2014 Tour de France, Stage 10: Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles 161.5 Km

[Zam_Olyas]

Stage 10: Mulhouse – La Planche des Belles Filles: 161.5km, medium mountains + mountain top finish
Overview :
It says a lot about the stage design in the Alps and Pyrenees that this can be considered as the queen stage. And that for an espoir race-length stage. What ASO lacks in fantasy for the high mountains, it sure makes up in the medium mountains this year.

This stage is an almost relentless sequence of climbs (OK, I may be exaggerating a bit for dramatic purposes), never very long, high or incredibly steep, but more than difficult enough to create big gaps at the end of the day. It starts with the col de Firstplan, rather a warm-up for things to come. After 45km the stage begins in earnest, with the climb of the Petit Ballon, after a narrow and twisty descent followed by the climb of the Col de Platzerwasel.

After that things will become easier, with wider and rather rolling roads, only to change again with 30km to go. In the town of Servance the peloton will leave the main road and take the narrow D133 to climb the short but steep Col de Chevreres, followed by the final climb towards the finish.

Predictions:
A break will be established in the first half of the race, but I think the teams of the favorites won’t give them much leeway. The final will be very hotly debated amongst the favorites, who will catch the break. Whoever will gain the upper hand will probably be victorious in Paris either, unless he already lost a lot of time in the first week. Froome vs. Contador, round 1.

Bastille day so a frenchman would want to win it and expect some in the break.


The Petit Ballon with an average gradient of 8.1% over 9.3 kilometres,should not be easy.



La Planche des Belles Filles
From the hamlet of Plancher-les-Mines the road kicks up and the climb begins. According to legend, in 1635, the same road led a group of young women away from their aggressors, a bunch of Nordic mercenaries. Rather than face being abused or murdered, they chose to jump from a high cliff into one of the mountain lakes and drowned.


2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4REDeSh5LoU

and of course Peter Sagan doing a wheelie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onamrs8jx2I


No poll here but feel free to talk about what colours of panties/undies you like in your partner/wife/bf/gf.

fight.the.power. idea

 

[Parrulo]

If you want to start a race thread at least make sure you put the right tittle

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles 161.5 Km
is not correct?

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Really looking forward to this. Purito ftw.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles 161.5 Km
is not correct?

It looks correct to me my dear friend

 

[kingjr]

he was talking about the tittle, that must be something else entirely

 

[Parrulo]

Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles 161.5 Km
is not correct?

No and you know it very well. But i won't waste my time discussing with you.

It looks correct to me my dear friend

It looks correct because i edited it

 

[Linkinito]

Chevrères should be 2C.

Anyway epic stage, the greatest stage ever traced in the Vosgian mountains.

 

[rhubroma]

No and you know it very well. But i won't waste my time discussing with you.



It looks correct because i edited it

Looked it up on the official stages page and it is correct as far as I can tell. Want to tell us what you know so well?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Agreed. I'm not that sure PDBF shouldn't be cat.2 as well. I guess it's similar to Platzerwaesel; shorter than that, similar average, but steeper maximum.

 

[roundabout]

Should have been on a weekend.

But okay, probably nothing meaningful is going to happen before Chevreres

 

[Netserk]

Cannondale to keep it together for the intermediate? Nah they probably won't bother.

 

[LaFlorecita]

No and you know it very well. But i won't waste my time discussing with you.

It looks correct because i edited it

Why does it not say you edited the post? Oh well

 

[Eshnar]

Nibali to lose 10+'' on the final garage ramp.
Users to flip out about AC having it in the bag.

 

[Parrulo]

The thread was only titled this:

"Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles"

Believe it or not there is a reason why the threads are named: year race, stage: from here to there

It makes searching for them extremely easy as you only have to type the year and the race for all stages to show up by order on the search tool. It also clearly puts them apart from normal discussion which is helpful for new posters that don't really know where to go discuss races.

Obviously Zam didn't break any rule, but the least he could do is show some common courtesy and put the right tittle instead of that half assed attempt.

 

[phanatic]

Should have been on a weekend.

But okay, probably nothing meaningful is going to happen before Chevreres

It's a good day for the French. Also, is there some correlation between Bastille Day and the Belles Filles?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nibali to lose 10+'' on the final garage ramp.
Users to flip out about AC having it in the bag.

If he loses 10s and can hang on to Alberto for the majority of the climb, it's more likely Nibali will have it in the bag.

 

[LaFlorecita]

The thread was only titled this:

"Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles"

Believe it or not there is a reason why the threads are named: year race, stage: from here to there

It makes searching for them extremely easy as you only have to type the year and the race for all stages to show up by order on the search tool. It also clearly puts them apart from normal discussion which is helpful for new posters that don't really know where to go discuss races.

Obviously Zam didn't break any rule, but the least he could do is show some common courtesy and put the right tittle instead of that half assed attempt.

Are you saying he was deliberately lazy?

He is half Italian half Indian, what were you expecting

 

[Eshnar]

If he loses 10s and can hang on to Alberto for the majority of the climb, it's more likely Nibali will have it in the bag.

Well, I guess I'll leave it to you to explain everybody then

 

[LaFlorecita]

Well, I guess I'll leave it to you to explain everybody then

I am expecting a 20-30s gap, if he doesn't get that I'll be very worried

It's very easy, he needs 2'30" and there are 5 MTF, he needs 30s per MTF but I hope he attacks on the penultimate climb, La Planche is "only" 6km

 

[Miburo]

Nibali to lose 10+'' on the final garage ramp.
Users to flip out about AC having it in the bag.

Already making up excuses?

 

[Parrulo]

Anyway i think Contador will gain time on Nibali here but i don't think there will be attacks before the last couple k's of the climb. And since there is no 2012 type of Sky i think we will only really see who is good or not once Contador goes because no one will have the balls to go before.

 

[Arredondo]

Contador to drop Nibbles for the first time this Tour?

Contador/Porte or a strong climber from a break to win this.

 

[Eshnar]

Already making up excuses?

for who?
I'm not a fan of any rider, mate.

 

[No_Balls]

Nibali to lose 10+'' on the final garage ramp.
Users to flip out about AC having it in the bag.

He will loose more then 10 seconds so no need to worry bout that.