2014 Tour de France July 23, Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens - Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet 1

[Jancouver]

Stage details

Distance: 124.5km

Category: High Mountains

Highest point: 1,654m

ASO has developed a taste for jamming a short mountain stage into the last week. They reckon it encourages the best of the peloton to race from the dropped flag. And who's to argue after the exceptional 110km race to L'Alpe d'Huez in 2011, won by Pierre Rolland? Or last year's 125km stage to Annecy-Semnoz, where Nairo Quintana won by dropping Chris Froome and Joaquim Rodríguez?

This year, it a vicious 124.5km stage between Saint-Gaudens and the summit at Pla d'Adet. Climbs and non-technical descents of the Col du Portillon, Col de Peyresourde and the Col de Val Louron-Azet (all cat 1) precede the final HC ascent to Pla d'Adet, which starts off with plenty of double digit gradient before slackening off a little in the middle and final. It'll be a hectic stage where the risks and the rewards are at their greatest.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Just got to be Pinot !

 

[damian13ster]

It's awfully short but pretty much everyone appears dead tired. Pinot looked like the only one that had legs to do something, but Fdj doesnt have a team to control entire stage. Also, I think Nibali will ride defensive from now on, so that for me is a stage for breakaway

 

[Fight.The.Power]

It's awfully short but pretty much everyone appears dead tired. Pinot looked like the only one that had legs to do something, but Fdj doesnt have a team to control entire stage. Also, I think Nibali will ride defensive from now on, so that for me is a stage for breakaway

Nah its good that its shorter. Will be raced harder.

 

[maxmartin]

NIbali collects three stages wins in three different mountain ranges

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Yep a good design considering the stages around it.

Nibali or Pinot FTW.

Van Garderen to bounce back a bit.

Full gas from km zero please.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

NIbali collects three stages wins in three different mountain ranges

Thanks for saying that about Yorkshire. Usually people take the pizz about our 'Mountains'

 

[maxmartin]

Yep a good design considering the stages around it.

Nibali or Pinot FTW.

Van Garderen to bounce back a bit.

Full gas from km zero please.

morale is low, I doubt he can bounce back but hope I will be wrong.

 

[maxmartin]

Thanks for saying that about Yorkshire. Usually people take the pizz about our 'Mountains'

self center much

 

[Dazed and Confused]

morale is low, I doubt he can bounce back but hope I will be wrong.

yep, but leaders like him must try and bounce back quickly. I think he can. Just a bit. Strong mentally I think. Of course the body could be half dead.....

 

[Netserk]

Tejay an option, but Majka isn't?

Not to mention that it's all fun with a poll now, but when the stage is on, it's a pain in the ass. Imo race threads shouldn't have polls. Make a poll thread for that.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Nibali to get isolated and massacred by Movistar, Valverde and Pinot ride away and come within touching distance of MJ.

 

[Miburo]

Nibali will be second in this stage, this time the excuse will be that his bike was a bit too heavy.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Tejay an option, but Majka isn't?

Not to mention that it's all fun with a poll now, but when the stage is on, it's a pain in the ass. Imo race threads shouldn't have polls. Make a poll thread for that.

Agreed but it is only as annoying as overly long signatures

 

[Netserk]

Agreed but it is only as annoying as overly long signatures

You have the option to make them invisible Can't do the same with the poll.

 

[maxmartin]

yep, but leaders like him must try and bounce back quickly. I think he can. Just a bit. Strong mentally I think. Of course the body could be half dead.....

tomorrow's stage is even worse for him than today, he could even be dropped at the penultimate climb. But I do hope he can fight back.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

You have the option to make them invisible Can't do the same with the poll.

You are the fount of all knowledge as usual! I stand corrected.

 

[VeloHuman]

Looking forward to Majka v. Rodriguez on the mountains. Should be a spectacle. I think Majka could even hold on all day: Nibali has the win in the bag and Pinot and Valverde have their podium spots. Who is going to drive the pace?

 

[SeriousSam]

If Nibali can avoid gear problems and looking for sugar bottles at crucial moments, he can probably win this stage.

 

[Jagartrott]

yep, but leaders like him must try and bounce back quickly. I think he can. Just a bit. Strong mentally I think. Of course the body could be half dead.....

Usually, riders cannot immediately bounce back after a bad day. We'll see, but I think that the best riders of today will also be the best tomorrow.

 

[sir fly]

Do or die for Purito.
If he's still alive.

 

[Jancouver]

Tejay an option, but Majka isn't?

Not to mention that it's all fun with a poll now, but when the stage is on, it's a pain in the ass. Imo race threads shouldn't have polls. Make a poll thread for that.

Out of respect I used top 8 from current GC + the "break" and "other" option

 

[Jerkovin]

Go on Pinot.

 

[Climbing]

Pinot, gifted by Nibali.
Tomorrow Nibali.

But a decent chance both stages could be won by breakaways.

 

[ILovecycling]

Why do you think Pinot will beat Nibali?