2019 Tour de France, stage 10: Saint-Flour > Albi 217,5 km

[sir fly]

C. PRUDHOMME'S COMMENT
Who will win this stage? A sprinter or a breakaway rider? The question really deserves to be asked. Whatever the outcome the riders will spend most of their day over an altitude of 1 000m on climbs that will make it hard to control potential escapees.

Of the three stages of the Tour to finish in Saint-Flour, it was undoubtedly the one clinched by Richard Virenque on Bastille Day in 2004 which made a lasting impression. Gone with Axel Merckx, the Frenchman finally went solo to win with a five minutes lead over German Andreas Kloden and seized the polka dot jersey he was to take to Paris for the seventh time. It was his seventh and last stage victory on the Tour. Seven years later, in 2011, Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez took the stage honours ahead of Thomas Voeckler, who took back the yellow jersey he had held for ten days in 2004. The Frenchman that year completed his most successful Tour de France, finishing fourth overall.

In 2013, while Albi had just been elected by L’Équipe "Most Sporting City of France" of the year 2012, it was Peter Sagan who had prevailed in the prefecture of Tarn at the end of a long stage from Montpellier. It was Slovakia's fourth stage victory and allowed him to widen the gap in his race to win the green jersey.

Albi is the hometown of Lilian Calmejane, solo winner of Les Rousses in the Tour 2017 and one of the most admirable attackers of the current peloton.

Some of the biggest names in cycling have won in Albi, starting with the biggest of all, Eddy Merckx, who took a time trial in 1971. In 2007, Cadel Evans also triumphed in a lonely effort. Another winner of the Tour, Roger Pingeon took a step from Font-Romeu in 1968.

Km 189.5
Carmaux

The industrial past of the 19th century is inscribed in the very soil of Carmaux. A black past like the coal that the men extracted in the mines for the glass industry. Elected member of parliament in Carmaux in 1893, Jean Jaures took the defence of the miners and workers of the mines and industries of the region. He created modern socialism and became the emblematic figure of this political current in France. The mine museum allows visitors to go down a real mine and discover the exciting history of coal and the hard life of miners. At the Glass Museum in Carmaux, the history of the glass industry is told in a magical space of brilliance and transparency.

In 2011, Carmaux hosted a stage of the Tour de France clinched by André Greipel. Carmaux is also a land of rugby union (Jean-Pierre Romeu, Marc Andrieu, Jack Cantoni) who won the French championship in 1951.

Km 6.5
Viaduct of Garabit

Built from 1880 and commissioned from 1888, the viaduct of Garabit radiates with red as it crosses the river Truyère and shines brightly at night, as a mirage from the Arabian Nights. Conceived by engineer Léon Boyer and Gustave Eiffel, Garabit remains one of the most remarkable structures ever built. This 122-m high and 564-m long building, with a monumental arch span of 165 metres, was in its time the largest metal structure in the world. It was also and above all a real laboratory for the construction of the Eiffel Tower. A testimony of the audacity of 19th century builders and a fine example of the technology of metal structures assembled by rivets, this aging masterpiece does not pale in comparison with the neighbouring viaduct of Millau.

Km 21
Belvedere of Mallet

Located at an altitude of 832 m, the Mallet belvedere offers a remarkable view of the Truyère and Bès valleys and the Grandval reservoir.

Km 75
Montpeyroux

Castle of Bousquet
5 kilometres from Laguiole, the Bousquet castle is a 14th century historical monument, located on the direct route from Le Puy to Conques, already used by pilgrims from the Middle Ages. Its military architecture probably due to the Knights Hospitalier, its parapets and machicolation make for an impressive fortress, one of the best preserved of the period in France (furnished interior, furniture, objects, paintings).

