Tour de France 2013: The feared ThirdWeek!!

[ThirdWorld]

So, what do you guys think that will happen... this is what is to come:

Stage 15 – Sunday 14 July

3780 m TOTAL VERTICAL CLIMB

Stage 16 – Tuesday 16 July

2750 m TOTAL VERTICAL CLIMB

Stage 17 – Wednesday 17 July - ITT

920 m TOTAL VERTICAL CLIMB

Stage 18 – Thursday 18 July

4890 m TOTAL VERTICAL CLIMB

 

[ThirdWorld]

stage 19: Friday 19 July *

5200 m TOTAL VERTICAL CLIMB

Stage 20 – Saturday 20 July

3420 m TOTAL VERTICAL CLIMB


So, we will have almost 21000 m of climbing in the last 7 days, after 2 hard weeks....

Will Froome survive?!
Will Contador arise from the ashes?!

 

[enCYCLOpedia]

Hard to tell. I would have said that the other teams will try to test Sky and see if they can isolate Froome by attacking early, but the ideal stages for that are 19 and 20, and a lot can change until then.

I would still expect Froome to do well on the Ventoux, and put some time on some of his rivals there, and again in the ITT - among the top riders, he is certainly the most balanced between ITT and climbing. I would not be surprised if Valverde now saved himself on the Ventoux, but attacked the next day on the Col de Manse, given that he is such a good descender - the other contenders may want to save themselves for the ITT the next day. Hard to predict what happens after the ITT, as the Top 10 may look very different, and time gaps may be much larger.

 

[Baltazar]

What this Tour really needs in the thirds week is some rain. Racing is much more awesome if it rains.

 

[Cookster15]

Not sure. Didn't vote in the Poll as there was no "Froome to hold on to his lead despite loss of team support".

Not sure Contador is strong enough despite what happened today. Seemed more like a Riis tactic that paid handsome dividends with a super strong group of Saxo riders. AC and Saxo burned a lot of energy while Froome was riding in the comfort of the peloton - only burning nervous energy. That will count on Ventoux.

In 2011 AC attacked on stages 16 and 17 then blew in 18. In 2013 like 2011 but for different reasons I don't think Contador has it in him this year. But kudos to him for trying today. A perfect example of a great bike racer. Don't wait for things to happen - make them happen and don't die wondering. If you never have a go you'll never know.

 

[luckyboy]

Hopefully we will see a repeat of Fuente De by Contador/Quintana/somebody on stage 18 or 19.

 

[murali]

hard to say. but i m going to vote that something unexpectted is going to happen.

After all, hope is the only reason for racing.

 

[Pulpstar]

I think alot of riders are going to be hating life come stage 20 . They are climbing over twice the height of Everest in total !

 

[Afrank]

Nairito to solo to an epic win on Ventoux.

Rain to create carnage on Gap.

Froome to win the TT.

Schleck to solo to an epic win on the Alpe.

Saxo, Movistar, and other individual climbers to test Sky's resolve on Leg Grand-Bornand.

Contador and Froome to show their absolute best form and go head to head on Annecy for the overall win.

 

[Sciocco]

Nairito to solo to an epic win on Ventoux.

Rain to create carnage on Gap.

Froome to win the TT.

Schleck to solo to an epic win on the Alpe.

Saxo, Movistar, and other individual climbers to test Sky's resolve on Leg Grand-Bornand.

Contador and Froome to show their absolute best form and go head to head on Annecy for the overall win.

I'd be ok with this. I just want to see some exciting stages. Chaos.

 

[skidmark]

Nairito to solo to an epic win on Ventoux.

Rain to create carnage on Gap.

Froome to win the TT.

Schleck to solo to an epic win on the Alpe.

Saxo, Movistar, and other individual climbers to test Sky's resolve on Leg Grand-Bornand.

Contador and Froome to show their absolute best form and go head to head on Annecy for the overall win.

Is there actually any chance of rain in Gap on Tuesday? Maybe too early to tell, but the first stage after the second rest day is always a funny time for form (for both fatigue and clinic reasons)... there's always the possibility for a Fuente De or, if there's rain, that stage in 2011 where Contador attacked on the cat 2 in the rain and Schleck lost all the time on the descent. Or a combo of both.

One can always hope. And if there's even a decently strong Contador, you know that hope has a good chance of being realized.

