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

[Dazed and Confused]

Kittel to use Astana's train and sprint for the win in the final 150m.

Anyway I hope a team beside Europcar tries to rip things apart on Col de Palaquit. It would be a pity if this stage ended with a 3km sprint and nothing else.

Nibali FTW.

 

[Escarabajo]

the word is that valverde prepares to peak like an angel. might be the alpes,might be the pyrenees. but he will get better and now the weather is perfect for him. i think in this stage he will follow nibali and sprint for the win.
it will be very interesting how hard will they ride over palaquit. i also expect papy and purito to be up there

Do you think Valverde will pull a Cobo?

 

[Escarabajo]

I feel like this one is going to either Pinot or Bardet

Costa will lose too much time making horner the leader of lampre

So the team will work hard to keep that top 20 place.

 

[classicomano]

This must be for the breakaway, Astana not gonna chase and no other team is gonna feel comfortable chasing the break with Nibali in their wheels.

 

[SeriousSam]

Contador and Froome to distance helpless and lost Nibali by 30s. Oh wait, they aren't there. Nibali by about 20s or the break I guess.

 

[Parrulo]

So the team will work hard to keep that top 20 place.

Horner will be flying on the last week, mark my words

 

[armchairclimber]

I reckon you will suddenly see Jesus Herrada tomorrow, working some high jinx for Valverde.

What I would like to see is a Bardet win but I think he has been hanging in there. I doubt he'll have the legs to break Nibali. I doubt anyone has.

 

[Jspear]

Pinot for the win. This year will be called the French invasion. Barden, Peraud will be up there as well.

 

[BYOP88]

Porte to ride off into the distance and just as he's about to win, from behind a grassy knoll an unknown gunman ends Porte's bid.

 

[Rollthedice]

I think Astana will ride defensively just to control. On the last climb there's a small group remaining. I can't see anybody attacking. In the last 4 kms, bored, Nibali will ride away followed by Valverde and Porte. With 2 Ks to go, Nibali will attack again getting rid of Richie. Valverde wheelsucks to the finish and wins the sprint.

 

[whittashau]

I've got a feeling that this might be a Michael Rogers stage

 

[maxmartin]

Pinot for the win. This year will be called the French invasion. Barden, Peraud will be up there as well.

Pinot for the win LOL he most likely will be dropped

 

[Jspear]

Pinot for the win LOL he most likely will be dropped

Who can drop him? He's the best climber left in this race.

 

[damian13ster]

Homer pick of the day: Majka ftw from a breakaway that will also contain Rogers

I think he will attack either today or tommorow, but I think tommorow we might see multiple teams fancy their chances (or maybe Astana pushing on descent?) and it will be between GC guys for the win

 

[LaFlorecita]

Who can drop him? He's the best climber left in this race.

Allez Thibaut

 

[maxmartin]

Who can drop him? He's the best climber left in this race.

lose at least 50 seconds to Nibali. And he does not like heat, prefer wet and cold. And the best climber has not won a single uphill stage, are u high?

 

[LaFlorecita]

I've got a feeling that this might be a Michael Rogers stage

You might be right. I'm quite certain either he or Nico will be in the break. Or both

 

[Jspear]

lose at least 50 seconds to Nibali. And he does not like heat, prefer wet and cold. And the best climber has not won a single uphill stage, are u high?

Nope...loosen up. notice the . Don't really think that. Its just what I would like to see.

 

[Red Rick]

Breakaway for the win, unless a GC contender really wants to attack, but I don't see who. Nibali doesn't need to, Porte just wants to podium, Valverde is Valverde and the Frenchies are probably quite happy where they are now. I don't see anyone controlling everything to attack Nibali in the end. Nibali will only attack when he feels he's never getting dropped himself.

Any weather forecasts for tomorrow? Might be a big factor, as the weather previous mountain stages may have been very beneficial for Lo Squalo

 

[Netserk]

Very hot and close to no wind.

 

[Red Rick]

Do we have any precedent of how the favourites did in hot weather? I think Porte got fried in the Pyrenees last year when it was hot

 

[Jspear]

Do we have any precedent of how the favourites did in hot weather? I think Porte got fried in the Pyrenees last year when it was hot

I know Horner has been waiting for hot weather. He isn't much of a GC threat...maybe he'll try to go for a stage win....

 

[Carols]

I'm going with Purito. He will be off on an adventure for mountain points. I can't see Astana wanting this, Nibs can let a few go while keeping the people he needs to under control. Two races, one for the stage and further down the mountain one for the GC. Nibs will win the GC one

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mollema feels his legs are renewed after the rest day and feels like last year now. Epxect him to do better. But still not good enough to follow Porte, Pinot, Valverde and Bardet/Peraud

 

[maxmartin]

Nope...loosen up. notice the . Don't really think that. Its just what I would like to see.

AC fans do like to dream