Tour de France 2024

[Vetplant]

3 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Looks like it could be a MVDP type stage

I'm going to differ from you. (Not saying you are wrong though  )

Cat2->Cat1->Cat2 does not seem to be great for Van der Poel. He traditionally likes punchy climbs, but not Brutal Mountains.

I feel Pidcock (28th on Gc,17mins down) is in with a shout here. In that same breath, maybe Meintjies(29th, 18mins down) lost time on purpose to go for a stage win. Carapaz(30th), also a solid option.

I would love a WvA breakaway, like the Mount Ventoux(x2) stage, but he has duties to protect Jonas.

OR, Pogi wants it all for himself and it will be a GC battle for the Stage.

Pretty sure it won't be boring either way.

[lechatnoir]

13 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Looks like it could be a MVDP type stage

now THAT would be something I can enjoy!

But as has been said, those hills may be a bridge too far for him. But... perhaps he'll get into the break, and hope he can last far enough before getting caught, then hope (again) he can keep up and then pip the rest to the line.

For this and all the other reasons, today's stage looks to be a fun one to watch...

 

[NickGM]

11 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Is that not the section between the Cat2 Neronne summit and the base of the Cat1 Peyrol climb?

Neronne is steep, 9.1%

If I were planning this for UAE it would be to explode up Neronne to try to isolate Vingo, then further thin the group up Peyrol and attack HARD on the descent into Saint Julien

But I'm hella John Snow about these thing

Hahahaha, took me a moment.

But ya.. officially two separate climbs. But you get what I mean: there's a flat bit sort-of halfway between the bottom and the top.

[Bub Marley]

2 hours ago, 'Dale said:

Let’s call today’s stage “The Leg Sapper” - 211 kms of narrow twist roads covering 4,300 m of vert. It’s a day designed for ambitious breakaway artists like Ben Healy or Tom Pidcock.

There is likely to be GC action over the last hour as the terrain is more suited to Pogačar and Evenepoel than the 57 kg pure climber in Vingegaard. The Dane will need all his lieutenants around him to close any gaps.

 Aleksandr Vlasov took this pic of his bike after crashing into a ditch on Sunday and, unfortunately, had to withdraw from the race because of a broken ankle. This is unfortunate news for Red Bull - Bora Hansgrohe and Roglič as Vlasov is an important domestique for the mountainous week 3.

I thought I saw Vlasov immediately get back on the same bike after falling into the ditch?

[NickGM]

1 minute ago, Bub Marley said:

I thought I saw Vlasov immediately get back on the same bike after falling into the ditch?

Broken bike, broken ankle. No problems. Russians are tough man.

They don't call him the cyborg from vyborg for nothing.

[Jewbacca]

4 minutes ago, NickGM said:

Hahahaha, took me a moment.

But ya.. officially two separate climbs. But you get what I mean: there's a flat bit sort-of halfway between the bottom and the top.

Yeah.. It's about 5 to 6km of flat and descent

If the legs are good it's a good section to stay 10 to 20 seconds ahead of the guys who's legs you just ripped off

Either way, I'm hoping there is a breakaway winner and a GC battle

[lechatnoir]

15 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Yeah.. It's about 5 to 6km of flat and descent

If the legs are good it's a good section to stay 10 to 20 seconds ahead of the guys who's legs you just ripped off

Either way, I'm hoping there is a breakaway winner and a GC battle

You know you're just being greedy now?! 😂

[Vetplant]

Tim Declercq withdraws

Lidl – Trek update: “Unfortunately Tim Declercq will not start Tour de France Stage 11 due to illness. Tim has been feeling unwell for a couple of days and after yesterday’s stage it was decided that it was in his best interests to go home to recover.”
After the departure of Declercq and teammate Mads Pedersen the Lidl – Trek team are now down to six riders here at the Tour.

[Headshot]

2 hours ago, peepeekaitjie said:

we get it, you watched the netflix documentary 

Yeah, swallowed it hook line and sinker.

[DieselnDust]

53 minutes ago, Vetplant said:

I'm going to differ from you. (Not saying you are wrong though  )

Cat2->Cat1->Cat2 does not seem to be great for Van der Poel. He traditionally likes punchy climbs, but not Brutal Mountains.

