TDF Stage 15: Limoux - Montpellier 187km

[Parrulo]

Weekend stages in recent GTs:

Giro 2008:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Agrigento (intermediate stage, hill finish won by Riccò)
Stage 8: Tivoli (mostly flat, uphill finish won by Riccò)
Stage 9: San Vincenzo (flat stage)
Stage 14: Alpe di Pampeago (after Passo Manghen)
Stage 15: Passo Fedaia (after Pordoi, San Pellegrino, Tommaso Agordino, Giau and Falzarego)
Stage 20: Tirano (after Gavia, Mortirolo and Aprica)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2008:
Stage 1: Plumelec (mostly flat with uphill finish won by Valverde)
Stage 2: Saint-Brieuc (mostly flat with slight uphill finish won by Hushovd)
Stage 8: Toulouse (flat stage)
Stage 9: Bagnères de Bigorre (mountain stage over Peyresourde & Aspin)
Stage 14: Digne-les-Bains (flat stage)
Stage 15: Prato Nervoso (MTF)
Stage 20: Cérilly (ITT)
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

Vuelta 2008:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Jaén (mostly flat stage with uphill finish won by Valverde)
Stage 7: Andorra La Rabassa (MTF)
Stage 8: Pla de Beret (MTF)
Stage 13: Alto de l'Angliru (MTF)
Stage 14: Estación de Esquí Fuentes de Invierno (MTF)
Stage 20: Navacerrada (mountain ITT)
Stage 21: Madrid (flat stage)

2009 Giro:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Trieste (flat stage)
Stage 8: Bergamo (intermediate stage won by Siutsou from escape)
Stage 9: Milan circuit race (neutralised, flat stage)
Stage 14: Bologna San Luca (intermediate stage with hilltop finish won by Gerrans)
Stage 15: Faenza (intermediate stage won by Scarponi from escape)
Stage 20: Agnagni (flat stage with uphill sprint won by Gilbert)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2009:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Brignoles (flat stage)
Stage 8: Saint Girons (neutered mountain stage)
Stage 9: Tarbes (even more neutered mountain stage)
Stage 14: Besançon (flat stage won by escape)
Stage 15: Verbier (MTF)
Stage 20: Mont Ventoux (MTF)
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

Vuelta 2009:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Emmen (flat stage)
Stage 7: ITT
Stage 8: Alto de Aitana (MTF)
Stage 13: Sierra Nevada (MTF)
Stage 14: Sierra de la Pandera (MTF)
Stage 20: ITT
Stage 21: Madrid (flat stage)

Giro 2010:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Utrecht (flat stage)
Stage 7: Montalcino (intermediate stage, strade bianche)
Stage 8: Monte Terminillo (MTF)
Stage 14: Asolo (Monte Grappa stage)
Stage 15: Zoncolán (MTF)
Stage 20: Passo Tonale (MTF after Gavia)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2010:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Bruxelles (flat stage)
Stage 7: Station des Rousses (intermediate stage, uphill finish)
Stage 8: Morzine Avoriaz (MTF)
Stage 14: Ax-3-Domaines (MTF)
Stage 15: Bagnères de Luchon (mountain stage, over Port de Balès)
Stage 20: ITT
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

Vuelta 2010:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Marbella (flat stage)
Stage 8: Xorret del Catí (MTF)
Stage 9: Alcoy (intermediate stage won by David López from escape)
Stage 14: Peña Cabarga (MTF)
Stage 15: Lagos de Covadonga (MTF)
Stage 20: Bola del Mundo (MTF)
Stage 21: Madrid (flat stage)

Giro 2011:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Parma (flat stage)
Stage 8: Tropea (flat stage with uphill finish won by Oscar Gatto)
Stage 9: Rifugio Calvanico (MTF)
Stage 14: Zoncolán (MTF)
Stage 15: Rifugio Gardeccia (MTF with multiple climbs)
Stage 20: Sestrières (MTF after Finestre)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2011:
Stage 1: Mont des Alouettes (flat stage with uphill finish won by Gilbert)
Stage 2: TTT
Stage 8: Super-Besse (intermediate stage won by escape, no GC action)
Stage 9: Saint-Flour (intermediate stage won by escape, no GC action)
Stage 14: Plateau de Beille (MTF)
Stage 15: Montpelier (flat stage)
Stage 20: ITT
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

It's clear that the Tour has the least key stages on weekend days, while the Vuelta is the most likely to play it safe and put a mountain stage every weekend. The Tour this year in terms of the stages it puts on at weekends is no worse than 2008 (when the Tour also started in the north-West) but still, compared to the epic stages the Giro has been serving up at weekends it is a bit of a letdown.

ok we just found out how bored libertine is. good info tho. clearly the giro and the vuelta put better stages on the weekends with the vuelta doing an even better job then the giro

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Are they definitively done or what?

No, it's just that nothing lowers your IQ more than Phil and Paul interview the walking soundbite for everything that's wrong with the sport.

 

[Ferminal]

i think i will not see his name next two years like his best friend in BMC

He is best friends with TP?

 

[Jamsque]

Things are definitely starting to get hectic up at the front. HTC are going to run out of firepower before the finish again.

[edit] That said, they have eight men in front of Cav right now. I'm impressed.

 

[Bala Verde]

How is Samu and his merry bunch of √s doing?

 

[woodie]

Little bit of damage being done

 

[Publicus]

looks like the field is splitting.

 

[spalco]

Boassen-Hagen, really, Harmon? Eurosport's Sky fanboyism is really annoying sometimes.

 

[lilyprotector]

Things are definitely starting to get hectic up at the front. HTC are going to run out of firepower before the finish again.

[edit] That said, they have eight men in front of Cav right now. I'm impressed.

oh i hope not. cav in green has been the happiest part of the tour for me.

 

[killswitch]

That said, they have eight men in front of Cav right now. I'm impressed.

For the umpteenth time Clean Pate and Lars Bak catch a 5-6 men strong break...

 

[Maxiton]

At least the last ten k is exciting.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Whatever I did in a previous life to deserve this must have been pretty bad.

 

[zapata]

Come on, Ignatiev. Amaze us.

 

[spalco]

For the umpteenth time Clean Pate and Lars Bak catch a 5-6 men strong break...

Makes you wonder what they could do in a break themselves if they were allowed to go, eh?

 

[Bala Verde]

We are getting close to all those roundabouts. Left / Left / Right / Left etc...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Worst penultimate weekend stage ever.

 

[Bala Verde]

Closing Kilometres

Potential for a bit of carnage between 5 and 8 k to go. narrowing roads, twisty, turns, roundabouts.

for reference

 

[Parrulo]

will htch run out of steam?

 

[spalco]

There have been more scenic TdF finishes too than this...

 

[woodie]

I'd hate to be on the HTC bus if Cav screws this up

 

[killswitch]

Worst penultimate weekend stage ever.

I'm gonna miss the alpine stages too . How do one applies for the church of Zomegnan?

 

[Maxiton]

for reference

Thanks!

 

[Jeanne]

Go niki!!!!!!!!

 

[Jamsque]

One serious corner left just after 4km to go, HTC down to five plus Cav.

 

[Maxiton]

Phil loves it when the computer is wrong.