2016 TdF, Stage 7: L'Isle-Jourdain → Lac de Payolle (163km)

[The Barb]

Re: 2016 TdF, Stage 7: L'Isle-Jourdain → Lac de Payolle (163

Agree that the break probably takes this - but the flat start will make it difficult for many of the pure climbers to get into the break. Dumoulin and Zakarin are ideal candidates to make it but I'm not sure about either one's form.

 

[jonjungel]

Re:

Just realized that NBCSN in the US won't be replaying this stage tomorrow night because there's a NASCAR race, and I can't watch it at work, so I'm not going to be able to watch it. Maybe someone will upload it on YouTube or something.

cyclingtorrents.nl

 

[Winkin' boy]

AX3, PSM... Aspin? Looking forward to it.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re: 2016 TdF, Stage 7: L'Isle-Jourdain → Lac de Payolle (163

Agree that the break probably takes this - but the flat start will make it difficult for many of the pure climbers to get into the break. Dumoulin and Zakarin are ideal candidates to make it but I'm not sure about either one's form.

Why would Zakarin try to win a stage with a fast descent in the end?
It's like Giro all over where he was supposed to win every stage. :Neutral:

 

[dacooley]

aspin downhill is very easy and straightforward, not to mention it's just 7 km this time. me thinks froome and quintana might seriously test each other on the climb today, the profile doesn't suit gc action at all at this stage of the race, though.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: 2016 TdF, Stage 7: L'Isle-Jourdain → Lac de Payolle (163

For Biciciclismo Quintana said that ehe expects Froome to attack like in previous years.
Arrieta (one of DA) said they worked with Sky on Wednesday because they asked for it , and that today will be a test but saturday and sunday will be more important.


Sounds like Movistar is not gonna attack after all.

 

[rick james]

Re:

AX3, PSM... Aspin? Looking forward to it.

Nope, Froome won't attack today

 

[WheelofGear]

Re:

AX3, PSM... Aspin? Looking forward to it.

I think Froome wants Arcalis, not Aspin. His specialty has always been the first MTFs in stage races. Sky will properly let a break go.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re: Re:

AX3, PSM... Aspin? Looking forward to it.

I think Froome wants Arcalis, not Aspin. His specialty has always been the first MTFs in stage races. Sky will properly let a break go.

Depends who's in the break. I'm sure that BMC wants to hold on to yellow one more day if it is possible.
Anyways I have a feeling that this stage won't be dictated by Sky.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Sagan is an outsider for this one if they don't sacrifice him for Contador's GC prospects.

 

[Singer01]

Kreuzinger and Majka to pace Froome and Quintana to the top of Aspin, then do zig zags across the front of Contador so he can't make up time on the decent.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Re: Re:

AX3, PSM... Aspin? Looking forward to it.

I think Froome wants Arcalis, not Aspin. His specialty has always been the first MTFs in stage races. Sky will properly let a break go.

Definitely. The Aspin isn't hard enough for a major attack, and Froome won't risk the humiliation of being caught back in the descent. His traditional attack is probably planned for Arcalis or the Ventoux.

Most likely the breakaway will succeed today. Several good climbers are far enough behind in the GC to get the freedom: Nibali, Majka, Rui Costa, LL Sanchez, Ten Dam, Zakarin, Tom Dumoulin, Navarro, Gallopin, Moinard... One of them might win the stage.

 

[rick james]

Sky should put the King in the north in the breakaway

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Re:

Sagan is an outsider for this one if they don't sacrifice him for Contador's GC prospects.

How? There is no way Etixx and Dimension will let him go into the break.

 

[The Barb]

Re: Re:

Sagan is an outsider for this one if they don't sacrifice him for Contador's GC prospects.

How? There is no way Etixx and Dimension will let him go into the break.

I was actually thinking he might be an outside chance also. Etixx and Dimension I don't think would really care, they are about stage wins not the green jersey. Sagan is keen to get in s break too, as he tried on Stage 5.

If he gets in a break with no pure climbers, as is possible with the flat start, it's not crazy to think he could win.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Both Cavendish and Kittel want green jersey. That's why they take points at intermediates. Yesterday entire Etixx train was in action at intermediate - surely they care.

 

[Fernandez]

Re:

Sagan is an outsider for this one if they don't sacrifice him for Contador's GC prospects.

People trend to overestimate Sagan a bit...

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Re:

Sagan is an outsider for this one if they don't sacrifice him for Contador's GC prospects.

How? There is no way Etixx and Dimension will let him go into the break.

I agree with what The Barb said above, but even without getting into the break Sagan is an outsider.

 

[Red Rick]

If Sagan wins the stage, I'd find the strategy of all breakaway riders who can actually climb highly questionable.

 

[WillemS]

Re:

If Sagan wins the stage, I'd find the strategy of all breakaway riders who can actually climb highly questionable.

Just like when Hushovd won stage 13 in 2011?

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Re:

If Sagan wins the stage, I'd find the strategy of all breakaway riders who can actually climb highly questionable.

Just like when Hushovd won stage 13 in 2011?

Indeed.

 

[WillemS]

Kidding besides, I think Red Rick is right; I think it's highly unlikely for Sagan to win. He hasn't shown great climbing so far in this tour, so he either has to get very lucky with his colleagues in the break-away or the tempo on d'Aspin has to be very moderate. I don't think those situations are very likely. The first is unlikely as the polka dot jersey classification is still very open, meaning riders who have climbing legs will try to get in the break, and the second one is just not how Sky races.

 

[WillemS]

Considering the mountain classification, with 11 points up for grabs today, I think Majka might have a shot today. Stuyven and De Gendt are probably going to give it a shot as well.

Current standings:

1    Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal                 13 pts
2    Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team            11
3    Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo                 5
4    Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team                 5
5    Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18                       4
6    Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Lampre - Merida               3
7    Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18                       2
8    Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team                      2
9    Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept      1
10   Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek-Segafredo                  1
11   Vegard Breen (Nor) Fortuneo - Vital Concept         1
12   Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team                  1

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Considering the mountain classification, with 11 points up for grabs today, I think Majka might have a shot today. Stuyven and De Gendt are probably going to give it a shot as well.

Current standings:

1    Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal                 13 pts
2    Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team            11
3    Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo                 5
4    Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team                 5
5    Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18                       4
6    Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Lampre - Merida               3
7    Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18                       2
8    Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team                      2
9    Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept      1
10   Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek-Segafredo                  1
11   Vegard Breen (Nor) Fortuneo - Vital Concept         1
12   Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team                  1

If GvA can beat Majka and De Gendt, so can Sagan.

But, as I said, it all depends on whether Tinkoff lets Peter chase his own objectives.

 

[WillemS]

Re: Re:

Considering the mountain classification, with 11 points up for grabs today, I think Majka might have a shot today. Stuyven and De Gendt are probably going to give it a shot as well.

(...)

If GvA can beat Majka and De Gendt, so can Sagan.

But, as I said, it all depends on whether Tinkoff lets Peter chase his own objectives.

I think the very reason why Sagan often beats GvA in one-day races is the same reason why GvA will do better on a long mountain pass: I think Sagan excels in high-intensity short-duration intervals. That's very different from a sustained effort up d'Aspin.