Le Tour '19 Stage 20: Albertville > Val Thorens 59km

[Salvarani]

Unless Bernal crash. He winning this.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

With such a short stage, with only 1 climb and no decents, there is not going to be any changes amongst the real GC riders - the only one who might lose time today is Alaphilippe.

"Only" 1 climb. When was the last time the Tour featured a 34km summit finish?

 

[Vasilis]

Re: Re:

It’s funny to me how people are complaining that we know who will likely be the winner. Oh no! After three weeks, we know who the winner is two days before the end! The race is ruined!
Of course, we will never know what would have happened if Pinot didn’t need to abandon and the landslides didn’t happen and it feels weird how the jersey changed hands, but if Pinot had taken the jersey today (and for example not lost 1:40 in the crosswinds) we would have known the winner too and no one would have said a word about it.

It's funny to me, that you don't realise what today and yesterday could have meant to the GC - without mother nature ruining it all

Lots of things could have happened and may still happen. Impossible to say. Of course for the race it would have been better if those stages could have been run as they were supposed to. So I understand when people are disappointed by that. However, I have seen people complaining about the fact we know who the winner will be now. The last time the winner was unknown for this long was 2011, when the French hope also capitulated on stage 19, incidentally. All in all, I think this has been quite an exciting and unpredictable (yesterday only added to that unpredictability) Tour de France, and we still don’t know who will be on the podium in Paris. I think people are just salty, they don’t actually complain because they know the winner but the fact he rides for Ineos.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

With such a short stage, with only 1 climb and no decents, there is not going to be any changes amongst the real GC riders - the only one who might lose time today is Alaphilippe.

"Only" 1 climb. When was the last time the Tour featured a 34km summit finish?

Climbbybike gives Val Thorens a much higher difficulty rating than Alpe D'Huez. The average gradient of 5.5% is also misleading interspersed with several false flats and small descents. The long ramps in between average 7 to 9%.

 

[saganftw]

its been a huge dissapointment last two days, only thing worse would be if JA got a minute advantage and 10m before finish line rode over a landmine

but this shortened stage throws a curveball to GC riders as not all of them might be ready to ride from the start, usually you get couple hours before you hit final climb so if the pace is high right from the start could somebody use it to advantage? could JA be better at intense performance from the start than bernal? watch Buchmann win TdF because he is on a good day and pasta for lunch was especially fresh :lol:

 

[Blanco]

Bernal if he feels comfortable and willing to risk. If not, then Landa

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

With such a short stage, with only 1 climb and no decents, there is not going to be any changes amongst the real GC riders - the only one who might lose time today is Alaphilippe.

"Only" 1 climb. When was the last time the Tour featured a 34km summit finish?

Climbbybike gives Val Thorens a much higher difficulty rating than Alpe D'Huez. The average gradient of 5.5% is also misleading interspersed with several false flats and small descents. The long ramps in between average 7 to 9%.

The point is, there are no tactics on such a stage.

It's one climb, the strongest man wins, end of story.

 

[brownbobby]

Re: Re:

Wait, what?!

This Tour just went from great to **** in a matter of a few hours. Isn't it at all possible to do something else than this?!?!

Im just lost for words. Depressed. God damn man, why do this Mother Nature

This year’s tour is the sporting equivalent to the Game of Thrones wrap up

I'm still really bitter about that TV show, that last season ruined something what could have been amazing

The key to a happy life....enjoy what you had/have, and don’t worry about what you didn’t have.

It was a great TV show and it’s been a great Tour

 

[Valv.Piti]

I just cant grasp how Prudhomme came up with this shitty stage. There must be other opportunities thna this crap.

 

[Nirvana]

Re:

This would have been an ITT in the early 90s

I know that looks like an era ago but still in 2014 there was a 50+ kms ITT, the Bardetization of the Tour routes started only in 2015, you don't need to go in early 90s unless you want a 70+ kms one.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re:

I just cant grasp how Prudhomme came up with this ****** stage. There must be other opportunities thna this crap.

Probably not that are logistically possible at such short notice.

All the roads not blocked for the Tour, will be a huge problem to suddenly close off because of a sudden route change, especially as they are all overloaded to begin with, to compensate for the original route being closed off.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Re: Re:

I just cant grasp how Prudhomme came up with this ****** stage. There must be other opportunities thna this crap.

Probably not that are logistically possible at such short notice.

All the roads not blocked for the Tour, will be a huge problem to suddenly close off because of a sudden route change, especially as they are all overloaded to begin with, to compensate for the original route being closed off.

Yes, it's a logistic nightmare.
That said, Red Rick has mentioned the fact that you could make a circuit with the first part of the climb until both roads meet. Having 2 laps on that circuit to replace the 2 canceled climbs would be the only realistic option.

 

[Cookster15]

Re:

I just cant grasp how Prudhomme came up with this ****** stage. There must be other opportunities thna this crap.

There must? Assume positive intent it is better for health. Prudhomme has an enormous budget. Frankly I would be surprised if he did not ask if there were better options all factors considered. It is what it is. Blame mother nature.

 

[luckyboy]

Possible the stage might not be raced at all. Very heavy storms on Val Thorens.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Possible the stage might not be raced at all. Very heavy storms on Val Thorens.

That would be the most Tour de France thing the Tour de France has ever done

 

[Lequack]

Why is summer rain suddenly extreme weather?

 

[luckyboy]

It's hail, thunderstorms and fog. Look at all the tweets here - https://sporza.be/nl/matches/wielrennen/tour-de-france/2019/etappe-20/

 

[Pricey_sky]

The French are doing a rain/hail dance to save Alaphilippe’s podium.

 

[Lequack]

In that case I hope they cancel stage 21 as well since it's of no significance, but a Sky/Ineos parade fro the last decade.

 

[roundabout]

It's hail, thunderstorms and fog. Look at all the tweets here - https://sporza.be/nl/matches/wielrennen/tour-de-france/2019/etappe-20/

Looks ok on the webcam

https://www.valthorens.com/en/webcam/livecam-station

But I don't know what the forecast says and whether there is a risk of landslides as well.

 

[topcat]

Re:

The French are doing a rain/hail dance to save Alaphilippe’s podium.

Make it a tt on the flat 25 k so G can win?

 

[F_Cance]

Weather is again on Julance side

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

Why is summer rain suddenly extreme weather?

Risk of landslides I imagine.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Goes from on paper one of the best Tour stages ever to a likely procession with a mini attack to get JA off the podium. *** weather

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

The French are doing a rain/hail dance to save Alaphilippe’s podium.

Make it a tt on the flat 25 k so G can win?

I hope not. :lol: