TdF 2017 stage 8: Dole > Station des Rousses 187,5 km

[lenric]

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Only saw this stage now. BMC is so savvy when it comes to tactics. A bit like my dog.

Your dog could probably work as a ds for BMC and you wouldn't really notice a difference.

Exactly

 

[Robert5091]

Well done to Sky to control the stage - only a little detour on the grass to worry about. BMC trying so hard for LRP. Lili C (the C stands for cramp) the new holder of Tommy V's "Tounge of the Tour" award. Today's exertions will take their toll tomorrow.

 

[bob.a.feet]

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So basically Demare made up time on the Kittel group in the last 80km of the stage.

Impressive.. were cars involved?

Please stop, I'm sick and tyred of these Demare jokes.

 

[PlanZ]

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Great stage, great winner, great runner-up! This is how the Tour should be!

This you considering fun when that should be one of hardest stage in Tour? few more mountain stages like this and half of people will stop watch it

I don't understand you. This stage wasn't one of the hardest stages on paper, with a proper (but not really difficult) climb at the end and 11 kilometers of false flat. It's possible to create damage among the GC favorites, but the chance was there it would be a status quo among the big guys.

But i've enjoyed from the beginning till the end. The first 80 km were absolutely brutal, with attacks all over the place. When the break eventually went clear, it was absolute carnage upfront till the end. Great racing between the breakaway guys!

Completely agree. Found the entire stage from start - especially the first 70 km - to finish absolutely enthralling.
And what a landscape.

 

[Kwibus]

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Great stage, great winner, great runner-up! This is how the Tour should be!

This you considering fun when that should be one of hardest stage in Tour? few more mountain stages like this and half of people will stop watch it

I don't understand you. This stage wasn't one of the hardest stages on paper, with a proper (but not really difficult) climb at the end and 11 kilometers of false flat. It's possible to create damage among the GC favorites, but the chance was there it would be a status quo among the big guys.

But i've enjoyed from the beginning till the end. The first 80 km were absolutely brutal, with attacks all over the place. When the break eventually went clear, it was absolute carnage upfront till the end. Great racing between the breakaway guys!

Indeed great stage. There was never going to be GC action today so I don't know what some people expect?

The fight for the stage victory was one that went on from start to finish. Attacks everywhere, changes at the front all the time. Lots and lots of fun!
Besides that it also were big quality riders going for the stage.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

Great stage, great winner, great runner-up! This is how the Tour should be!

This you considering fun when that should be one of hardest stage in Tour? few more mountain stages like this and half of people will stop watch it

You mean the gloryhunting people who only watch the last climb I suppose.

Or someone who wants to see real race, not only fight between 2nd tier riders which you will forgot just next week for stage victory

They were 5 minutes faster than the fastest schedule so you can bet everyone had a hard day in the saddle. If you expected a GC battle on a stage with this profile then I could've told you before the stage you didn't have to watch.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Kwiato was amazing today. I had hoped Sky would have blown up or given the break a little more time to get the maillot jaune into play, but the only way to look at it is Froome wants the jersey until Paris. Which is strange considering they basically told it was up for grabs. I guess lying is a new form of marginal gains, to fool your opponents?!

 

[Kwibus]

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What was Sky's plan?
Were they so keen to keep the yellow or were they so afraid of Serga Pauwels?
Doesn't make much sense.

No clue what Sky was doing.
Sporza asked Pauwels after the stage if he knew why Sky chased while they clearly said yesterday they wouldn't mind giving yellow away.
Pauwels said he doesn't understand either, but that last few years he barely understood anything of most tactics in cycling .
He also talked with Rowe before the start today and Rowe told him that it was a good day for Pauwels to attack as they wouldn't chase down the breakway today.

So Froome and Rowe say they don't chase before the start and then they chase....

 

[Kwibus]

Kwiato was amazing today. I had hoped Sky would have blown up or given the break a little more time to get the maillot jaune into play, but the only way to look at it is Froome wants the jersey until Paris. Which is strange considering they basically told it was up for grabs. I guess lying is a new form of marginal gains, to fool your opponents?!

Both Froome and Contador allready said that this hard day will effect tomorrow.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Kwiato was amazing today. I had hoped Sky would have blown up or given the break a little more time to get the maillot jaune into play, but the only way to look at it is Froome wants the jersey until Paris. Which is strange considering they basically told it was up for grabs. I guess lying is a new form of marginal gains, to fool your opponents?!

Both Froome and Contador allready said that this hard day will effect tomorrow.

Yes thats pretty obvious, everyone has said that, but that wasn't really my point... great stage tho, but it felt a little flat in the end tbh.

 

[Tonton]

I posted yesterday that it wasn't a bad design, that the flat in the end wasn't flat, that a lone ranger could keep the chase at bay. The descent after Les Mollunes has been resurfaced, but the climb was the same old grainy road I remember. You lose 3-5 km/h due to friction. Most underestimated this stage. It will take a toll. Sky did too much work IMO. And pay the price tomorrow.

 

[Tank Engine]

I posted yesterday that it wasn't a bad design, that the flat in the end wasn't flat, that a lone ranger could keep the chase at bay. The descent after Les Mollunes has been resurfaced, but the climb was the same old grainy road I remember. You lose 3-5 km/h due to friction. Most underestimated this stage. It will take a toll. Sky did too much work IMO. And pay the price tomorrow.

It was a sweet introduction to the mountains. There was no real action on GC, but the fight to get into the break was one of the best I have seen and then there was much "toing and froing" with guys coming from the chase group to the front group and vice versa. GvA was in the action from the beginning. I'm not surprised he cracked at the end. Calmejane took a very impressive victory. The speed will definitely have an effect on tomorrow's stage.

Mike Flowers was very impressive today, but will probably want a day off tomorrow. Looking at the profile, Sky may well be forced into using G on the flat before Cat mountain, since Flowers is the only other decent dom on the flat who could get over the first set of climbs (Kiri doesn't seem in 100% form after the Giro). That will certainly loosen their grip on the GC at lot. Even if he doesn't have to work, G will lose time.

Looking forward to a couple of French attackers early tomorrow (in particular, Rolland and someone obvious) and hoping Bardet will finish well.

 

[hrotha]

Either Sky was setting up an attack that didn't come because Froome or perhaps Thomas weren't feeling so good, or they were chasing Landa. Either way, lol.

 

[Tonton]

The someone obvious has put ego aside (PDBF), he's ready for it. I hope...

 

[Escarabajo]

I heard in Froome and Thomas interviews the name Latour a couple of times. So it didn't have to do with Pauwels but with Latour.

Go figure!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

As a one day race, the stage was exciting. As far as GC goes, it was a complete snooze fest.

 

[klintE]

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Lilian Calmejane will win this bike race.

Good call

 

[Billie]

5 years without a victory for Bernaudeau. Drops the sprinter from his team. Claims 'that is not who we are' and back to winning ways!