Professional Cycling - TdF Stage 13 - Friday July 17 - 200 km - Vittel → Colmar

this stage gets my vote as the one most likely to screw things up for the contenders at this point. i can
see someone getting away a la rasmussen, landis, pereiro, pantani, chiappucci or virenque and vaulting
up into the overall classification. having the radio ban on this mountain stage only sweetens that possibility. jens voigt for the win??

I read somewhere that this stage is going to be radio free. If that is the case, this is going to be a very exciting stage to watch.

I read somewhere that this stage is going to be radio free. If that is the case, this is going to be a very exciting stage to watch.

The no radios on a mild mountain stage could be an ideal time for Evans, Sastre, and Sanchez to make time with attacks/breakaways.

The no radios on a mild mountain stage could be an ideal time for Evans, Sastre, and Sanchez to make time with attacks/breakaways.


How in the world is the pack gonna let any of those guys get away from the front? Astana has everyone of those guys marked. Radio or not, the only way they are gaining time is if they crack top contenders....which i dont really see happening here.

I think it's more likely we see E. Martinez and Pelizotti take some shots at KOM points.

How in the world is the pack gonna let any of those guys get away from the front?

By calling in the power of greyskull and being relentless on the climb. Will it happen? Probably not, but I hope so!

None of the GC contenders will be allowed to gain any time on the peloton; they will be chased down. They don't need race radios to figure that out.

This is a good stage for someone like Oscar Freire, Voeckler, Egoi Martinez, Sandy Casar, or the rest of the breakaway bunch that's not in contention for GC.

Plenty of KOM points to go after but not so tough a day that a GC contender could get away and gain a lot of time. Astana will be controlling the front of the peloton with an iron fist. They will stretch the peloton and possibly cause some of the gc contenders to lose time but they will run down any attempts by Schleck or Evans or Vandevelde or Wiggins(!). Sastre knows this and will continue to sit and bide his time.

This is a stage finally worth watching. Though the 12 mile finish after the final category hinders a good mountain climber from making loads of time, I can definitely see a strong mountain climber as previously mentioned make up some time in the GC classification. I could definitely see Sastre, and Andy or Frank Schleck of Saxo make a move. I think someone definitely needs to make a move here as the Tour is starting to run out of opportunities after this one....but if I were a betting man, I'd bet on Andy for this stage. I think Andy should go all out on the last climb to really establish himself in the tour.

This is a stage finally worth watching. ..

So are you psyched for it? I'll be cheering for you if you go on a break. :innocent:

I agree. This will be a good one - but we have to get through tomorrow first.

I think this stage is too easy with too many kilometers after the last (weak) climb for a GC contender to break and stay away.

http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?col=Col-du-Firstplan&qryMountainID=6608

How in the world is the pack gonna let any of those guys get away from the front? Astana has everyone of those guys marked. Radio or not, the only way they are gaining time is if they crack top contenders....which i dont really see happening here.

They have them marked, but there are several significant climbs.

Sastre and Evans are clearly on a GC agenda and are far enough behind they have to attack in hopes of making something happen. Not sure if Sanchez is now on a GC agenda with Peirro out or going for stage wins, but it is a chance for him either to get a stage or move into GC contention. I'd expect some other GC contenders to also attack, though the contenders closer to Astana still have the chance to pick and choose their attacks.

Question is whether Astana can pull them back, and if so, can Astana pull back the next group of attacks, many of which will be riders closer on GC than Sastre and Evans such as on of the Schleck brothers or on of the Garmin or Columbia contenders.

I think it will be a good stage as in lots of time gaps, but the contenders should finish together. Let's hope someone pushes the pace to get gaps.

Richard

Radio's are back on for this stage (and all stages)...

Radio's are back on for this stage (and all stages)...

Too bad.

I think they caught some serious heat from viewers and don't want to risk a boring stage in the Alps.

They have them marked, but there are several significant climbs.

Sastre and Evans are clearly on a GC agenda and are far enough behind they have to attack in hopes of making something happen. Not sure if Sanchez is now on a GC agenda with Peirro out or going for stage wins, but it is a chance for him either to get a stage or move into GC contention. I'd expect some other GC contenders to also attack, though the contenders closer to Astana still have the chance to pick and choose their attacks.

Question is whether Astana can pull them back, and if so, can Astana pull back the next group of attacks, many of which will be riders closer on GC than Sastre and Evans such as on of the Schleck brothers or on of the Garmin or Columbia contenders.

Where do you think they will attack? On the Cat 1 climb that is 30+ miles from the finish? On the final climb which is not a very hard one? This is not a stage for GC contenders to make up time.

Well, if somehow (somehow) a GC can breakaway on that last climb, then it's just 20km down! Never happen, would take some serious trickery & tactics, but if Yellow fades tomorrow, there could, at least be a mix up in who wears yellow.

My prediction........ a Astana train again, crack R2D2's team & yellow, but no change in AC v. LA. Not the most exciting, but I think most probable.

i thought waffles were belgian, not french :p

Well, if somehow (somehow) a GC can breakaway on that last climb, then it's just 20km down! Never happen, would take some serious trickery & tactics, but if Yellow fades tomorrow, there could, at least be a mix up in who wears yellow.

My prediction........ a Astana train again, crack R2D2's team & yellow, but no change in AC v. LA. Not the most exciting, but I think most probable.

5km downhill, 15km flat.

How tech is the descent? Enough for a Salvodelli-type descender to establish a gap? Is there such a person in this year's top 10?

5km downhill, 15km flat.

You know what I mean...

