2016 TdF, Stage 11: Carcassonne → Montpellier (163km)

[Pricey_sky]

Cav mentioned this morning that the wind was loudly banging on his hotel Windows when he woke up, might be an interesting day.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

I can't be @rsed with another boring day from the peloton, might head out on the bike this afternoon instead

If you do that Radar route let me know how it goes.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Cav mentioned this morning that the wind was loudly banging on his hotel Windows when he woke up, might be an interesting day.

It happens often in the area, especially in late winter / early spring.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Cav mentioned this morning that the wind was loudly banging on his hotel Windows when he woke up, might be an interesting day.

It happens often in the area, especially in late winter / early spring.

Yes, of all the Tour stages this year the 1 I'd pick for crosswind potential would be today.

 

[sir fly]

Apparently, wind is already strong enough to be a factor.
By the time they get closer to the coast it'll just get stronger.

 

[claude cat]

Robbie McEwen ‏@mcewenrobbie 47m47 minutes ago Carcassonne, France
Stage 11 Carcassone - Montpellier heads ENE, wind howling from WNW up to 70km/h. This stage just became one of the most important of #TdF16

 

[King Boonen]

CROSSWINDS!!! *does the crosswind dance*

 

[sir fly]

Crosswinds can bring more than ascents and time trials.

 

[jens_attacks]

rabobank will blow the race apart today.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Sweep them away!

 

[Jacques (7 ch)]

Blowing a gale in Beziers (where I am now), from the NW according to my weather app. Cross tailwind?

 

[The Hitch]

They don't really go into Montpellier

 

[DFA123]

Hopefully we'll get some great action with the winds today. But, hopefully not at the expense of Quintana or Froome. If Quintana lost several minutes again, it would basically render the last 10 days of the Tour meaningless from a GC pespective. Over before it's really even started.

 

[SeriousSam]

I think it would greatly enhance the competition if Froome lost 2 minutes, hope it happens

 

[robin440]

Re:

I think it would greatly enhance the competition if Froome lost 2 minutes, hope it happens

yes sir

 

[vedrafjord]

Looking at the map at https://earth.nullschool.net the Mediterranean Sea off the French coast is the windiest place in Europe right now - it just depends how far inland the serious winds go. So happy Dan Martin is riding for Etixx instead of Cannondale right now.

I was thinking you could have a great one week race here in Ireland along the Atlantic coast, from say Donegal to Cork - you're basically guaranteed significant crosswinds every day.

 

[rick james]

Re: Re:

I can't be @rsed with another boring day from the peloton, might head out on the bike this afternoon instead

If you do that Radar route let me know how it goes.

Have you never done it before? I've tried it once but only got 3/4 of the way up, I picked a bad day to try it and the snow ended up being half way up my wheels...me and a pal were planning on heading up to to the bealach na ba this weekend but the weather put us off, we need to get a bigger cycle in as we've been lazy on the bike over the last month or so

 

[BeagRigh]

Re: Re:

I can't be @rsed with another boring day from the peloton, might head out on the bike this afternoon instead

If you do that Radar route let me know how it goes.

Have you never done it before? I've tried it once but only got 3/4 of the way up, I picked a bad day to try it and the snow ended up being half way up my wheels...me and a pal were planning on heading up to to the bealach na ba this weekend but the weather put us off, we need to get a bigger cycle in as we've been lazy on the bike over the last month or so

Lowther Hill? Save a bit of energy for the last couple of hairpins they are the steepest part! :twisted:

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

I think it would greatly enhance the competition if Froome lost 2 minutes, hope it happens

Yep, unlike Quintana, Froome would have the b@lls to attack on profiles like this

 

[hrotha]

Me, I prefer if it's Quintana who loses a few minutes. Just enough to lose the race despite dropping everyone in the Alps.

 

[RattaKuningas]

I'd like to see small time gap remaining because this means that we can expect attacks from both.

 

[hrotha]

Re:

I'd like to see small time gap remaining because this means that we can expect attacks from both.

That means we can expect small no-risk attacks from both on the last few kilometers of the last climb and about 10 minutes of GC battle per mountain stage.

That small gaps generally make for a good race is something that needs to be dispelled once and for all.

 

[Martin]

Re:

rabobank will blow the race apart today.

LOL. Banesto back in defence.

 

[rick james]

Re: Re:

I can't be @rsed with another boring day from the peloton, might head out on the bike this afternoon instead

If you do that Radar route let me know how it goes.

Have you never done it before? I've tried it once but only got 3/4 of the way up, I picked a bad day to try it and the snow ended up being half way up my wheels...me and a pal were planning on heading up to to the bealach na ba this weekend but the weather put us off, we need to get a bigger cycle in as we've been lazy on the bike over the last month or so

Lowther Hill? Save a bit of energy for the last couple of hairpins they are the steepest part! :twisted:

That's the one... Will have to see what the weather is like this weekend before we decide to do it

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

I can't be @rsed with another boring day from the peloton, might head out on the bike this afternoon instead

If you do that Radar route let me know how it goes.

Have you never done it before? I've tried it once but only got 3/4 of the way up, I picked a bad day to try it and the snow ended up being half way up my wheels...me and a pal were planning on heading up to to the bealach na ba this weekend but the weather put us off, we need to get a bigger cycle in as we've been lazy on the bike over the last month or so

Not done it yet. I know a group who are riding it soon but they basically start from the bottom and that kind of riding doesn't interest me, it needs to be part of a ride. I hardly ever head south, really need to do it more but I don't know the roads at all. I did Tour of the Borders route last weekend, was great but my hip is messed up so back to gears for me. Hoping to do the Bealach Mor this year.

I can't be @rsed with another boring day from the peloton, might head out on the bike this afternoon instead

If you do that Radar route let me know how it goes.

Have you never done it before? I've tried it once but only got 3/4 of the way up, I picked a bad day to try it and the snow ended up being half way up my wheels...me and a pal were planning on heading up to to the bealach na ba this weekend but the weather put us off, we need to get a bigger cycle in as we've been lazy on the bike over the last month or so

Lowther Hill? Save a bit of energy for the last couple of hairpins they are the steepest part! :twisted:

Looks like around 10% average for the last bit? should be fine on the 76" then