2013 Tour de France, stage 18: Gap - Alpe-d'Huez, 172.5km

[Broth3r]

Does anyone have any pics showing the current state of the Sarenne descent? Watching a vid from Aug 12 and it looks atrocious. Bad asphalt is par for the course, but I'm worried about the pavement falling apart at the edges.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Does anyone have any pics showing the current state of the Sarenne descent? Watching a vid from Aug 12 and it looks atrocious. Bad asphalt is par for the course, but I'm worried about the pavement falling apart at the edges.

June 3rd it looked like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpvzOhP0HSY

 

[Netserk]

Froome will do between 38' and 38'30.

 

[ElChingon]

All the non climbing sprinters should get in the break otherwise there will definitely be some TC-ed riders on this stage.

 

[murali]

I bet theres going to be some serious arm twisting this evening to get the stage to be cut short or not.

In the Red corner: Sky, OPQS

Blue corner: Saxo, Movistar.

Why is OPQS in red corner? They don't give a **** about the distance. Cav will be part of the large groupetto. Kwai is not going to lose to talansky, as he has a 4 min window.


I too think that Quintana will win stage with 2x alp. Froome doesn't have support for 2 rounds of alp. porte cant stand against AC,Kreu,Quintana and j-rod.

 

[Bavarianrider]

All the non climbing sprinters should get in the break otherwise there will definitely be some TC-ed riders on this stage.

 

[Afrank]

this makes no sense, 2xalpe plays into froomes hands because its all about endurance

It doesn't have to be about endurance. If Saxo, Movistar, and others attack from far out, drive the pace hard, make Sky work, Attack and go hard on the descent, and generally make it a difficult race to control; then it will turn it into a less predictable race and can become more about tactics and really racing then about enduring.

 

[Afrank]

Why is OPQS in red corner? They don't give a **** about the distance. Cav will be part of the large groupetto. Kwai is not going to lose to talansky, as he has a 4 min window.


I too think that Quintana will win stage with 2x alp. Froome doesn't have support for 2 rounds of alp. porte cant stand against AC,Kreu,Quintana and j-rod.

Tony doesn't like the descent.

 

[murali]

All the non climbing sprinters should get in the break otherwise there will definitely be some TC-ed riders on this stage.

There is the large groupetto exception clause. Also, till now the groupetto had come well within the time limit. so no worries.

In fact, if GC guys go ***, then the groupetto has a better chance to survive.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

First Alpe d'Huez Passage is cancelled

I will be gutted.

Tour over if this is the case.

 

[murali]

It doesn't have to be about endurance. If Saxo, Movistar, and others attack from far out, drive the pace hard, make Sky work, Attack and go hard on the descent, and generally make it a difficult race to control; then it will turn it into a less predictable race and can become more about tactics and really racing then about enduring.

tactically, sky will be in defensive if there are 2 climbs up alp.

and more importantly, froome is still scared about AC's resurgence and rightly so. (sorry for sounding like an AC fan. bit its the truth)

 

[murali]

Tony doesn't like the descent.

nice one. LOL

 

[Cyivel]

Froome will do between 38' and 38'30.

What about the 2nd time up?

 

[Shardi]

The nature of the climb isnt very froome-esque. The hairpins suits a rider like pantani, contador or quintana, who rides standing/sitting alot. Froomes time wont be as good relative to the top times, as it was on ax-3 domaines or Ventoux last 15km...

Unless ofcourse - he has saved something special and just goes beyond the "full ***" that you folks have been calling his MTF performances the past weeks.

If hes got more than hes shown so far -> 38.xx time
if he is starting to feel the tour effort + rides defensively until the last kms -> 39.xx

No way is he breaking 38min. If the stars allign in straight order and he is super fresh he could close in on armstrongs 2001 time. Not beyond that.

 

[cycladianpirate]

What about the 2nd time up?

What about a victory lap?

 

[Ruby United]

First Alpe d'Huez Passage is cancelled

What do you mean? Are they not going up the Alpe d'Huez twice????? Please clarify.

 

[Afrank]

What do you mean? Are they not going up the Alpe d'Huez twice????? Please clarify.

There's a risk of cancellation if it rains, probably won't know for sure until the morning of.

 

[Ruby United]

does anyone have the new profile??????

 

[Cyivel]

does anyone have the new profile??????

If it is changed it will be the same but they will just finish at the top I assume.

 

[janraaskalt]

does anyone have the new profile??????

New profile? They'll do the Alpe d'Huez twice, like planned.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Wrong thread probably, but, are any WT points awarded for the team classification?

 

[janraaskalt]

Wrong thread probably, but, are any WT points awarded for the team classification?

Probably?!

But: yes.

 

[MatParker117]

There's a risk of cancellation if it rains, probably won't know for sure until the morning of.

Have to if it does pour it down.

 

[Afrank]

Have to if it does pour it down.

Not if they choose to observe rule 5 (which they should).

 

[Frank Tuesday]

June 3rd it looked like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpvzOhP0HSY

Here's one from June 24th
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43z6ds99DKk

Having watched it, I doubt that we'll see the peloton climb Alpe d'Huez twice tomorrow.