2012 Tour de France: Stage 7: Tomblaine → La Planche des Belles Filles (199km)

[Geraint Too Fast]

The mountains are finally here (unfortunately it's one day too late for some). Stage 7 see's the first of only three mountain top finishes in the race, so the climbers must make the most of it.

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Climbs
Km 112.0 - Col de Grosse Pierre - 3.1 km climb to 6.4 % - Category 3
Km 150.5 - Col du Mont de Fourche (620 m) - 3.1 km climb to 6.4 % - Category 3
Km 199.0 - La Planche des Belles Filles - 5.9 km climb to 8.5 % - Category 1

There are lots of possible winners here - S.Sanchez, Valverde, Evans, Schleck, Van Den Broeck, Nibali, Rolland, Vanendert, D.Martin, Mollema, Gesink, Scarponi, Pinot, etc. - although some of them may be feeling the effects of the Stage 6 crash.

GC Top 20
1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan 29:22:36
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:07
3 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
4 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:10
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:00:13
6 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:17
7 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:18
8 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:19
9 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan
10 Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:22
11 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
12 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:00:23
13 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team 0:00:24
14 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan
15 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:25
16 Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling
17 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team 0:00:28
18 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:29
19 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:00:35
20 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi

We should see lots of changes today. A new stage winner (who will probably inherit the lead in the mountains classification as well) and a new leader of the race are almost certain. A new leader in the young riders competition is also a possibility. Who are your picks?

 

[Flamin]

If he's physically OK after today's crash, this stage has Alejandro Valverde written all over it. If not, Samu will seal the deal..

 

[Panda Claws]

So hard to predict as we know very little of the riders shapes so far.

I'm going with Peter Velits as an outside bet.

 

[will10]

Huge crash on the descent run-in before the last climb.
Sorry.

 

[Pentacycle]

Evans is the top favourite imo, he likes the steep gradients and as far as I know he hasn't crashed all week. The MTF looks a bit like Mende with a narrow and steep twisting road, so Valverde, Sanchez should be up front too.

 

[vcampbell]

Hesjedal, Martin Vande Velde podium. You will see.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Steep gradients, short climb, nothing before hand.

I expect we'll see some VAM numbers to make the clinic think of someone else for about 5 minutes.

 

[RedheadDane]

Chris Anker go in a breakaway, win both the cat 3 mountain sprints, then solo to the finish-line creating Tour history by being the first-ever Dane to take the KoM jersey from another Dane!

Not very likely but I girl can dream!

 

[roundabout]

15 people together in the last km, strongest up the last ramp wins.

 

[FjPavels]

Do we know what riders will not start tomorrow ?

Freire is out, anyone else?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

15 people together in the last km, strongest up the last ramp wins.

I'd be impressed if that many hang around, but I suppose not surprised.

On the one hand, it is short so adrenaline and will power will help some hang on.

But on the other, Wiggins has to know that isn't a game he can win, so I'm presuming the rest of the team will be taking turns riding their best km and dropping off.

That or he's just ****, you never know this year it seems.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Lovely little climb. Shame we won't see any action.

 

[Panda Claws]

The interesting thing: who will still be there at the intermediate sprint?

 

[Bala Verde]

Do we know what riders will not start tomorrow ?

Freire is out, anyone else?

Poels, Asterloza, Wijnants, Verdugo (?)

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

The interesting thing: who will still be there at the intermediate sprint?

Even I can see that contest is over.

 

[thehog]

Lovely little climb. Shame we won't see any action.

Yep predict Giro like action. 3 teams riding leaders to 3km out. Shead a few riders then 12 finish together.

I predict zero fireworks tomorrow. Maybe a crash in the first 10km's.

 

[tobsie]

Kiserlovski, Chavanel, Velits

Does anyone know if Kiserlovski got injuried in the crash?

 

[Red Rick]

I'm curious to see of the bunch manages to crash uphill too

 

[MajorTom]

My prediction
Brajkovič will take the stage if he didn't waste to much energy today - which he probably did. Otherwise Mollema will win it.

 

[Panda Claws]

Even I can see that contest is over.

Over or not, I want to see it resolved.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I'm curious to see of the bunch manages to crash uphill too

Paging Denis.

 

[saganftw]

somebody has to attack

because if noone attacks you know what is inevitably going to happen...


they ll drag sagan to the top

 

[Old&slow]

I am liking:

1. Nibali
2, Velits
3. Evans

With a surprising if not shocking Cancellera 10th. He will do whatever he can in the fashion of Hushovd last year to hold onto the jersey today knowing if he can keep it today its likely he keeps it until stage 11 and if he can survive stage 11 he will keep it until stage 17.

 

[FjPavels]

Poels, Asterloza, Wijnants, Verdugo (?)

Txurruka is out (http://feltet.dk/nyheder/endnu_en_euskaltel-rytter_udgaaet_af_touren/ )

 

[BillytheKid]

Sanchez
Rolland
Horner

Or whoever else the steep stuff suits. Evans may drop Wiggins and could be there. It think he will be close. Horner can if he's to follow Sanchez with that 14% ramp making him a contender. That second Cat. 3 could launch a break but it won't make it. This profile is much like the climb to Arrate in the Tour of the Basque or Sierra Hill in the Cali.