Tour de France 2019 stage 14: Tarbes - Tourmalet 117 km

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Fuglsang saying in pre-stage interview, that Astana will send guys out in the early break, and he will attack on Tourmalet if he has the legs for it.

Nice to know that. CARNAGE!
The only problem is that this side of Tourmalet isnt that hard..Its a shame

If anything this side of the tourmalet is the harder one

On paper, it is. But the east-side has that stretch from La Mongie of continually high gradients, that is not quite matched anywhere on the Luz (west) side. On the other hand, the last km today is terrible from 500m before the last bend all the way to the top.

Sainte Marie Campan is definitely the better side (La Mongie), especially when you are having a MTF or is using it as a penultimate climb. That side is constantly over 8% for the last 14 km, I think it averages 8,5% or something like that. This side is a bit more varied and not as tough, but is longer and climbs more altitude meters.

Its not like Gavia or Stelvio tho which has a side that's much harder and better suited to hard racing, Tourmalet is pretty close from both sides. But a MTF to Tourmalet from Sainte Marie Campain would definitely be preferably, but I heard its tailwind so it will be very, very hard today and hopefully pretty selective.

 

[Samamba]

So i guess we're not getting a GC winner today as expected?

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

So i guess we're not getting a GC winner today as expected?

Depends on the gap they get.

It is staying around 2 minutes right now. Break will need more.

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

So i guess we're not getting a GC winner today as expected?

Noting as yet guaranteed

 

[Samamba]

Yeah FDJ chasing now

 

[Rollthedice]

Pino is eager to do something.

 

[HelloDolly]

You'd think Movistar would want to do something today with 3 great riders

 

[sir fly]

Mohoric and Nibali... try keeping those wheels downhill.

 

[Midnightfright]

Re:

You'd think Movistar would want to do something today with 3 great riders

Landa, Quintana and?????

Only joking

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Re:

You'd think Movistar would want to do something today with 3 great riders

They will. Teams classification

 

[Pricey_sky]

FDJ and DQS not giving the break much more than 2 minutes.

 

[Gigs_98]

I'm happy Nibali joined the break but to be honest, it's kinda weird to chose today to attack. I always thought this is the mountain stage least likely to go to the break.

 

[Keram]

Why is Sagan in break? Insecure about green lead or for Buchmann long range attack? I hope second. If it click he can pull him throught descent and valley.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

Why is Sagan in break? Insecure about green lead or for Buchmann long range attack? I hope second. If it click he can pull him throught descent and valley.

Or for the heck of it...

 

[cineteq]

Who'll be the bravest rider today :Question:
Landa
Porte
Fuglsang
Yates
Quintana
Uran
Pinot

 

[Tonton]

Is there a way to shed some Ineos riders so it's not 5-6 of them at the foot of the Tourmalet? I hope that's what FDJ wants to find out. Other teams should help.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Re: Re:

You'd think Movistar would want to do something today with 3 great riders

Landa, Quintana and?????

Only joking

Amador.

Seriously, I'm surprised that Nibali picked today to attack. This might be the only high mountain stage not won from the breakaway.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

No need even for an Ineos train.

 

[Keram]

Re: Re:

Why is Sagan in break? Insecure about green lead or for Buchmann long range attack? I hope second. If it click he can pull him throught descent and valley.

Or for the heck of it...

Yeah it is possible he is just bored :lol:

 

[Rollthedice]

I'm happy Nibali joined the break but to be honest, it's kinda weird to chose today to attack. I always thought this is the mountain stage least likely to go to the break.

Everyday starting today. Polka dots also. Does he have the legs? Probably no. All he can do is try if he's still in France.

 

[Samamba]

Break def has a chance to make it till the end if only FDJ wants to go for the stage win.

 

[Climbing]

HYPE!

 

[sir fly]

A couple of days ago I've been jammed in the traffic 'cause of him... on my bike!

 

[Pantani_lives]

Is there a way to shed some Ineos riders so it's not 5-6 of them at the foot of the Tourmalet?

Good question, but hard to answer. At least I hope the other teams the other teams won't do any pulling on the flat.

 

[Samamba]

Is there a way to shed some Ineos riders so it's not 5-6 of them at the foot of the Tourmalet?

Good question, but hard to answer. At least I hope the other teams the other teams won't do any pulling on the flat.

If Pinot wants to win he's gonna need to put Reichenbach and Gaudu at the front pretty early so that should make it hard for a lot of the Ineos guys.