Tour de France Stage 19 – Lourdes > Laruns – Page 2 – Bike Forum

lunge · 2018-07-27T08:24:09Z

Morning morning, everyone well? So, today's the day then, will G crack? Will Froome or Dumoulin attack? Let's have a look what's in store. Route: a start in Lourdes, the town you visit once to prove that you won’t return again. To explain, Lourdes thrives from religious pilgrimages but it’s not the sacred that’s off-putting, it’s the profane as shops compete to sell a gaudy mix of Christian memorabilia – how about an 80cm tall plastic Jesus with a lamp inside? – and this removes some of the charm of an otherwise well-located place next to the Pyrenees. It’s 30km to Bagnères-de-Bigorre and all on lumpy roads including the climb at Loucrup and then onto the first mountain pass of the day. The Col d’Aspin is climbed via the harder side and 12km at 6.5% but with solid sections of 8% on the upper two thirds before easing a the top. A quick descent and it’s straight onto the Tourmalet, 17km at 7.3% and one of the most famous climbs of the Tour and once past the introductory 5km the slope is often 9-10% to the top but all on a large road. The descent comes in two parts, first the drop down the mountain pass to Luz, then the valley section downhill to Argelès-Gazost. New for 2018 is the Col des Bordères, a back road and harder than the roadbook says. It climbs straight out of Argelès-Gazost with a 7.5% slope for the best part of three kilometres and then a short descent to the start of the profile above, it’s an irregular climb of 8km to the top and all on a narrow rural road. Then a quick descent on a narrow road lined by drystone walls to Arrens. The Col du Soulor is next, a major climb in its own right but here it’s part of the Col d’Aubisque. Still it’s 7.5km at 8.1% and then the balcony road over the Col d’Aubisque whose last three kilometres are 7%. The Finish: it’s a long, fast descent down the Aubisque, 20km and including several fast, technical sections. The road had been washed away by floods in June but has been rebuilt just in time for today’s stage. The descent ends with three kilometres to go. There’s a right hand bend after the flamme rouge which is wide and then it’s over a bridge before a left hand bend with 500m to go which is much tighter and clear run to the finish. And the passes All very up and down then. So who's in the mix? The Contenders: a good day for a breakaway, expect plenty of action early on as a third of the peloton knows this is there last chance for a stage win. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step) has almost secured the mountains jersey. He’s had two mountain stage wins so far but note they’ve been on shorter climbs, today could be out of reach. Still as we know if he’s dropped on the Aubisque he can always come back on the descent. Polka-dot rival Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic) is not chasing the jersey any more, it’s all about the stage win and he’s been sitting up to save himself for today but if he has a chance so do several others, there’s a crowded field with Rafał Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe), Mikel Nieve and Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott). Thomas de Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) has tried but not looked convincing, he could barge away but there are so many other climbers. Like Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), the Izaguirre brothers and Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida). Among the GC contenders Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto-Jumbo) managed a big raid in the Alps, he could try for the same this time and the final climbs make for a less linear effort to real him in. Primož Roglič can try to shake the tree as well but he can’t go for such a long raid and his sprint isn’t so good so maybe the stage win isn’t so easy? Nairo Quintana (Movistar) crashed yesterday but as we saw two days ago he comes into form for the third week of the Tour and high altitude suits him too. Does he save it late for the Bordères-Soulor-Aubisque or do Movistar go big and try a move on the Tourmalet? Probably not, Alejandro Valverde can go for a swansong and the descent and flat finish is ideal for him. Romain Bardet‘s entourage said he had a crise d’hypoglycémie on the Col du Portet, he bonked in plain English. If so then it was a nutritional hiccup but if you crack like this you tend to implode and lose a lot of time, he limited his losses. If you crack like this you can often rebound soon after so if he did then he’s in with a good chance today and has room to go clear now. Will Chris Froome (Team Sky) go wild and launch a long range move like the Giro? The course suits but it’s not a regular thing, but maybe he’s more suited to a long grind today even if he cracked in the intense stage two days ago.More realistically team mate Geraint Thomas has a good chance, to mark his rivals and then use his jump in the flat finish. Lastly Dan Martin (UAE-Emirates) is a good choice, able to jump away on the climbs and not a direct threat on GC. If Quintana out-climbed him he packs a decent sprint from a small group. And as ever, a look back at what was a pretty nondescript day yesterday. The break. Go, looking good in yellow. The winn...

djglover

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Zakarin surprised he's still upright

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:35 pm

slowpuncheur

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I fear for Zakarin's health watching this. Get on the drops man!

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:35 pm

djglover

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I don't think he can reach them

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:35 pm

brakes

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Zakarin aka Bambi

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:39 pm

theotherjonv

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got it on radio and text, and I've got no nails left. Rubber side down!! Please!

