Paris-Nice STAGE 6: Peynie - Tourrettes-sur-Loup - 220 km

[Mellow Velo]

The penultimate stage details:




* Km 33.5 - Côte de Val-Rose - 1.9 km de montée à 4.3 % - Catégorie 3
* Km 38.0 - Côte de Barjols - 1.7 km de montée à 4.2 % - Catégorie 3
* Km 85.5 - Côte des Tuillières - 2.2 km de montée à 8.2 % - Catégorie 2
* Km 101.0 - Côte du Mont Méaulx - 1.7 km de montée à 5.1 % - Catégorie 3
* Km 131.5 - Côte de Tignet - 2.8 km de montée à 5.1 % - Catégorie 3
* Km 147.0 - Côte de Plascassier - 3.7 km de montée à 2.1 % - Catégorie 3
* Km 156.5 - Côte de Châteauneuf (D.3-D.2210) - 1.3 km de montée à 9.5 % - Catégorie 2
* Km 187.5 - Col de Vence - 9.7 km de montée à 6.6 % - Catégorie 1

 

[taiwan]

Looks like a really hard stage. Astana won't have much chance of catching any escapees on this one. Maybe they'll get some help. Does Cunego have form/ interest?

 

[Publicus]

Looks like a really hard stage. Astana won't have much chance of catching any escapees on this one. Maybe they'll get some help. Does Cunego have form/ interest?

Reading AC's post-stage comments, I don't think Astana is going to try and control the race tomorrow. I think they plan on forcing one or more of the other teams to contribute. Tomorrow would be a great day for a climber far down on GC to go for a stage win. Say someone from Radio Shack or Garmin.

 

[Big GMaC]

Reading AC's post-stage comments, I don't think Astana is going to try and control the race tomorrow. I think they plan on forcing one or more of the other teams to contribute. Tomorrow would be a great day for a climber far down on GC to go for a stage win. Say someone from Radio Shack or Garmin.

Could Samu make a go of it just before and up the CAT1? He's got a descent on the otherside?

 

[Publicus]

Could Samu make a go of it just before and up the CAT1? He's got a descent on the otherside?

He could, but he won't go alone. AC, Valverde, Rodriguez, Lulu and anyone else within 1 minute of the overall would be on his wheel.

The more I think about it, this is great practice for what AC is going to see at the Tour. Whatever happens, he, the rest of the squad and Martinelli are getting a valuable learning experience.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Sagan !

 

[franciep10]

While I do like sagan there is no way he get's over the Col de vence in the lead group Since the finish is slightly uphil I am going with LL Sanchez for the stage to continue the Spanish domination in france.

 

[Publicus]

While I do like sagan there is no way he get's over the Col de vence in the lead group Since the finish is slightly uphil I am going with LL Sanchez for the stage to continue the Spanish domination in france.

That's assuming he's with the favorites when they come over the Col de Vence, which is not a given, especially if someone decides to attack (which they most certainly better or I will be p1ssed).

 

[Frosty]

Rodriguez's role on Saturday could be interesting. Last year he was on the same team as Valverde and LL Sanchez. He is now on Katusha but will he have some plans worked out with the current CdE riders?

Could see some activity from Voeckler over the weekend. Ok, so he's always quite active but thursday's stage shows he is in good form and his bad luck on Friday means the leaders have a cushion of time over him. 3 minutes probably isnt enough to get in the breakaway unless Astana are sure they will ride hard enough to bring it back though.

 

[Sasquatch]

Regardless if there is a break or not, of the main contenders, there will be apporximately 10 riders make it over the top with a huge gap. A handful more may catch back on, but I would assume that the overall favourites are in a small selected group come the finish line. Whether or not they are going for the stage win or gaining time, that's another story.

Sagan definately won't be there unless he goes in the break.

Tondo, Rodriguez, Schleck, Valverde, Sanchez, Sanchez, Kreuziger, Le Mevel should all be there.

Maybe a couple others like Brajkovic, Voeckler and Gerrans. But, it's only going to be a small selective group at the finish because Caisse are going to light up the final climb.

 

[Publicus]

Regardless if there is a break or not, of the main contenders, there will be apporximately 10 riders make it over the top with a huge gap. A handful more may catch back on, but I would assume that the overall favourites are in a small selected group come the finish line. Whether or not they are going for the stage win or gaining time, that's another story.

Sagan definately won't be there unless he goes in the break.

Tondo, Rodriguez, Schleck, Valverde, Sanchez, Sanchez, Kreuziger, Le Mevel should all be there.

Maybe a couple others like Brajkovic, Voeckler and Gerrans. But, it's only going to be a small selective group at the finish because Caisse are going to light up the final climb.

