Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier 183k

[Laplaz]

Kittel OTL. Sunweb will push hard in order to collect points for Matthews at the intermediate sprint, and after that there is the Croix de Fer, and Kittel will already be way back.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

How much flat is there before the finish line and after the ascent?

Don't think there is any, but it's very gentle downhill in places (especially the last 6km or so) on a wide, straight non-technical road after they reach the Col du Lautaret. The descent of the Galibier before that is much steeper and more technical, so possible for a descender to get some advantage.

I think this is the lower part of the descent: on this profile it will be from the summit down to the finish line at about 20km.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

I think Aru will try something here for sure. Not sure Bardet and Uran have the guts to risk a possible podium place for the win.

Aru hasn't been climbing that well in my opinion. He'll probably take some small digs, but in the end I think he'll be the one struggling to follow.

He went well in both the Pyreneean stages though. It's just 14 and 15 in which he has really struggled.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

I think Aru will try something here for sure. Not sure Bardet and Uran have the guts to risk a possible podium place for the win.

Aru hasn't been climbing that well in my opinion. He'll probably take some small digs, but in the end I think he'll be the one struggling to follow.

Yeah, I'm not sure it will work either. But I reckon he will try something, maybe even on the Croix de Fer. Also he's often come on very strongly in the third week of races before.

 

[jsem94]

Matthews will win the sprint prize. Break wins. Kamikaze attacks from the likes of Contador because why not but Sky will control the race more or less until the final 5km of Galibier. We will see some poor attacks but the GC group stays intact for the most part. A group of 5-8 GC guys roll over the line together about 3-6 minutes behind the eventual winner.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

I think Aru will try something here for sure. Not sure Bardet and Uran have the guts to risk a possible podium place for the win.

It is near impossible to lose time on that descent as long as you follow wheels, so I hope that Bardet attacks.

 

[silvergrenade]

Re: Re:

How much flat is there before the finish line and after the ascent?

Don't think there is any, but it's very gentle downhill in places (especially the last 6km or so) on a wide, straight non-technical road after they reach the Col du Lautaret. The descent of the Galibier before that is much steeper and more technical, so possible for a descender to get some advantage.

I think this is the lower part of the descent: on this profile it will be from the summit down to the finish line at about 20km.

Thank you DFA.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re: Re:

I think Aru will try something here for sure. Not sure Bardet and Uran have the guts to risk a possible podium place for the win.

Aru hasn't been climbing that well in my opinion. He'll probably take some small digs, but in the end I think he'll be the one struggling to follow.

He's been the best climber so far and today he looked strong.

 

[Blanco]

Excitement in this stage depends on one man only, Mikel Landa! If he's unleashed it will be carnage. If not, then breakaway will take it, and we will have attacks in the last 3 km's of Galibier among the favorites. Contador might try on Croix de Fer, but without Landa, I think he's doomed

 

[DNP-Old]

Pawel Poljanski is in monster shape.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

Blegh, the more I think about this stage, the less I like it. I really feel everything is bound to come back together on the descent. I guess someone from the break for the win, with a large group of GC favorites coming in together. Of the top-10, I could see Meintjes, Quintana and Caruso lose time.

 

[shalgo]

Betancur to win from the break. Benoot to finish 10th.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

It would be really cool if Sunweb tries to eliminate Kittel by dropping him on the Ornon. Then let Barguil attack on the early slopes of the CdF and hope that Contador will follow him, because if that happens it's quite unlikely the stage will calm down again and Kittel might be in real danger of finishing OTL.

 

[Forever The Best]

Should've finished on Le Monetier Les Bains. Though it is still a fine stage.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

Kittel OTL. Sunweb will push hard in order to collect points for Matthews at the intermediate sprint, and after that there is the Croix de Fer, and Kittel will already be way back.

I would love that

 

[Eagle]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

It would be really cool if Sunweb tries to eliminate Kittel by dropping him on the Ornon. Then let Barguil attack on the early slopes of the CdF and hope that Contador will follow him, because if that happens it's quite unlikely the stage will calm down again and Kittel might be in real danger of finishing OTL.

Has a team ever raced to make an opponent miss the time cut before?

 

[portugal11]

Re:

Kittel OTL. Sunweb will push hard in order to collect points for Matthews at the intermediate sprint, and after that there is the Croix de Fer, and Kittel will already be way back.

I would love that

 

[shalgo]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

Stage was basically done already in 1993...huge gaps that year. Glandon, T & G...

1. Tony Rominger 5:28:52
2. Alvaro Mejia
3. Miguel Indurain
4. Andy Hampsten 1:13
5. Zenon Jaskula
6. Erik Breukink 3:32
7. Oliviero Rincon
8. Richard Virenque 4:35
9. Roberto Conti
10. Javier Mauleon

Some other notable results from that stage:

12. Mottet, at 5:04
13. Delgado, at 5:04
18. Zulle, at 6:57
19. Riis, at 7:21
20. Fignon, at 7:42
21. Bugno, at 7:42
27. Roche, at 8:49
29. Chiappucci, at 8:49
86. Armstrong, at 21:42
87. Millar, at 21:42

If I remember correctly, Fignon discusses this stage in his autobiography, saying that he had planned to go for a stage win like his one into Mulhouse the previous year. Instead, he found that even mediocre riders were passing him. (I like to think that he had Riis in particular in mind.) That's when he knew the game had changed.

