2011 Tour de France, Stage 12: Cugnaux - Luz-Ardiden, 209 km

[Gingerale]

Hitch post it anyway people will love it.

i started reading this forum during giro d' italia and loved the poster Hitch's intro's

 

[luckyboy]

Missing anyone? (rolleseyes smiley) (wink smiley)

that bloke in background of the second pic?

 

[Gingerale]

that bloke in background of the second pic?

if only sammy sanchez could win this stage

 

[Sylvester]

Moncoutié took it easy today. He's my favourite to win tomorrow's stage, for sure. I hope he makes the break.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

no everyone that matters is there, contador, andy, evans, sammy, basso.

don't expect any miracle from anyone else

 

[just some guy]

What would make my day is watching Contador, Basso and Evans riding off on both brothers chasing Sammy who gets the win by 10-15 seconds with Andy and Fränk distanced 1 mini-sh

maybe a dream

That would be my wettest dream for that stage.

This is some Inception type stuff here. I'm dreaming the same dream!

how many layers deep are we?

At least one to many, better hold on for a mighty big kick this Thursday

Your dream and the dream of the zillions making the orange tide that will cover the slopes of Luz Ardiden. Statistics also tell that riders from the south side of the Pyrenees own this mountain.

Here repeated for Hitch - I had a dream and we discussed yesterday hope it gets the Hitch approvial

 

[The Hitch]

Here repeated for Hitch - I had a dream and we discussed yesterday hope it gets the Hitch approvial

Pfff. 15 seconds is nothing. After what happened on the first weekend thats still a dream inside the nightmare

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Meteo

Cloudy in the morning. Sunny intervals late in the morning and at start. In the afternoon, larger sunny intervals in the beginning of the stage before the mountain. Generally, the mountains miss the sunny spells with further cloud. Fog patches are likely above 1200 m altitude. At the end of the stage and for the passes, scattered showers are likely. Winds : Light westerly wind turning northerly at 10/15 km/h in the Pyrenees and for the finish. Temperatures : Lowest temperature : 14 to 15 degrees Highest Temperature : 22 à 23 degrees At start : 17 to 18 degrees At 1000 m : 13 à 15 degrees At 1500 m altitude : 8 to 9 degrees At 2000 m altitude : 6 degrés


Rain on the last climb

 

[Bala Verde]

ugh. The rain AND 15km/hr wind could take the sting out of any attack. In addition, it's the first mountain stage, where people have to get used to the new terrain and gearing. A group of favorites will roll in together?

 

[jens_attacks]

2003
Stage 15 - Monday, July 21: Bagnères-de-Bigorre - Luz-Ardiden, 159.5 km
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal-Berry Floor 4.29.26
2 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.40
3 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Bianchi
4 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
5 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole 0.43
6 Ivan Basso (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 0.47
7 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Team CSC 1.10
8 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Team Telekom 2.07
9 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) US Postal-Berry Floor 2.45
10 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 2.47


2011
2011 Tour de France, Stage 12: Cugnaux - Luz-Ardiden, 209 km
1. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas
----------------------------------------------------

VAI IVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!!!

 

[VeloCity]

Being Bastille Day and all, hopefully the French teams will be a bit more active - other than Voeckler and, in the earlier stages, Roy, they've been pretty quiet.

Are Cofidis and Saur even at the Tour?? All but invisible.

 

[Ferminal]

Cloudy in the morning. Sunny intervals late in the morning and at start. In the afternoon, larger sunny intervals in the beginning of the stage before the mountain. Generally, the mountains miss the sunny spells with further cloud. Fog patches are likely above 1200 m altitude. At the end of the stage and for the passes, scattered showers are likely. Winds : Light westerly wind turning northerly at 10/15 km/h in the Pyrenees and for the finish. Temperatures : Lowest temperature : 14 to 15 degrees Highest Temperature : 22 à 23 degrees At start : 17 to 18 degrees At 1000 m : 13 à 15 degrees At 1500 m altitude : 8 to 9 degrees At 2000 m altitude : 6 degrés


Rain on the last climb

Not exactly warm is it.

Southerly would be a crosswind on Tourmalet and Luz?

 

[icefire]

Not exactly warm is it.

Southerly would be a crosswind on Tourmalet and Luz?

Mostly headwind until La Mongie, crosswind in the rest. Luz has many switchbacks with straight sections oriented in north/south direction, so it depends

Rain in the last climb? It recalls me the first time the Tour got there in 1985. TV broadcast was spoiled and noone could see Delgado freaking descent of Tourmalet and climb to his first stage win in the Tour.