Did you intentionally exclude AC from that list? As in he gets dropped? Just curious.

 

[theswordsman]

He could, but he won't go alone. AC, Valverde, Rodriguez, Lulu and anyone else within 1 minute of the overall would be on his wheel.

The more I think about it, this is great practice for what AC is going to see at the Tour. Whatever happens, he, the rest of the squad and Martinelli are getting a valuable learning experience.

Yeah, they said at camp they would use this race to work on strategy, and they're getting to see a lot of situations and succeed or fail.

I'm really hoping that a healthy Vino will be allowed to race the Tour. He could be the unpredictable wild card they're missing right now.

 

[craig1985]

Going to tip ValvPiti for the win.

 

[Sasquatch]

Did you intentionally exclude AC from that list? As in he gets dropped? Just curious.

LOL. No, that was an accident. If he is dropped, he will tag back on along the descent unless the gap is over a minute. So throw Contador in that list.

 

[theswordsman]

Steve at Steephill.TV just posted that live video for the stage starts earlier, at 7:15 Central time.

 

[Big GMaC]

Steve at Steephill.TV just posted that live video for the stage starts earlier, at 7:15 Central time.

do you know if there will be any eurosport feeds? on TV ants? because almost everything else gets c0ckblocked by the censor

 

[AntonioRossi]

could someone quote this on the podium contest for stage 6? I live on the West Coast, and waking up at 6 on a saturday is a bit early for me
Thanks

1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Simon Gerrans
3. Christophe Le Mevel

 

[palmerq]

I think this is a very good stage for valverde and lls to go on the attacks and do some damage to contador... I dont think they will break him though but here is a very good stage for them to gain some time and a stage win.. I'll guess at valverde winning the stage.... Cunego could do well if he is in good condition(no idea what form he's in though).. I think this will be a very good stage to watch.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

That's assuming he's with the favorites when they come over the Col de Vence, which is not a given, especially if someone decides to attack (which they most certainly better or I will be p1ssed).

I don't expect Sagan to be in lead group over Col de Vence but it's still 32 km from the finish line. Even if he come over within 90 seconds, he can still make it back. He's decent downhiller and I dont expect leading group pull too much if AC is in it.

 

[theswordsman]

These guys have had a brutal week with the cold, winds, climbs, and a hard pace on Friday. I have no idea what to expect - I'm just grateful for early video feeds so I can watch it unfold. There's no way Contador can let Valverde, Kreuziger, Voigt, or anyone named Sanchez pick up bonus seconds at the finish. If he could finish first and grab the ten seconds, it would be huge.

I think the 8 & 9% climbs will splinter the field and the Cat 1 climb will keep them from regrouping. I could see eight or ten guys going over the top of that together. Mostly I think it will continue to be a damned interesting race that didn't require hype or anyone telling us who to root for. Contador will stay in yellow, but I've got no clue what he and the team will have to do to make it happen. Which is a good thing.

 

[Frosty]

Be interesting to see how Roche can get on today. Can he keep close enough to the elite group to get back on the descent? Same goes for Millar. If they go all out from the bottom of the climb then its difficult to see him staying close enough to catch them again. Taamarae felt good enough to attack yesterday so maybe he will be able to stay with the elite group. Could be an outside bet for the win if he jumps and people dont react as he isnt the biggest threat on GC

People asked about cunego's form. He came 6th on the Mende climb so must be in reasonable form. Would have been interesting to see what he could do at the finish yesterday if he hadnt got dropped in the Leipheimer group. He lost loads of time on one of the early stages so is a long way behind on GC for that reason. I think he is just using this as training for the classics and trying to do well on a few stages rather than trying for GC. Will probably be up there today and/or tomorrow.

 

[Sasquatch]

If Cunego wants a win, he has to go in the breakaway today. I reckon he might.

Fuglsang might try something for Saxo Bank in a break. Vande Velde said he wouldn't mind a stage win so he might attack.

This is a good time for these guys down on GC who want to perhaps get some stage glory to go for it.

 

[Big GMaC]

CVV to rock the baby again?

 

[Martin]

Tondo, Rodriguez, Schleck, Valverde, Sanchez, Sanchez, Kreuziger, Le Mevel should all be there.

Maybe a couple others like Brajkovic, Voeckler and Gerrans. But, it's only going to be a small selective group at the finish because Caisse are going to light up the final climb.

Schleck won't be there. This is not his race and probably the same goes for Brajkovic, Montfort, Leipheimer.

On the other side I'm missing my tips of the day: Taaremae or Roche.

 

[Nearly]

LOL. No, that was an accident. If he is dropped, he will tag back on along the descent unless the gap is over a minute. So throw Contador in that list.

Are we writing off Leipheimer?