The riders will have the blue waters of Lake Serre-Ponçon as a backdrop. It is a picture postcard setting. But don’t imagine this is going to be a bucolic day? Indeed, this stage could turn out to be one of the turning points of the Tour. It has been conceived with the idea of spicing up the duel between the rouleurs who can climb well such as Froome and Contador, although on paper the likes of Wiggins (who?) and Quintana should not be excluded from consideration. I think that Belgian King of the Mountains Lucien Van Impe would have loved this course? One thing is sure: those riders who don’t perform well on this stage will have some real problems on the next one to Alpe-d’Huez. There won’t be any miracle comebacks.

Yesterday’s stage was promising, and although it was quite interesting, not as much happened as some people thought. The descent into gap is hardly ever smooth.

[video]http://vimeo.com/70426903[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBUK0V9CH_0[/video]

Photos from Stage 16

Up till 4 or 5am last night, riding all day, it’s past midnight as I’m writing this, and I’m falling asleep, so sorry for not being too interesting. It’s the stage a lot have been waiting for. I’d really like Froome to win, but I think Porte, Contador, Mollema will all post good times. Quintana will be very interesting to watch. Will Rolland remember how to ride a bike up a hill? Doubtful. Chavanel to ride like a hero. Schleck to go slowly up the climbs, slower on the descents, and generally be useless. And I know I say it every day, but Sagan to go all out to get some extra points? What a champ. Wonder how Tony Martin will get on…

A few useful links

Live Cycling News Text Updates
Steephill
Official Tour Live Feed App
Classifications
Withdrawals
Fantasy League Standings
Loser League Standings

Ro5ey’s Roulers by andy rose extends his lead in the fantasy league, looking very solid. Blah blah blah Time to do some crashing blah blah blah..

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pinot-out-of-tour-de-france – just read the first paragraph…

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-five-questions-for-the-final-week

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froome-avoids-disaster-on-descent-to-gap – https://www.facebook.com/froomechristopher/posts/550846358304869

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/quintana-i-didnt-attack-because-contador-crashed – musettes at dawn?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-shorts-rain-on-its-way-no-friends-for-team-sky – ain’t trainin if it ain’t rainin

Sorry for not finding many interesting things to share with you all, so to make up for it, here’s Jens. Wearing a t-shirt, unfortunately. However, it’s a pretty cool t-shirt.

I was amazed by Pinot’s revelation when I heard about it yesterday. That must blow pretty hard to devote yourself to becoming a rider of such strength only to be brought low by your inner demons.

Be a big struggle for him to get decent contracts I imagine too, especially as he feels like he doesn’t even deserve to be there. This could be the end for him.

Pinot … what a shame, feel really sorry for him.

I thought he was great value in Velogames… he ended up not scoring a single point.

On a brighter note, it was nice to see Stannard & Thomas still there until the last climb yesterday perhaps they are both on the mend.

Porte however is looking really good, is it possible he could be team leader & go for a Vuelta GC spot as payback for his efforts on this Tour? I guess it rather depends on how Sir Wiggins is feeling.

Wiggo is not riding the Vuelta

He’s doing Tour of GB instead … 🙄

@mtbfix – i missed the revealtion – what was it?

Murray – Member

@mtbfix – i missed the revealtion – what was it?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pinot-out-of-tour-de-france

Ro5ey, how do you know? I dont see any team info on the Sky site yet for the Vuelta?

I was just guessing.

Pinot = Hindenberg

Like a hot balloon, he will not come down. But when he does, it ends in disaster.

(had a bad crash as a kid now is soooo scared of desending, it’s wreck any thoughts of being France’s next great hope)

Re wiggo

Think I must have heard it… can’t remember reading it.

But found it here anyway… google is great 😀

http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/news/sir-bradley-wiggins-injury-free-targeting-2013-tour-of-britain-win/

EDITED,
Sounds good, so still wonder who the Vuelta pick will be. Then Porte must be in with a chance of the team leader & crack at the GC.

Isn’t Uran penciled in for the Vuelta?

Normally I would have thought he was up for the spot, but he is leaving Sky after this season so I cant see him getting a top slot, race yes, but not the team leader.

What is Froome wibbling about? Last time I looked, it’s a race he is in, so should probably expect a race. If he thought Contador was going too quickly, or being dangerous, then he could have let him go. Or am I missing something?

tough call for todays stage. Froome has to be favourite though.

Almost went over your head @albertocontador.. Little more care next time?

Come on now Froome, keep your cool, you don’t want to sound like Schleck now do you?

‘When I saw that I was not able to stay on the wheel of a rider like Mark Cavendish on the descent off a mountain pass, I asked myself: ‘What am I doing on the Tour?’

can’t figure out if he’s saying “well cav is pure shite downhill so if I can’t even keep up with him I’m oot” or sincerely thinks he should be able to keep up with him.

Froome comment, is he pissed off at contador attacking on the downs (which is a bit whiny) or just about contador throwing himself infront of his wheels (fair enough I guess 🙂 )

oh and contador having a dig at quintana riding away post crash, is this the same guy who left schleck when his chain fell off?

The strain on Froome showed when he responded tetchily to the question of why, if Contador was being reckless, he followed him. ‘Yeah, you’re right,’ he said. ‘I should probably let him go up the road and get the yellow jersey.’

Does not sound too whiney

And Contador’s point of view is equally valid.

