Tour de France 2020 | Stage 16 (La Tour-du-Pin - Villard-de-Lans, 164 km)

Inquitus

After the rest day, the Alpine triptych kicks off with what is theoretically its easiest stage. The breakaway riders will be looking forward to it, especially given the green jersey battle has limited their opportunities.

Map



Profile



Timetable

Start: 13:05

Côte de Virieu: 13:38/13:39/13:41

Intermediate sprint: 14:23/14:26/14:30

Col de Porte: 15:01/15:06/15:13

Côte de Revel: 15:41/15:49/15:58

Montée de Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte: 16:54/17:07/17:21

Finish at Côte 2000: 17:23/17:36/17:52

Climbs

After a rolling opening third with the Côte de Virieu preceding the intermediate sprint, the riders head up the easier side of Col de Porte. The ASO haven't bothered to categorise the first half of the climb, which explains why it's only a cat. 2.



The route heads along the eastern edge of Grenoble to the little-known Côte de Revel, another cat. 2 climb.



Another passage along the edge of Grenoble brings the riders to the uncategorised Col de Cossey (2.8k at 6.1%), almost immediately followed by the last big climb of the day, the Montée de Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte. I had a hard time finding a profile of the exact side they're using, it should be the profile below between kilometer 3.1 and kilometer 15.3.



There's 18 kilometers from here until the final climb starts, most of them on a downhill false flat. The short climb to Côte 2000 amounts to the profile below minus the final 1.6k, it's not hard enough for much in the way of gaps.



General classification after Stage 15

Primoz Roglic
Tadej Pogacar + 0.40
Rigoberto Uran + 1.34
Miguel Ángel López + 1.45
Adam Yates + 2.03
Richie Porte + 2.13
Mikel Landa + 2.16
Enric Mas + 3.15
Nairo Quintana + 5.08
Tom Dumoulin + 5.12

Points classification after Stage 15

Sam Bennett 269
Peter Sagan 224
Matteo Trentin 189
Bryan Coquard 166
Caleb Ewan 158

Mountains classification after Stage 15

Benoît Cosnefroy 36
Tadej Pogacar 34
Primoz Roglic 33
Marc Hirschi 31
Nans Peters 31

Young riders classification after Stage 15

Tadej Pogacar
Enric Mas + 2.35
Egan Bernal + 7.45
Valentin Madouas + 1.19.37
Daniel Felipe Martinez + 1.33.09

Inquitus

I am not a fan of the last 20km on the relative flat, it discourages attacks and if the Jumbo Train is still intact any GC Rival is wasting their time.

CantGetNoSleep

What time are the covid test results out?

Inquitus

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

What time are the covid test results out?

This morning pre start

Tim76

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

What time are the covid test results out?

10 bells last time around.

donfers

Will Bora rocket up the first category 4 climb to try to drop Sam in advance of the first intermediate sprint?

Tim76

donfers wrote: »

Will Bora rocket up the first category 4 climb to try to drop Sam in advance of the first intermediate sprint?

I'd be surprised if they didn't

Inquitus

Tim76 wrote: »

I'd be surprised if they didn't

If DQS are prepared I think Sam can make it over that, 2.3KM @ 7.8%, at least I hope so!

happytramp

Inquitus wrote: »

If DQS are prepared I think Sam can make it over that, 2.3KM @ 7.8%, at least I hope so!

Best case scenario - Bora can't drop him or get away and he beats Sagan in the sprint.

Worst case - He drops, can't make it back on and loses 20 points.

Most likely scenario - He starts the climb at the front of the group.Hangs on for as long as possible then starts dropping back through the peloton. Hopefully he'll still be at the back of the bunch by the time they crest. Even if Sagan goes off the front with a couple of team mates Sam will be next over at the front of the peloton and likely only lose a few points on him.

Macy0161

happytramp wrote: »

Most likely scenario - He starts the climb at the front of the group.

He needs to be 100% focused from the start, after somewhat dropping the ball on one of the stages last week.

Boscoirl

Can see a large break today, Sunweb will probably try put all their riders in it.

Dodge

Was off work last week and the start of each stage was incredible to watch. Each attempt to break away and then Bora doing their thing. I really think the green jersey battle has helped the racing.

Fully expect the same today. Bora to try and shell Sam and other teams looking to get away

greenspurs

I think Alaphillipe will win this one...

Look after Sam till the sprint then look after the stage win.

dave_o_brien

There's 30k odd between the Cat 4 and the sprint. Sam and DQS should play smart and be prepared for a good chase after possibly getting gapped on the Cat 4 to get back on, but it's a short climb. It's going to be seconds of a gap of seconds, not minutes, so should be manageable.

I'd also have Alaphillipe glued to Sagan's wheel. Phone Roche too, get some of the Sunweb boys to help out.

Mefistofelino

From Cyclingnews:
"It's a Gerard Butler of Tour de France stages, except it's probably got more depth to it when it comes to possible performance"

CrowdedHouse

dave_o_brien wrote: »

I'd also have Alaphillipe glued to Sagan's wheel. Phone Roche too, get some of the Sunweb boys to help out.

Alaphilippe rides for Alaphilippe

Dodge

This stage is made for Dan Martin. If he’s feeling ok I’d expect him to be involved in a break

EDIT: cue the TV to show him hanging around at the rear of the peloton

Sam sat on Sagan there :pac:

dastardly00

I don't think Sagan is in the main breakaway group or the chase group?

py

dastardly00 wrote: »

I don't think Sagan is in the main breakaway group or the chase group?

Doesn't look like it according to the official text feed.

dastardly00

Yeah Sagan is in the yellow jersey group along with Sam. But there are a rake of Bora lads in the breakaway though

py

Looks like it's all back together now. DQS and Sam need to get it together, they got away with that one.

topnotch

Go Nico. 👍

EC1000

py wrote: »

Looks like it's all back together now. DQS and Sam need to get it together, they got away with that one.

If a huge break goes up the road, that is good news for Sam.

Dodge

py wrote: »

Looks like it's all back together now. DQS and Sam need to get it together, they got away with that one.

Bennett played it perfectly. Just sat on Sagan. Doesn’t need to do more.

De Bhál

Sean Kelly's loving this, can hear it in his voice.

py

EC1000 wrote: »

If a huge break goes up the road, that is good news for Sam.

Agree, just need to make sure Sagan is not in it...

Dodge wrote: »

Bennett played it perfectly. Just sat on Sagan. Doesn’t need to do more.

Great... live text is providing minimal context right now.

lawrencesummers

Hes doing a man marking job on Sagan that Pádraic Maher would be proud of.

De Bhál

De Bhál wrote: »

Sean Kelly's loving this, can hear it in his voice.

He kind of touched on the other day that he gets more motivated on the big days in the grand tours.

neris

Full gas stuff

Dodge

On my lunch at home so watching it here. Sagan tried a few times but Sam always behind him

Group of about 15 ahead now (inc Roche)