Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 161km

[Miburo]

Day after the restday, and we know crazy things can happen after a restday .

The parcours looks pretty ok, astana will give it their all so that nibali wins this stage. I don't think a break will survive btw.

Rain will decide a lot in this stage, if it happens we'll obviously get a massacre. Especially with the descent of the col d'allos which is according to hinault "the most dangerous descent i've ever seen" (Of course hinault has never done the monte crostis descent)

Take a look, insane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJIfwwqL8UE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FOnc1r6wEY

 

[Netserk]

We should have a meme here for people who creates race threads so early that others don't even get the chance, yet won't take the time to do more than the bare minimum. It's understandable to only post the profile, if it's late and no one else seems to be doing it, but more than 36h before the start of the stage?

edit: Only the two pictures were posted when I wrote my comment, but it still stands, also in this case.

 

[Matt92]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 1

If I remember correctly, the profile of the last part of the stage was much more detailed in the Dauphine.

By the way, even if we don't take into account Monte Crostis, which has never been actually raced, the downhill from the top of Fauniera to Demonte is absolutely insane.

 

[Miburo]

I'm sorry netserk, i'm very sorry that a poster directly visited this thread and was gonna whine about it. If i knew i would have done it directly properly.

If it rains hard, do you guys think they'll cancel the descent of col d'allos?

 

[damian13ster]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 1

Breakaway for the win.
Nibali to get away on descent, Froome to attack on Pra Loup to link up with Vincenzo and work together.
Froome to gift Nibali the stage if breakaway doesn't make it (possible if Movistar pushes the pace)

 

[gazr99]

I see attacks happening on the Col D'Allos, with Nibali head of the list so he can create a gap on the descent.

Sagan and Bardet to be in the breakaway. If he's not in the break Bardet will definitely do something, apparently he trains around there and knows the descent very well as his performance in the Dauphine showed

 

[Miburo]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 1

Breakaway for the win.
Nibali to get away on descent, Froome to attack on Pra Loup to link up with Vincenzo and work together.
Froome to gift Nibali the stage if breakaway doesn't make it (possible if Movistar pushes the pace)

If nibali attacks on allos, in my estimation he'll take 2 minutes on froome who won't take any risk in the descent. No way froome takes that back on pra loup;

 

[Eagle]

Re:

I see attacks happening on the Col D'Allos, with Nibali head of the list so he can create a gap on the descent.

Sagan and Bardet to be in the breakaway. If he's not in the break Bardet will definitely do something, apparently he trains around there and knows the descent very well as his performance in the Dauphine showed

I don't think Bardet would be allowed in a break, too high in GC

 

[Flamin]

No break ftw I hope. I want to see a stage win on the table when Nibali and Bardet go insane on the descent. Oh and god, let it rain please.

 

[Afrank]

Anyone know/remember the last time this descent was used in a race?

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Anyone know/remember the last time this descent was used in a race?

Dauphiné. 2000 Briancon stage before that.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 1

Nibali and AC to go crazy on the attack. Quintana to gain some seconds on froome.

 

[Afrank]

Re: Re:

Anyone know/remember the last time this descent was used in a race?

Dauphiné. 2000 Briancon stage before that.

Thanks!

Hoping for a bat out of hell ride from Nibali to take the stage win.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 1

I think Alberto and Nibali will try something here. They have to, anyway. Purito for the win from the break

 

[Andro]

Fuglsang to win from the break.

 

[jsem94]

Nibali will go for it. Alberto will try his heart out to follow. Froome will stay with Thomas and who else from Sky and try to reel them back in come the last climb. This could be a serious day to take time on Froome if you are daring, especially if it rains. If it rains there will be carnage.

 

[damian13ster]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 1

Breakaway for the win.
Nibali to get away on descent, Froome to attack on Pra Loup to link up with Vincenzo and work together.
Froome to gift Nibali the stage if breakaway doesn't make it (possible if Movistar pushes the pace)

If nibali attacks on allos, in my estimation he'll take 2 minutes on froome who won't take any risk in the descent. No way froome takes that back on pra loup;

I thought about 60 seconds is more likely than that, allowing Froome to drop Quintana by 20-30s before catching Nibali and working together.
That would be an awesome scenario (of course all of that happens after Majka already won the stage ) but it is unlikely and pretty much contingent on Quintana cracking at the very beginning of the climb or being dropped by Froome on descent

 

[Hakkapelit]

Re:

I see attacks happening on the Col D'Allos, with Nibali head of the list so he can create a gap on the descent.

Sagan and Bardet to be in the breakaway. If he's not in the break Bardet will definitely do something, apparently he trains around there and knows the descent very well as his performance in the Dauphine showed

Stange, was sure he said post-race i CdD that the decent was unbeknownst to him...

 

[Stelvio]

Re: Tour de France 2015 Stage 17: Digne-les-Bains-Pra Loup 1

Take a look, insane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJIfwwqL8UE

That is one beautiful road .

Chance of rain tomorrow..
The forecast for Colmars: http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-france/colmars/04370
Barcelonette: http://www.tameteo.com/meteo_Barcelonnette-Europe-France-Alpes+de+Haute+Provence--1-37135.html

 

[Eclipse]

Whether he's in the break of popping off with the GC leaders I'm expecting a serious case of Bardeja vu here

 

[SeriousSam]

Quintana to gain 0 seconds on Froome.

 

[Red Rick]

I'm thinking I've started a bad trend on here....

 

[Red Rick]

Wait, this descent is different from the descent in the Dauphine?

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Anyone know/remember the last time this descent was used in a race?

It's only been used twice:
TDF 1975, same finish as this year.
TDF 2000, stage 14. The stage finished in Briançon after Allos, Vars and Izoard.

 

[Richeypen]

These next 4 stages could be epic if raced aggressively.