 

[Netserk]

Is there actually any chance of rain in Gap on Tuesday? Maybe too early to tell, but the first stage after the second rest day is always a funny time for form (for both fatigue and clinic reasons)... there's always the possibility for a Fuente De or, if there's rain, that stage in 2011 where Contador attacked on the cat 2 in the rain and Schleck lost all the time on the descent. Or a combo of both.

One can always hope. And if there's even a decently strong Contador, you know that hope has a good chance of being realized.

Weather prediction for Gap (Tirsdag= Tuesday and Onsdag= Wednesday):

 

[The Hitch]

Attacking on gap cost him in 2011. Won't won't to risk it before the tt.

Tt has far more climbing then I realized. Will they even use tt bikes?

 

[Pulpstar]

Attacking on gap cost him in 2011. Won't won't to risk it before the tt.

Tt has far more climbing then I realized. Will they even use tt bikes?

I think some will (Martin, Froome, Contador) but some non triallist/climber types might not (Rolland, Schleck)

 

[thehook]

We need a good Rain! I mean Buckets, Cats & Dogs. And it has to be at its worst on an MTF!

To Quote Ted King
"Now we are riding BIKES!"

 

[The Hitch]

Someone posted it in another thread a few days ago and i didnt believe it.

I still don't. Humans have not mastered the art of weather predictions.

Yet, if they got it right this time, it could be special.

Weather forecast for Albertville France

Sunday, sun,

Monday, sun

Tuesday sun

Wednsday, time trial (100k south chorges), light showers

Thursday, Alpe d huez, -Thunderstorm

Friday, Le Grand Bornand - Thunderstorm

Saturday Annency- Rain.

 

[Linkinito]

Someone posted it in another thread a few days ago and i didnt believe it.

I still don't. Humans have not mastered the art of weather predictions.

Yet, if they got it right this time, it could be special.

Weather forecast for Albertville France

Sunday, sun,

Monday, sun

Tuesday sun

Wednsday, time trial (100k south chorges), light showers

Thursday, Alpe d huez, -Thunderstorm

Friday, Le Grand Bornand - Thunderstorm

Saturday Annency- Rain.

I don't see any thunderstorm for l'Alpe on Thursday. But if there is a heavy rain, the Sarenne descent *might* be cancelled for the security of the riders.

 

[Netserk]

It will rain in both Chorges and Embrun in the ITT

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Someone posted it in another thread a few days ago and i didnt believe it.

I still don't. Humans have not mastered the art of weather predictions.

Yet, if they got it right this time, it could be special.

Weather forecast for Albertville France

Sunday, sun,

Monday, sun

Tuesday sun

Wednsday, time trial (100k south chorges), light showers

Thursday, Alpe d huez, -Thunderstorm

Friday, Le Grand Bornand - Thunderstorm

Saturday Annency- Rain.

was it sublimit? he was once banned from a weather forum God know what he was doing there in the first place

 

[Ruudz0r]

It will be chaos and I love it!

 

[Kwibus]

http://www.worldweatheronline.com/v2/weather.aspx?q=AHZ

Weather prediction for Alpe d'Huez here predicts rain on thursday and friday.

So it's not unlikely we will have 2 rainy days on thursday and friday. On this site it's dry on saturday, but another weather site also predicted rain on saturday.

If there really will be rain these days there will be chaos and imo it reduces Froomes chances a lot.
If it will stay dry I expect Froome to easily win this Tour.

 

[Ripper]

Countdown to full genius ...

 

[LaFlorecita]

http://www.worldweatheronline.com/v2/weather.aspx?q=AHZ

Weather prediction for Alpe d'Huez here predicts rain on thursday and friday.

So it's not unlikely we will have 2 rainy days on thursday and friday. On this site it's dry on saturday, but another weather site also predicted rain on saturday.

If there really will be rain these days there will be chaos and imo it reduces Froomes chances a lot.
If it will stay dry I expect Froome to easily win this Tour.

Wet grand bornand descent? _O_

 

[Netserk]

Weather for Alpe d'Huez:

Weather for Le Grand-Bornand:

*predictions can still change.

 

[lemoogle]

I wanted to click the third option but I wasn't sure if there was a hidden meaning about the spelling of caos.

Full genius is as likely to happen, but I'm not even sure sky themselves know for sure if he can actually pull it off without faltering