TDF Stage 15: Limoux - Montpellier 187km

[Ratatosk]

Sorry does anyone know if laurens ten dam is starting or not?

Yes, according to his own twitter he's starting.

 

[El Pistolero]

Think the Schlecks will punch them in the face for not killing of Contador in the Pyrenees.

albertocontador Alberto Contador
G.morning after Pyrenees.This is going on.Thanks for all your support, yesterday you really touch me at the last climb.I'm thinking on Alps

 

[thirteen]

Think the Schlecks will punch them in the face for not killing of Contador in the Pyrenees.

if the Schlecks' punches are anything like their attacks, they could be mistaken for peckish kisses

do we know what the weather is like yet?

 

[Anonymous]

Closing Kilometres

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

 

[LukeSchmid]

A wet and windy start. Things could get interesting

 

[Ratatosk]

early escape:

Terpstra - Quickstep
Delage - Francaise
Dumoulin - Cofidis
Ignatiev - Katusha
Delapace - Sau

 

[sulgpallur]

Todays brakeaway Tepstra, Delage, Dumoulin, Ignatiev, Delepace:

 

[woodie]

Closing Kilometres


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

That should make the finish pretty interesting, i just hope there a no crashes

 

[theswordsman]

L'Equipe says early parts of the stage could have wind gusts of 60/80 km / h. I'd love to see Saxo Bank off to the side front and vigil for crosswinds that might split the peloton. It's week three - they need to start having some of the good stuff happen to them, by being at the right place ALL the time.

 

[The Barb]

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

Thanks for posting the map.

Looks pretty straight-froward for the last 3km.

 

[dlwssonic]

Oh no HTC has already sent pate or lars bak to the front

 

[woodie]

This is a bit off topic and I don't know if it needs it's own thread but......

Would it be a good idea to, on these flat stages when the bunch all finish together, to just stop the time at 3km to go? That way all the GC favs could sit up and roll in and let the sprinters do their thing. It would reduce the numbers at the front and from a pure safety point of view i think it makes sense.

Thoughts?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Currently trundling along 29kph (41kph av) with a 5 man break @ 3'-50

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

This is a bit off topic and I don't know if it needs it's own thread but......

Would it be a good idea to, on these flat stages when the bunch all finish together, to just stop the time at 3km to go? That way all the GC favs could sit up and roll in and let the sprinters do their thing. It would reduce the numbers at the front and from a pure safety point of view i think it makes sense.

Thoughts?

Is this a joke?

Anyone else want to suggest rules which already exist?

 

[The Sheep]

Is this a joke?

Anyone else want to suggest rules which already exist?

I think he means also when there are no crashes/mechanicals

 

[sultanofhyd]

Is this a joke?

Anyone else want to suggest rules which already exist?

If anyone is dropped of their own accord inside the final 3km they will still lose time, the current rule is in place to avoid crashes affecting GC, the rule proposed by woodie is to avoid crashes all together.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for posting the map.

Looks pretty straight-froward for the last 3km.

its the section at around 5-7k to go is a bit dodgy.

Had a look on google earth at the junction of Europe and Blayac and that could be fun, road narrows down and then a hard right hander complete with road furniture

and then a bit of chaos around rondpont blayac

 

[riobonito92]

Is this a joke?

Anyone else want to suggest rules which already exist?

I think you misunderstood either the rules or the suggestion.

 

[Anonymous]

Is this a joke?

Anyone else want to suggest rules which already exist?

that rule doesnt exsist.

He is suggesting the gc time be based at 3km and then riders who didnt want to contest the sprint can just sit up and relax over the final 3k.

Much like the 5k or 10k rule that comes in sometimes on very dangerous wet finishes.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I think he means also when there are no crashes/mechanicals

The effect is exactly the same - watch today, once we hit 2.8km the GC men will drift backwards and roll in. Crashes are not caused by GC men rolling in at 110th place on a sprint day, so I'm not sure what problem this is trying to solve.

 

[dlwssonic]

where are all the crosswinds they were talking about

 

[Thomsena]

Crosswinds, Crosswinds, Crosswinds!

 

[woodie]

Is this a joke?

Anyone else want to suggest rules which already exist?

Read it again.

I said stop time all together. Not just if you crash. So for example, with 3km to go, instead of all the GC favs still hanging on and fighting with the sprint trains up front they sit up all together and roll in while the sprinters keep going

 

[The Hitch]

That Skoda TDF advert they play on Eurosport is absolutely AWESOME.

Dont know if they play it on other TDF broadcasters so for those that havent seen it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inxqIa8jgA4

Might just be enought to convince me to buy a Skoda

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

that rule doesnt exsist.

He is suggesting the gc time be based at 3km and then riders who didnt want to contest the sprint can just sit up and relax over the final 3k.

Much like the 5k or 10k rule that comes in sometimes on very dangerous wet finishes.

See my response just below this post - I'm trying to recall a problem caused by GC men after the 3km point in a sprint. The problem is the 3km cut off causing them to stay at the front until 2.5km. On days like this it should be extended back to 10km so they're out the way, but there are no problems caused by GC men sitting in 100th place in the tail of the pack after the cut off point.