Km 89
Espalion

Dominated by the castle of Calmont d'Olt, this small town spreads along the river Lot, and was for long one of its few crossing points (Pont-Vieux). The expression "Espalion, the first smile of the south" came from the pilgrims to Compostela, who used to discover it with relief after long days on dark and steep paths up north. On the banks of the Lot are lined up the facades of picturesque houses with corbelled wooden balconies and steep roofs. They are the building of ancient tanneries, the "calquières", whose large stones, called "gandouliers", plunge into the Lot. It was on those stones that skins were tanned until WWI.

The four-arched pink sandstone Pont-Vieux (Old Bridge), dating back from the Middle Ages, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the French routes to Compostela. But the religious heritage (chapel of Persia, chapel of the Penitents, church of St. John the Baptist transformed into a museum, Ursuline Convent), is also worth a visit, as well as the beautiful buildings along the Lot, the Vieux Palais (Old Palace) neing the most picturesque. Visitors might be surprised to find the statue of a deep-sea diver on the banks of the Lot, facing the Old Palace: it pays homage to two local inventors, Benoît Rouquayrol and Auguste Denayrouze, who developed the first diving suits.

Km 98.5
Bozouls

The village is famous for the vertiginous Trou de Bozouls (Bozouls Hole), a spectacular canyon formed by the waters of the Dourdou and around which the town settled. The castle that once stood on the rocky outcrop has been replaced by the beautiful Romanesque Sainte-Fauste church.

Km 135
Calmont-de-Plancatge

A 15th century dungeon is all that remains of the castle of Calmont-de-Plancatge, formerly stronghold of the Barony of Arpajons, which held a prominent place in the life of the Province. A keep dominates the ramparts and tight lanes go down to the brook of Nauze. Once famous for its fairs and for producing hemp, the village still charms today with its old half-timbered houses dating back to the 15th century.

Km 140
Comps-la-Grand-Ville

The abbey of Bellecombe was founded in 1167 by Cistercians who remained there until 1791. An imposing building, it was crippled during the Revolution before being restored by Trappist monks in 1889. These Trappist monks left Bonnecombe in 1965. Since May 1998, it is occupied by a charismatic community (the Beatitudes) and can be visited.

Km 174.5
Tanus

Viaur viaduct
A contest launched in 1887 awarded the construction of the viaduct to engineer Paul Bodin of the Batignolles construction company. He finally built the railway viaduct across the Viaur between 1895 and 1902 and inaugurated it on October 5, 1903. By the boldness of its conception, the 460-metres bridge is one of the most important metal constructions in France. The 220-m central arch consists of two symmetrical frames arching through an articulated key in its centre. It is one of the three major metal constructions of the 19th century in France with the Viaduct of Garabit and the Eiffel Tower.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Re: 2019 Tour de France, stage 10: Saint-Flour > Albi 217,5

C. PRUDHOMME'S COMMENT
Who will win this stage? A sprinter or a breakaway rider? The question really deserves to be asked. Whatever the outcome the riders will spend most of their day over an altitude of 1 000m on climbs that will make it hard to control potential escapees.

More like ten minutes in total...

 

[Laplaz]

Hopefully more than the usual two guys in the break...

 

[del1962]

Two man break day

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: 2019 Tour de France, stage 10: Saint-Flour > Albi 217,5

If those climbs at the beginning were a little harder and the stage a little shorter I could see teams like sunweb or Bora trying to eliminate some heavy sprinters with a high pace early on but with this profile I don't really expect anything.
Rooting for Ewan

 

[happytramp]

Re: 2019 Tour de France, stage 10: Saint-Flour > Albi 217,5

Great stage intro. The added history sections are a very cool addition.

 

[Salvarani]

Re: 2019 Tour de France, stage 10: Saint-Flour > Albi 217,5

Looks like there are some uncategorized hills along the way also. Might be harder than one think. Im not too sure every sprinter will be there in the finale or if it will end in a sprint. Break might take it again.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: 2019 Tour de France, stage 10: Saint-Flour > Albi 217,5

Great stage intro. The added history sections are a very cool addition.

Yes more interesting than the actual stage probably but we can hope. Another break but this one may not succeed.

