2012 Tour de France: Stage 11: Albertville → La Toussuire - Les Sybelles (148km)

[guncha]

We have a proper mountain stage at last. IMHO, this is a queen stage of this tour. Nibali and Evans will have no excuses if they won't attack.

 

[the asian]

When does the stage start, CET?

 

[3wheeler]

Could be a nice Stage for Froome again if Evans & Nibbo waste a few Arrows making some early moves.. Its Sky in Command the old 1-2 you know . Wheres Cobo by the Way

 

[RHRH19861986]

When does the stage start, CET?

CET = Central European Time, right? Then it starts at 13.00... Full stage live coverage on TV broadcasters.

 

[Velo1ticker]

Please!! I mean, come on Basso. Few years ago you were destroying everybody with ten minutes in the Giro and now you can't even ride tempo and drop EBH?!

Robobasso to return tomorrow?

That what's happening when they stop taking dop.

 

[Cimber]

Cadel needs to do something today. They need to isolate Wiggins and Froom early so they can better attack on a decent. Sadly BMC is not strong enough. Maybe Liquigas can chip in if Basso and Szmyd have the legs.

Would have been nice with rain. That would play in to the hands of Cadel and Nibali on the decents.

 

[greenedge]

What is the weather of the stage sry?

 

[Morbius]

Evans at TdF = Basso at Giro. Both look promising but ultimately don't have the legs

For the sake of a good race I'd love to be proven wrong

 

[Cimber]

What is the weather of the stage sry?

Weather: clear skies and sunny. Mild temperatures of 23°C (73°F) mean no melting tarmac but it’ll be cold at 2,000m.

No rain )-:

 

[Cimber]

Evans at TdF = Basso at Giro. Both look promising but ultimately don't have the legs

For the sake of a good race I'd love to be proven wrong

Sadly I think u are right, but I try to convince myself that it isnt over. But it most likely is. well, the Vuelta is only 5 weeks away..

 

[Kwibus]

The more I look at the profile the more I get the feeling absolutely nothing will happen.

Simply because the climbs ain't hard enough.

 

[Montanus]

This is the stage where the fight for the polka dot jersey really begins.

Therefore it is 100% certain Chris Anker Sorenson will be in the break.

 

[Cimber]

This is the stage where the fight for the polka dot jersey really begins.

Therefore it is 100% certain Chris Anker Sorenson will be in the break.

Dont think anyone will be able to take it from Voeckler. He is such a fighter. But ye Sørensen will really try to get into the break.

 

[auscyclefan94]

The more I look at the profile the more I get the feeling absolutely nothing will happen.

Simply because the climbs ain't hard enough.

Well plenty happened in 2006 and today's route is very similar to 2006. This year guys must attack so there will be action. Don't give up complete hope yet.

 

[its like that]

This is the stage lads.

 

[el_angliru]

This stage is almost exactly the same as stage 16 of 2006 when Landis cracked (although that stage had Galibier as the first climb instead of Madeleine). The 2006 stage was really, really tough, and had the GC riders all over the place on the final Tussouire climb (in spite of it being a relatively "easy" climb).

They ride the Croix de Fer via Col du Glandon from north (like in 2006). That's a brutal climb! The last 8 km of the Glandon climb are @ 9% average.

This could be an interesting stage! But we probably need to see some of the top 10-15 riders attack on the 1st climb to make it a hard stage.

(EDIT: as pointed out in post #114).

 

[Kwibus]

Well plenty happened in 2006 and today's route is very similar to 2006. This year guys must attack so there will be action. Don't give up complete hope yet.

I'm trying. I'm feeling like a sour grape atm.
Very cynical when watching cycling and quite negative, but I really can't stop following and watching everything

 

[jrolaf]

The more I look at the profile the more I get the feeling absolutely nothing will happen.

Simply because the climbs ain't hard enough.

I did the Etape last sunday, and for me the climbs were plenty hard....

Admittedly I was a bit out of shape, and worn out from the Marmotte the day before, but the concensus amongst riders last week was that it was harder than it looked on paper.
And it's not the terrain that kills you, it's the speed. If they go hard enough, riders will break.
The climb to Glandon is the hardest, and where they need to attack, it really ramps up towards the end. The descent down to the Mollard is not super tricky, it gets worse after the Mollard, and the likes of Nibali can make a difference there. The final climb is not too hard, and it will be hard to break anyone on that climb. The last 3 km is pretty leg sapping, the wind will also be a factor there. The worst thing about the last climb could be the heat, it was boiling on Sunday.

There may not be a break today, if the GC contenders want to make this a hard stage, they may set the pace already on the Madelaine. Then this will turn into a battle of attrition, and if someone has a bad day, they will certainly suffer and lose time.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Well plenty happened in 2006 and today's route is very similar to 2006. This year guys must attack so there will be action. Don't give up complete hope yet.

Well, what happened to Landis does tend to stick in the memory.
That a surprisingly good stage finish, given that La Toussuire is an a*s backwards drag.
Certainly a strong candidate for the worst MTF in the Alps.

It's appearances in Le Dauphine have been good, bad and always ugly.

 

[Lanark]

The 2006 finish was after they had done the Pyrrenees, and after the MTF on the Alpe D'Huez, so most people were pretty wrecked when they started the stage to La Toussuire. This year, it's pretty much the first proper mountain stage. I hope we'll see some fireworks, but I don't expect a repeat of the 2006 edition.

 

[barn yard]

uci points system didnt exist in 2006

i would be surprised to see anything happen today that changes the top 5

 

[Woody22]

Tonight is the night the 2012 Tour was turned on its head.

Evans to win the stage and be in yellow at the end.

Wiggans to crack big time and lose 4'37".

And Rogers loses it in a post stage interview when Anthony Tan asked how a man nearing the end of his career is suddenly producing the best climbing numbers of his life.

 

[maltiv]

And Rogers loses it in a post stage interview when Anthony Tan asked how a man nearing the end of his career is suddenly producing the best climbing numbers of his life.

Porte is much more ridiculous than Rogers. What has Rogers done, a 1 minute pull on the first MTF? He also did a horrible ITT while going "full gas" (being the only one except from Froome and Wiggins allowed to do so).

 

[its like that]

JR Bernaudeau says that Rolland will drop everyone today

 

[Montanus]

Porte is much more ridiculous than Rogers. What has Rogers done, a 1 minute pull on the first MTF? He also did a horrible ITT while going "full gas" (being the only one except from Froome and Wiggins allowed to do so).

In which way is Porte "ridiculous"? The only ridiculous ride I have ever seen from Porte was when he came 4th in the WC ITT 2010, beaten only by a few seconds by Martin for 3rd. That done by relatively smal guy, 1.72m and under 70 kilos. Yesterday ridiculous? Nah.