2011 Critérium du Dauphiné, Stage 7: Pontcharra - La Toussuire, 117.5 km

[jobiwan]

2011 Critérium du Dauphiné, Stage 7: Pontcharra - La Toussuire, 117.5 km

Just one final stage in this year's Dauphine!
Bradley Wiggins somehow found a way to GAIN time on a tough Stage 6.
One short final stage remains between the Brit and a fantastic win!

However, France's 2nd largest stage race is going to punish the riders one more time.
As if the Col du Glandon (22 km at 7%) wasn't enough, they decided to tack on 2 kilometers and crest the Col de la Croix de Fer!
One final descent and then it's back up for the finish!

Can Wiggins hold on after another tough stage?
Can Evans or Vino muster up some strength, or have they decided to focus on Le Tour?
Can VDB2 or this year's revelation Christophe Kern take enough time to win?
Or will Purito time another attack to perfection?
Stay tuned!

Top 15 GC:

1 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 23:16:11
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:26
3 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana 0:01:52
4 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:02:13
5 Christophe Kern (Fra) Team Europcar 0:02:52
6 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team 0:03:01
7 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:30
8 Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad 0:04:14
9 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team RadioShack 0:04:22
10 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 0:04:27
11 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:04:46
12 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:05:01
13 David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:05:16
14 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:46
15 Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack 0:06:07

Map:

Profile:

Climbs:

Km 78.0 - Col de la Croix de Fer - 22.0 km climb to 7 % - Category H
Km 117.5 - Montée de la Toussuire - 14.8 km climb to 5.8 % - Category 1

Final Climb:

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Carnage

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

VDB for the stage, Brad for the Tour.

My specific interest - how many more people can CAS leap past in the GC?

 

[Christian]

France's 2nd largest stage race

I'm more of a Paris-Nice fan but I see how one could consider Dauphiné the second largest. I'll remember that to have a nice poll in the off season

 

[taiwan]

I genuinely want to see Wiggins win now.

Gesink for the stage win.

 

[maltiv]

This stage looks a lot harder for Wiggins, as there most likely will be racing on the first mountain and he's not very strong when there are multiple mountains. If he's dropped on the first mountain then he could be screwed and lose several minutes, unless he somehow can get back on the descent...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

This stage looks a lot harder for Wiggins, as there most likely will be racing on the first mountain and he's not very strong when there are multiple mountains. If he's dropped on the first mountain then he could be screwed and lose several minutes, unless he somehow can get back on the descent...

I don't see it, to be honest. He was up there with the best 7 or 8 guys today. Someone is going to have to put themselves a long way in to the red zone with a long long way to go in order to drop him on the first climb.

Compared to today's climbs, these are far more favourable for a power climber too.

Also, there were far more climbs, on a much longer stage today, so the argument he is poor on multiple climb stages suggests he will be better tomorrow, if anything.

 

[Jamsque]

I think Sky can keep it together on the Croix de Fer and Wiggins can limit his losses on la Toussuire. The stage isn't that long and the climbs are not crazy steep.

 

[Anonymous]

the second climb isnt nearly as bad as todays, but for Brad its that climb before.

But, sky should be strong enough to keep it all together till the final climb.

Me thinks he will do it. But vino being vino is sure to attack.

 

[Anonymous]

I think sky will have enough to respond to any attack.

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

Looking at the stages I think if he were going to lose the race Wiggins would have lost it today.

The final climb tomorrow suits him far more than todays final climb did.

I'm trying to remeber the last time a brit won a race like this and the only one in my living memory is Robert Millar in either the 84 or 85 tour of catalonia? I cant think of another one so as far as I'm concerned most importantly it will be a great result for British cycling

 

[Richeypen]

Looking at the stages I think if he were going to lose the race Wiggins would have lost it today.

The final climb tomorrow suits him far more than todays final climb did.

I'm trying to remeber the last time a brit won a race like this and the only one in my living memory is Robert Millar in either the 84 or 85 tour of catalonia? I cant think of another one so as far as I'm concerned most importantly it will be a great result for British cycling

Millar won the Dauphiné in 1990

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

Millar won the Dauphiné in 1990

You're right he did. Thanks for putting me right on that.

 

[auscyclefan94]

the second climb isnt nearly as bad as todays, but for Brad its that climb before.

But, sky should be strong enough to keep it all together till the final climb.

Me thinks he will do it. But vino being vino is sure to attack.

Yes but the Croix de Fer has another 10km on yesterdays stage and peaks at a high altitude. Don't undersetimate it's toughness.

La Toussuire is also a hard climb. Must bring back memories for some people.

Vino ftw.

 

[Mambo95]

If Wiggins goes over Croix de Fer with the other GC contenders and at least two teammates, I can't see him losing. The Toussuire is his sort of climb.

 

[osborn99]

Not live on British Eurosport, rain all day in London so they might show it the cycling instead of the tennis. They don't have live sport on Eurosport 2, it's a disgrace. Typical Eurosport

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Not live on British Eurosport, rain all day in London so they might show it the cycling instead of the tennis. They don't have live sport on Eurosport 2, it's a disgrace. Typical Eurosport

Its due on British Eurosport 1 at 2:30, once Le Mans ends - because of the potential rain, they moved the Tennis final from half 2 to 12.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Wiggins is going to win this race.

I hope Kern can keep his Top 5 position.

 

[Mambo95]

Its due on British Eurosport 1 at 2:30, once Le Mans ends - because of the potential rain, they moved the Tennis final from half 2 to 12.

That's good news. It would be tragic if (potentially) Britain's best stage race win for 20 years wasn't televised.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Hopefully we won't have to listen to the Brits belting God Save the Queen out at the finish. That would be fun

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Agree with everyone else, unless he just cracks a few KM from the top of the Croix, he'll win.

Conversely, if Evans, Vino, Moncoutie, and maybe VDB make a lot of attacks on the Croix that stretch the field, it might work. I just don't see that happening though.

I'm more of a Paris-Nice fan but I see how one could consider Dauphiné the second largest. I'll remember that to have a nice poll in the off season

Sounds like a good idea. TDU, P-N, Tirreno, Pais Vasco, Basque, TOC, Dauphine, Suisse, Romandie, Deutschland, Pologne, Eneco, Coors Classic...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I don't know. Vino will be Vino and Rodriguez has nothing to lose, so they'll attack. Unless Wigins shows serious signs of weakness (they"ll know when Vino attacks), i doubt Evans and JVDB will be trying to attack. They might just stick to following, not wanting to endanger their TdF. If Gesink wants to test his legs again, he'll probably be up there. But i'm still wondering if Sanchez is going to test his legs or if he really isn't up to it yet.

Hopefully coverage starts in time for the first climb

 

[Mambo95]

Hopefully we won't have to listen to the Brits belting God Save the Queen out at the finish. That would be fun

To be fair, it should be your national anthem too. After all she's still in charge of you lot. She just lets some Welsh woman do most of the day to day stuff.

 

[auscyclefan94]

To be fair, it should be your national anthem too. After all she's still in charge of you lot. She just lets some Welsh woman do most of the day to day stuff.

That welsh woman you are reffering to is all for Australia becoming a republic.

 

[Mambo95]

That welsh woman you are reffering to is all for Australia becoming a republic.

A Welsh Nationalist, eh? I live in Cardiff, you want to steer clear of them.