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:42 pm

igm

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Froome’s losing his podium.

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:46 pm

igm

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G gets another 6” bonus

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:48 pm

brakes

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sets up a blinding time trial stage tomorrow for the podium.

does Roglic have a nickname? didn't he used to be a ski jumper?

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:48 pm

Twodogs

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didn’t he used to be a ski jumper?

Yep

Posted : 27/07/2018 4:49 pm

igm

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For what it’s worth, Giro 2017 stage 10

The Dutch national champion used his huge power to set a time of 50:37 for the 39.8km course, enough to beat Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) by 49 seconds, with Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) third, seven seconds slower.

Posted : 27/07/2018 5:03 pm

bikebouy

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That was a good ending in retrospect.

Didn’t think there would be much movement on GC and Ala for the win.. but Ala has just crossed the line well down, but he’s got the mountain jersey which is great.

Have yet to see Sags come through, he looked knackered earlier...

Posted : 27/07/2018 5:07 pm

slowpuncheur

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Tomorrow is only 31km and a bit lumpier. Thomas had also crashed on the Blockhaus the stage before. All things being equal Thomas might lose 30 seconds or so I think. Also this is Stage 21 not 10 so fatigue is a massive factor to consider. Fingers crossed.

Posted : 27/07/2018 5:08 pm

igm

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Agreed. But it was the best comparison I could find quickly.

The Worlds gives a different interesting comparison.
Gold Tom Dumoulin

Silver Primož Roglič

Bronze Chris Froome

Posted : 27/07/2018 5:15 pm

slowpuncheur

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I appreciate that. G'll be fine.

Posted : 27/07/2018 5:20 pm

taxi25

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3 weeks takes a lot out of the legs. GT is still looking pretty fresh, I'm going to have a cheeky fiver on him winning the TT tomorrow 👍

Posted : 27/07/2018 5:48 pm

TiRed

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Great stage and impressive power from Roglic. But when did motor pacing become a thing? Bernal rode the ride of his life today. Absolutely remarkable young man.

i also think G will win the TT tomorrow and Roglic will make up time on TD. But sadly Froome will not make it back onto the podium. The overall will be:

Thomas, Roglic, Dumoulin.

TD is looking tired too and did almost nothing today bar the token accelerations which were easily marked. He will be hanging on tomorrow, whilst Thomas the wheelsuckwr nails it with his third stage win.

Posted : 27/07/2018 6:35 pm

anagallis_arvensis

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Froome’s losing his podium.

Given he has lost the title, I doubt he gives two shits.

Posted : 27/07/2018 6:39 pm

bikebouy

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I’m really pleased Sags made it, from the initial camera shots he looked dead beat and I really didn’t think he’d make it. He was pouring biddons of water over himself, looked like he had some sort of fever 🤒

But he did crack a smile on the podium, which lets face it is who Sags is isn’t he. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone quite like him, yes we had “shut up legs” be Jens wasn’t quite the charmer Sags is, Cippo was a man pimp, Boonan a credit card full of legs, Contador a pistola taking the pistola, and good old Mr Reliable the Fabulous Candelabra...

But Sags?

That guy is something else.

So glad he’s entered the peloton in my lifetime...

————

And onto Geraint.. will he win the tour then? He certainly made the rest of the peloton look like they were simply following in his wake, he has the skill, the road craft, the determination and quality to be a Grand Tour winner...

I will be honest, I really didn’t think he had it in him... I really thought he was a Giro/Vuelta/Dauph kinda guy, but not a TdF winner.

I sincerely hope he keeps his margin tomorrow, not bothered who wins an ITT because to me the stage is worthless, but I will have my fingers crossed for him.

Posted : 27/07/2018 9:12 pm

salad_dodger

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Really been impressed by Bernal during the tour. Think he's a winner in a year or two.

Hope Geraint Thomas does the business tomorrow.

Posted : 27/07/2018 9:29 pm

mt

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@bikebouy. Though I share your sentiment on Thomas the Bike, brilliant bike rider but without that bit extra to win a three week tour. I'd point out that both the Giro and the Vuelta are regarded as tougher than the TdF (see Dumoulin's comments). In both these races the climbing stages are tougher and there are more of them, what I suspect makes the TdF seem harder is the relentless publicity and expectation.

Edit, nearly forgot. I hope Thomas wins so much!

Posted : 28/07/2018 8:13 am

bikebouy

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They are tougher, but more relaxed racing.. certainly the vuelta.

Posted : 28/07/2018 8:45 am

anagallis_arvensis

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The routes of the Giro and Vuelta are tougher but the competition is greater at Le Tour.

Posted : 28/07/2018 9:15 am

[Closed] Tour de France Stage 19 - Lourdes > Laruns

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