TdF Stage 20 – The Alpe d'Huez

The Dutch on Dutch corner will have been drinking for 3 days now, expect cheering and cheering. The car probably tried to do something stupid like drive up the road their pub

We stayed in Saint Sorlin last year. They’re passing some excellent restaurants… I’d be finding them hard to resist.

And…. Sam come on its not a strip tease

Movistar and Astana massively upping the pace, the group disintegrating. Valverde attacking.

Thomas gone off the back according to sbs. The most impressive thing about grand tour cycling is the part where it’s a team sport about one person.

I hope Porte had a good night’s kip

Sky don’t look even a little bit worried. Geraint’s group has almost climbed back to the leaders.

Valverde to get ahead on the Alp D’Huez, then wait for Quintana to pace him on a break?

Valverde to give it everything and try and grab enough time to give him an excuse to try and pinch second off Quintana more like!

Nairo going for it!!

sky dropping like flies

Nairo and Valverde together about 20 seconds off the front#

edit: scratch that, Porte’s narrowed the gap a bit.

Brave but too soon methinks

Porte gapped?

Nibali goes, Froome follows, Porte goes back.

Only about 5 seconds between Quintana and Froome

Back together…

Breaking frome genteel, sky to regroup on the flat, but think they’ll go again on alpes and will hope to break them early, froome looking pretty handy on the descent

Froome buzzing Quintana’s back wheel on the descent lolz!

Great stuff this!

Hopefully Richie can get back before Bourg. Can’t see Quintana putting minutes into Froome on the Alpe anyway.

All back together now and Sky regrouped at the front.

Bloody hell, Chris Froome must’ve blown his mystic conch shell while the ads were on. Team Sky Assemble!

I think we are going to see a repeat on ADH. Valverde jumping off the front and then Quintana. Chris Froome will then go it alone, piss on Valverde as he passes him, spit on Quintana as he passes him next and then beat his chest whilst popping a wheelie as he crosses the line and winning the stage and TdF 😆

Shame I was hoping it would be just the big hitters left at the base of ADH sans teams.

Valverde jumping off the front and then Quintana. Chris Froome will wait for Nibali to have a mechanical then go it alone, piss on Valverde as he passes him, spit on Quintana as he passes him next and then beat his chest whilst popping a wheelie as he crosses the line and winning the stage and TdF

Lemonysam is right, forgot about Nibbles. 34km to go!

Well Nibbles just did Froome a favour and bridged him back to Quintana and Valderde.

Geniez… could he possibly do it? Guess it depends on how much the flat bit before the Alpe takes out of him.

karma for Nibali 😆

Go go go

Karma is a bitch dirtyrider!
Quintana has a little go, Porte covers him.

game on!

I told my lad a while ago that the fastest way down the mountain for Froome was to follow Nibali… 8)

Think a rested tasmania might be the key for sky

Wout Poels, Porte,Froome. 10km to go.
Valverde goes, no reaction from Sky. Leader is 2.17 ahead , gap coming down fast.

I’m sure I saw a solar flair when nibbles got his puncture, must have knocked out line of sight and radios

Bertie gone…

To little to late from movistar (I hope)

There is still a moviestar rider up the road isn’t there?

There he is.

Froome looking calm, still got 2 with him, Quintana going well, sitting behind Winner now, about 30sec ahead.
Breakaway getting mopped up. Ryder now the leader.