Le Tour 2018 stage 18:Trie-sur-Baïse - Pau 171km

[Robert5091]

Le Tour 2018 stage 18:Trie-sur-Baïse - Pau 171km (the one we've all be waiting for)

The biggest hurdles on the 18th stage are the Côte de Madiran and the Côte d’Anos. The first one is a hill of 1.2 kilometres at 7% (KOM at kilometres 53.5) and the second climbs for 2.1 kilometres at 4.6%. The mountain points on the Anos are up for grabs with 18.5 kilometres remaining. The route continues on the flat for 6.5 kilometres before the plunge, with one hairpin, runs to the false flat descending finale. Sprint teams should be aware of a sharp bend with 1.2 kilometres out.

Finish -

 

[Gigs_98]

If Sagan has to abandon I can absolutely see alaphilippe going into the break to get max points at the intermediate sprint. That would also make a win by the break a little more likely.

 

[Robert5091]

Weather - hot & humid - no chance of crosswinds. Due to start 14.00 CET - tune in for the last 10 km & I expect you will not miss much.

 

[spalco]

If Sagan has to abandon I can absolutely see alaphilippe going into the break to get max points at the intermediate sprint. That would also make a win by the break a little more likely.

Has anyone other than Merckx won the Mountains- and Points-jersey in the same year? It would be more freak coincidence than achievement with all those sprinters dropping out this year, but pretty amazing anyway.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Cavendish for the win.. I mean Greipel....I mean Gaviria…..I mean Groenewegen…..I mean Kittel.....I mean Valverde! Got there in the end.

 

[shalgo]

If Sagan has to abandon I can absolutely see alaphilippe going into the break to get max points at the intermediate sprint. That would also make a win by the break a little more likely.

Has anyone other than Merckx won the Mountains- and Points-jersey in the same year? It would be more freak coincidence than achievement with all those sprinters dropping out this year, but pretty amazing anyway.

I can't think of any others, but Hinault gets an honorable mention for winning yellow and green in the same year, while finishing second in the polka-dot competition.

If it really gets close, Alaphilippe may regret just rolling through the intermediate sprint in third place today. That cost him five points.

 

[Escarabajo]

Demare to drop on the first Cote!

He will get back though!

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

I’ll tune in last 5kms

 

[Poursuivant]

Sagan will ride and win.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Sagan has confirmed that he continues. It doesn't look like he's in much pain, so my money's on him tomorrow.

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Cavendish for the win.. I mean Greipel....I mean Gaviria…..I mean Groenewegen…..I mean Kittel.....I mean Valverde! Got there in the end.

Sure why not. I did say something last week if enough of the sprinters abandon Valverde might just get involved in a full field sprint. Don't know about tomorrow, but he was asked earlier this year if he could win one stage in the Tour which one would it be and he said without hesitation in Paris on the Champs. When the reporter said You aren't a sprinter, his response was, you didn't say it had to be realistic. With many of the sprinters gone, it is more realist for him to win a sprint stage.

 

[jaylew]

Hopefully one for the breakaway. With Sagan being hurt, if it comes down to a sprint, Démare would have a decent shot at winning (along with Kristoff), which would be a travesty.

 

[mode747]

I'm thinking Demare here but definitely worried about FDJ having the horsepower to bring back what is likely to be a very large break.

 

[Finn84]

Considering how much Demare has struggled, if last 4th category hill is ridden hard, it may be too much for him.

 

[carton]

So, yeah. A sprint stage without sprinters. A chance for the guys who made the big efforts to rest up so Friday becomes irrelevant as well. A chance for the breakaway guys to break themselves one last time. So the first hour of this thing is going to be stoopid hard. If one of the GC guys wakes up with bad legs today this stage could've been insane. But it's not going to be. Because >______________# happens.

 

[Koronin]

What sprinters do we have left? Sagan (injured), Demaure, who is going to have a hard time making it over that tiny climb at the end, Kristoff and Dagenkolb. After that we would get Terpsra, Alaphilippe, Dan Martin and Valverde. So this is going be our field sprint: Kristoff, Dagenkolb, Terpstra/Alaphilippe, D Martin and Valverde? For that matter that may also be our sprinters for Paris on Sunday? Please let me know if I've missed a sprinter who is still in the field?

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

What sprinters do we have left? Sagan (injured), Demaure, who is going to have a hard time making it over that tiny climb at the end, Kristoff and Dagenkolb. After that we would get Terpsra, Alaphilippe, Dan Martin and Valverde. So this is going be our field sprint: Kristoff, Dagenkolb, Terpstra/Alaphilippe, D Martin and Valverde? For that matter that may also be our sprinters for Paris on Sunday? Please let me know if I've missed a sprinter who is still in the field?

