Tour de France 2017 Stage 13: Saint-Girons > Foix 101 km

[Ikbengodniet]

Christian Prudhomme's comment

Precisely 100. In terms of kilometres, never has such a short format been on the menu of the Tour since halfstages disappeared. It'll be a total contrast compared to what the riders witnessed on the previous day but the terrain will be just as favourable for, I hope, audacious initiatives. Dynamism linked to distance will be joined by a degree of difficulty in the climbs: the Col de Latrape followed by the Col d'Agnes and finally the Mur de Péguère and its gradients that can reach 18%.

Km 31.0 - Col de Latrape (1 110 m)5.6 kilometre-long climb at 7.3% - category 1
Km 46.5 - Col d'Agnes (1 570 m)10 kilometre-long climb at 8.2% - category 1
Km 74.0 - Mur de Péguère (1 375 m)9.3 kilometre-long climb at 7.9% - category 1

 

[RattaKuningas]

I am afraid that it will be borefest.

 

[Samamba]

Bardet to go mental on that last climb and the descent. It's gonna be interesting to see if Sky let AG2R put someone in the break.

 

[DFA123]

After Froome's showing today, Astana and AG2R really, really need to get riders in the break (easier said than done) and Aru and Bardet must look to drop Froome in the steep last 3km, when his team can't help him. There is a small chance they could put him out of the race here.

Froome's form is a bit random at times, but it's hard to see that he will suddenly be firing near top form after that performance at the end of today.

 

[Screecher]

Froome to drop everyone on the last climb and solo to victory.

 

[46&twoWheels]

"ok,this is the final design,do you like the stage guys?" signed.. Bardet.

 

[Red Rick]

This screams one name.

Michal Kwiatkowski.

 

[SafeBet]

Landismo. What else?

 

[Eclipse]

Praying for carnage

 

[Anderis]

I'm intrigued by this stage. It will not surprise me if it turns out to be the best stage so far in this Tour.

 

[Red Rick]

First hour of racing should be completely insane.

This stage has a small possibility to be very good.

If Froome feels good, Sky should put Landa in the break.

 

[Ikbengodniet]

Please let there be suicide attacks by Contador and Quintana.

 

[46&twoWheels]

Re:

After Froome's showing today, Astana and AG2R really, really need to get riders in the break (easier said than done) and Aru and Bardet must look to drop Froome in the steep last 3km, when his team can't help him. There is a small chance they could put him out of the race here.

Froome's form is a bit random at times, but it's hard to see that he will suddenly be firing near top form after that performance at the end of today.

yeah,at best I expect froomesky (a single entity) to be with the best riders tomorrow
No way he has the form to become Mr.centrifugation. Nobody is going to believe him. He needs more than one stage,as a confidence interval, if he doesn't want to lose credibility

 

[bajbar]

Bardet, Aru and Uran need to attack on the last 3k of the last climb. They need to put Froome out of the game as long as he is vulnerable. Waiting for the last 2 km of Izoard won't do the trick with the TT still to come. Froome more than a minute down before the last two alpine stages could do wonders for the race!

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Take off that last 10k and I would have predicted big fireworks. Still might be, but that's a long run in and Froome is a great descender these days. Long day today too. Hopefully someone feels good and has a big dig on that last one.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re:

Take off that last 10k and I would have predicted big fireworks. Still might be, but that's a long run in and Froome is a great descender these days. Long day today too. Hopefully someone feels good and has a big dig on that last one.

Indeed. The last 27km are perfect for Sky train to bring Froome back should he struggle tomorrow as well.

 

[Rollthedice]

Until Froome started zigzagging, tomorrow's stage looked like business as usual for Sky and the other contenders. Now it seems like a good opportunity to test Froome. Is he not capable to follow the young guns or was it just a bad day? Short stage, full speed could be fun.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Astana will surely go on the offensive here, seeing as with the TT still to go, Froome is pretty much still the race leader.

 

[Ikbengodniet]

Does somebody have the weather forecast?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Christian Prudhomme's comment

"Precisely 100"

101 they can't do anything right
Dan Martin for the stage

 

[Ikbengodniet]

Matthews to win the bunch sprint of about 50 man.

 

[Poursuivant]

Not sure Froome is as weak as people think. Yes he cracked at the end with those insane gradients, but on Mont du Chat he was one of the strongest on the climbs, at one point his attack dropped Bardet and Aru. He has been stronger in previous Tours definitely, but he isn't as bad as people are making out I think. If I was Sky, I would do everything to put Landa in the break, give him Kwiatkowski to help him.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Re:

Not sure Froome is as weak as people think. Yes he cracked at the end with those insane gradients, but on Mont du Chat he was one of the strongest on the climbs, at one point his attack dropped Bardet and Aru. He has been stronger in previous Tours definitely, but he isn't as bad as people are making out I think. If I was Sky, I would do everything to put Landa in the break, give him Kwiatkowski to help him.

Agree. 24hrs is a long time in this race. It wouldn't shock me to see him easily cover everything tomorrow.

 

[spalco]

Surely half the peloton is smelling blood now. Could be pure anarchy tomorrow.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Take off that last 10k and I would have predicted big fireworks. Still might be, but that's a long run in and Froome is a great descender these days. Long day today too. Hopefully someone feels good and has a big dig on that last one.

Indeed. The last 27km are perfect for Sky train to bring Froome back should he struggle tomorrow as well.

Landa and Nieve aren't a rolling train.
Hard to imagine rouleurs surviving to pull the leader.