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

[TromleTromle]

Re: Re:

An interesting idea for the stage design would be to offer alternative routes to the riders. For example, give them an option to either turn right in Lacus, over the Allos to Col de la Clin, or to follow the current route.
Would be interesting to follow groups and see who prefers what.
Off course, some computing would be needed.

That is what (bike) orienteering is about, albeit on mountain bikes. Great sport.

The idea, however, stinks of gamification and would ruin road racing at least for me.

Would be fun.

I.e. after tourmalet - offer to take Anzican or Aspin. Add 30-20-10 bonus sec on top of the harder mountain. :lol:

 

[Ikbengodniet]

This is as boring as the flat stages. All my work is already finished.

 

[yaco]

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?

You can easily make 1m and 30s in the last 3kms of this stage

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

An interesting idea for the stage design would be to offer alternative routes to the riders. For example, give them an option to either turn right in Lacus, over the Allos to Col de la Clin, or to follow the current route.
Would be interesting to follow groups and see who prefers what.
Off course, some computing would be needed.

http://www.transcontinental.cc

Will someone of the participants opt for a route through the country of ploughed roads?

 

[Irondan]

Re:

This is as boring as the flat stages. All my work is already finished.

What did you think was going to happen with 80K left of an MTF?

 

[Ikbengodniet]

Re: Re:

This is as boring as the flat stages. All my work is already finished.

What did you think was going to happen with 80K left of an MTF?

Well at least a break that is riding faster than 12 km/h

 

[spalco]

I'm not sure if the weather is making the stage harder or easier because it's not as hot.

The bad visibility looks spectacular though.

 

[huge]

Wtf??

Nobody racing.
Sky on a social ride at the front of the group.

Is that the way FDJ or Astana plan to tire the British team?

Probsbly they are planning a vicious attack at 200m from the finish...

 

[sir fly]

Re:

I'm not sure if the weather is making the stage harder or easier because it's not as hot.

The bad visibility looks spectacular though.

The weather's certainly making a difference. And keep in mind there's the sunshine at the finish. The change could surprise someone.

 

[Netserk]

I'm beginning to really appreciate Bling. At least when he is not riding classics.

Bling for the win!

 

[AICA ribonucleotide]

Wtf??

Nobody racing.
Sky on a social ride at the front of the group.

Is that the way FDJ or Astana plan to tire the British team?

Probsbly they are planning a vicious attack at 200m from the finish...

Makes a change from BMC doing the riding for Sky.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Did someone do Barguil's polka dot jersey using a red marker pen ?

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

An interesting idea for the stage design would be to offer alternative routes to the riders. For example, give them an option to either turn right in Lacus, over the Allos to Col de la Clin, or to follow the current route.
Would be interesting to follow groups and see who prefers what.
Off course, some computing would be needed.

http://www.transcontinental.cc

Will someone of the participants opt for a route through the country of ploughed roads?

It's possible, there's a lot of discussion going on between folk about whether they should trade climbing for less km and I know several people will plot multiple routes for some sections so they can decide depending on how their legs are feeling. They're not allowed to share routes so just speculation at the moment but at least one person I've seen has said their route will have dot watchers wondering where the hell they are going in some places

You need these kind of long distance events for these multi-route type races, harder to do on a stage race.

 

[No_Balls]

Wtf??

Nobody racing.
Sky on a social ride at the front of the group.

Is that the way FDJ or Astana plan to tire the British team?

Probsbly they are planning a vicious attack at 200m from the finish...

*Aru to attack with 150 meters to go.

*Quintana to wheelsuck his way up the Peyresourde.

*Froome to hurt everybodys eyes.

*Astana to ride for Sky.

 

[King Boonen]

Bling and De Gendt 1 and 2, the rest of the break getting mopped up and Barguil taking third would do my velogames team the world of good! So it won't be happening...

 

[bob.a.feet]

Some acceleration by Matthews.

 

[staubsauger]

Today's stage was always the mountain stage for the breakaway. Unless Froome wants to gain time. Tomorrow AG2R certainly goes crazy!

 

[spalco]

The break's not through yet imo.

It's likely they will make it, but a good tempo in the peloton on Port de Bales could still kill them easily.

 

[Rollthedice]

Bling win is inevitable.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

An interesting idea for the stage design would be to offer alternative routes to the riders. For example, give them an option to either turn right in Lacus, over the Allos to Col de la Clin, or to follow the current route.
Would be interesting to follow groups and see who prefers what.
Off course, some computing would be needed.

http://www.transcontinental.cc

Will someone of the participants opt for a route through the country of ploughed roads?

It's possible, there's a lot of discussion going on between folk about whether they should trade climbing for less km and I know several people will plot multiple routes for some sections so they can decide depending on how their legs are feeling. They're not allowed to share routes so just speculation at the moment but at least one person I've seen has said their route will have dot watchers wondering where the hell they are going in some places

You need these kind of long distance events for these multi-route type races, harder to do on a stage race.

Sounds funny. A good deal of competitive spirit involved, it appears.
It's something I've been thinking about for some time. To make it completely fair and square you'd need equal altitude gains and route length. A softer criteria would be only the altitude gain or the length. And you don't have to limit yourself in the sense of length of alternative sections. Maybe some minimum, either in the altitude gain or the length (say, some percentage of the overall altitude gain or overall length of the stage).
If they're, already, riding on numbers, give them an assignment.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Looks like Froome wants the stage today

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

Looks like Froome wants to win a lot of time on everyone and kill all excitement today

Fixed your post

 

[fowlyetti]

Suprised the gap is so small with only Rowe and Knees riding on front. Hopefully the break has a lot left in the legs.

 

[capuldemetal]

echelons

 

[sir fly]

They're easing into the better weather.