Tour de France 2015 Stage 15: Mende-Valence 183km

[Linkinitouille]

So, it's Sunday, we're going from Mende to Valence, so we're coming through the chains of Cévennes and Vivarais in the Massif Central. There's some beautiful mountains and climbs to tackle in the area, so that's definitely a perfect day for a great battle for the general classificat-

Oh.

A transition stage. In this magnificent mountainous area. On a Sunday. Thanks, ASO.

Well borefest, it's going to be for a sprinter. Hell, even Cavendish climbed Escrinet in 2009 to win the stage in Aubenas. Also we need to say there will be headwind for the last 100 km, and considering it's the sprinters' last chance until Paris, well, rest assured they'll catch up the breakaway quite quickly.

Probably the biggest missed opportunity of having a great stage this year, especially when Gap uses the col de Manse AGAIN on the next day. Seriously, just look at all the mountains around. What about the col de la Mûre? What about the Val d'Enfer? What about pretty much any meaningful climb in Ardèche?

Well, my money on Degenkolb.

 

[Opalius]

Yup. Bad stage for a sunday.

Great OP though.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

And the ASO continues their glorious tradition of putting the most important stages on a weekday and the worst stage of the final third of the race on a Sunday. Seriously, stage 15 has been for the sprinters in 2011, 2012, 2014 and now 2015. 2008 and 2009 had a flat stage on the penultimate Saturday as well. 2010 (Ax-3-Domaines and Luchon) and 2013 (the hilly stage to Lyon and Mont Ventoux) are the only recent Tours where we've seen GC-relevant stages on both days of the penultimate weekend.

 

[Velolover2]

Degenkolb or Kristoff.

Sagan 2nd.

 

[Arredondo]

What a horrible stage. Gosh.

Please Peter. Make it an Albi '13 stage for us!

 

[Red Rick]

Welcome to the Tour de france, where at least 8/10 stages are terribly designed and if we try hard, we can *** up every single stage

 

[del1962]

Really hope Cav can be there at the finish and take this.

 

[Red Rick]

Think Tinkoff will push it on the cat 2 climb

 

[PremierAndrew]

I'd say Cav. I still think he's had the best sprint this year, just timing the issue. He should be there for the final sprint, so my money's on him

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Good design of a stage. but I don't see any of the current GC generation to have any imagination or skills to take advantage of it.

 

[SlickMongoose]

Re:

Think Tinkoff will push it on the cat 2 climb

Yep.

And then Sagan will finish 2nd.

 

[Gigs_98]

Sagan will definitely be the strongest...
My money is on greipel

 

[Gigs_98]

I really don't get why you complain. Why should you do an interesting mountain stage in the massif central when you can do the 100th manse-gap finish, absolutely everybody is sick of, on the next day

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Think Tinkoff will push it on the cat 2 climb

Tinkoff will put Michael Valgren in the break FWIW or try to anyway

 

[The Blues]

Re: Re:

Think Tinkoff will push it on the cat 2 climb

Tinkoff will put Michael Valgren in the break FWIW or try to anyway

From where do you have this information? Because although I would very much like it to be the case, it goes against everything he and the team have said previously about his role this TdF.

 

[Museeuw]

Re:

Think Tinkoff will push it on the cat 2 climb

What does they benefit of it if they don't pull rest of the stage and it would be race against Etixx almost 60 km. I'm not sure if they are willing to do that? Ok, maybe Giant do want to work for them again (as on stage 13) then it's a whole new ball game.

 

[Arnout]

Re:

And the ASO continues their glorious tradition of putting the most important stages on a weekday and the worst stage of the final third of the race on a Sunday. Seriously, stage 15 has been for the sprinters in 2011, 2012, 2014 and now 2015. 2008 and 2009 had a flat stage on the penultimate Saturday as well. 2010 (Ax-3-Domaines and Luchon) and 2013 (the hilly stage to Lyon and Mont Ventoux) are the only recent Tours where we've seen GC-relevant stages on both days of the penultimate weekend.

Yeah it doesn't make much sense. Maybe they reason that they will draw bigger crowds among passingly interested cycling followers when the race comes to them in a big town (or conversely hills becoming too crowded during weekends) but this is one area where even I with my limited understanding of marketing can spot a big area of improvement.

 

[Eclipse]

Re: Re:

Think Tinkoff will push it on the cat 2 climb

What does they benefit of it if they don't pull rest of the stage and it would be race against Etixx almost 60 km. I'm not sure if they are willing to do that? Ok, maybe Giant do want to work for them again (as on stage 13) then it's a whole new ball game.

I bank on Giant doing most of the work tomorrow. If they can unship both Greipel and Cav then a fairly fresh Degenkolb gets to race against Sagan after the latter has been out in a break the whole previous stage. Probably their best remaining chance at a sprint win (perhaps at a stage win in general).

 

[manafana]

stage is fine if raced, but think it suits midweek better after the race day or put the rest day on tuesday and make this monday

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I like this stage on paper although it would have been a lot better if the green jersey wasn't done and dusted now. At least it's something a bit different - this race has more repeats than UK Gold. Could be a good chase after the Cat 2 between the break, the Degenkolb / Sagan group and the Cavendish / Greipel group and maybe other groups in between

 

[Hakkapelit]

Re: Re:

Think Tinkoff will push it on the cat 2 climb

Tinkoff will put Michael Valgren in the break FWIW or try to anyway

From where do you have this information? Because although I would very much like it to be the case, it goes against everything he and the team have said previously about his role this TdF.

I think some TS DS actually tweeted about it, one can wonder why they would do that?

 

[Z3lvet]

Kristoff to do a super long sprint and win by a bike length.

 

[saganftw]

i hope there will be a team willing to put the pressure on the peloton on the 2nd cat climb,otherwise it is shaping up to be a boring stage

i think in demare,coquard,degenkolb and sagan at least 4 teams have a good motivation to try to drop sprinters

 

[RENS99]

EBH to take another one for MTN, either by doing a Hushovd or by simply outsprinting the reduced bunch.

 

[RENS99]

Tony Martin would've taken this one solo if he was still here, maybe Kwiatkowski will try and do a Panzerwagen instead now.