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

[roundabout]

Come to think of it, I think the Albi TT may have been on a weekend in 2007 as well.

 

[DFA123]

This should be a showdown between Deg, Kristoff and Sagan. It's in the interests of Katusha, Giant and Tinkoff (now they are working for Sagan) to drive a really high pace and get rid of Greipel and Cav. With three fairly strong teams working together, they should be able to achieve it quite easily. Matthews as a possible dark horse.

 

[Knutsen]

Would have liked to see the first hour of this. Could be a busy hour..

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Re:

I think in 2010 Revel stage was on a Saturday, Ax-3 Domaines on Sunday, Luchon on Monday, Pau on Tuesday and the rest day an Wednesday (!).

Come to think of it, I think the Albi TT may have been on a weekend in 2007 as well.

Roundabout seems to be correct with both of these posts.

 

[Frosty]

From letour

Speaking to letour.com this morning, Etixx-Quick Step's directeur sportif Davide Bramati said: "Of course this stage suits Mark Cavendish but it's going to be difficult to control the race today. The early part is tricky. There's a hill in the first ten kilometers. It can favor a long lasting breakaway. If they're twenty at the front like yesterday, it'll be mission impossible. If they're five or six, we'll cooperate with the other sprinters teams with the hope for Mark to win another stage. Everyone is tired. Greipel crashed yesterday. But Sagan showed he's still in good form with the fifth place in Mende. Mark Renshaw had been disqualified at Bourg-lès-Valence in 2010 but he's not there for revenge. We just hope he'll be there to lead Mark out as well as he did in Fougères."

 

[Punkan]

Re:

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

I have given up on EBH. He just isn't the rider he was 4-6 years ago and I doubt he will ever reach that level again.

If a norwegian wins today it will be Kristoff, not EBH.

 

[pastronef]

Re: Re:

Yesterday's stage was an example of a good way to use the transition between the two main mountain ranges, though you don't always have to use Mende. Here are a few stages from major races that could be used as an example of the kind of stages we could use on a penultimate weekend if they still wanted to backload the Alps (for some, the categorizations would need amending!):

(would be better with Col de Chansert before Col du Béal - that would give us a legit mountain stage in the Massif)

(even better to finish at Saint-Chamond or do the Croix de Chaubouret MTF)

I would also desperately like to see the Col de l'Œillon back, and the Col de la Lusette, which is popularly linked to a Mont Aigoual MTF by traceurs.

Can you name which races and years are these profiles? (interested and see if I can remember)
thanks

 

[roundabout]

top to bottom

Paris-Nice 2011

Paris-Nice 2015

Paris-Nice 2010 (edit: probably 2009, actually)

Paris-Nice 2014

Dauphine 2014

Tour 2008

 

[Miburo]

Re:

Come to think of it, I think the Albi TT may have been on a weekend in 2007 as well.

Yea saterday, plateau was on sunday.

Col du béal greatness, haven't laughed that hard since peyresourde in '07

 

[burning]

Re:

top to bottom

Paris-Nice 2011

Paris-Nice 2015

Paris-Nice 2010 (edit: probably 2009, actually)

Paris-Nice 2014

Dauphine 2014

Tour 2008

It is from 2009, that was the stage when Contador completely cracked and Lulu won.

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

top to bottom

Paris-Nice 2011

Paris-Nice 2015

Paris-Nice 2010 (edit: probably 2009, actually)

Paris-Nice 2014

Dauphine 2014

Tour 2008

It is from 2009, that was the stage when Contador completely cracked and Lulu won.

"He still has a lot to learn"

 

[Frosty]

Sagan in an early attack. Demare already off the back.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

Sagan in an early attack. Demare already off the back.

Does it look like the attack will last to the intermediate sprint?

 

[Frosty]

Re: Re:

Sagan in an early attack. Demare already off the back.

Does it look like the attack will last to the intermediate sprint?

Just looking at the letour website, only giving a lead of 14 seconds over the peloton at the moment. A group of 24 up front/

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2015/us/live/aso/

Cavendish also off the back of the peloton now.

 

[Eagle]

Cav distanced

 

[Punkan]

Cav seems to struggle on the first climb, lost contact with the peloton.

 

[Frosty]

Talansky having another go, along with Pinot and also Gautier.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Much more efficient for Sagan to be in the break than to force Tinkoff to keep it together until the sprint.

 

[Frosty]

Trentin and Kwiatkowski in the break so Etixx are looking to spread their bets today.

 

[The Barb]

What an odd thing by Katusha to be so intent that Purito wouldn't go in the break yesterday, to conserve energy for the Alps, but here he is in the break today on a stage in which he has no chance.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

What an odd thing by Katusha to be so intent that Purito wouldn't go in the break yesterday, to conserve energy for the Alps, but here he is in the break today on a stage in which he has no chance.

Won't he just be trying to hoover up the KOM points then ease off after the final clilmb?

 

[DBotero]

Very strong break.But seriously J.Rod wtf are you doing
Now Katusha pulling

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

The break looks good but Kathusha's tactics are very odd........

Sagan to be 2nd by Trentin again

 

[sultanofhyd]

Rogers and Sagan in the break... Fuente De redux with an attack on the Escrinet? Make it happen!

 

[Punkan]

Very strong break.But seriously J.Rod wtf are you doing
Now Katusha pulling

Well, it's a huge break and Jrod won't pull a meter, just collect some easy mountain points.