Contador defended his actions and said he would keep pushing all the way, adding: ‘For me there is no motivation to be calm and sit on their wheel in the bunch.
‘Whenever I see there is a chance, I’ll try, either at the beginning or the end of a race, and we’ll see what the result is in Paris.’
Contador promised further entertainment, saying: ‘My legs are getting better and I hope I can provide a spectacle. I don’t know if we’ll win but I hope the people watching TV will enjoy it.’

What is Froome wibbling about? Last time I looked, it’s a race he is in, so should probably expect a race. If he thought Contador was going too quickly, or being dangerous, then he could have let him go. Or am I missing something?

I think it was more a case of recklessness almost costing them both time/injury. Coming off at those speeds could be career let alone tour ending.

can’t figure out if he’s saying “well cav is pure shite downhill so if I can’t even keep up with him I’m oot” or sincerely thinks he should be able to keep up with him.

I thought it was an odd comment, isn’t Cav regarded as a good decender? Although maybe it was lost in translation that being a GC hopefull and getting overtaken by Cav on a mountain stage was bad, rather than the decending per-se?

^^ Was thinking that last night, he’s not shy of taking advantage when it suits him is he.

As an absolutely terrible descender on the road bike I still think MTFU about the whiney descent bitching. It’s a race, get on board or go home (mainly aimed at Schleck from a couple of years back). Also agree with the comments ref Froome, if it was that dangerous don’t go with him, good chance it would have came back together anyway.

Pinot needs to do a day with jedi.

;o)

dammit, Pinot was a bad velogames choice.

People bag Froome for being too nice and civil, and now for being too whiny when some he nearly gets taken out by someone wiping out infront of him on a notorious deeeescent (as he calls them). The guy can’t win.

Lot of talk about rain, especially tomorrow. Might mix things up a little.

Contador wants, to use a city phrase, the put and the call.

“I’ll attack you, but if I get it wrong by attacking too hard, over cook it and crash… you aren’t allow to go past me, alright.”

You what? How does that work?

Mollema has said he was uncomfortable attacking Froome …. how so?. It’s not a mechanical, it’s racing …. get on with it.

ok then. How is Froome at going downhill in the rain?

Make 2 minutes on the up, lose a minute on the down… he will be fine.
🙂

will they be on TT bikes? or road bikes with stick-on bars?

Since Froome still had Porte with him I think he was foolish to ride right in Contador’s wheel on that descent – he could have just given him a 10 sec lead and let him fill his boots knowing that the minor loss could be neutralised on the flat run to the finish anyway. I like the instinctive combative style – not giving an inch – but a little bit of wisdom and good judgement is important also. Would love to know what the team were telling him. As it was he was lucky not to catch a puncture or somesuch. It was a risk not worth taking.

brakes, I wondered that, Road bikes with stick ons at a guess.

brakes – Member
will they be on TT bikes? or road bikes with stick-on bars?

Talk of people changing to TT bikes for the final descent but I think most will be on road bikes.

I think Froome’s comments were a bit soft/Schleck.

It’s a race. Froome can make his own mind up how fast he wants to ride down the hill. No one is forcing him to ride at Contador’s pace. If he thinks Contador is going too fast then ride at a slower pace. He has Porte to help him catch Contador on the flat. Don’t see what his problem is.

If he thought Contador was going too quickly, or being dangerous, then he could have let him go. Or am I missing something?

Well he could and I think he accepts it is a race but the issue is that Contador crashed. Did Froome whilst sticking with him? { Inane comment about mountain bikers , skills and descending in homage to phil 😉 ] Even after avoiding him he still stayed on the bike unlike floored Bertie
If you have worked hard all your life to win the TdF and find yourself in Yellow I think you would be royally pissed if someone crashing [ riding recklessly????] caused you to lose the race.
It was further compounded by Bertie – I will attack everywhere with my legs of steel – refusing to do any work back to the group and then moaning in the interview after the race about how unsporting the rest had been for attacking him when he crashed….yes you could not make this up.
He is better at saying he will attack than actually attacking and this 15 seconds “attacks” on hills are tedious and pointless. Its obvious he cannot maintain the pace required to break away without his steak.
With these levels of hypocrisy and lack of self awareness I am wondering which poster on here is Bertie 😉

Perhaps For the first Time Froome was a bit emotional in interviews about the race but that is no bad thing.
perhaps Bertie has an edge as theywont follow him as they think he descends liek a mad man..perhaps they will push him to make him crash in some sort of death race
As for today Froom will gain a bit of time on them all but not huge about – less than 30 seconds

Looking forward to seeing how the non natural TT but hill climbers do on this stage

In the context of the interview I don’t think it was whiney or ‘soft’ (grrrrrrrr), he was asked about it and replied pretty matter of factly.

Bit different to the one at the Giro and the Tour of California, but most of the top guys rode their TT rigs. I’d expect to see the top guys on their TT bikes (unless the climbs and descents are quite twisty.)

They all used road bikes on the hilly TT in the Giro.

Did they? Maybe I’m confusing with ToC. There was definitely a mix of road and TT bike there.

there was definitely a hilly TT this year in one of the Tours where they used a mix. can’t remember which one it was though.

Anyone know what the two climbs and descents are like today? Tight and twisty or just big ramps?

Edit: Looks a bit wiggly on the map!

Were riders not changing bikes halfway through in the ToC?

Some were (e.g. Rogers I think) others just rode their TT bikes up the hill (e.g. Teejay.) Though I think the hill was just a straight drag.

Edit: anyone know what the riders who’ve completed the stage are riding?

Double edit: Looks like Tony Martin is about to set off.