2016 TdF, Stage 12: Montpellier → Mont Ventoux (178km)

[Enrico Gimondi]

Disappointing. But, it happens.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Damn weather.

 

[Arredondo]

Still hard enough to make big gaps. The first 7 km's are the steepest of the Ventoux.

And if there are echelons before Ventoux, we will have enough spectacle for the whole day!

 

[roundabout]

Re:

It was half-used as a pass. They did Chalet Reynard only, not the top (so Bedóin-Sault, not the Malaucéne side that goes up to the top). But it'd be perfectly doable.

I think there was some talk a few years back that the Malaucene side would need resurfacing. I seem to recall that the road quality did indeed look pretty iffy (not quite Abantos 2007 iffy) when Paris Nice climbed it to in 2008.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

They could make it a Chalet Reynard circuit to make up for it

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

This may be a dumb question, but have they thought about climbing from the other side? I believe there is significantly less wind on that side of the mountain.

Isn't there only one road?

There are actually 3 sides
In the past the Ventoux was even used as a pass in the tour, but in the last few years they only used one side and always as a mtf. The advantage of one of the other two sides is that it starts basically at the same place so the rest of the stage would be the same. Moreover the climb is basically as hard as the one from the famous side and it's longer in the wood so wind probably isn't such a big problem.

Oh. Well, then I suppose it's a bit too difficult to move the entire route around the climb; quite some route changing required for that.

 

[saganftw]

f*** f*** f*** why is weather always against me,first its hot as fck and one thing im looking forward to is canceled because of weather

f*** you earth

 

[deValtos]

Presumably it will be very windy on the flat before the climb right?

Anyone have details of that? Are there many exposed sections and what wind speeds are we looking at?

 

[sir fly]

Re:

OFFICIAL : Stage finish will be on Chalet Reynard (Christian Prudhomme)

Disappointing.
Don't want to criticise, but maybe they should have waited morning. I understand that decision has to be made on time because of publicity caravan and everything, but this is 24 hours before the finish. Why not make a decision when publicity caravan reaches Bedoin?
No one would take them for bad if they shorten the stage at that moment.
Peloton would be 2 hours behind and everybody would learn on time.

 

[MacBAir]

I hope there's some echelons, Sagan works a lot, wins an intermediate sprint and Froome puts 2 minutes on Quintana. It would be even better if Quintana is distanced before the MTF.

 

[Matt92]

It may be a silly question, but couldn't they wait until tomorrow to decide? I mean, the finish of the Plan de Corones stage of 2006 was moved tu Passo Furcia just a couple of hours before the end of the race, same for the 1995 Giro and the Chianale stage (originally set to finish in Briançon).

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re:

It may be a silly question, but couldn't they wait until tomorrow to decide? I mean, the finish of the Plan de Corones stage of 2006 was moved tu Passo Furcia just a couple of hours before the end of the race, same for the 1995 Giro and the Chianale stage (originally set to finish in Briançon).

Maybe they can still change it if weather condititons improve.

 

[arvc40]

Re: 2016 TdF, Stage 12: Montpellier → Mont Ventoux (184km)

Good race in the end today. Interestingly I remember Nicolas Roach suggesting Contadors attempts to gain time in cross winds and other opportunist moves where a little desperate and that Froome was so good that he didn't need to race that way. That must have been just last year.

 

[Andro]

Sucks that they have to shorten the climb, but at least it's still a tougher climb than Arcalis.

 

[StryderHells]

Re:

It may be a silly question, but couldn't they wait until tomorrow to decide? I mean, the finish of the Plan de Corones stage of 2006 was moved tu Passo Furcia just a couple of hours before the end of the race, same for the 1995 Giro and the Chianale stage (originally set to finish in Briançon).

Guess with how large the Tour is and all the equipment they have to set up they couldn't just decide a few hours before the start, it's the Tour afterall and the caravan and stage finish sites are massive

 

[hfer07]

Re:

OFFICIAL : Stage finish will be on Chalet Reynard (Christian Prudhomme)

well..
kind of expected with the gust wind forecast. I guess attacks must come earlier if the intention is to make differences.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

This is when Ryo Hazuki comes and says whoever wins this Tour will get an asterisk, right?

