quintana for the win. Froome needs to keep his wits about him and not chase every move once on the Ventoux as he’s likely to do. I don’t think Sky are as weak as people are saying but Movistar seem the stronger team. Tommy V will try to attack today although like others have said he’s not on great form.

Looking forward to this. If the weather was crap I would feel less guilty about being indoors.

Frome will be boxed in and then spat out the back today. Saxo/Movistar maybe one other team will isolate him and pen him in then they’ll attack and spit him out.

Problem they have in doing this is that he is faster than them

they have the numbers but he has the speed and the legs of them

I expect him to drop all of them on the final climb again

Bertie for the win.

FFS I so hope not dirty dirty cheat and he is only half the man he was pre steak

Hard days racing.

Hope so but I will miss it all as I take the kids out for their first hilly 15 miler- we may take as long as the stage to complete 😉

Really should be a corker of a stage and it has been a fantastic race so far.
Exciting as Froome looks the best but his team – at least it seems to have stopped the drugs rumours] look pretty weak this year and have been cracked a few times

well it’s started a little quick, some clear intent out there

Perhaps we might see a similar stage to that in 1994 when Eros Poli broke away early built a 20 minute lead and somehow managed to hold on just to win the stage (OK the finish wasn’t at the top that that day but it was just a run down the other side)

Doubt it though.

would love to watch it this afternoon, but i have my own ventoux to climb, so it will be highlights tonight.

so to save spoilling it, im outta here.

go on Tommy.

It’s like watching adverts with some cycling in-between. Better than nowt I suppose.

They get the adverts out of the way early so as not to miss the action…

I reckon samuri has it pretty much spot on ^^.

And sure enough, they’ve “accidently” let Sylvain Chavanel off the front. Good choice, he’e a popular rider.

Useless French wallies … (or am I being premature?)

Have they no pride?

Loaded my road.cc team up with Tommy, Rolland and Pinot… where are they? … I thought the same as samuri this morn.

I was expecting eurocar/FDJ to go off the front as teams early doors and put thier men at the foot of the mountain with a decent buffer….

Oh hold on …. rolland just been dropped !!

Rubbish

TBF … if Chav gets it … and I’m not sure he can… a vdeserving winner…. about the only frenchman (bar simon) with any b****

😆 Peter Sagan – one handed wheelie at the front of the peloton on the Ventoux!

Peter Sagan – one handed wheelie at the front of the peloton on the Ventoux!

Screenshot for those of us stuck at a desk with no video coverage?

I’ve enjoyed watching Chavanel this tour so I’d be happy enough if he gets it. Can’t see it though.

Here you go STATO

Wow, the back door has been opened for an awful lot of riders – Schleck, Gilbert, Thomas, Rolland…

classy..

Quintana gone too soon surely?
Climb is so hard a motorbike was having a rest there!!

Huh, Quintana obviously didn’t get the memo from the French. 🙁
Dear cheating Spaniard: please drop back, there’s a good chap.

Cadel Evans just being introduced to the back door as well.

Will Quintana do it this time?

Porte say (in not so many words) he was stupid to try it last week(on the first day in the mounatins) and that Sky were never worried.

Guess alot of water has gone under the bridge since then and Sky aren’t as all concurring as they were that day

Poor Peter Kennaugh, he’s wrecked. 🙁
Very select group there now…

That’s some pace. Well ridden by sky.

Getting interesting!!!

Richie Porte delivering when it matters 8)

Loved the smile on Porte’s face when he saw the group was just three.

Booom!!