2011 Tour de France Stage 18 - Pinerolo - Galibier Serre-Chevalier 200.5km

[valentius borealis]

Any news on whether the stage will be shortened.

I wanted to see Crostis but with the GC situation atm, having the full stage here is of even greater importance.

I wonder what alternatives Prudhomme has planned. Could snow on the Galibier lead to a MTF on the Granon?

 

[iZnoGouD]

update times if you can please

 

[Califootman]

Okay, I'll ask you all to channel your inner Bjarne. Where does Contador attack to make time on this stage? (Assuming no major GC shake-ups in Stage 17... which is perhaps a big assumption after the action of Stage 16 earlier today).

Both Col Agnel and Col d'Izoard look tailor-made for one of Contador's patented blistering attacks when it starts ramping up 7-8k from the summit. Galibier, however, looks like a long slog more suited for the diesels, until it kicks up a bit in the last 4k or so.

Will Contador be able to wait for that last section of Galibier to attack, or will he have a go on one of the earlier climbs? If he goes early and gets a gap, he risks getting caught on the descent (Evans/Sanchez) or having the diesels (Evans/Basso) gradually reel him in on the long ascent of Galibier. If he waits until that last 4k, he risks making only minimal time gains on his rivals and perhaps leaving too much to regain in the last two stages.

I'm sure that Contador would prefer the order of the climbs were reversed on this stage, but as it is... where would you recommend he attack if you were his DS?

 

[jobiwan]

I think if Evans can stay 30 seconds or less behind Contador in this stage, he'll win the Tour.

I don't think he will though.
Depending on the time losses in Stage 17, the Schlecks HAVE to attack in this stage.

Great Preview Tuarts!!!

This stage will be Superb!!

And NO SNOW PLEASE! Andy doesn't need another excuse

 

[Grayguard]

I am *really* looking forward to this one
Great preview - ty!

PS: As to where Contador will attack... I guess it depends alot on how things turn out on stage 17

 

[Magnus]

I wonder what alternatives Prudhomme has planned. Could snow on the Galibier lead to a MTF on the Granon?

That would be awesome. But realistically maybe they'd just finish at Lautaret?

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Also, the Alpe d'Huez stage, just like the Lourdes stage, will be a "short mountain stage", with 3% more time limit than the "normal mountain stages". So it's actually more likely to get Cavendish eliminated on the Galibier stage.

As a Cav fan, I agree. The Alpe d'Huez stage should be fine. The Galibier comes early in the day on that one, when he'll be fresh. There then follows a massive descent - almost 50 kms of it - and as a good descender, he'll make up any lost ground to the bus. You're then straight into Alpe d'Huez. And it's really not that tough.

This one is really tough. Giro tough. There'll be carnage all over the road up Agnel - and there's still another 100km and 2 HC climbs left. I think HTC will be concerned.

 

[craig1985]

Rojas to get in the break and get some points for the Green Jersey.

 

[roundabout]

Why should Cavendish be eliminated? He climbed perfectly fine today and didn't try to go as slow as possible to conserve energy for the coming stages.

 

[El Pistolero]

Why should Cavendish be eliminated? He climbed perfectly fine today and didn't try to go as slow as possible to conserve energy for the coming stages.

Andy was towing him up the climb.

 

[Magic Spanner]

Both Col Agnel and Col d'Izoard look tailor-made for one of Contador's patented blistering attacks when it starts ramping up 7-8k from the summit. Galibier, however, looks like a long slog more suited for the diesels, until it kicks up a bit in the last 4k or so.


I'm sure that Contador would prefer the order of the climbs were reversed on this stage, but as it is... where would you recommend he attack if you were his DS?

I've ridden the last 75km. The start of the Izoard is a long drag and you still feel that you are on a valley floor through Arvieux but at Brunissard the D902 turns into the trees and the hairpins. This is the place for attacks as you are quickly out of sight. The gradient hits 10% almost all the way to the top with 1 short flat section and once over the top there is a very fast descent into Briancon on a good road surface. I'm not sure of the route they will take through the town but there is an option to take an extremely steep, climb of maybe 1km in the town centre before the start of the Lauteret/Galibier climb. The first 15km of this is pretty flat but the pitch gradually increases as you approach the Lauteret and turn right onto the Galibier.

If anyone has the invention to go on the Izoard the chase behind would be desperate. The Agnel climb will have dispatched most, if not all of the favourites' team mates.

As for snow. The top of the Galibier really is a barren and exposed place. You are in a different world. We climbed from a furnace like Briancon to a freezing hailstorm in May. The worst conditions I have ever cycled in on a seriously scary road as we dropped back to the Lauteret (TdF will do this on stage 19) ............but then again I'm not a pro. They wouldn't complain of having to descend in the wet would they?

