TDF Stage 19 - Albertville - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc, 146km

neris

So the SKY procession rolls onto its next stage in the march to Paris. You know things are getting a little dull and boring on the tour when even the British journalists and podcasts are getting bored of the lack of attacks from the other teams. Dan Martin said he felt some riders in the top 10 were happy with their placings and would rather a top 10 then risk attacking for time. The TT extended Froomes time and its all up hill for the next 2 days.

Albertville is a terminus used only twice before today. In 1998, Jan Ullrich won here after breaking away on the Madeleine with only Marco Pantani for company. In 2012 it was the start of the stage to La Toussuire, where Froome stirred and Bradley Wiggins was shaken. Meanwhile at the other end of the stage, the climb to Le Bettex has only had one previous finish in the Tour and it will be well-remembered by those of a certain age: this was where Thierry Claveyrolat took one of two stage wins and put a down payment on the polka-dot jersey in 1990. Today it will be all about the GC. At 146km, it’s short, but there are four hard climbs. First up are the Col de la Forclaz de Montmin (Category 1) and the Col de la Forclaz Queige (cat 2). But these are mere leg-looseners for the second half which starts with the debut climb of the Montée de Bisanne, a super-category 12.4km climb that averages 8.2 per cent: the final 2km touch an average of 10 per cent.

For the brave – or the renegade – these final steep ramps could be the spot for a daring attack but with around 52km to go it will be the last throw of the dice if it’s a contender. From the top of the Bisanne, it’s still 40km of descent which also retraces the previous day’s TT route to Domancy. At Venex, the peloton hits a wall. The first kilometre of the Bettex climb averages 13 per cent, and remains almost as steep for the next 2km – just the sort of terrain to shed helpers and leave the leaders to fight it out. There are two relatively flat kilometres before the road pitches up. Watch closely as the race hits Le Gollet: there’s a kilometre that averages nigh-on 10 per cent and with 3km left to ride it’s just the kind of place a contender could launch an attack and gain 30 or 40 seconds.

The Mountain Passes

Withdrawals Stage 18:
DNS: ARCHBOLD, Share (Bora - Argon 18) - crash stage 17, broken pelvis
DNS: CANCELLARA, Fabian (Trek - Segafredo) - Olympics

All Withdrawals:
DENNIS (BMC) ARCHBOLD (BOA) BRESCHEL, LANGEVELD (CDT) BOŽIČ (COF) CAVENDISH, RENSHAW (DDD) TULIK (DEN) LADAGNOUS, PINEAU, PINOT (FDJ) FRANK (IAM) MØRKØV, VAN DEN BROECK (KAT) DEBUSSCHERE (LTS) HERRADA, G. IZAGIRRE (MOV) GERRANS (OBE) CONTADOR (TNK) CANCELLARA, THEUNS (TFS)
177 of 198 riders remain in the race.

manwithaplan

Definitely a day for Frank Schleck

dastardly00

Dani Navarro finished third last in the ITT yesterday. I reckon he took it extremely easy so he could get in the breakaway today.

I've been keeping an eye on him during the race as I was thinking of putting him in my Velogames team, but I didn't in the end.

Typically he is a GC rider who doesn't frequently attack during the race and just hangs on the best he can. He's achieved 9th overall in the TdF in '13 and 10th in the Vuelta in '14.

But during the Tour this year his tactics have changed. He's been in the breakaway during Stage 7, 9, 12, and 15. Now his hand was probably forced because he lost four plus minutes on Stage 2, but I think he's been very impressive for a GC guy who wouldn't normally so adventurous and attacking.

gordongekko

It's time to go for broke. But probably just another boring sky train day.

donfers

Dan may have ridden within himself to a degree yesterday in order to save himself for this stage....the climb at the finish suits him and if SKY decide he is not worth chasing then the stage is his for the taking

dastardly00

The start of the stage up to Collet de Temié isn't categorised..... elevation gain of 540 metres, that's an average gradient of 6.4% for 8.5km :eek:

letape

Live coverage about to start on Eurosport. I can see Martin having a go again today. In an interview on cyclingnews.com he said that he could possibly move up a few spots but definitely isn't looking behind him. He has a great attitude and has been about the only one in the top 10 willing to have a go.

donfers

Worst he will finish is 12th if he blows up after an attack and so what if you finish 12th instead of 10th, not the end of the world - it's not as if getting into the Top 10 in the TDF is going to propel him into some magical mythical place of super-cyclists.