Imagine if someone actually pulls a Vino in Paris, this year you'd have all the right ingredients.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

What sprinters do we have left? Sagan (injured), Demaure, who is going to have a hard time making it over that tiny climb at the end, Kristoff and Dagenkolb. After that we would get Terpsra, Alaphilippe, Dan Martin and Valverde. So this is going be our field sprint: Kristoff, Dagenkolb, Terpstra/Alaphilippe, D Martin and Valverde? For that matter that may also be our sprinters for Paris on Sunday? Please let me know if I've missed a sprinter who is still in the field?

It will be the top sprinters, Sagan, Demare and Kristoff vs the second/third/fourth tier sprinters Degenkolb, Colbrelli, Arndt, Cort, Richeze, Hagen, De Buyst, Boudat, Laporte and Pasqualon/Dupont. Perhaps Phinney, Van Avermaet, Impey and Roosen joins the party as well.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

What sprinters do we have left? Sagan (injured), Demaure, who is going to have a hard time making it over that tiny climb at the end, Kristoff and Dagenkolb. After that we would get Terpsra, Alaphilippe, Dan Martin and Valverde. So this is going be our field sprint: Kristoff, Dagenkolb, Terpstra/Alaphilippe, D Martin and Valverde? For that matter that may also be our sprinters for Paris on Sunday? Please let me know if I've missed a sprinter who is still in the field?

Imagine if someone actually pulls a Vino in Paris, this year you'd have all the right ingredients.

It definitely does.

[quote="Koronin":1jd0tzd9]What sprinters do we have left? Sagan (injured), Demaure, who is going to have a hard time making it over that tiny climb at the end, Kristoff and Dagenkolb. After that we would get Terpsra, Alaphilippe, Dan Martin and Valverde. So this is going be our field sprint: Kristoff, Dagenkolb, Terpstra/Alaphilippe, D Martin and Valverde? For that matter that may also be our sprinters for Paris on Sunday? Please let me know if I've missed a sprinter who is still in the field?

It will be the top sprinters, Sagan, Demare and Kristoff vs the second/third/fourth tier sprinters Degenkolb, Colbrelli, Arndt, Cort, Richeze, Hagen, De Buyst, Boudat, Laporte and Pasqualon/Dupont. Perhaps Phinney, Van Avermaet, Impey and Roosen joins the party as well.[/quote]

May as well add both Alaphilippe and Valverde to the list of second/third/fourth tier sprinters. At least there are still several of that group around.

 

[shalgo]

Re: Re:

What sprinters do we have left? Sagan (injured), Demaure, who is going to have a hard time making it over that tiny climb at the end, Kristoff and Dagenkolb. After that we would get Terpsra, Alaphilippe, Dan Martin and Valverde. So this is going be our field sprint: Kristoff, Dagenkolb, Terpstra/Alaphilippe, D Martin and Valverde? For that matter that may also be our sprinters for Paris on Sunday? Please let me know if I've missed a sprinter who is still in the field?

Imagine if someone actually pulls a Vino in Paris, this year you'd have all the right ingredients.

Unfortunately, Bradley McGee is not here this year to let someone wheelsuck him all the way to the finish.

 

[rick james]

froome to go in the break and win by 2 hours

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The stage we've all been waiting for. I expect many snoozefests and an exciting sprint between Demare who's fresh as a daisy after holding on to the entire motorbike peloton and Kristoff being the only fit sprinter left

 

[Frihed89]

If Sagan has to abandon I can absolutely see alaphilippe going into the break to get max points at the intermediate sprint. That would also make a win by the break a little more likely.

Has anyone other than Merckx won the Mountains- and Points-jersey in the same year? It would be more freak coincidence than achievement with all those sprinters dropping out this year, but pretty amazing anyway.

I don't think so, but Jalabert won 2 of each at the Tour, but never in the same year. Still, that's quite an accomplishment, among his many others as a sprinter, mountain and GC rider.

 

[The Barb]

I'm really hoping the break can make it. Sagan apart, none of these second-tier sprinters deserve to win a stage (Demare especially).

Given Sagan's questionable condition, I doubt Bora will want to work to bring it back and it may be an opportunity for a couple of Bora riders to go stage hunting (Oss, Bodnar, Postlberger all good long shot chances).

 

[Eyeballs Out]

A few riders will get up the road and then Sky and FDJ will clog up the road to prevent any chance of a race breaking out. Not exactly prophetic considering that's what happened with the last flat stage