Tour de France Tour de France 2024, Stage 9: Troyes > Troyes, 199.0 km

[Dazed and Confused]

Lets see if the zombie peloton can wake up a bit and create a race.

 

[peterfin]

This stage can be massive. It's pretty well comparable to the Strade Bianche. There will be a battle on two fronts. Classic riders will fight for the stage win, while the GC teams will work to keep their leader in a good position. Flat tires, stones and dust can turn this into a massacre.

The toughest gravel sectors come between 95 and 55 km from the finish. These combine unpaved roads with climbing. After that the sectors keep coming, but they're mostly flat.

It's an opportunity for Pogacar to gain time. He might form a coalition with one or more specialists, like Van der Poel, Mohoric, Küng, Skujins or Van Gils.

Notice how most of the GC teams have brought helpers who are good on this terrain.

• UAE: Wellens, Politt
• Visma: Van Aert, Benoot
• Ineos: Pidcock, Turner
• Soudal: Lampaert, Moscon

They will have an important job tomorrow, although Pidcock might get the freedom to ride for himself. A spectacular stage can be expected, hopefully not harmed too much by mechanicals and crashes.

Unless you believe that Remco has much more risk of crashing or mechanicals, I don't see why Pogacar would be better and gain time? This is an endurance effort.

 

[Lequack]

Unfortunately because of the sprint teams, nothing will happen. A small break with Abramhsen just like today, with a sprint finish at the end.

 

[Le Grand Doop]

I think Visma will try to cause destruction.

whether they succeed...

fantasizing that remco/QS pull a Nibali and get a 2 minute advantage. will make the rest of the TDF way more exciting.

 

[Froome]

Lefevere ‘helemaal anti’ gravelrit: “Alle tijdwinst van Evenepoel kan met een lekke band weg zijn”

Patrick Lefevere heeft felle kritiek geuit tegen de gravelrit. De manager van Soudal Quick-Step vertelt in zijn column in Het Nieuwsblad dat hij vindt dat een gravelrit geen plaats heeft in een grote ronde. "De remedie voor saaie etappes is niet de kermis van een Tourpeloton over gravel."Le

www.wielerflits.be

He is right.

 

[AmRacer]

This stage can be massive. It's pretty well comparable to the Strade Bianche. There will be a battle on two fronts. Classic riders will fight for the stage win, while the GC teams will work to keep their leader in a good position. Flat tires, stones and dust can turn this into a massacre.

The toughest gravel sectors come between 95 and 55 km from the finish. These combine unpaved roads with climbing. After that the sectors keep coming, but they're mostly flat.

It's an opportunity for Pogacar to gain time. He might form a coalition with one or more specialists, like Van der Poel, Mohoric, Küng, Skujins or Van Gils.

Notice how most of the GC teams have brought helpers who are good on this terrain.

• UAE: Wellens, Politt
• Visma: Van Aert, Benoot
• Ineos: Pidcock, Turner
• Soudal: Lampaert, Moscon

They will have an important job tomorrow, although Pidcock might get the freedom to ride for himself. A spectacular stage can be expected, hopefully not harmed too much by mechanicals and crashes.

Pogi is both a Classics and GT rider.

 

[Froome]

Realistically. Things will happen. I will speak, and I will have big trouble

I am anxious to know who will have luck and who will have bad luck tomorrow.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

What they're calling a "dangerous gravel stage," is what they used to call "the first third of the stage."

 

[Berniece]

Lefevere ‘helemaal anti’ gravelrit: “Alle tijdwinst van Evenepoel kan met een lekke band weg zijn”

Patrick Lefevere heeft felle kritiek geuit tegen de gravelrit. De manager van Soudal Quick-Step vertelt in zijn column in Het Nieuwsblad dat hij vindt dat een gravelrit geen plaats heeft in een grote ronde. "De remedie voor saaie etappes is niet de kermis van een Tourpeloton over gravel."Le

www.wielerflits.be

He is right.

He is right indeed. It’s silly to put such a luck factor in the race.

 

[Froome]

He is right indeed. It’s silly to put such a luck factor in the race.

Honestly i can't understand this stupid route.

Gravel stage for what? To some of the top riders crash and ruin the race? This is road cycling, there's no place for this stages.

They were more worried on doing a stupid stage like this, instead of doing another real mountain stage between stage 4 and stage 14.

 

[Netserk]

Honestly i can't understand this stupid route.

Gravel stage for what? To some of the top riders crash and ruin the race? This is road cycling, there's no place for this stages.

They were more worried on doing a stupid stage like this, instead of doing another real mountain stage between stage 4 and stage 14.

 

[Froome]

You got me.