The next day, Fignon dropped out, effectively ending his career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNLmtFH4AEk

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

It would be really cool if Sunweb tries to eliminate Kittel by dropping him on the Ornon. Then let Barguil attack on the early slopes of the CdF and hope that Contador will follow him, because if that happens it's quite unlikely the stage will calm down again and Kittel might be in real danger of finishing OTL.

Has a team ever raced to make an opponent miss the time cut before?

Pretty sure that it's happened. Problem is that I guess the autobus will just be too big, and the time limit will be huge as well. Gotta put 40 minutes into him.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

Stage was basically done already in 1993...huge gaps that year. Glandon, T & G...

1. Tony Rominger 5:28:52
2. Alvaro Mejia
3. Miguel Indurain
4. Andy Hampsten 1:13
5. Zenon Jaskula
6. Erik Breukink 3:32
7. Oliviero Rincon
8. Richard Virenque 4:35
9. Roberto Conti
10. Javier Mauleon

Some other notable results from that stage:

12. Mottet, at 5:04
13. Delgado, at 5:04
18. Zulle, at 6:57
19. Riis, at 7:21
20. Fignon, at 7:42
21. Bugno, at 7:42
27. Roche, at 8:49
29. Chiappucci, at 8:49
86. Armstrong, at 21:42
87. Millar, at 21:42

If I remember correctly, Fignon discusses this stage in his autobiography, saying that he had planned to go for a stage win like his one into Mulhouse the previous year. Instead, he found that even mediocre riders were passing him. (I like to think that he had Riis in particular in mind.) That's when he knew the game had changed.

The next day, Fignon dropped out, effectively ending his career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNLmtFH4AEk

I wrote in another thread long time ago that it was Riis since he knew him very well. He had previously been his teammate and knew his capabilities exactly. Anyway, off-topic. Sorry.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

Stage was basically done already in 1993...huge gaps that year. Glandon, T & G...

1. Tony Rominger 5:28:52
2. Alvaro Mejia
3. Miguel Indurain
4. Andy Hampsten 1:13
5. Zenon Jaskula
6. Erik Breukink 3:32
7. Oliviero Rincon
8. Richard Virenque 4:35
9. Roberto Conti
10. Javier Mauleon

Some other notable results from that stage:

12. Mottet, at 5:04
13. Delgado, at 5:04
18. Zulle, at 6:57
19. Riis, at 7:21
20. Fignon, at 7:42
21. Bugno, at 7:42
27. Roche, at 8:49
29. Chiappucci, at 8:49
86. Armstrong, at 21:42
87. Millar, at 21:42

If I remember correctly, Fignon discusses this stage in his autobiography, saying that he had planned to go for a stage win like his one into Mulhouse the previous year. Instead, he found that even mediocre riders were passing him. (I like to think that he had Riis in particular in mind.) That's when he knew the game had changed.

The next day, Fignon dropped out, effectively ending his career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNLmtFH4AEk

Yes I still remember that well, epic! Chiappucci and Bugno dropped like a stone by Big Mig!

Rominger might have stopped Miguel that year if not for misfortune in the early TTs.

But racing (and other matters) were a bit different in 1993 compared to 2017

 

[DenisMenchov]

Ag2r send Vuillermoz and Frank in the break. Romain to unleash the Hell on Galibier and put minutes into everyone

 

[Anderis]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

It would be really cool if Sunweb tries to eliminate Kittel by dropping him on the Ornon. Then let Barguil attack on the early slopes of the CdF and hope that Contador will follow him, because if that happens it's quite unlikely the stage will calm down again and Kittel might be in real danger of finishing OTL.

Has a team ever raced to make an opponent miss the time cut before?

Movistar in 2011 tried to make Cavendish miss the time cut so that Rojas could take the green jersey. They rode the pace on one of the mountain stages from the beginning (I think it was the Galibier stage) but they overdid it and only around a half of the peloton made the time limit. Of course that many riders couldn't be thrown out of the race. These riders were docked some points in green jersey competition instead IIRC, but not enough for Rojas to beat Cavendish for the green.

 

[bob.a.feet]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

It would be really cool if Sunweb tries to eliminate Kittel by dropping him on the Ornon. Then let Barguil attack on the early slopes of the CdF and hope that Contador will follow him, because if that happens it's quite unlikely the stage will calm down again and Kittel might be in real danger of finishing OTL.

Considering how great Sunweb have been in this race so far, I wouldn't put it past them. It's amazing how committed this team is.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Tour de France 2017 Stage 17: La Mure > Serre-Chevalier

It would be really cool if Sunweb tries to eliminate Kittel by dropping him on the Ornon. Then let Barguil attack on the early slopes of the CdF and hope that Contador will follow him, because if that happens it's quite unlikely the stage will calm down again and Kittel might be in real danger of finishing OTL.

Considering how great Sunweb have been in this race so far, I wouldn't put it past them. It's amazing how committed this team is.

Yep. Matthews and Sunweb have another good chance to distance Kittel on stage 19 that could put Matthews in the Green jersey for Champs-Elysées so it could all come down to the final stage in Paris.