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Morning all, an interesting day ahead for the peleton, as we finally head into the mountains.
Lets see what's in store.
The 13th stage on the Tour de France is a tough test with an elevation gain of 4,400 metres. The riders traverse deep into the mountainous heart of the Massif Central. Amounting to 191 kilometres, the race leads from Châtel-Guyon to a summit finish on Puy Mary.
The riders click into their pedals in Châtel-Guyon. The Tour never before visited the town with 6,000 inhabitants in the Puy-de-Dôme department.
Pilots who like to race on flat roads have to savour the first 5 kilometres, as the rest of the route goes either up or down. The first proper uphill test takes the shape of the Col de Ceyssat, an ascent of 11.8 kilometres at 5.9% with its crest after 35.5 kilometres. The route continues on hilly terrain for the rest of the day. Sometimes the uphills are awarded with a KOM-classification, sometimes not.
The Côte de la Stèle is 7.1 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 5.5%. The summit is crested at kilometre 85 before the race continues in similar fashion – up, down, up, down, up, down -, although the last 15 kilometres are even more challenging.
Firstly, the 3.8 kilometres uphill on the Col de Neronne. The average gradient of 9.1% features quite some double digit stretches. The riders reach the summit – where 8, 5 and 2 bonus seconds are to be gained – and continue onto a plateau of 4 kilometres long before a 2 kilometres drop down to the foot of the final haul up.
The Puy Mary – or, Pas de Peyrol – is a climb of 5.4 kilometres at 8.1% with the last 2.4 kilometres double digit material. The Puy Mary is an extinct volcano of roughly 6.5 millions years old, surrounded by even more extinct volcanoes of the Auvergne region. The finish lies at an elevation of 1,589 metres.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds. Furthermore, as mentioned, the first three riders to reach the summit of the Neronne are awarded 8, 5 and 2 seconds.
Stage 13 of Le Tour starts at 11.50 and the race is expected to finish around 17.00 – both are local times (CEST)
Who's in the mix then?
The Contenders: a similar mix baroudeurs breakaway specialists to yesterday’s picks, minus the names who’d struggle with today’s summit finish. Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) is the regular pick but at one point he tried to get in the breakaway and then sat up, was it the legs not working or his nose for a breakaway telling him the move didn’t smell right? Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) got his eye on this stage but tried hard yesterday and even when it looked like the stage was a lost cause he kept on trying so he might be lower on energy today plus he’s not got three chainring form of last year; team mate Rémi Cavagna is one of two locals today but the final slope is not for him.
We can add a cast of characters for today, think David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Daniel Martinez and Neilson Powless (EF Pro Cycling), Alexey Lutsenko (Astana), Tiesj Benoot and Nicolas Roche (Sunweb), Dan Martin (Israel) and maybe Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic) as he’s playing a support role for Nairo Quintana but could get a day for himself here.
A GC day? There seems to be a lot talk of the GC riders battling today and this is prime “ambush country” but who is going to make a surprise early attack? It is up and down today but often with long sections of straight road, it suits a chasing team. It’d have to be a team with some GC outsiders looking to gain time, those who are down but not out, like Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), Richard Carapaz (Ineos) or Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma), all two to three minutes down overall. Even a late attack is going to be difficult, launch on the Col de Néronne and Jumbo-Visma look likely to reel everyone in. We’re more likely to see the big names save as much energy as possible for the final climb. Still the early breakaway can’t form or doesn’t work well together then Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) is the obvious pick with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) close and the other local today is Romain Bardet (A2gr La Mondiale).
And as ever, yesterday.
A lovely French bridge.
Moody old garage as the peleton passes by.
Old french farm and people in polka dots
The victor, and what a ride it was.
You've got to love Le Tour.
Thanks for doing these every day!