 

[Ferminal]

I've ridden the last 75km. The start of the Izoard is a long drag and you still feel that you are on a valley floor through Arvieux but at Brunissard the D902 turns into the trees and the hairpins. This is the place for attacks as you are quickly out of sight. The gradient hits 10% almost all the way to the top with 1 short flat section and once over the top there is a very fast descent into Briancon on a good road surface. I'm not sure of the route they will take through the town but there is an option to take an extremely steep, climb of maybe 1km in the town centre before the start of the Lauteret/Galibier climb. The first 15km of this is pretty flat but the pitch gradually increases as you approach the Lauteret and turn right onto the Galibier.

If anyone has the invention to go on the Izoard the chase behind would be desperate. The Agnel climb will have dispatched most, if not all of the favourites' team mates.

As for snow. The top of the Galibier really is a barren and exposed place. You are in a different world. We climbed from a furnace like Briancon to a freezing hailstorm in May. The worst conditions I have ever cycled in on a seriously scary road as we dropped back to the Lauteret (TdF will do this on stage 19) ............but then again I'm not a pro. They wouldn't complain of having to descend in the wet would they?

Good post. The little climb in Galibier is the one they finished on in 2007, quite a narrow path? On the profile it looks like there is a ramp at the same point of Briancon so they should be doing it. Although 2007 they came off Galibier the way they go up this year.

I hope Contador has the legs, that way he can light Izoard up like he did the Giau (although to be fair, it was Rujano and Rodriguez who kicked that off?).

 

[greenedge]

The stage will be superb. However i can maybe envisage a break going before stage 19. Cadel is good in the cold as he won't catch one. The lightly built climbers might.

 

[Magic Spanner]

Good post. The little climb in Galibier is the one they finished on in 2007 ?, quite a narrow path? On the profile it looks like there is a ramp at the same point of Briancon so they should be doing it. Although 2007 they came off Galibier the way they go up this year.

I hope Contador has the legs, that way he can light Izoard up like he did the Giau (although to be fair, it was Rujano and Rodriguez who kicked that off?).

The climb in Brancon town centre is steeper than anything on the Izoard or Galibier. A real leg stinger. More like the short sharp Derbyshire climbs I'm used to. They used part of it for the finish when Soler won the stage for Barloworld - 2008? It starts off as a proper road on a good surface in the town centre. It can be extended by going into the old town and then it's a cobbled climb with a gutter in the middle at the same gradient. DiLuca won when this was used as a finish in the Giro in 2007. Don't think they will use this bit on stage 18 which is a shame.

Check it out on Google Earth. Av De La Republique which is the D2 in Briancon and then Grand Rue in the old town.

 

[jsem94]

Oh how I would love a stage finish in Briancon. That 07 Giro stage was beautiful

 

[The Hitch]

Contador agrees Angel is the most difficult climb of the Tour.

He looks very relaxed and seems ready for both tomorow and Friday saying "19 will be survival of the fittest".

The Great One is ready to bring it.

 

[The Hitch]

Looks like no Galibier

btw, this is the Galibiier at the moment

http://ow.ly/i/eBkb

 

[thirteen]

Looks like no Galibier

that would really really suck

 

[The Hitch]

that would really really suck

But now (or rather 10 minutes ago) ES said sun is back out so looks like the gods arent 100% behind Cuddles yet

 

[Parrulo]

portuguese commentators said its almost confirmed that there will be the galibier

will have snow on the road side but the weather is similar to the one on today's stage.

think of it as a wannabe gavia stage.

 

[Kwibus]

portuguese commentators said its almost confirmed that there will be the galibier

will have snow on the road side but the weather is similar to the one on today's stage.

think of it as a wannabe gavia stage.

That would make things only more epic.
I really really hope they will go up the Galibier tomorrow and that the other 2 mountains are safe to ride up and down.
How is the weather on the Angel for example? It's higher then the Galibier afterall.

 

[just some guy]

Climber posted this forecast on the stage 17 thread

Not looking so good -http://www.meteonews.fr/index.php?page=wetter_pas&lang=en&wetter_pas=07000013

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

They'd be better off finishing on the Izoard than finishing half way up the Galibier, if it comes to it.

 

[El Pistolero]

Prudhomme has said numerous times that there will be no way the Galibier will be cut.

 

[Kwibus]

Prudhomme has said numerous times that there will be no way the Galibier will be cut.

It's uphill so it doesn't get very dangerous. Aslong as the descents of the previous 2 mountains are safe it should be good.