You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Here we go!!!!
Been looking forward to this stage since I saw the route, this'll be good fun.
The Tour de France presents an interesting concept in stage 15. Starting in Lyon, the race runs to the Grand Colombier to tackle the pass in the Jura mountains from three different sides. The route is 175 kilometres long and, obviously, the race finishes atop the Grand Colombier.
Climbing the same mountain several times, it is not very common on the Tour, although not entirely new. The 18th stage of the 2013 Tour of France tackled the climb to Alpe d’Huez twice. On the 13th of September three of the four access roads up the Grand Colombier will be covered. The last ascent goes all the way to the summit.
The shortest route from Lyon to the Col du Grand Colombier is 110 kilometres and the riders don’t waste much time to reach the foot of the climb. Subsequently, they ride up and down the mountain twice to conclude the race with a final haul up.
The first ascent is Montée de la Selle de Fromentel. Amounting to 11.1 kilometres at 8.1%, the climb hold its trump cards up its sleeve until the last three kilometres. Respectively, these go up at 11.5%, 14.5% and 12.5% – on average!
The descent runs onto the next climb. The first kilometres are nothing special, but the Col de la Biche bares its teeth after 3 kilometres. The actual climb is 6.9 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 8.9%. The middle section is toughest with double digit gradients for 2 relentless kilometres.
As said, the last ascent goes all the way to the top of the Grand Colombier. The haul up begins in Culoz and amounts to 17.4 kilometres, in which the riders conquer an elevation gain of 1,244 metres. The average slope is 7.1% with some stretches peaking out to 12%. The last 400 metres are especially interesting as this section rises at 10%.
Thibaut Pinot and Primoz Roglic must be happy men. The Col du Grand Colombier is a climb to their liking. They climbed to victory on these slopes in the Tour de l’Ain of 2019 (Pinot) and 2020 (Roglic).
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds.
Stage 15 of Le Tour starts at 12.25 and the race is expected to finish around 17.25 – both are local times (CEST).
Who can we expect to be in the action today?
Normally it’d be a certain day for the GC contenders to contest the stage win as teams compete with their mountain trains, resulting in an infernal tempo even before the climbing starts. Only if Jumbo-Visma will pace over the climbs, who will try to challenge them? Ineos had a go on the Col de Néronne two days ago and it backfired like a Trabant. UAE Emirates have lost all two strong climbers. So the break might have a chance and it’s worth trying, fail and some still stand to collect points on two first category climbs. They’ll still need to build up a big buffer during the first 100km but it could need team tactics to work, for example if Dan Martin (Israel) fancies the breakaway he needs Nils Politt as workhorse to help tow him clear, David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) needs Stefan Küng and Dani Martinez (EF Pro Cycling) needs Jens Keukeleire and so on.
Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) is the safe pick, he out-climbed Tadej Pogačar to the Pas de Peyrol two days ago and won on the Grand Colombier last in the Tour de l’Ain last month, plus he’s got the strongest team.
Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) is going to be interesting to watch, he seems to be able to do anything he wants but for all his success, watching his career so far still feels like the equivalent of an unboxing video, he’s that fresh and untested. For all his wins on the Jebel Hafeet, Mount Baldy or Los Machucos last year they’re 20-25 minute efforts and he’s got double that today. Maybe he’ll do twice as well but it’ll be interesting to see.
Egan Bernal (Ineos) isn’t done with the Tour de France yet. He was second to Roglič here in the Tour de l’Ain last month so should be close again, the longer he can hold on for this climb the better he’ll get. Mikel Landa (Bahrain-McLaren) is almost two minutes down on the general classification so if he jumps there’s no need to close him down right away, the same for Ritchie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) although the Australian’s a harder pick, this is a longer climb and there’s some tough descending to get through.
And as ever, yesterday.
If Bernal doesn't go for it today, he may as well lose a load of time and switch to stage hunting.
Pinot to win the stage.
Roglic to continue sucking wheels until the last three km, where he'll crack. Not a lot, mind you, but just enough...
