2015 Tour de France

[Andrew Steer]

#TDF2015 After 85km Morabito, Pauwels, Majka, Voeckler and Buchmann have 48" on Demare and Simon and 2'40" on the peloton

 

They get enough of a gap, Pauwels might just be able to hold on... he's looked pretty solid on the climbs   

 

Just so long as Voeckler doesn't win 

[Plentipotential]

 Quintana is a brilliant climber but not much for downhill speed.

 

Yesterday showed he was not one for uphill speed either.

 

Sorry, could not resist.

[Gen]

When coverage eventually starts and sky are not on the front of the peloton I am going to be upset with all the teams on the front

['Dale]

A group of 15 riders have gone off the front after that fourth category climb including Frenchmen Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot. Both were favourites going into the race after their performances last year but they've struggled to follow it up. Can they salvage something today?

['Dale]

Bardet is currently over 13 minutes down in the overall classification with Pinot a further five back. They are fighting for their place in the top 10.

['Dale]

The 15 leaders have a small 12-second gap as we go down this descent. A further seven riders have jumped off the front and are chasing them down.

[hboli4]

The two chasers have now caught up with the original 5 and have 03.19 on the peloton.

['Dale]

The seven rides have joined up with the leaders to make it a group of 22 out front. Team Sky are making the chase at the moment and the gap remains a tiny 12 seconds. Next for the riders is the 2.7km Côte de Mauvezin.

[Rocket-Boy]

Nah I don't think this break will last at all. What awaits them is Col du Tourmalet (2 115 m) Souvenir Jacques Goddet

Km 147

Hors Catégorie Climb - 17.1 Km / 7.3%

 

That's when the real race is on and then the hectic descents downwards. Quintana is a brilliant climber but not much for downhill speed.

If Voekler gets over that hill then the stage is his, it wouldnt be the first time he has done it either.

He is seriously quick going downhill.

[isn]

Yesterday showed he was not one for uphill speed either.

 

Sorry, could not resist.

Lol true but each stage race I rather measure them on their average performance as a climber or a sprinter.

 

The ave speed now is almost 45 km/h which shows the terrain is currently for the fast chaps. Won't belong when the 3'15" gap will be closed up and then I suspect the real break to emerge. Can be wrong.

['Dale]

 

Team Sky obviously decided that the group was much too strong for their liking and it's all back together again.

['Dale]

 

We've had plenty of action in the last few kilometres. Currently we have a group of 11 riders off the front including Stage 8 winner Alexis Vuillermoz (AG2R-La Mondiale) and his teammate Mikaël Chérel, Laurens ten Dam (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Jacques Janse van Rensburg (MTN-Qhubeka), Steve Morabito (FDJ) and Daniel Teklehaimanot (MTN-Qhubeka).

['Dale]

Teklahaimanot has taken the points at the top of the côte de Mauvezin. He won't be able to take back the polka-dot jersey but he could move himself a lot closer to the top of the standings.

['Dale]

 

Well it's all change again and that group has been caught. We now have three different riders out front including two former king of the mountains winners with Thomas Voeckler (Eruopcar) and Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo). Serge Pauwels of MTN-Qhubeka is with them. He's the fourth different rider to go on the attack for them today. They seem determined.

13:51:03 CEST

['Dale]

The three leaders have been joined by two more with Steve Morabito (FDJ) and German champion Emanuel Buchmann (Bora). They have 40 seconds on the bunch with Arnaud Démare and Julien Simon trying to bridge the gap.

[hboli4]

Dale aren't you a bit behind the race?