Cycling
Fun and games on l'Alpe d'Huez
The last of 4 Alpine stages, and although this probably isn't quite as hard as yesterday, it is the stage most have been waiting for, finishing as it does with the legendary l'Alpe d'Huez summit finish. This is a reworked route after roadslides on the Galibier meant that climb had to be ruled out. Off the bench comes the HC Col de la Croix de Fer again after yesterday, although today they climb it from the other side.
The stage starts at Modane and heads West past St-Jean-de-Maurienne which has already been a stage start and finish in the last few days. The route takes the riders downhill for the first 25km or so until the start of the Croix de Fer. This is an HC, 29km climb @ 5.2%. This is a quite uneven climb, the first 4km or so vary between 7-8% and 4-6% before a short descent. The next 6km after this is the hardest section. Again their is a short descent and then a flat section before the climb starts again. The next 5-6km are fairly easy, just going up at a rate between 2.5% and 5%. The final 5-6km are pretty hard again, with gradients upto 8%. The descent from the Croix de Fer is varied, with some very technical sections and some setions that are almost flat and even a couple of small climbs. It is likely that the race all comes back together in the valley.
The famous climb of alpe d'Huez with its 21 hairpins starts at Bourg-D'Oisans. The intermediate sprint is there too, it is not often you get an intermediate sprint after an HC climb. This is obviously a very difficult climb, at 13.8km @ 8.1%. The first 11km or so are all between 7.5-11%. The steepest section is about 4km from the top where it gets up to 13%. The last 2.5km are around 5%.
This is the 8th time a stage has finished on top of l'Alpe d'Huez. In 2011, Pierre Rolland won but even more recently Christophe Riblon won in 2013.
Nibali doing nothing on the descent!
Looks like it'll be a pissing contest in the valley as they all call for drinks prior to the shoot-out on the Alpe.
was just going to say Any odds on Pinot Completeing the descent
He can climb, and has a nice gap at 3+ mins.
Not sure if there's bonus seconds different sources state differently.
Jul 25, 2015 -- 8:22AM, SwingingPick wrote:
No bonus seconds!
this should tell you that there are definitely bonus seconds
Jul 25, 2015 -- 8:28AM, nugget wrote:
Jul 25, 2015 -- 2:22PM, SwingingPick wrote:No bonus seconds!this should tell you that there are definitely bonus seconds
I suspected that nugget was writing sh!t about me, now I have the proof, even though I am enjoying having the after-timing MUG blocked and irrelevant!
Eg Before Stage 19 Valverde was 3.55 up on Nibali
Nibali won stage 19 and put 2.26 into Valverde.
Looking at the GC Nibali is now 1.19 behind Valverde instead of 1.29 which shows he has also received a 10 second time bonus for winning stage 19.
The Le Tour website said there were only time bonuses up until Stage 9 but they have now changed it to say it applies to all non-TT stages
quintana 108 p
if my calculation are correct
Jul 25, 2015 -- 9:36AM, marychain1 wrote:
Shame about the bronchitis, Pinot could have had another podium this year he has been getting stronger and stronger
No doubt. I know you said you like Pinot mc, I hope you had him. You deserve a win for the effort on the threads.
Jul 25, 2015 -- 9:42AM, the swede wrote:
but if he had a good first week he wouldnt won today
True. Same as Nibali yesterday. You still need the class to pull off the win though.
Thankfully I didn't stop backing him. I'm just dirty because I would of had more on him if I hadn't backed him in the 3 stages prior to today.
Jul 25, 2015 -- 9:58AM, virtuoso wrote:
what made me go for Pinot was the fact that there was 2 climbs but only 1 descent
lol, nice one.
Big effort from Pinot because he was dropped early on the Croix de Fer. I had Quintana, Pinot and Barguil in a head-to-head stage bet 3-leg multi today and both the French were in difficulty on the first climb. Barguil was one of the first dropped, does anyone know where he finished? I remember Jens Voight saying he will probably get back on but the other commentator was saying he was gone.
Jul 25, 2015 -- 10:05AM, marychain1 wrote:
That was an absolutely amazing stage and this has been a cracking Tour.
Have to agree mc. I was a bit down on Movistar's tactics and I still think they could of done more to get the yellow jersey, but 2nd and 3rd on the podium and winning the teams classification would probably be seen as a success for them. I think Valverde could of won a couple stages and rode more like Richie Porte, a proper domestique. It was obvious however that Valverde really cherished that spot on the podium, good for him, I didn't think he had that in him. 2 classics and a podium in the TdF, not a bad year.
Spot On Virt I bet him at 25 pre race Laid some off when Quin started the chase Been a great Tour this Year ,the withdrawal Symptoms monday will be Immense
Jul 25, 2015 -- 10:35AM, casemoney wrote:
there was 2 climbs but only 1 descent Spot On Virt I bet him at 25 pre race Laid some off when Quin started the chase Been a great Tour this Year ,the withdrawal Symptoms monday will be Immense
at least we get our daytime back just in time for the remainder of summer :) Wimbledon/tour de france back to back has killed my daytimes lately
