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

[Tonton]

Re:

Problem is Kittel might be ill.

Sagan should have won it!!! So now, after Demare, we are witnessing episode two of the Slovakian curse, next is the Gorilla, Bling, all of them. Nacer in green in Paris .

 

[Bolder]

Re:

Weather forecast for Col du Lautaret:

https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/week/col-du-lautaret_france_3005951

It might rain in the afternoon. From Col du Lautaret to Le Monêtier-les-Bains looks like side headwind from SW. The descent from Lautaret to Le Monêtier is quite straight and very fast usually, not technical or steep. After Le Monêtier road flattens a bit. I usually travel and ride or go ski touring there during spring time (March - April).

Strava segment from Lautaret to Le Monêtier:

https://www.strava.com/segments/6022006

High hopes for tomorrow's stage but weather might play a role. I suppose that on top of Col du Galibier at least 15 - 20s gap is needed for good descender to ride solo and win the stage.

You are certainly correct about the run in to Le Monetier. It will bring some groups together but on the other hand a rider trying to catch up solo against a group of 3 or 4 is not going to get anywhere. No reason there couldn't be big gaps.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Re: Re:

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.

Sadly I think you're right. I hope not, but this seems the most likely. Fear of the Izoard the following day will suppress things a bit as well.

Yesterdays windy stage means tired legs today especially for the little climbers. they will be in defensive mode.

AG2R La Mondiale manager Vincent Lavenu dismissed the idea that the pretenders to the maillot jaune, Bardet included, would ride conservatively on the first Alpine stage in order to spare themselves for the demanding haul up the Izoard. "You can't wait," Lavenu said. "If there's an opportunity, you have to take it."

So they are not going to create an opportunity but wait for one if one does not come then nothing. So its going to be defensive till the end with perhaps a half hearted attack or 2 in the end

 

[claude cat]

 

[Pezrider]

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

I am thinking if the GC group is all together at the base of Galibier then Landa will attack at some point on the way up and the others will just look at each other and see if Froome was to follow. Is this wishful thinking and Landa will stick with Froome to help counter other attacks?
Should be a cracking stage....can a break hold on?

 

[dgodave]

Look at these climbs!

Bike racing is too hard! Stop this madness immediately!

 

[Tigerion]

Wait is that actually something that Kittel posted or just something somebody else has done?

 

[claude cat]

Re:

Wait is that actually something that Kittel posted or just something somebody else has done?

Kittel posted it
I think!

 

[Max Rockatansky]

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

Yeah, it's from his Insta stories.

 

[movingtarget]

Bardet will try something but he won't persevere probably and save his legs for tomorrow. Or maybe Sky try and kill off some GC riders on the last climb if Froome is feeling good. Matthews will try and rack up some more points, Kittel will suffer and Contador will try something and hope it will have more impact than his attack yesterday which only cost one feed bag.

 

[The Hitch]

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

Yeah but those were the 90's

 

[meat puppet]

It is very clear that froome drops everyone, their aunt and his armwarmers when he wants to and all the talk about tactics is academic. Full 130rpm spin is in the pipes. If someone can follow, hats off, but gaining Time on him is a different ballgame.

The moment to attack was before the rest day when froome was off balance but bardet chickened out.

 

[SKSemtex]

Re: Re:

Wait is that actually something that Kittel posted or just something somebody else has done?

Kittel posted it
I think!

But he is right. GT does not need this to be interesting.

 

[The Barb]

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

The break takes this. Barguil the obvious candidate. Wondering about Pinot's form. If it's half decent this stage is for him.

 

[wouterkaas]

Apparently it's about to start raining there

 

[Eagle]

Re: Re:

Wait is that actually something that Kittel posted or just something somebody else has done?

Kittel posted it
I think!

But he is right. GT does not need this to be interesting.

He said nothing about it being interesting or not

 

[Ricco']

I'm with Kittel.

I fear that ASO and RCS have a secret agenda to keep him from winning GTs. It seems that when money is involved, they do all they can to influence the outcome of the races, all to send the message that skinny boys are the cool ones and the role models for the children. Stop discriminating people based on their weight, folks!

 

[LaFlorecita]

I thought Kittel's post was just a joke? Not sure why so many people seem to think he's suggesting mountain stages are bad.

 

[DNP-Old]

People are reading way too much into this. :lol:

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Re:

I thought Kittel's post was just a joke? Not sure why so many people seem to think he's suggesting mountain stages are bad.

+1

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

What time (local) are they kicking things off today??

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

What time (local) are they kicking things off today??

12:20

 

[Kafviar]

Kittels post is clearly a joke.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Re: Re:

What time (local) are they kicking things off today??

12:20

Thank you.....better get some snacks organised :lol:

 

[lucek]

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

The break takes this. Barguil the obvious candidate. Wondering about Pinot's form. If it's half decent this stage is for him.

Not sure that break takes victory. I think Ag2r guys try to make a race harder, they will try to tire Froome. Too much to score is on today stage, to just let the breakaway to go.