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Last day before a rest day tomorrow, let’s see what’s in store.
Monday 15 July - At 217.5 kilometres, the 10th stage of the Tour de France is a race between Saint-Flour and Albi. The undulating route favours the sprinters, although attackers will have some wildest dreams of their own while venturing into the volcanic territory of the Aubrac.
The 2013 Tour de France saw its last finish in Albi. 23-Year old Peter Sagan won the bunch sprint ahead of John Degenkolb and Daniele Bennati. That stage came from the south, Montpellier.
Stage 10 in the 2019 Tour de France comes from the north. Saint-Flour will be the departure place. The Aubrac, a volcanic and granitic plateau at an elevation of around 1,200 metres, is an intermediate passage, as are four moderate climbs. The riders tackle the Côte de Mallet (2.2 kilometres at 5%), Côte de Chaudes-Aigues (3 kilometres at 6.6%), Côte d’Espalion (5.2 kilometres at 4.9%) and Côte de la Marlic (3.6 kilometres at 4.7%), while the rest of the route is not exactly flat either. Yet, the undulating terrain is unlikely to obstruct a bunch sprint in Albi.
Time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded to the first three riders on the line.
Fairly tame profile.
But a wee kick at the end.
Usual contenders then? INRNG, what you saying?
The Contenders: a bunch sprint is the most likely scenario but the lumpy roads won’t make this a formality, especially if some bigger engines go in the early move, think of riders like Niki Terpstra (Total Direct Energie), Nils Politt (Katusha-Alpecin) and maybe Rohan Dennis (Bahrain-Merida) but he might be trying to economise every pedal stroke before the Pau time trial stage. It’s probably a bunch sprint because it’s today and Wednesday for sprints this week.
Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) won the last time the Tour visited Albi in 2013 but the stage and the finish were different. Still today’s uphill finish suits him but our trio of Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal), Elia Viviani (Deceuninck-Quickstep) and Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma) should be fine too, it’s just that Sagan can probably give them a direct challenge today. Who to chose among the three, it’s a tough call as there’s no pecking order among them yet, perhaps the uphill finish tilts to Ewan? Alexander Kristoff (UAE Emirates should be close).
Lilian Calmejane (Total Direct Energie) is the local rider for today and tomorrow but he’s not in great shape and short of the form he showed last year and in 2017 when he won the stage to Les Rousses ahead of Robert Gesink.
And as ever, yesterday.
EBH
I believe that today's finish line is in the marmalade forest, between the make believe trees.
Interesting stage, after the last 3 days of relative excitement I think this will be one for an unknown or keen Dommi on a break.
Terpstra has the legs, it’s not Belgium granted but similar in profile to a classic.. So too Calamjane, but for me it’s my choice from the other day..
Politt, Wurtz or Stuyven, possibly Naesen or Cort, Mohoric or Schachmann (if Sagan let’s him go) Schar, maybe Cummings (mayyybeee) Or Kangert, Arndt Or a real long shot Kelderman, de Kort/Mollema..
Anyway, someone from a Northern European racing background.
Sprint is obvs a possibility, but I reckon today’s one for the Rouleur’s amongst the peloton.
Tiny break full of doomed no hopers today, GC easy day, fun for the sprinters at the end. Sagan
After the peleton had a bit of a day off yesterday, having seen the break succeed, I predict a long drawn out process of attack and counter attack before a break forms. GVA or Cummings from the break to wind. Hopefully. So many stages in the Giro and Tour have seen the break succeed this year. Maybe the effect of having one less domestique for the sprinters and big GC teams?
Sagan was in the groupetto yesterday.
So unless he was ill I reckon he was saving himself for today.
Thought this would be a dull stage!
Blown to pieces!
Movistar managing to mess up the tactics of having too many leaders...
#crossisboss 🙂
All went nuts. I was expecting Pinot to have a bad day, but thought it would be on a mountain stage
Well that's taken the top ten on GC and roughed it up a bit!
They all look knackered 🥴🤯🤷♂️
Rode the stage yesterday with the ladies of https://www.donnonsdeselles.net/donnons-des-elles-au-velo-j-1
Today I skipped out of the office for some air accross the field to have a drink with the big bosses and watch the riders come past. Not the best spot on the route but good for a monday back in the office 😉