Tour de France - Stage 9, 168.5km - Saint-Girons / Bagnères-de-Bigorre, July 7th

[manafana]

going be as warm as today? the climbs have bit more shelter than today so shouldnt be as bad but still concern for those who suffered with heat today.

 

[Alpechraxler]

There could be some more GC cleanup.

by basque fans lynching someone ?

 

[Eshnar]

Those climbs cannot be compared. Crosara is just that, a pretty regular climb. The Portet might average off the same, but has steep sections of over 10% gradients. It would not be a cat. 4 in the Giro.

Look closer...

 

[Warhawk]

Froome to go solo from the first climb to secure the polka dot jersey as well

Then Froome will build a time machine and go back and get the white jersey too.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Then Froome will build a time machine and go back and get the white jersey too.

The way he's improving, I wouldn't be surprised if he stars aging backwards.

 

[uconnryan]

Andrey Amador.

 

[Linkinito]

Look closer...

As a reminder, just remove 1 to the Giro categories to have their TDF Category:
4 -> 3
3 -> 2
2 -> 1
1 -> HC

The climb on the west side is definitely 2C but on the east side (like this year), it should be 3C. It has been 2C since 1988 whatever the side.

 

[Pulpstar]

What is the order Sky are burning (Or not in Porte's case ) up their domestiques:

EBH - Not being used (Sick)/Free reign as sprinter ?
G Thomas 1st (Due to his injury)
Stannard
Sioutsou
Kiriyenka
Kennaugh
Porte


It probably won't happen but the only way the others can really pull back time is with a super-break of Radioshack/BMC/Movistar/Saxo top riders heading off the front. Break will probably be the regular Vacensoleil/Sojasun/Cofidis/Ag2R though...

 

[auscyclefan94]

I think I might get some sleep instead of watching this. Another boring edition of the Tour awaits us sadly.

 

[willbick]

I think I might get some sleep instead of watching this. Another boring edition of the Tour awaits us sadly.

if the only thing that interests you in the tour is the winner of the GC then yes u will probably be bored.

 

[willbick]

It probably won't happen but the only way the others can really pull back time is with a super-break of Radioshack/BMC/Movistar/Saxo top riders heading off the front. Break will probably be the regular Vacensoleil/Sojasun/Cofidis/Ag2R though...

lol u are living in a dreamworld

 

[Afrank]

I'd really like to see Pinot do something here, he badly needs to make up time. But I think it will probably go to a break. Veilleux I could see taking it, or Voeckler perhaps. He wasn't terrible today, Quintana is just leagues ahead on climbing.

Hopefully the other teams don't help Sky one bit. They shouldn't, considering how all their guys are minutes back now.

 

[auscyclefan94]

if the only thing that interests you in the tour is the winner of the GC then yes u will probably be bored.

It is the main aspect of the event and many of the other parts that usually interest me about cycling are generally not present at the Tour.

 

[whittashau]

I expect Sky will be told to turn down the performance on this stage to make things more believable.

I tip Cunego for the stage.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

EBH is going to have to go back to being the workhorse... even then do they really want the yellow jersey for the rest of the tour? If only wigans was here I think theyd be arrogant enough to want it for that long but srsly...

one of these guys thats 5 minutes down needs to be in a winning break tomorrow: gadret, kloden, serpa, pinot, malacarne, bakelants, hesjedal, vorganov, amador, jeannesson, niemiec, mederel, poels, astarloza, navarro, tjvg, moinard, or cunego


i predict Skyborg will be the first team this year to disrespect the leader's jersey and give it away

 

[Warhawk]

one of these guys thats 5 minutes down needs to be in a winning break tomorrow: gadret, kloden, serpa, pinot, malacarne, bakelants, hesjedal, vorganov, amador, jeannesson, niemiec, mederel, poels, astarloza, navarro, tjvg, moinard, or cunego

Wouldn't be completely shocking to see. You can gain some good time on a break on a stage like this. There were a couple mountain stages that didn't end in a mountaintop finish last year with a good 7+ minute time gap back to Wiggins/Froome. Obviously, how much rope Sky would give any of those guys is a matter of some debate, but if you're a guy who's looking to somehow make up a boatload of time in GC, this is probably the stage to do it.

 

[rzombie1988]

Tomorrow would be a really good day for a long counter attack on Sky. Hopefully someone goes for it. Sky and especially Froome should be pretty nuked and with the way the stage is set up, a big attack could make it.

 

[Swede1]

I think there will be a pretty big breakaway tomorrow and it will be a hard stage to control. Hopefully there are some guys in it who are somewhat close on gc like nieve, roche, rolland etc who could be dangerous if the breakaway gets too big of a gap. Thats my hope, although sky may chase back any close gc guys and in that case then someone like fedrigo will probably win. In any case it should be a pretty good stage.

 

[Pippo_San]

Nibali wins.

Uhm ops

Sky in control, nothing happens to GC, and no time differences between the (previous?) GC candidates.

Sprint between a small bunch or fugitives finally going to the goal.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Tomorrow would be a really good day for a long counter attack on Sky. Hopefully someone goes for it. Sky and especially Froome should be pretty nuked and with the way the stage is set up, a big attack could make it.

The Froome/Porte I watched should have no problem managing a gap to some riders far down GC. Sky rode everyone off their wheel. So, they can turn it on again and end any pretense of a race if needed. Like other posts, I suspect they will have got some guidance from ASO on the matter.

The first week is a bad time to end most interest in the TdF.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

The Froome/Porte I watched should have no problem managing a gap to some riders far down GC. Sky rode everyone off their wheel. So, they can turn it on again and end any pretense of a race if needed. Like other posts, I suspect they will have got some guidance from ASO on the matter.

The first week is a bad time to end most interest in the TdF.

Just wanted to point out that I love your sig. In fact, I've posted that on one of the other boards I frequent!

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Oh, by the way, this stage is exactly what is wrong with Prudhomme as race director. 30km downhill, with most of that false-flat? Better idea, same stage length...stay on D918 and finish at La Mongie.

 

[Ruby United]

Breakaway; someone like Poels, Roche or maybe Voeckler.

 

[tomorrow]

this one with a big break from start, sagan part of it originally because of the sprint and then maybe hanging on?

 

[Ruby United]

Will Froome and Porte simply do a 2-man TT from Ancizan to the finish?

Nah, Sky will do a five man TTT to the finish, with TGBM hanging on