I feel Pidcock (28th on Gc,17mins down) is in with a shout here. In that same breath, maybe Meintjies(29th, 18mins down) lost time on purpose to go for a stage win. Carapaz(30th), also a solid option.

I would love a WvA breakaway, like the Mount Ventoux(x2) stage, but he has duties to protect Jonas.

OR, Pogi wants it all for himself and it will be a GC battle for the Stage.

Pretty sure it won't be boring either way.

I don't see the climbs today to be long enough or steep enough to phase MVDP. The steepest climb is Col de Neronne for 3.8km @9.1% followed by Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol for 5.4km @8.1%. These are not 10km climbs at those gradients which where MVDP usually comes unstuck.

 

I see a break away going containing MVDP , Pidcock, Mohoric, maybe Girmay and group of all rounders. VLB may send WvA in that break to help Jonas should UAE light it up. I just don't see Wout being anywhere near previous years form.

[peepeekaitjie]

4 minutes ago, Headshot said:

Yeah, swallowed it hook line and sinker.

enjoy your circlejerk of one

[Headshot]

Just now, peepeekaitjie said:

enjoy your circlejerk of one

You can join if you want Peepee. Always room for one more jerk.

[Vetplant]

8 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

I don't see the climbs today to be long enough or steep enough to phase MVDP. The steepest climb is Col de Neronne for 3.8km @9.1% followed by Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol for 5.4km @8.1%. These are not 10km climbs at those gradients which where MVDP usually comes unstuck.

 

I see a break away going containing MVDP , Pidcock, Mohoric, maybe Girmay and group of all rounders. VLB may send WvA in that break to help Jonas should UAE light it up. I just don't see Wout being anywhere near previous years form.

Agree. His 2021 form was astronomical. Winning Mont Ventoux, an ITT and the Sprint in Paris. Maybe next year...

[Mountain Bru]

3 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

I don't see the climbs today to be long enough or steep enough to phase MVDP. The steepest climb is Col de Neronne for 3.8km @9.1% followed by Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol for 5.4km @8.1%. These are not 10km climbs at those gradients which where MVDP usually comes unstuck.

Depends on who else is in the break I think. You're right, the climbs aren't horrific, but they're stacked close together and short and punchy.  A rider that's 10kg lighter should be able to cause problems for MVDP (like Healy or Pidcock). His other big problem is that if he's climbing well, no one will be willing to ride to the line with him cos they know he'll smoke them in a sprint. So he'll have to shut down attack after attack on anything that looks like an uphill for 50km. 

[Mountain Bru]

Break formation should be cracking today. 80km flat with an intermediate sprint at the end for the break to form, them some lumps, followed by 60km of climbing. Everyone with a reasonable non-GC climber will be trying to get into it with a rouleur that can smash the flat to build a big enough gap for the break to stay away. All of this while UAE tries to control the chaos - I don't think Visma or Quickstep will help seen as the stage suits Pogi and they don't want him winning bonus seconds. 

And then there's the likes of Gee, Bernal, Ciccone, Buitrago, Bilbao and Gall that are all top 10 candidates that are currently on 4 to 6 minutes that will 100% try to make the break, but aren't far enough down to be given too much leash from UAE, but might also entice Bora or Ineos to chase. 

It can only be good, popcorn ready 😀

[J Wakefield]

23 hours ago, The Ouzo said:

My bet is that he is biting his tounge (or typing hands), he probably wants to correct everyone but the risk of revealing info that should not be revealed is to great.

 

I'd love an indepth view of the behind the scenes stuff. Training, nutrition, performance matrixes. I'll probably not understand half of it, but for the stuff I do understand it would be very interesting.

Alot of truth in this post.....😀

BUT, it's good that everyone is talking and interested, I enjoy that side of the banter and predictions or insights. 

Nutritional application is a science, its per rider, per day, per stage, per W/kg and duration, per daily environmental factors like heat, rain, what your job is in the team and until when per stage. Are they taking bicarb and is there a weight gain, is the GC rider heavier even by 2kg over the next? if so, this is taken into account..
Many many factors come into play. 

Edited July 10 by J Wakefield