Thanks once again Lunge, looking forward to the final climb as its the only one I have done in the Alps. And that was in 1986!
Looking forward to this one!
Thanks Lunge. This looks like it will be a brutal stage. No idea who’ll get it. Would like to see Yates give it a good crack though.
Is this a Warren Barguil stage perhaps? He’s not on GC so should be let go and this kind of stage suits him. I’d love t see Pierre Rolland up there again but I suspect we’ve seen his one big stage of the year.
Any idea what time roughly (UK time) they will hit the climbs? Got a few jobs to do but want to make the main part of the climb.
They should be at the foot of the first cat 1 at 98km travelled around 15.00 French time assuming ave speed of 40kmh. So thats 14.00 uk time isn't it?
another points race start!
seems Whitey has read the riot act!
They should be at the foot of the first cat 1 at 98km travelled around 15.00 French time assuming ave speed of 40kmh. So thats 14.00 uk time isn’t it?
They're about 30km from the first summit now so 20km from the foot of it.
Average speed so far has been about 50kph, it'll obviously drop considerably once the climbing starts!
I'm enjoying the green jersey battle. 🙂
ol' adam yates is going to have to change his riding style once he's moved to odious, no more idling at the back chin wagging with the sprinters. Line astern up front only chat is orders from DS or Brailsford.
Good effort on the timing winston.
Right come on Pogacar, drop Roglic.
Watching WVA smashing Ineos is doubly pleasurable.
Bernal's TdF is basically over now.
Mind you, Yates is benefiting nicely, there's a chance he'll be in about 3rd overall tonight.
Edit: literally as I wrote that, Yates goes off the front!
so what's Sir Dave's plan B? should have taken Chris ??
so what’s Sir Dave’s plan B? should have taken Chris ??
I think he may wish he’d taken G, Froome is off the pace in Terrino as well, G is pushing for GC there.
he's hardly setting Addriattico on fire.
Can Pogacar take him in the TT, this is going to be tight!!
7 minutes lost for Bernal.
it can be a cruel sport.
My hopes now lie on Uran, I’d love to see him do well this year. Pogacar, Uran Porte podium please.
Yates is only 30" off the podium!
That idea of losing time so he can go for stage wins might just be re-written to hang on for as long as possible for a high GC place. He's ridden well, deserves a podium.
The penultimate stage TT has the potential to shake things up a bit though.
WVA rode that like one of the great super Ds of old.
Someone like Hincapie, for example.
WVA’s stint on the front was unreal!
It's amazing watching those guys dishing the pain on the front.
Stating the obvious here but Bernal seems well out of sorts, pedalling squares on the climbs lately. He has to be unwell or something surely? Reminded me a bit of Simon Yates in the Giro.
just caught highlights, the ariel shots of the climb snaking up are just to die for. I'd love to ride up there (as if, I'd love/hate every moment)
There was a very brief shot of Roglic just as Podaca crossed the line which gave a lot away. I think the student has become the master. Roglic might well still win due to the might of JV but I think we are entering the reign of Podaca - that kid is awesome.
As an aside I'm so impressed with Millar and PK as commentators - they call the moves so much more accurately than the pundits.
I agree WVA looked unreal. As does Pog. He reminds me of Ricardo Ricco:(
Its a truth that every time a mercurial talent emerges or a rider masters several disciplines it always raises a red flag. That is the legacy of so many scandals. After the Lance era I vowed to never watch cycling again after so much disappointment but have been lured back after the last few years hoping that things have changed.
Stating the obvious here but Bernal seems well out of sorts, pedalling squares on the climbs lately. He has to be unwell or something surely?
bets on more than 2x positive covids at Ineos tomorrow, plug pulled, face saved
been lured back after the last few years hoping that things have changed
it's worse than ever, but its entertaining as hell
I watched Pog have a great Vuelta last year but he's streets ahead of that form this year. The Slovenian links to Operation Aderlass and a fella called Milan Erzen ring arm bells not just his form. To be fair, he has a lot more verve than Roglic who is similar to G in his racing style.
it’s worse than ever,
What is?