Tour de France 2017 Stage 12: Pau > Peyragudes 214.5km

[sir fly]

Tomorrow Never Dies… but some hopes can vanish
Following sprint finishes won by Marcel Kittel in the south west of France, the Tour hits the Pyrenees with a so-called “marathon stage” that includes four major climbs in a 214.5km long race finishing uphill at Peyragudes. Col des Ares, col de Menté, Port de Balès and col de Peyresourde are on the menu in the last 100km. Peyragudes hosted a stage finish for the first time five years ago. Alejandro Valverde won up there, so did Alexandre Geniez at the 2013 Vuelta a España, but it's a different finale this time around. The winner will be crowned at the altiport of the French Pyrenees. The movie Tomorrow Never Dies in the James Bond series was filmed in this location before going on screen twenty years ago. The last kilometer has sections with a gradient of 16%! It'll be a crucial stage for the climbers with opportunities for the likes of Fabio Aru, Romain Bardet and Rigoberto Uran to attack race leader Chris Froome. It's also an occasion for Alberto Contador and Nairo Quintana to remind how good they are as climbers. And Warren Barguil is extremely excited by the polka dot jersey…

Km 64.0 - Côte de Capvern 7.7 kilometre-long climb at 3.1% - category 4
Km 111.5 - Col des Ares (797 m) 7.4 kilometre-long climb at 4.6% - category 2
Km 139.5 - Col de Menté (1 349 m) 6.9 kilometre-long climb at 8.1% - category 1
Km 184.0 - Port de Balès (1 755 m) 11.7 kilometre-long climb at 7.7% - category H
Km 209.5 - Col de Peyresourde (1 569 m) 9.7 kilometre-long climb at 7.8% - category 1
Km 214.5 - PEYRAGUDES (1 580 m) 2.4 kilometre-long climb at 8.4% - category 2

 

[DanielSong39]

Froome gains time; cue moans from the forum.

Tour is good as over.

 

[Forever The Best]

Profile of Col de Mente: (east side)

 

[Poursuivant]

I think the break will take this, but if not, Dan Martin to win.

 

[Valv.Piti]

One of the best stages this year has to offer if not the best. I hope something happens on Balés, but I don't hold my breath...

 

[Ikbengodniet]

Wanty and Fortuneo in the break, the whole team of Lotto chasing, Katusha joins, Vermote puts his nose in the wind. Green german whirlwind first across the fin.. Oh wait!!

 

[Moviefan1203]

One tough stage. Hopefully Froome can put some more time between himself and Aru/Bardet.

 

[sir fly]

Re:

Wanty and Fortuneo in the break, the whole team of Lotto chasing, Katusha joins, Vermote puts his nose in the wind. Green german whirlwind first across the fin.. Oh wait!!

Yes, there's an intermediate sprint.
Will a breakaway form before or after it is one of the questions.

 

[Gigs_98]

I really like the port de bales but I just don't see anything happening there. Actually I don't even expect anything important to happen on the peyresurde and fear it will all come down to the last three kilometers.
But then again if there is anyone who really wants to beat froome and doesn't just ride for a podium he almost has to start taking risks, right?

 

[Forever The Best]

I really like the port de bales but I just don't see anything happening there. Actually I don't even expect anything important to happen on the peyresurde and fear it will all come down to the last three kilometers.
But then again if there is anyone who really wants to beat froome and doesn't just ride for a podium he almost has to start taking risks, right?

Agreed. Maybe Bardet can ttry on the descent of Bales but I doubt it. Though I think Aru and Bardet will try on Peyresourde.

 

[HelloDolly]

this stage starts at 9.45 on ES (GMT) ....how long is it ???

 

[Red Rick]

Damn, we were so close to forgetting about the rest of the Tour.

 

[Robert5091]

Sky to go full gas up Col de Peyresourde and unless Aru can get away, this race is over. How Uran and Nairo Q fare will be interesting.

 

[barmaher]

8.45 GMT. 9.45 BST. London and Dublin aren't on GMT in the summer.

Stage is scheduled to end around 17.00 CET, so 4pm UK time.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

this stage starts at 9.45 on ES (GMT) ....how long is it ???

According to cyclingfans -
Stage 12 starts at 10:55am CET
(4:55am U.S. Eastern)

Finish at around 5:03pm CET
(11:03am U.S. Eastern)

Live video from 10:30am CET
(4:30am U.S. Eastern)

 

[Ruby United]

Fond memories of Froome destroying the whole Tour on Peyragudes... with one hand!
Shouldn't be so easy this time round.

 

[arvc40]

Sky to destroy everyone's panache. Froome to gain some time. Contador to fall off. All GC wannabes to ride defensively and suffer like dogs at Sky wattage. Then everyone to do the same the next day.

 

[arvc40]

If Contador goes, Astana to Team up with Sky. Contador move to fail and he loses 10 min. Froome will look fresh at finish.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Pierre Rolland FTW!

 

[PremierAndrew]

I dont think Froome will attack tomorrow given Friday is Sky's D-day, the day they need to be fresh

 

[GraftPunk]

I could see a concerted ambush at Bales, maybe by a select group of contenders, if only to make Sky work hard early in the hopes that Froome catches a bad day. Wistful thinking on my part I'm sure.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

Sky to go full gas up Col de Peyresourde and unless Aru can get away, this race is over. How Uran and Nairo Q fare will be interesting.

You don't think Sky will be pushing it hard from a long way out, so the question is, without G, will they have the manpower to maintain that over the Mente and Bales to the extent that Froome will still have support on Peyresourde.

Movistar will almost certainly put men in the break. Astana and Trek probably will at least try too. Rolland will be trying to get in there, so the question will be if he's stage hunting, or running setup for Rigo.

The race may be a foregone conclusion, but Froome still has 4 opponents within a minute, a couple more within 2, and he's lost his number 1 dom and a very important ally in Porte. So there are enough factors in there to at least make him sweat tomorrow.

I just hope nobody stops to wait for him when he starts getting that really annoying creak from, I think it's the bottom bracket, can you hear that? It only happens when I really push on the pedals. No, I don't think it's the pedals, they're new, and I just greased the headset bearings. Look, hey guys, I know it's the biggest bike race in the world, but since I'm winning do you mind if I just stop here and get this really annoying rattle fixed?



Would you believe? It was a loose bottle cage bolt. I know, stupid right? Well thanks for waiting all the way up the biggest climb of the day, I'm going to attack you now, and show I was the strongest here all along.

 

[Sestriere]

The loss of Cataldo and the injury of Fuglsang will propably not enhance the chances of long range attacks.

On the other hand, if AG2R manages to drop Kwiatkowski decisively on Menté, we could be in for an interesting day. If...

 

[PremierAndrew]

Is it true Bardet also crashed on stage 11?

 

[cipurian]

What's the weather forecast like for tomorrow?