2012 Tour de France: Stage 13: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux → Le Cap d'Agde (217 km)

[Kragbaek]

2012 Tour de France: Stage 13: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux → Le Cap d'Agde (217 km)

Return of the sprinters

194 km - Mont Saint-Clair 1.6 kilometre-long climb at 10.2% - category 3

Finishing kilometres:

"Another long stage. This one stretches 217 km from Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Cap d'Agde, where the bunch will embrace the Mediterranean. A treasure trove of beautiful TV pictures... and the prospect of a sprint finish, at least among those fast men who have managed not to lose contact on the climb up the Mont-Saint-Clair, 23 kilometres from the finish. In other words, the stage is not a piece of cake and the race could go crazy. Moreover, the wind is always a menace near the Mediterranean, and we already saw what it can do when the Tour visited La Grande Motte in 2009..."

Prediction: A breakaway, most likely with Mørkøv in it, has a 10% chance of battling for the stage. Otherwise, it will end up in a mass sprint. No GC changes.

Favorites: Cavendish, Sagan, Greipel, Goss
Outsiders: Haedo, Hutarovich, Farrar, Van Hummel, Dumoulin, Bozic, Hinault, Boasson Hagen, Gilbert

 

[roundabout]

Make it be windy, but without crashes

 

[User Guide]

Gorilla wins again Goss 2nd again after huge effort by OGE

 

[Magnus]

Make it be windy, but without crashes

Doesn't look like much wind:
http://www.ilmeteo.it/meteo-europa/S%E8te

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Dangers of crosswinds will mean Sky Train control this all the way.

Cav FTW

 

[whittashau]

Why can't this stage end like 1km after that wee bump in the road. Oh well. Cav wins

 

[Hugo Koblet]

For some weird reason, I'm actually looking forward to this

 

[jmspinto]

.

For some weird reason, I'm actually looking forward to this

Unfortunatelly only for a weird reason ...

What I expect: 5/6 men dressed in black, 1 in a norwegian shirt, 1 in yellow controlling the race all allong the way. Is to say: another lloooonnnngggggg and boooooooooorrriiinnnngggggg stage!..

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

I think this stage has the potential to be more than just a mass sprint. According to Wunderground, strong N.W (cross)winds are forecast. Also, many of the sprinters could lose contact on Mont Saint-Clair. (Profile borrowed from velo-club).

It's Bastille Day so the French should definitely race it aggressively, fingers crossed some others join in.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Unfortunatelly only for a weird reason ...

What I expect: 5/6 men dressed in black, 1 in a norwegian shirt, 1 in yellow controlling the race all allong the way. Is to say: another lloooonnnngggggg and boooooooooorrriiinnnngggggg stage!..

No, it's of course because of La Fête Nationale, le quatorze juillet, the Bastille Day, which isn't mentioned in the opening post. It's gonna be entertaining

 

[will10]

Flattest Bastille Day stage in years?

 

[maltiv]

Hopefully Cav will somehow get dropped on that final climb, so EBH can get a chance to go for the stage win...but that's really unlikely. I just feel sorry for all the thousands of Norwegians who are cheering for him in France and don't understand why he can't even try to go for stage victories. I've had people asking me why EBH is in such a bad shape this year, which says a lot about how little they understand.

Probably going to be another victory for Greipel.

 

[Climbing]

Snoozefest!
Not a problem really, I'll go to the beach anyway!

 

[skidmark]

I think Gilbert will go away solo on the final climb and stay away for the 23km or whatever. He's just been playing possum since February.

 

[Ragerod]

Easy run-in but a twisty final 500m. The final straight is 200m.

Cav to edge Greipel. Just a shame the green jersey competition is now over.

 

[Panda Claws]

I think Vanendert will go away solo on the final climb and stay away for the 23km or whatever. He's just been playing possum since February.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Flattest Bastille Day stage in years?

Has to be. On a weekend, too.
Celebrating with a turkey, this year.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Has to be. On a weekend, too.
Celebrating with a turkey, this year.

Don't remember this?

 

[Pricey_sky]

That climb 20km from the finish looks very steep, could end in tears for a sprinter who is suffering.

Cav has been working on his staminas for these types of climbs so I would back him to get over there ok.

If it does end in bunch sprint i will go:

1.Greipel 2. Cav 3. Goss

 

[Kragbaek]

Easy run-in but a twisty final 500m. The final straight is 200m.

Cav to edge Greipel. Just a shame the green jersey competition is now over.

Ouch, looks dangerous. No crashes, please!

Will add picture to thread.

 

[Squire]

Who are likely to get dropped and not come back? Hutarovich? Van Hummel?

 

[manafana]

could be anything 2moro, sky wont chase hard but i assume greenedge and lotto will keep things in check thou.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Sagan will win again i think.

 

[Dedelou]

Sagan will win again i think.

Hummm!. I don't imagine he will win, but he will race with anger. This one is for Cav to even the count 3 for 3

 

[Avoriaz]

I think Cummings will go away solo on the final climb and stay away for the 23km or whatever. He's just been playing possum since February. After all, the other Brits have won