2012 Tour de France: Stage 10: Mácon → Bellegarde-sur-Valserine (195 km)

[Tourminator]

2012 Tour de France: Stage 10: Mácon → Bellegarde-sur-Valserine (195 km)

The 10th stage with the legendary "Col du Grand Colombier"

Profile of the stage:

Profile of Grand Colombier:

Who do you think are the favourites of the 10th stage? It looks like a stage for the GC contenders, who've lost a whole lot of time. I'm especially thinking R. Gesink, F. Schleck, D. Martin, M. Scarponi and these guys. If the breakaway won't succeed, then I think it could look like good for especially Evans, Froomie and Nibali.

What do you think? Who till be the winners at this stage, and probably more interesting: Who will be the losers? Any GC contenders, who can't mess with the best climbers at the Grand Colombier? Tell me what you think! (-:

 

[DominicDecoco]

I'm surprised you managed to get the stage name right.

 

[Panda Claws]

Is it that hard to leave this too Geraint?

 

[Forunculo]

On the Colomiere Nibali and Cadel should ambush Sky and try the last descent. The parcours to break Sky exist.

 

[WindLessBreeze]

A Stage made for Movistar

Thanks for getting back to cycling, Tourminator. Remember Cobo? He beat both Wiggo and Froomie not to long ago: Spain last year. Valverde is not a GC contender anymore, after accidents, flats, time lost today on ITT. So JuanJo is unleashed and on his own. Beware of surprises

 

[SafeBet]

Thanks for getting back to cycling, Tourminator. Remember Cobo? He beat both Wiggo and Froomie not to long ago: Spain last year.

That's actually the last time I remember seeing him on screen.

 

[cineteq]

Stage Contenders: Fränk Schleck, Jurgen Van den Broeck, Jelle Vanendert,
Daniel Martin, Michele Scarponi, Pierre Rolland, Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde, Bauke Mollema, Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins, Haimar Zubeldia, Denis Menchov, Vincenzo Nibali, Sylvain Chavanel, David Moncoutie, Rui Costa

Froome19 to the rescue to get this on track, excellent! Not all your good writing has been lost. Please keep using it!

 

[Magnus]

The current GC should make it somewhat easier for Sky to control. Basically they can let anyone not in top 15 go in a break compared to after stage 7 where there was still 35 riders within 5 min of the yellow jersey.
Of course any strong riders out front could be a help to GC contenders attacking on Grand Colombier.
It's kind a bit pity that they are not doing the Virieu-le-Petit ascent of Grand Colombier but it will be exciting to see how this one will be played out.

 

[Tourminator]

Is it that hard to leave this too Geraint?

Relax, i just checked the forum, and there were no thread about this stage, so i just made one up. I'm new at this site, so I didn't knew that Geraint had these exclusive rights to make the Tour-threads.. I'm so sorry for making this thread, why not just let the things run as it always have runned. (Please, notice the sarcasm).

What ever, now I know.

 

[Panda Claws]

Relax, i just checked the forum, and there were no thread about this stage, so i just made one up. I'm new at this site, so I didn't knew that Geraint had these exclusive rights to make the Tour-threads.. I'm so sorry for making this thread, why not just let the things run as it always have runned. (Please, notice the sarcasm).

What ever, now I know.

sorry, you are right. It was a bit ridiculous.

 

[Tourminator]

Thanks for getting back to cycling, Tourminator. Remember Cobo? He beat both Wiggo and Froomie not to long ago: Spain last year. Valverde is not a GC contender anymore, after accidents, flats, time lost today on ITT. So JuanJo is unleashed and on his own. Beware of surprises

Ye, I remember Cobo. His victory in the Vuelta was well deserved as well as surprising. I think it's obvious that Cobo is out of shape - he didn't even reach the top 50 at the stage 7, and even Cancellara and Marzano did that. As I remember, there were no crashes at this stage, so that can't be an excuse. We won't see much more to Cobo at the Tour, but maybe it's because he's aiming for the Vuelta?

 

[maltiv]

It's Nibali time! Hopefully he can collaborate with Evans and put a minute or more on Friggins in the descent.

 

[metaCYCLE]

It's Nibali time! Hopefully he can collaborate with Evans and put a minute or more on Friggins in the descent.

agreed. this is exactly the type of stage where Nibbles or Cuddles could really do some damage. anyways this would have been a perfect stage for Sammy...

 

[cineteq]

It's Nibali time! Hopefully he can collaborate with Evans and put a minute or more on Friggins in the descent.

It is! Although it's better that they not attack together. Sky might be more willing to let Nibali go than both, unless the 3 of them are isolated. How good is VDB's descending skills?

 

[DominicDecoco]

Save your gold for a decent stage thread.

 

[Tourminator]

It is! Although it's better that they not attack together. Sky might be more willing to let Nibali go than both, unless the 3 of them are isolated. How good is VDB's descending skills?

I have never seen J VDB attack at a descend. It's always at a serious climb, and I think that says a lot. No doubt, Nibali is the best rider at descents now that Sammy is out, and therefore i must say that he's my favourite for this stage.

 

[cineteq]

I have never seen J VDB attack at a descend. It's always at a serious climb, and I think that says a lot. No doubt, Nibali is the best rider at descents now that Sammy is out, and therefore i must say that he's my favourite for this stage.

And to make it better, one can only wish Sagan is with Nibali after the HC climb...

 

[SafeBet]

And to make it better, one can only wish Sagan is with Nibali after the HC climb...

If Sagan is there it means Sky has 5 or even 6 riders left, which doesn't bode well for who'd want to attack them.

 

[Fausto]

descent toward Foix is much more technical and dangerous as well. But wednesday as well as Sunday could be a rainy day, wet road means a further advantage for Nibali.

In liquigas every guy is performing a rain dance.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Final 5k profile.

That last rise is 5.5% for a k? Good enough to sort out the breakaway winner. Probably enough to entice Cadel to sprint to the line, but Wiggans will certainly not be dropped

 

[trevim]

Maybe Sagan can infiltrate the break to help Nibali later. Although the green may turn that difficult. We'll see. I'm not expecting the Sky boys to lose any time.

 

[marioni]

Climbs and descent, it's what doctor ordered for Nibali and Evans. Nothing to wait for anymore, this is it. Shame Sanchez is out...

 

[cineteq]

If Sagan is there it means Sky has 5 or even 6 riders left, which doesn't bode well for who'd want to attack them.

If Sagan is a the top of Grand Colombier with Nibali then there is hope, and if Sky wants to up the pace on that col to decimate the field, they might be risking losing a lot of soldiers quick in exchange. Btw, I think Sagan is climbing better than EBH and Knees and he should be fresher too.

 

[BillytheKid]

It will probably go to a break but if Cadel and Nibbles and VDB attack early on the Colombier it could be a ferocious stage and one won by one of the favourites.

I suppose RSNT and Katusha will fall quickly away unable to hold the wheels of the your mighty knights.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Basically, the same stage as recently raced in the Dauphine, with a different finishing run in, tagged on.
Just about all the main protagonists therefore know all the key points.

We saw Evans and Nibali get away and form a small group, off the Colombier descent, only to get reeled in by EBH's one man train.
The Col de Richmond isn't tough, but again, the descent became animated, this time with Wiggins mixing it up, as well.

The big different between then and Le Tour is that this time, there is virtually no flat between the descent and the finish.

I can't help but feel a few cunning plans were hatched, that day.