Being all defensive and hanging on to your Top 10 position is the very definition of a loser if you ask me.....as the great JM said better to burn out than fade away

manwithaplan

donfers wrote: »

Dan may have ridden within himself to a degree yesterday in order to save himself for this stage....the climb at the finish suits him and if SKY decide he is not worth chasing then the stage is his for the taking

No way Dan saved anything yesterday. He possibly has a tiny sniff at the stage if the breakaway is reeled in, he can cling on to the GC group and he leaves it very very late on the last climb. He hasn't a ghost of a chance if he attacks early - there's more than Sky with positions to defend.

manwithaplan

It should also be noted that SKY don't really chase down attacks as such. they just set a ferocious pace that deters attacks and means that attacks that do go tend to be short lived. It doesn't matter if they feel someone is a threat on GC. They are riding so that any genuine GC threats don't get ideas - that also means curtains for anyone who goes off the front on the final hill, regardless of where they are placed. The only way you beat them late in a stage is to out-sprint them - last 500 metres max. This can win you stages (although most mountain stages have been won by the break) but isn't enough to offset TT losses and their overall consistency.

dastardly00

donfers wrote: »

Worst he will finish is 12th if he blows up after an attack and so what if you finish 12th instead of 10th, not the end of the world - it's not as if getting into the Top 10 in the TDF is going to propel him into some magical mythical place of super-cyclists.

Being all defensive and hanging on to your Top 10 position is the very definition of a loser if you ask me.....as the great JM said better to burn out than fade away

Bit harsh in my opinion. It all depends on what's happened so far in the race and in your career. Finishing in the Top-10 is a big deal when you haven't done so before.
Dan's best finish is 33rd.

Nico Roche would bite your arm off for a Top-10 placing.

retalivity

Astana have someone up the road in thr break, and have tiralongo, rosa and nibali off the front of the peleton driving hard. At least they are trying something

Pudsy33

I never thought I'd be cheering on Astana, but here I am...

irishrover99

Listening to Kim Anderson shows a problem with the Tour at the moment. He said they are already fighting for second place meaning game over for GC. There seems to be no rivalry in the Peloton at the moment and no fight. Cav escorted Sagan across the line a few days ago in a sprint checking behind so nobody overtook Sagan. Everyone seems to nice to each other,slowing down when anyone has a problem on the bike.

Hinult fought Lemond right till the last stage and had Lemond paranoid to bits over his food ect ect.

Edit: Unless its in team rivalry

Inquitus

Looks like a day for the GC to win the stage, Katusha and Astana not letting the gap get big.

donfers

Pudsy33 wrote: »

I never thought I'd be cheering on Astana, but here I am...

What have you become?

JK.BMC

donfers wrote: »

Worst he will finish is 12th if he blows up after an attack and so what if you finish 12th instead of 10th, not the end of the world - it's not as if getting into the Top 10 in the TDF is going to propel him into some magical mythical place of super-cyclists.

Being all defensive and hanging on to your Top 10 position is the very definition of a loser if you ask me.....as the great JM said better to burn out than fade away

Didn't know that Johann Museeuw said that; learn something new every day!

68 lost souls

Enjoyed hearing Kirby decribing Froome's "winter face" and comparing him to Dyane The Rock Johnson. Not sure if I see it myself

http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2016/us/riders/team-sky/froome-christopher.html

Moflojo

Anyone see the helicopter crew 'salute' each other just now? :pac:

Pudsy33

donfers wrote: »

What have you become?

I know, the shame! I just want excitement god dammit

CameraBag

These guys really love Greg LeMond...

Do the cyclists appreciate fans pushing them along for a few seconds by the saddle while going up steep climbs, or does it annoy them?

terrydel

dastardly00 wrote: »

The start of the stage up to Collet de Temié isn't categorised..... elevation gain of 540 metres, that's an average gradient of 6.4% for 8.5km :eek:

Easy!

retalivity

Ag2r and astana on the front for the climb...i like this

velo.2010

So where were Astana during the rest of this race?

longshanks

Tom Doumoulin out?

dastardly00

Tom Dumoulin has abandoned. He crashed a short while ago (I haven't seen it) and injured his wrist and elbow. Fingers crossed he will be okay for the ITT in Rio

https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status/756482583140130816

dastardly00

Adam Yates struggling at the moment...

kilns

Yates out the back of the peloton could struggle today and lose alot of places

Eamonnator

longshanks wrote: »

Tom Doumoulin out?

Severe wrist trauma

dastardly00

Yates is still in the peloton, but he's at the very back. Louis Meintjes is also hanging around near the rear, along with one team mate.

pelevin

What I'd like to know is how can dastardly be in Kilkenny & Galway at the same time. Maybe he's the man who can put it up to Froome.