 

[shadowrider]

This stage is much less difficult than the Strade. But, in this stage it is real gravel. With sharp stones, even small holes etc. While in the Strade it is mainly rammed earth. The risk of flat tires is much greater tomorrow.
I remember that during the Tour femmes, on the same gravel roads, the teams had team members with spare wheels on each gravelroad. This is because waiting for a team car often took minutes. But the riders then have to ride on a flat tire to a mechanic with a spare wheel. Even then you quickly lose a minute (continuing riding at low speed with a flat tire and replacing the wheel). So, it could be a disaster for subtop and top GC-riders when they have a puncture.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

An 81 km solo ride by a certain someone on Sunday.
A certain someone will be back to fish packing on Monday.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

Nothing will happen. Except flat tires, crashes. That is what will make the difference, not the riding on gravel part, so it will be more of a lottery than a race.

 

[shadowrider]

An 81 km solo ride by a certain someone on Sunday.
A certain someone will be back to fish packing on Monday.

But the teammates from the other teams are stronger than the teammates in Strade Bianche. They will chase more organised than in Strade. And in the final Jorgenson , Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Roglic, Vlasov will react themselfes against Pogacar and/or VDP.

 

[Cookster15]

I am in two minds. One mind says its a great opportunity for Pogacar to grab more time. The other mind knows Pogacar said he can't wait for the mountains - meaning this stage is also boring for him.

I also don't know what to think of the inexplicable apparent lack of commitment to their hugely superior team leader by Almeida and particularly Ayuso. For this reason I can understand why Visma might fancy their chances to force something.

For me the stage will be a success if no GC contender crashes or has a significant mechanical. Just get it over with.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

But the teammates from the other teams are stronger than the teammates in Strade Bianche. They will chase more organised than in Strade. And in the final Jorgenson , Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Roglic, Vlasov will react themselfes against Pogacar and/or VDP.

I'm not always serious though. Only sometimes.

 

[Berniece]

This stage is much less difficult than the Strade. But, in this stage it is real gravel. With sharp stones, even small holes etc. While in the Strade it is mainly rammed earth. The risk of flat tires is much greater tomorrow.
I remember that during the Tour femmes, on the same gravel roads, the teams had team members with spare wheels on each gravelroad. This is because waiting for a team car often took minutes. But the riders then have to ride on a flat tire to a mechanic with a spare wheel. Even then you quickly lose a minute (continuing riding at low speed with a flat tire and replacing the wheel). So, it could be a disaster for subtop and top GC-riders when they have a puncture.

Is there an max amount of staff you can bring with you? If I was UAE, and you have the money, put someone every 500m on gravel with wheels

 

[Barkintheeye]

I think there are a couple of good reasons why this stage is added.

Firstly it gives a breakaway and some more specialized riders an excellent opportunity to shine.

Secondly it penalizes poor bike handling skills particularly on the descents and thirdly it pays to be in the front when riding in the peloton. Hiding in the slipstream and not seeing what’s coming next is THE one thing that will get riders into trouble, mechanicals, punctures and what not. Riders that don’t have it will fare poorly and that’s fair.

 

[Potomac]

On serious note, which would be odd in this forum, what is the probability that it will be bunch finish with the normal cast of sprinters?

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

I am in two minds. One mind says its a great opportunity for Pogacar to grab more time. The other mind knows Pogacar said he can't wait for the mountains - meaning this stage is also boring for him.

I also don't know what to think of the inexplicable apparent lack of commitment to their hugely superior team leader by Almeida and particularly Ayuso. For this reason I can understand why Visma might fancy their chances to force something.

For me the stage will be a success if no GC contender crashes or has a significant mechanical. Just get it over with.

What apparent lack of commitment? Almeida wasn't committed on Galibier? Once ordered to the front Ayuso wasn't committed? There simply is no lack of commitment by those 2.

 

[memyselfandI]

This one is for Remco&Pog&MVDP. Main selection about 80kms out ( Gravel +Cote de Chacenay). Massive gaps everywhere...

Prolly goes like this. Pogs not made any statement yet where he's gonna go? Maybe he'll tell in the mornings brekkie.

Too flat for Piddcock probably and he's not delivering on any kinda road cycling lately I mean wth is with him?

Oier Lazkano black horsie?

 

[Cookster15]

What apparent lack of commitment? Almeida wasn't committed on Galibier? Once ordered to the front Ayuso wasn't committed? There simply is no lack of commitment by those 2.

I hope you are right. I guess I'd been reading that here recently.

 

[Le Grand Doop]

What apparent lack of commitment? Almeida wasn't committed on Galibier? Once ordered to the front Ayuso wasn't committed? There simply is no lack of commitment by those 2.

agreed on Almeida. Almeida kicked some serious a$$. and killed off many.

but total LOL on Ayuso. He sat at the back rolling his shoulders as if he were struggling (a habit of his btw). then when forced to come to the front he kept up the same pantomime and his (slower) pace allowed Rog to come back/stay with the front group. Finally, when Pog attacked, Ayuso -- WHAT A SHOCKER -- somehow stopped rolling his shoulders and managed to hang with the top guys. he was always saving energy for himself, that is abundantly clear.