Tour de France 2020 | Stage 20 ITT (Lure - La Planche des Belles Filles, 36.2km)

Page 2 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Apr 3, 2016
1,647
1,016
13,680
it comes down to risk x reward..
i don't think Roglic will risk it and maybe Dumoulin don't even need it to win the stage..
Porte in the other hand should go all in, change bike and whatever he can think of..
Carapaz probably with the "hybrid" option..
 
Oct 14, 2017
12,196
3,232
23,180
it comes down to risk x reward..
i don't think Roglic will risk it and maybe Dumoulin don't even need it to win the stage..
Porte in the other hand should go all in, change bike and whatever he can think of..
Carapaz probably with the "hybrid" option..


That wouldn't surprise me. If he's decided his goal is the KOM points, then that's likely his best option.
 
Jun 10, 2017
5,246
3,467
23,180
That wouldn't surprise me. If he's decided his goal is the KOM points, then that's likely his best option.
Yup. 6.81kgs with aerobars, tempo to the time check, carry as much speed as possible through there, and give it every single milliwatt he has up the climb.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Koronin
Change to a road bike or ride a hybrid if I was Primoz?
I'd ride the TT and it's gearing to the top of the climb before the Belle Filles. Change bikes there with a downhill to minimize any time loss and allow you to spin into the position that works for big ass climbs. You're also basically hitting a wall at the start with that climb and it'd be better to have gearing and the climbing position that got you this far to bring it home.
If I was Ritchie or MAL I'd go hybrid. They're both smaller guys and can probably get as aero as they need to be and not lose any critical time. Ritchie may be faster on his TT bike than MAL to the point he'd go either way.

WVA? Give him a cyclocross bike and stand back! He'll do well if they let him loose. They may want him to keep the powder dry for the Champs glory that he could get.

Dumo? I'd let him do what he wants and he may be in the mindset to go faster than anyone. He'd do a bike swap IMO.

Tadej should swap and he's nimble enough to handle the change. If he's at his best he can challenge Roglic, WVA...all of them. Not sure if he has that snap and he'll be on his own the whole way.

Not sure who I'd like to win, though. Lot of worthy guys.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
Mar 4, 2011
8,457
11,189
23,180
Not sure why they have these large hills in time trials, that's what mountains are for.
Ironically the best profile for creating interesting time gaps is the 30-40km pan flat time trials, maybe with a few tight turns. That also allows the specialists to shine on the day.
Because the top French GC guys are all good climbers but not great for flattish time trials, so this course is laid out to favor them (which is nothing new in cycling)
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Sandisfan
Oct 14, 2017
12,196
3,232
23,180
Roglic and Dumoulin Full Gas. Winner between the 2 of them. At least 1 min gap on others. Porte has a chance of making it to MAL

Agreed, Carapaz may take it easy on the first part of the court and go all out on the climb for the KOM points. Enric Mas has a chance at getting into the top 5 depending on which TT version of Landa shows up.
 
36km is a decent length TT especially since the last 6km is on an 8% climb. I think there will be very large time gaps. If Porte rides well MAL isn't safe. Based upon how he is riding and paces himself Porte can be at least as quick as MAL on the climb. We are not racing at 2,300 metres altitude so there is no Colombian advantage in that respect.

Roglic and Dumoulin will likely fight out the stage win. Probably Rogla who can bathe in the glory of a TdF victory as the winner of the final TT, just as it should be.
 
Not sure why they have these large hills in time trials, that's what mountains are for.
Ironically the best profile for creating interesting time gaps is the 30-40km pan flat time trials, maybe with a few tight turns. That also allows the specialists to shine on the day.
Partly because Sciatic is correct; try to bring a little French flavor into it that also was about the Polka-dot jersey, too. Double win for the locals if it worked. Won't because Carapaz will specialize in the steep parts.
 
Nov 16, 2013
26,686
27,792
28,180
fire.gif

Oh, what is your problem?

I think this is a very cool stage, actually, and it doesn't matter jackshit which six kilometre mountain it ends with, even if it has been used before. You can't ride it negatively as it's a TT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedheadDane
Aug 6, 2010
6,884
6,216
23,180
This is the 20th consecutive stage that on paper seems tailormade for Van Aert. Quite unfair to the other riders, I must say.

That's where it ends though. For stage 21 finishes in the evening, so the peloton should be able to spot him a little easier ;)
 
Apr 10, 2019
12,086
16,012
23,180
Okay, this analysis of the pros and cons of a bike change and the discussion of the favs is all well and good, but the question remains who were these daughters-in-law and what did they do to get a summit named after them?
A local legend. Durning the 30 years war in the 17th centuries mercenaries were raping and pillaging in the region. All the young women were hiding on top of said mountain, but they found them. When they saw them approaching they decided to take their lifes and jumped off the edge of the mountain.
 
Apr 15, 2014
4,254
2,341
18,680
Pogacar will change bikes - according to Alan Piper, they can do it in 7 seconds, and they'll do it on a steeper bit for efficiency.
 
Apr 10, 2019
12,086
16,012
23,180
Pinot to find his 2016 TT-skills or to totally demolish everyone on the climb, because being able to that when he's out of the gc picture would be such a Pinot thing and make all of us wonder if he could have been up there...