2014 Tour de France July 18, Stage 13: Saint-Étienne - Chamrousse 197.5km

[SafeBet]

What riders are in the break?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Huzarski, De Marchi, Bakelants, Feillu, Kadri, Visconti, Molard, Durasek, Oss.

 

[Akuryo]

Huzarski, De Marchi, Bakelants, Feillu, Kadri, Visconti, Molard, Durasek, Oss.

So, who ist "the best", Carlton?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

What happened to Navarro? No chance he completes the stage today.

 

[Fzotrlool]

Navarro is out.

 

[karlboss]

What happened to Navarro? No chance he completes the stage today.

looking at him I'd say dehydration, stomach bug maybe?

 

[classicomano]

Lol Cofidis, worst team ever.

 

[masking_agent]

would love to see a Porte /Nibali battle similar to 2007 Galibier contador/rasmussen. But in today's world of cycling , i highly doubt it.

 

[veji11]

Rodriguez said himself he will go into an early breakway if its a big one, if not he will control and then unleash on the first cat climb. Then rocket to the finish to get his stage win.

That's a bit presumptuous because if he attacks in the Palaquit, chances are some guys are going to take his wheel, and if they are reasonnably high in the standings, Astana and others will start controlling.

I would assume rather that the goal is to ensure that the breakaway can't get the first climb cat AND the HC arrival, if the breakaway goes till the end, a guy like De Marchi or Kadri could get 60 points if he wins, and if 3 or 4 guys from the breakaway finish ahead of the bunch + Purito finishes just 5 or 6th in the bunch (which sounds credible), than he gets measly points (8 or 4 if 9th or 10th at the top of Chamrousse)

But on the other hand if he ensure that the breakaway gets caught up and he finishes 5 or 6th of the stage he then gets 24 or 20 points for example, already way more than what Kadri or De Marchi would get from the first cat (Palaquit).

Contrast that with tommorrow where Risoul is only a first cat so you only get 20 points, but Lautaret can give you 10 points and Izoard 25. This means that for Purito it is better of to save energy for the last climb today, staying in the bunch, ensuring that the breakaway gets caught and doing his best with the best, and to go on the attack tomorrow, even if it means stopping his effort after Izoard if it appears like his chance of winning at Risoul are two low because the bunch is too close.

So all in all a clever defensive strategy from Purito, with a well analysed roadbook.

 

[Enrico Gimondi]

Hi all. I'm new here and look forward to posting! Excited to see the tour get into the heart of the mountains!

 

[Tournesol]

My favorite thing about mountain top finishes is when there's a big break that gets strung out on the mountain and watching the GC guys creep up and swallow them one by one with it being a desperately close call whether the last guy stays away (plus a good GC fight in the process, of course).

I like those stages too,ideal finish sees the strongest rider from the break stay away for the win with the GC guys filling the places from 2nd to 10th,they reeled everyone from the break in apart from one guy who refused to be beaten.

Hero for the day today i'd go for Kadri/Visconti.

 

[Betty S.]

J-Rod needs to be competing for stage wins for the polkadot, 3 HC finishes and 1 C1 finish. He could mop up max points on all the other mountain tops and still lose the jersey.

 

[Intrud3r]

WHO would you guys put your money on to win the stage at this point ?

Valverde ?

 

[gregrowlerson]

Hi all. I'm new here and look forward to posting! Excited to see the tour get into the heart of the mountains!

Welcome to the forum Enrico. What a great day to join it!

Stage 13's final climb is almost of Giro proportions!

Don't blast me guys; I said 'almost'

 

[Warhawk]

Hi all. I'm new here and look forward to posting! Excited to see the tour get into the heart of the mountains!

Welcome!

(someone get the initiation paddles!)

 

[Pharazon]

What happened to Navarro? No chance he completes the stage today.

he was weaving all over the road like he went on a serious bender last night apparetly

 

[Rollthedice]

would love to see a Porte /Nibali battle similar to 2007 Galibier contador/rasmussen. But in today's world of cycling , i highly doubt it.

Well, Contador seemed up for it but crashed out and Nibali ain't no Chicken, Porte even less. Froome on the other hand...

 

[Koba80]

Has anyone got a link to something other than the Australian feed?

The commentator is making P&P sound the definition of all relevance and cycling font of knowledge.

 

[Lord Stanley]

So what's the scenario?

Katusha pulling the breakaway back and setting it up for JRod. However he needs to go for the stage victory, because if he doesn't, the likes of Nibali become serious contenders for the KOM.

So there has to be a huge attack on Palaquit already and somebody like König could join him.

I think the stage could be very good.

 

[junkie]

Has anyone got a link to something other than the Australian feed?

http://livetv.sx/en/eventinfo/240846_tour_de_france_/

 

[gregrowlerson]

So what's the scenario?

Katusha pulling the breakaway back and setting it up for JRod. However he needs to go for the stage victory, because if he doesn't, the likes of Nibali become serious contenders for the KOM.

So there has to be a huge attack on Palaquit already and somebody like König could join him.

I think the stage could be very good.

I expect a great stage too. Seems to be a lot of pessimism about it though. I think that a lot of interest has already waned in this Tour (mainly due to Contador's absence). The thread for the first stage in the high mountains would usually have around 500 posts by now and finish with 2,000 plus. This one will be lucky to reach 1500

 

[Miburo]

would love to see a Porte /Nibali battle similar to 2007 Galibier contador/rasmussen. But in today's world of cycling , i highly doubt it.

You must have missed stage 2 of the dauphine bro.

 

[karlboss]

You must have missed stage 2 of the dauphine bro.

Horner/Nibali Angliru? though kind of in slow motion.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Palaquit is starting.

 

[the sceptic]

I hope Papy can stay with the front until the sprint today