I hope someone in the top of the GC does *something* tomorrow. I understand the whole play it safe routine, but is that all the TdF is about? All the top guys sit in the peleton for weeks and attack on 2 or 3 days out of 3 weeks? Ugh.

I expect Astana to control the tempo. I doubt any GC attacks happen, though I'm sure there will be a breakaway of non GC guys that gets caught either on the final climb, or on the run into the finish.

The only way there are fireworks is if Nocentini is way off the pace, and Armstrong and/or Contador appear to be struggling. This stage doesn't look that tough.

I forsee no changes in the top 10 GC. :(

I hope someone in the top of the GC does *something* tomorrow. I understand the whole play it safe routine, but is that all the TdF is about? All the top guys sit in the peleton for weeks and attack on 2 or 3 days out of 3 weeks? Ugh.

+1
We need Bernard Hinault! :thumb:

I'm going with a split on some of the GC guys. The pure climbers need to get rid of the time trial specialists before the final TT. I think guys that are going to lose time will be Leipheimer, Wiggins, Menchov. Kreuziger for the win!

I think they can crack yellow if they keep the pace at a ree-dunk-yoo-less level.

I think they can crack yellow if they keep the pace at a ree-dunk-yoo-less level.

Isnt he a decent climber? I think the pace would have to mind bending to drop him, with the tougher climbs earlier in the day i think he holds on in the final "easier" climb.

I'm going with a split on some of the GC guys. The pure climbers need to get rid of the time trial specialists before the final TT. I think guys that are going to lose time will be Leipheimer, Wiggins, Menchov. Kreuziger for the win!I don't know about Wiggins. 6' 3" and 156 lbs? He's into Chicken territory there--he may climb like a mountain goat. He has muscles from the track and no extra weight whatsoever.

OTOH, I'll second you for Kreuziger, as my family is half Czech. :D

I forsee no changes in the top 10 GC. :(


I do. :)

Lots of moving tomorrow in the GC (I hope), and Christian Van de Velde for the win!

Pelizotti and Egoi will be out on the break again, but once again, won't win the stage. I'd be happy if Kreuziger takes the stage, but he has zero chance of getting to the line alone.

I'll go way out and say Haussler will beat out Arroyo and Voeckler for the stage.

Wiggins and Martin attack 20km into the stage and take #1 and #2. Lance gets another flat.


.. ;)

Erg!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/teams-will-have-radios-on-tours-13th-stage

"
UCI cancels second experiment
The International Cycling Union (UCI) has cancelled the second of two planned radio ban days at this year's Tour de France.
On Thursday the UCI said that teams competing in the Tour de France will be allowed the use of team radio communications in Friday's stage 13 from Vittel to Colmar.
"To put an end to the controversy which is compromising the running of the Tour de France, the International Cycling Union (UCI) Management Committee has decided not to repeat the experiment of a stage without radio communication on Friday 17th July," the UCI's statement read." ...

Lots of moving tomorrow in the GC (I hope), and Christian Van de Velde for the win!

:thumb:

weather may be nasty tomorrow as well.

Hmmm Rogers?

well it seems it will rain too so that should make it a little bit interesting and maybe help some gc contenders attack. i dunno but i sure hope to see some attacks between the top contenders cause they can't all wait for ventoux right? sastre menchov evans need to do something to stand a chance for paris cause i can't see them pull 3,4,5 minutes on contador and armstrong on ventoux plus i think sastre will suck big time on the itt so maybe something today dunno but hope for it

Hmmm Rogers?

He was in a crash with Levi and Cadel during the final 3k-he took it easier to the line than the others-not sure if he was hurt or just taking it easy since time didn't matter. He didn't seem that far behind Levi. Doesn't appear as if he was conserving for a stage attack tommorrow, though it looks like a stage suited for him.

Rogers stuffed up a disc in his spine in the crash a few days ago - gutsy effort to keep riding at all. Then a second crash yesterday. If he starts, he'll be a very sore boy so I wouldn't expect anything from him for a few days at least.

Richard

He was in a crash with Levi and Cadel during the final 3k-he took it easier to the line than the others-not sure if he was hurt or just taking it easy since time didn't matter. He didn't seem that far behind Levi. Doesn't appear as if he was conserving for a stage attack tommorrow, though it looks like a stage suited for him.

Update on that crash. Levi has broken his wrist in that crash. I don't imagine he'll continue tomorrow.

Levi Out, it is unfortunate about his broken wrist, wonder how this may affect the Tour for Lance. I'm sure Lance was counting on Levi in the Alps..

http://twitter.com/LeviLeipheimer
http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/95275/leipheimer-pulls-out-of-tour

Aw, that sucks... here's a pic http://twitpic.com/amms8

Raining like crazy.

Levi leaving really does suck. Here's to a speedy recovery.

Yeah, weather is nasty. The announcers are calling out 12 degrees (54 F) and it's wet and raining steadily. Was watching a moment ago and saw a couple of riders almost miss a curve and go off the road. Descents are going to be nasty!

I need a link to a live feed. Velonews live feed doesn't appear to be up today.

I'm quite thankful to get a break from the phrase, "THIS MAN FROM THE ISLE OF MAN HAS DONE IT AGAIN!"

You know?

I need a link to a live feed. Velonews live feed doesn't appear to be up today.


<cough>Versus (http://www.versus.com/tourdefrancelive)</cough>

I need a link to a live feed. Velonews live feed doesn't appear to be up today.

I'm here http://www.versus.com/tourdefrancelive

I click buy now for a day's stage, a pop up comes up, I close it, then click "cancel" on the main page and there's my free video feed.