You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So here we are again, time to get back to things.
Cyclestages first for the overview of the stage.
Wednesday 17 July - Following the first rest day, the Tour de France continues with stage 11 from Albi to Toulouse. The 167 kilometres route meanders through the south of France against the backdrop of the Pyrenees. The roads are gently rolling though, so a bunch sprint is the most likely outcome.
Lilian Calmejane is born in Albi. Possibly this inspires the French attacker to try his luck in the last stage before the Pyrenees.
Yet, chances are arrival place Toulouse will roll out the red carpet for the fast men in the peloton. As was the case in 2008. Following a rain-soaked race, the sprint teams finished off the escape at 3.5 kilometres out before Mark Cavendish sprinted to his second-ever stage win on the Tour de France.
The finish is near the Capitole de Toulouse in the city centre. As the route features only two moderate climbs in the first half of the course, the enormous building is likely to see a sprint finish at its doorsteps.
Time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds are awarded to the first three riders on the line.
The profile?
Last KM?
And who's in the mix? Inrng has got you covered.
The Contenders: our trio again of Elia Viviani (Deceuninck-Quickstep), Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma) and Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) but there’s still no obvious pecking order. The climb into Toulouse is disruptive and tilts it to Viviani and Ewan but this is tilting, not converting. As ever Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Alexander Kristoff (UAE Emirates should be close.
And we'll finish with a few pics from stage 10.
Wind.
Ineos go to the front, as an aside, there is no better road captain than Luke Rowe in the world tour right now.
And the victor.
General Classification after Stage 10
1 ALAPHILIPPE, Julian (DQT) 43:27:15
2 THOMAS, Geraint (INS) + 1:12
3 BERNAL GOMEZ, Egan Arley (INS) + 1:16
4 KRUIJSWIJK, Steven (TJV) + 1:27
5 BUCHMANN, Emanuel (BOH) + 1:45
6 MAS NICOLAU, Enric (DQT) + 1:46
7 YATES, Adam (MTS) + 1:47
8 QUINTANA, Nairo (MOV) + 2:04
9 MARTIN, Daniel (UAD) + 2:09
10 CICCONE, Giulio (TFS) + 2:32
11 PINOT, Thibaut (GFC) + 2:33
12 KONRAD, Patrick (BOH) + 2:46
13 URAN, Rigoberto (EF1) + 3:18
14 VALVERDE, Alejandro (MOV)
15 BARDET, Romain (ALM) + 3:20
16 FUGLSANG, Jakob (AST) + 3:22
17 BARGUIL, Warren (PCB) + 3:26
18 KREUZIGER, Roman (TDD) + 3:28
19 MEURISSE, Xandro (WGG) + 3:42
20 PORTE, Richie (TFS) + 3:59
Can't see much changing today then really.
I'm going for a break away to stick from 35km out, someone like a Van Avermat type or a DQS rider or two... with 4 of them over the line 32s ahead of the main bunch , led in by Sagan.
Bunch sprint. Ewan to win from Viviani
Bunch sprint, Groenewegen to take it for me. Can't see a break staying away on a day like this unless the wind blows.
I’ll go with a break, quite a large one with 15 riders in it.
Calmajane FTW who, along with GvA breaks from the main peloton with 50k to go and they catch the main break, wheel suck until 300mtrs to go then play tag all the way to the line.
No GC changes, no heroics from Sagan.
We haven’t really seen Arkea do anything yet, so for a long shot across the sunflowers, Barguil, Bouet Delaplace, Gesbert, Moinard or Vachon from the break.. or Simon from Cofidis...
🤷♂️
Either way, it’ll be the last real time for an effective break before their legs fall off.
Come on Ewan - its your turn.
Looking forward to Adam Yates getting closer to a podium finish in the next few days.
Still Geraint for the win though. x
Thanks for this lunge, keep it coming. I have no idea who'll win today but as a bit of a Sagan fan it would great to what today's winning pose while crossing the line would be.
if the cross winds blow it will be chaos, if not bunch sprint , Viviani looked so pissed off to be passed by cyclocross guy I think he will be pumped up for today.
Weather forecast suggests wind wont be a factor... but Inrng says its a local wind so maybe not so well forecasted. After Monday you'ld hope teams would be particularly vigilant to cross winds anyway.
No chance of the breakaway sticking. This has bunch sprint all over it.
Viviani for the win today I reckon.
4 in the break, guess who ? And two from Cofidis and Calmejane..
Too small to make a difference, doubt it’s going to get past 3mins..
A sprint then 🥴
Anything interesting happening yet?
Different De Gendt in the break today. Anyone know if he's related?
@NBT called it right. Well he got the winner anyway, even if the winner got it from Groenewegen, not Viviani.
Viviani was 3rd by half a wheel but the gap between Ewan and Groenewegen was about 10cm, and that after Ewan lost his lead out man man and cag0me to a complete halt himself with just a few km to go
at least he was feeling confident
Did anybody see the sprinter who hit a spectators mobile phone? It obviously ruined his sprint and he was banging his handlebars in frustration................
I saw the photographers up to their necks in that sunflower field and wondered what on earth they were doing there! Nice shot!