Tour de France 2015 Stage 14: Rodez-Mende 178.5km

[Escarabajo]

I see an agreements between 3 teams to dislodge Sky train 40 kms from the finish.

Just dreaming!

 

[SlickMongoose]

Shame they couldn't find a hill or two for the middle bit.

 

[Jagartrott]

Going to be hot again tomorrow - will tires explode like today?
Btw: many, many teams haven't got a win yet because Etixx, BMC, Lotto and Katusha have 10 between them.

 

[AICA ribonucleotide]

Geraint Thomas to get up the climb with the rest of the GC group and outsprint everyone on the flat.

 

[SlickMongoose]

Re:

Geraint Thomas to get up the climb with the rest of the GC group and outsprint everyone on the flat.

If there's one thing Thomas can't do, it's sprint.

 

[infeXio]

Re:

Going to be hot again tomorrow - will tires explode like today?
Btw: many, many teams haven't got a win yet because Etixx, BMC, Lotto and Katusha have 10 between them.

Not quite as hot as today. According to Nibali the temperatures reached 44 degrees at one point.. ruthless.
The forecasts promise rain and thunder on the last half of the stage as well

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

If there's one thing Thomas can't do, it's sprint.

I remember him being lead-out man few years ago so I wouldn't be so sure of that.

This was imo the best stage of the 2010 Tour. Vino and Kloedi killed the Saxo team for the rest of the Tour by creating the 2nd break 60k out. Sadly I cant see the current leading team experiencing the same fate.

IIRC it was Hesjedal who did the most pulling in the breakaway that day.

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

Geraint Thomas to get up the climb with the rest of the GC group and outsprint everyone on the flat.

If there's one thing Thomas can't do, it's sprint.

Learning to sprint should be easier that learning to climb for a rider of his weight. It just requires a fast cadence.

 

[DBotero]

Re: Re:

Geraint Thomas to get up the climb with the rest of the GC group and outsprint everyone on the flat.

If there's one thing Thomas can't do, it's sprint.

I wouldn't bet on it

 

[Eagle]

Re: Re:

Geraint Thomas to get up the climb with the rest of the GC group and outsprint everyone on the flat.

If there's one thing Thomas can't do, it's sprint.

http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Dwars_Door_Vlaanderen_2011
Only beat Farrar here

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

Geraint Thomas to get up the climb with the rest of the GC group and outsprint everyone on the flat.

If there's one thing Thomas can't do, it's sprint.

He used to be a leadout man and prologue specialist, but probably not as fast when climbing so well.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 14: Rodze-Mende 178.5km

After his performance in huy this year I think froome will take it. Same gradients but longer, that seems to be perfect for him. I just hope quintana doesn't loose any more time.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 14: Rodze-Mende 178.5km

Alberto loves this hill, and there is a 60% chance of rain in Mende tomorrow afternoon. Fingers crossed for a good performance

 

[Jagartrott]

According to two French meteo sites, the rain may come too late.
We'll see, but the weather for sure played an important role in the Tour so far.

 

[fungusbear]

I hope all the main favourites don't lose time to Froome. Would also love to finally see a Yates twin in a breakaway. Been some great performances with the GC guys on the Mur de Huy/Bretagne and by Adam on the first MTF, but am suprised we have not seen one of them go into a break yet. Hopefully Simon is feeling better too.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

According to two French meteo sites, the rain may come too late.
We'll see, but the weather for sure played an important role in the Tour so far.

True, some conflicting information, as always with the weather
I was looking at this picture Purito posted on twitter

 

[Ataraxus]

Re:

According to two French meteo sites, the rain may come too late.
We'll see, but the weather for sure played an important role in the Tour so far.

Yeah. Otherwise Quintana and TJ would be at 4 minutes+

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 14: Rodze-Mende 178.5km

Someone got the times they previously did on the Côte de la Croix Neuve? They did it in '07,'10 and '12 PN and tour'10 (i think)

Why omit mentioning '95?

I think most cycling fans will always associate Mende with Jalabert since that memorable Bastille day. Sorry, I don't have the climbing times.

 

[SeriousSam]

Like all climbs of any length or gradient, this is just perfect for Froome. But I don't think he'll go for the victory, will be content just to control the pretenders. Perhaps distance them a little bit to remind everyone who the top dawg is.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

According to two French meteo sites, the rain may come too late.
We'll see, but the weather for sure played an important role in the Tour so far.

True, some conflicting information, as always with the weather
I was looking at this picture Purito posted on twitter

With all these lightnings in the forecast I will bet on vuillermoz, after all he is called pikachu

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Re:

Like all climbs of any length or gradient, this is just perfect for Froome. But I don't think he'll go for the victory, will be content just to control the pretenders. Perhaps distance them a little bit to remind everyone who the top dawg is.

Froome will go for the victory if anyone with a name goes for it.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

last time Contador matched Rodriguez on Mende in the Tour.

 

[Rollthedice]

The only chance for any other riders to get something out of this stage is to get at the bottom of the climb at least 50 seconds before Team Froome.

 

[alspacka]

I foresee the break being caught, but then a non-gc threat being allowed a moment of hesitation by Porte/Thomas to get away. Maybe Arredondo.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Nibali to get in the break