Tour de France 2019 stage 17: Pont du Gard > Gap 200 km

[Blanco]

Re:

Alaphilippe can well win the stage & lengthen his time gap to G & Bernal IF he wants to...
otherwise a breakaway can manage

It would be very strange if he doesn't want to win a stage and increase his gap to nearest rivals, but I highly doubt that his team can control a stage like this. It will be all out war for breakaway, and once they go they won't be seen again.

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Lulu and Lutsenko are both excellent shots but to try and be different I'm going to go with EBH or Tony Gallopin

I agree.
My pick is Terpstra.

But:
177 TERPSTRA Niki (DNF, Stage 11)

Blade.
Shoulder blade.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Final chance for the classic types to win a stage. Oliver Naesen to save AG2R's Tour.

 

[Laplaz]

Matteo Trentin.

 

[Orbit501]

Politt at long last.

 

[Koronin]

I would suspect a break with a lot of classics type riders will take the stage tomorrow. I'd also suspect Sagan would be in the break and may have a good chance at the stage win. I would be surprised if DQS can keep the break close enough for Alaphilippe to have a chance to win the stage. I can't see any other team willing to help them.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

Lulu and Lutsenko are both excellent shots but to try and be different I'm going to go with EBH or Tony Gallopin

Eddy Boss won't forget being outsmarted by Hushovd in Gap. But hasn't been in shape, like the rest of Dimension Data.

Do you mean 2011? Was EBH really outsmarted or just outnumbered by Garmin who also had Hesjedal there?

 

[search]

Re: Re:

Luis León Sanchez DNS tomorrow

https://www.marca.com/ciclismo/tour-francia/2019/07/23/5d375f4b268e3e400d8b4594.html

Doh. I completely misread Red heads post. Was it the same fall as Birdsong?

I don't think he crashed. He was struggling with back pain since the start of the race

 

[HelloDolly]

Seemingly there will be storms in Gap tomorrow
An the final days of the Tour will be all storms and low temperature

 

[DenisMenchov]

Re:

Final chance for the classic types to win a stage. Oliver Naesen to save AG2R's Tour.

Bardet for polka dot maybe? A lot of points are still left

 

[Tonton]

Re:

the final days of the Tour will be all storms and low temperature

That's excellent news

 

[DenisMenchov]

Re: Re:

the final days of the Tour will be all storms and low temperature

That's excellent news

I don't know, it was Pinot after all who got pneumonia at the Giro :/

 

[Norbea]

Re: Re:

Lulu and Lutsenko are both excellent shots but to try and be different I'm going to go with EBH or Tony Gallopin

Eddy Boss won't forget being outsmarted by Hushovd in Gap. But hasn't been in shape, like the rest of Dimension Data.

Do you mean 2011? Was EBH really outsmarted or just outnumbered by Garmin who also had Hesjedal there?

Both outsmarted and outnumbered. Hushovd knew how to best make use of the advantage of Hesjedal and he timed his move perfectly. Hushovd just proved that he was the more experianced of the two. Man to man I think the Eddy of 2011 could match Hushovd, but then again, Hushovd had the numbers, he had the experience and the smartness to beat EBH on th Gap finish line. Although we know how much it annoyed EBH. So much he soloed the stage win the next day.

 

[HelloDolly]

I think the point I was trying to make was that storms could make the downhill into Gap dangerous esp if you are tired

 

[jaylew]

Any chance a GC guy tries to steal some time here? Landa maybe?

 

[Koronin]

Re:

Any chance a GC guy tries to steal some time here? Landa maybe?

I don't think this is the right type of stage for Landa. However, I could see Valverde trying something IF he's looking for a stage win and depending on the circumstances. Unzue said that in the 3rd week they are going to try to get Landa on the podum and Valverde is free to go stage hunting. However, I'd like to know how he's supposed to go stage hunting when he's only 5 minutes off the GC lead.

 

[JosephK]

Re:

Any chance a GC guy tries to steal some time here? Landa maybe?

I'd keep an eye on Alaphilippe. Of course, the entire peloton will be doing the same, so it would be hard for him to catch them by surprise on the last hill.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Benoot ftw .. finally..

 

[Cookster15]

What is the descent of Col de la Sentinelle like compared to Col de Manse? In recent past Col de Manse has caused havoc for sub standard descenders is the Sentinelle less technical and dangerous?

 

[swuzzlebubble]

What chance S Yates again or even Haig from the break?

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

What is the descent of Col de la Sentinelle like compared to Col de Manse? In recent past Col de Manse has caused havoc for sub standard descenders is the Sentinelle less technical and dangerous?

Here’s the climb and its descent featured in Tour 2006: https://youtu.be/J1lFbZJpX2I

 

[yaco]

Re:

What chance S Yates again or even Haig from the break?

Don't underestimate A.Yates who is desperate to win his first GT stage in stage 18,19.20 - MS will rely on Impey and Trentin today.

 

[movingtarget]

Another possible stage win for Yates. he is so far behind on time and ideally placed on GC. Alaphillipe could win a stage like this but I think none of the other GC teams will contribute to the chase unless someone slips into the break that could be dangerous to riders in the top 10 and will Alaphillipe want to attack before the most critical part of the race for him ? Unlikely but it would make for great entertainment but does he even have the legs to do it now ? I see the usual break specialists fighting this one out. Movistar will wait for the MTFs with a possible Landa long range attack possible. It almost worked for him a few days ago but unfortunately he didn't get as much help as he needed when he linked up to his team mates. Plenty of teams that have been unsuccessful so far will see this stage as a real opportunity with only mountains and one sprint stage remaining that will be fought out between the specialists.

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

What is the descent of Col de la Sentinelle like compared to Col de Manse? In recent past Col de Manse has caused havoc for sub standard descenders is the Sentinelle less technical and dangerous?

Here’s the climb and its descent featured in Tour 2006: https://youtu.be/J1lFbZJpX2I

Thanks, things looked different then. The descent doesn't look as tricky as that of Col de Manse. Less opportunity for time gains but of course that does not mean there won't be any gaps. Possibly on the climb although it will likely be neutral for the GC guys.

 

[Finn84]

From 2006 I remember the crash in the break which took Verbrugghe and Cañada out of the race. Do they go through that spot?