 

[Sylvester]

This must have been the moment I fell in love with Euskaltel. A true legend.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Being Bastille Day and all, hopefully the French teams will be a bit more active - other than Voeckler and, in the earlier stages, Roy, they've been pretty quiet.

Are Cofidis and Saur even at the Tour?? All but invisible.

Taaramae is 2nd in the white jersey classification and with a big questionmark about Gesinks form he could win that ranking.

 

[El Pistolero]

Taaramae is 2nd in the white jersey classification and with a big questionmark about Gesinks form he could win that ranking.

And the polkadots. Moncoutie to win the stage or at least to take a lot of points.

 

[VeloCity]

Taaramae is 2nd in the white jersey classification and with a big questionmark about Gesinks form he could win that ranking.

True, but I was expecting to see a lot more Cofidis and Saur and FDJ and AG2R riders in breakaways in the first week and a half. Outside of Voeckler, who's been incredible, it's been a pretty low-profile Tour for the French (ie French riders) so far - 11 stages in and no wins, and with Gadret out, don't really see any French riders who could make any noise in the mountains save perhaps Moncoutie.

 

[just some guy]

True, but I was expecting to see a lot more Cofidis and Saur and FDJ and AG2R riders in breakaways in the first week and a half. Outside of Voeckler, who's been incredible, it's been a pretty low-profile Tour for the French (ie French riders) so far - 11 stages in and no wins, and with Gadret out, don't really see any French riders who could make any noise in the mountains save perhaps Moncoutie.

FDJ are you kidding they have been in every break Delang 3, AGR2 are riding for Roche so can understand a little.- Team Gadret was in quite a few breaks just wrong end of the peloton before he retired. Saur have had most days and are trying to set-up Coppel so understand.

Cofidis maybe alittle quite but probably 80%

I just don´t see where you coming from basically unless I´m watching the wrong bike race

 

[sultanofhyd]

True, but I was expecting to see a lot more Cofidis and Saur and FDJ and AG2R riders in breakaways in the first week and a half. Outside of Voeckler, who's been incredible, it's been a pretty low-profile Tour for the French (ie French riders) so far - 11 stages in and no wins, and with Gadret out, don't really see any French riders who could make any noise in the mountains save perhaps Moncoutie.

Jerome ****ing Coppel!

 

[LabMonkey]

So apart from the big dogs... who else may be up there tomorrow... who are the surprises likely to be?

 

[Kazistuta]

I'm VERY curious to see how Jeannesson holds up in the mountains. He has placed himself prominently on a lot of stages, and now it's more his territory. He might be a surprise top20 GC rider. I mostly foresee him, Gautier, Coppel, Rolland and Peraud try to stick with the favorites as long as possible tomorrow and not try so much themselves.

Besides the obvious Moncoutie I also think guys like Kadri, Hivert, Pineau, Di Gregorio and Charteau will look for a breakaway in the Pyrenees.

There's plenty of attacking French semi-climbers in this tour, so expect Bastille Brawling!!!

 

[LaFleur]

Being Bastille Day and all, hopefully the French teams will be a bit more active - other than Voeckler and, in the earlier stages, Roy, they've been pretty quiet.

Are Cofidis and Saur even at the Tour?? All but invisible.

Are you ****ing kidding me? Cofidis have been in about 7-8 breaks so pretty much every stage and cofidis was the one that instigated the attack of voeckler and gilbert yesterday. Taaramäe is lying 18th on the GC and 2nd on the white jersey. Are you seriously freaking asking if they are on the tour? Have you watched it?

 

[ratatata]

Alberto Contador: "The knee has not bothered me at any time"

Alberto Contador crossed the line today happy for not having any fall, and above all, because his right knee is nearly recovered before the Pyrenees. “My knee is responding well, so I'm very happy, but keep in mind that today I have not climbed the Tourmalet. I have to see how it responds, and on that basis, I will take a decision at the last climb tomorrow”.

 

[stetre76]

And the polkadots. Moncoutie to win the stage or at least to take a lot of points.

Moncoutie would also be my bet for tomorrow.

and I also think that Taaramae is going to surprise - Top 20 in tomorrows stage should be possible and I think he also has a chance to get past Gesink in the Young Riders table (not tomorrow but in the oncoming stages).

 

[Angliru]

Now I have to protest . If both Basso and Evans get a picture Fränk deserves one as well, as things stand right now he's as much of a threat as as Basso and Evans, not to mention he'll play a big part in deciding who will win this tour either as a contender or helping Andy.

Frank's talent vs the clock is so bad that he'd have to gain at minimum a 2 & 1/2 minute cushion to feel safe going into the ITT. I just don't see it happening.