Tour de France 2017 Stage 11: Eymet > Pau 203.5km

[Brullnux]

Another one.

The Tour gets closer to its Pyrenean base but mountain specialists will still be preserving their energy. Going through the areas of Les Landes and Gers, the command of the pack will probably be left to the teams of sprinters. The escapees having made the effort to take off will, why not, have the opportunity to make a prayer at the Notre-
Dame-des-Cyclistes Chapel, situated in Labastide-d'Armagnac.

Map

Profile

Intermediate Sprint

Last km

Favourite:
Kittel - appears to be as good as unchallenged so far in this Tour, especially now that Demare, Cavendish and Sagan have gone home. So far he is four from five, and has another four (!) opportunites to add to those. Odds = 4/7

Challengers:
Matthews - his only real challenger for the green jersey, but doesn't have the straight line speed to win. Odds = 25
Greipel - clearly getting older, and seems unable this year to finish a sprint without getting boxed in horribly. Odds = 8
Bouhanni - not looking great right now. Odds = 22
EBH - another surprise like Stage 7? Odds = 22
Degenkolb - Improving, but his best chances come in Stage 14, 15 and 16. Odds = 14
Colbrelli - Poor so far, but once again should do better at the weekend. Odds = 66
Kristoff - Not what he once was. Odds = 16
Groenewegen - he sprinted for the first time today and came a distant third. But you never know. Odds = 12
Selig - It's come to this. Good rider, but on paper doesn't have the ability to win a Tour sprint. Odds = 50
Breakaway - Anyone. Please let's have another Phinney/Bauer moment. Odds from 125 (Kung) onwards

Weather:
Cool at around 22 degrees, sunny and some wind (15 km/h roughly) from WNW. Not enough for much to happen.

ETA: Between 17:30 CET and 18:10 CET

No poll today as it doesn't take a genius to see what this forum will predict.

 

[Alexandre B.]

I usually greatly dislike to rant about stage and parcours design but this one is wrong in every way.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Not going to watch this live and will only watch replay of last km as today.

 

[staubsauger]

After today's display Kittel has to be the major favorite again!

 

[Escarabajo]

Let's get this over with!!!!

 

[Dr. Watson]

ugh, how many more of these??

 

[DFA123]

If just half of these pan flat sprint stages would have had a murito finish, this could have been a great race. Would have been loads more action from GC riders, puncheurs, breakaways and a more interesting battle for the green jersey. Preudhomme needs to get with the times and embrace the murito asap.

By the way, who is Preudhomme accountable to? If designing this terrible race and route is not a sackable offence, then I'm not sure what is.

 

[Brullnux]

Just make them hilly.

 

[BYOP88]

So this is another small breakaway getting caught with around 10km to go then Kittel taking the stage. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[Ricco']

Re:

By the way, who is Preudhomme accountable to? If designing this terrible race and route is not a sackable offence, then I'm not sure what is.

As long as the cash keeps coming in, the ones to who Preudhomme is accountable don't give a *** if the parcours have 21 sprint finishes, 21 MTFs or if the stages are run at all.

 

[deValtos]

Pretty sure ASO was anticipating an exciting 3 way battle for green between Sagan, Kittel & Cav that would be super close throughout the race so made the most anti-sagan course possible to encourage this storyline.

That may have backfired.

 

[fauniera]

Re:

Not going to watch this live and will only watch replay of last km as today.

Same here. As with all the other boring flat stages.

 

[Cookster15]

Win number 5 for Kittel coming up barring a crash. These stages are pointless.

 

[carolina]

The hardest thing in these flat stages is watching Machado work at the front of the peloton for 100 kms just for Kristoff to completely fail at the end...

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

By the way, who is Preudhomme accountable to? If designing this terrible race and route is not a sackable offence, then I'm not sure what is.

As long as the cash keeps coming in, the ones to who Preudhomme is accountable don't give a **** if the parcours have 21 sprint finishes, 21 MTFs or if the stages are run at all.

Surely the cash will dry up if Preudhomme keeps putting in so many boring stages like this?

 

[hfer07]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ square...................................................... and Kittel wins again

 

[Red Rick]

Kittel will win. Which means all riders in the peloton who are not Kittel will be happy.

 

[Frankschleck]

Re:

The hardest thing in these flat stages is watching Machado work at the front of the peloton for 100 kms just for Kristoff to completely fail at the end...

yeah agree, don't really get why they chose machado to do that. Him and Robert Kirserlowski are the only katusha riders that have a chance to take a stage in the mountains, so don't get why they use him.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Please Thursday, get here!

 

[Laplaz]

Same ***, different day

 

[spalco]

For ***'s sake...

 

[mode747]

Re:

Pretty sure ASO was anticipating an exciting 3 way battle for green between Sagan, Kittel & Cav that would be super close throughout the race so made the most anti-sagan course possible to encourage this storyline.

That may have backfired.

Yes exactly with this route they were trying to make it easier for everyone to compete. Still though - no real reason to watch these last two stages.

 

[Tank Engine]

Kittel will get dropped on that 40km false flat

Only kidding.

It's a shame I have to travel to Warsaw tomorrow and have to miss this

 

[Gigs_98]

You know whats sad? This time tomorrow kittel will have a stage to freakin Pau on his palmares

 

[Red Rick]

You know whats sad? This time tomorrow kittel will have a stage to freakin Pau on his palmares

You know the good thing?

This time tomorrow we'll be a day closer to the post-Tour season