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

It may be a silly question, but couldn't they wait until tomorrow to decide? I mean, the finish of the Plan de Corones stage of 2006 was moved tu Passo Furcia just a couple of hours before the end of the race, same for the 1995 Giro and the Chianale stage (originally set to finish in Briançon).

Guess with how large the Tour is and all the equipment they have to set up they couldn't just decide a few hours before the start, it's the Tour afterall and the caravan and stage finish sites are massive

Spectators wouldn't argue if there wasn't inflatable spider.
Journalists can stay in their tents at Chalet Reynard, as well as heavy equipment.
Podium can be arranged in half an hour.

 

[vedrafjord]

Re: 2016 TdF, Stage 12: Montpellier → Mont Ventoux (184km)

Good race in the end today. Interestingly I remember Nicolas Roach suggesting Contadors attempts to gain time in cross winds and other opportunist moves where a little desperate and that Froome was so good that he didn't need to race that way. That must have been just last year.

Funny considering Nicolas Roche was pulling for Contador in the famous 2013 crosswinds stage

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: 2016 TdF, Stage 12: Montpellier → Mont Ventoux (184km)

Good race in the end today. Interestingly I remember Nicolas Roach suggesting Contadors attempts to gain time in cross winds and other opportunist moves where a little desperate and that Froome was so good that he didn't need to race that way. That must have been just last year.

Funny considering Nicolas Roche was pulling for Contador in the famous 2013 crosswinds stage

He should know then.

In all seriousness, a GC contender can race like this for two reasons - from a position of strength to mentally dominate his rivals, or from a position of weakness to gain a cushion against rivals he fears may be stronger. We won't know which it is for a while.

 

[jens_attacks]

whatever happens, it won't be mythical with chalet reynard anyway

 

[London Hibs]

Re: Re:

It may be a silly question, but couldn't they wait until tomorrow to decide? I mean, the finish of the Plan de Corones stage of 2006 was moved tu Passo Furcia just a couple of hours before the end of the race, same for the 1995 Giro and the Chianale stage (originally set to finish in Briançon).

Guess with how large the Tour is and all the equipment they have to set up they couldn't just decide a few hours before the start, it's the Tour afterall and the caravan and stage finish sites are massive

Spectators wouldn't argue if there wasn't inflatable spider.
Journalists can stay in their tents at Chalet Reynard, as well as heavy equipment.
Podium can be arranged in half an hour.

It would assume by your reply you are doubting the decision to foreshorten the stage. FFS - there's 100km per hour winds forecast and you want them to carry on as if it's a gentle breeze.

There's peoples lives at serious risk; there'll be high-sided vehicles a plenty not to mention the infrastructure involved. The Highways Agency close bridges with winds up 50km p/h - they're due to be double that tomorrow and you want everything to take place regardless?

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Quintana will do like Contador Vuelta 2014, follow every Froome attack and drop him in last 0.5-1K.

Makes no sense. Froome doesn't have to attack, he's not that stupid. He might do one attack but he won't go all out like he did in that vuelta.

Then he had no choice but to do it, now he's in a perfect position, especially with the ITT on friday

And quintana prob won't even attack tomorrow knowing him.

 

[hrotha]

@London Hibs:
No, he wants them to wait until tomorrow to see if there's any changes in the wind. It's a pretty reasonable opinion to hold.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Quintana will do like Contador Vuelta 2014, follow every Froome attack and drop him in last 0.5-1K.

Makes no sense. Froome doesn't have to attack, he's not that stupid. He might do one attack but he won't go all out like he did in that vuelta.

Then he had no choice but to do it, now he's in a perfect position, especially with the ITT on friday

And quintana prob won't even attack tomorrow knowing him.

I agree with this, in the Vuelta Froome had to take back time. Tomorrow he doesn't. He may put in a couple of little digs to test Nairo but he won't go full washing machine unless he has to.