Well i have no idea, but i'm going Pogacar today. I'm hoping it's now time to get a wiggle on though and someone to attack Roglic.
time bonuses at the finish (10,6,4) AND on the preceding Col de Neronne (8,5,2). This should be a corker. I expect Bernal to put down a claim. Ineos need to isolate Roglic by getting rid of TomDum, WvA and Sepp Kuss before the final ramps.
Lovely stuff - cheers, Lunge.
Wow, what a lumpy mess of a stage. Days like this make me miss Contador.
I hope something happens today. I know so far it has been about the sprinters, but it would be nice to see a bit more actual racing. ITV mentioned yesterday that all of Roglic's 21 seconds is time bonuses. Gaining the jersey on time bonuses is pretty lame - although I guess not as lame as losing it because a team assistant can't read a map and figure out 20km.
Please somebody attack - anybody!
A day for Yates to go for the stage? If he attacks the remnants of the peloton on the final climb, I can't see any of the big teams chasing him down for the sake of 10 seconds or so, as he's over a minute back now. Timing his attack will be the key thing..Alternatively, the evergreen Valverde miraculously finds some form to rescue Movistar's tour:)
but it would be nice to see a bit more actual racing.
I refer the honourable member to stage seven - Bora went for it from the off, split the peloton, then the cross winds started and caused more splits. Lots of mayhem and exciting racing. Pogecar lost over a minute and a half meaning he had to attack in the following days to claw back time.
It might end up as one of those stages where J-V just do a Team Sky and sit on the front defensively for the whole thing.
Equally, it's a messy stage, lots of smaller ups and downs rather than say, two massive climbs so there's always the chance that it'll splinter from both front and back and perhaps a lone escapee can seize an opportunity.
It does have the look of a Valverde, Pogacar or Kwitkowski stage. Maybe even Yates but I suspect that both him and Pogacar are too close to the top of GC to be allowed much leeway.
OK I will concede that whitestone - I didn't watch that stage. Will definitely have the tele on today!
It's such a lumpy confused stage that I can't see the CG contenders doing anything other than just watching each other like hawks.
Lot's of opportunities for a sneaky ambush though what with the profile of the road.
I really hope they can't neutralise this one as if they do then I hold little hope of drama on other stages.
It's all a bit managed these days isn't it.
AP and Dan Martin in a break
I predict Pogacar will move up today, also Bardet but not so much
Hugh Carthy in the break!
40" ahead of the actual break. Good work!
AP and Dan Martin in a break
They're both there in the main breakaway. 🙂
Big crash a couple of minutes ago - Bardet's clothers are ripped as he came down hard and seemed quite shaken, but he's riding again. Quinata also involved but hit the ditch rather than the road. Biggest impact is Trek Segafredo, Bauke Mollema went down and has to abandon 🙁
Top chateux chat from Ned and David
This is building up nicely. Ineos seem to have a plan today. I think they're riding to tire the more explosive climbers out before the final. The short, sharp finish suits Roglic more than Bernal.
Yep, the main group is splintering all over the place. Ineos certainly doing the bulk of the disruption. Yates is still up there!
You could see just how on the limit they were in that final stretch!
that was epic! and it looks like its just kciking off below
Well that shows a lot from Roglic and Pogacar.
Quintana, Uran and Bernal, just not quite there...
I can't see it being anyone other than Roglic.
I wonder if Ineos are regretting some decisions here.
That finish was absolutely brutal. I think Roglic could have rode away from Pogacar if he wanted to.
He is looking in pretty imperious form
That was....unreal
That finish was brutal. Awesome stage!
I really like Martinez so dead chuffed he won over 'Ze germans'*
The effort they put in to accelerate 0.5km/hr faster for that finish looked horrible. Felt for Kaemna as he gave it everything there and was a broken looking man at the line
GC is getting interesting, the rest of the parcours isn't necessarily great for Roglic but he doesn't half look strong.
[* No frothing, I've german heritage so actually like both those riders, just not as much as Martinez]
which cyclist is a fellow with the most makeshift wooden buildings?
Edward Jackson?
Ah no, it's Shack Man isn't it?