 

[Cinemaniak]

I don't see Lotto-Soudal, DQS, Jumbo-Visma and UAE leaving this for the break. Tony Martin, Asgreen and De Gendt will bring it back after the last climb and I don't believe those uncategorized hills are anything they should be worried about. Groenewegen vs Sagan & Ewan.

 

[Cookster15]

Hopefully Ewan can get one over Peter the Great.

 

[search]

Re:

I don't see Lotto-Soudal, DQS, Jumbo-Visma and UAE leaving this for the break. Tony Martin, Asgreen and De Gendt will bring it back after the last climb and I don't believe those uncategorized hills are anything they should be worried about.

I tend to agree, but there's actually quite a strong a tailwind for most of the stage (good for the break) and a crosswind on the final 50k (good for more action), so it could be a more interesting stage than what it looks like. And if not, it should be a high speed one finishing early, at least.

Groenewegen vs Sagan & Ewan.

I can see no reason not to include Viviani though. The wavy final kilometer is one for a strong train, and his is the best

 

[Bolder]

The sprinters sat in yesterday, so I expect this is a stage they're targeting. The last 20 km or so look to be roughly downhill. I really hope Ewan can get a win this tour, and this could be his chance.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Ewan vs Sagan. Matthews vs Colbrelli for third place.

 

[Flamin]

Re:

Ewan vs Sagan. Matthews vs Colbrelli for third place.

I was going to ask which climb(s) you see that I don't, but then again, you mention Ewan, who's been *** uphill this Tour, so I'm not sure in what scenario you see a Ewan vs Sagan unfolding.

Looks like Groenewegen vs Ewan vs Viviani to me.

 

[Sestriere]

Arndt, Politt, Zabel and Burghardt are talking about how they think the stage is going to develop during neutralization. Arndt made a comment about how 'EF were just chasing two days ago for nothing, so you never know what's gonna happen'...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Why does Ineos feel the need to dictate stages like this by making it hard for the rider who want to go in the break?? So annoying

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

Why does Ineos feel the need to dictate stages like this by making it hard for the rider who want to go in the break?? So annoying

Very annoying indeed

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Why does Ineos feel the need to dictate stages like this by making it hard for the rider who want to go in the break?? So annoying

Very annoying indeed

*** team, really. Please stay out of these stages.

 

[Martin]

Re: 2019 Tour de France, stage 10: Saint-Flour > Albi 217,5

Wind 20kph - doesn't seem to be enough strong to create echelons today

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re: Re:

Why does Ineos feel the need to dictate stages like this by making it hard for the rider who want to go in the break?? So annoying

Very annoying indeed

**** team, really. Please stay out of these stages.

Pretty much blocking riders from going into the breakaway shouldn't be allowed, teams should get a fine or even better a time penalty for all of their riders for doing this.
I wouldn't be opposed to throwing riders out of the race if they do it multiple times. It's just very unsportsmanlike.

 

[Sestriere]

They're keeping them at 2'30". Great.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Why does Ineos feel the need to dictate stages like this by making it hard for the rider who want to go in the break?? So annoying

Very annoying indeed

**** team, really. Please stay out of these stages.

Pretty much blocking riders from going into the breakaway shouldn't be allowed, teams should get a fine or even better a time penalty for all of their riders for doing this.
I wouldn't be opposed to throwing riders out of the race if they do it multiple times. It's just very unsportsmanlike.

Yep. And then they chastise Costa for going on the attack when they finally leave a hole in their wall.

 

[HelloDolly]

See Asgreen push that Sunweb rider Bol off fthe road from trying to go in the breakawa

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

See Asgreen push that Sunweb rider Bol off fthe road from trying to go in the breakawa

And the Danish commentators are of course praising him

 

[Sestriere]

Re:

See Asgreen push that Sunweb rider Bol off fthe road from trying to go in the breakawa

Saw that as well, total douche move tbh.