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Professional Cycling => 2018 Race Archives => Race Archives => Road Races => Tour de France 2018 => Topic started by: M Gee on June 25, 2018, 03:44

Title: Stage 11: Albertville / La Rosière Espace San Bernardo
Post by: M Gee on June 25, 2018, 03:44
No rest, man, no rest. At least the peloton will have been able to stay in the same hotel for more than one night - but today starts uphill, and goes uphill. Or downhill -- but nothing else for 175 kilometers. The amount of flat today is no more than the amount of gravel we got yesterday.

So, what to say? The Montee de Bisanne, HC. Col du Pre, HC. Cormet de Roselend, cat 2, and a screaming long descent. Top it off with a cat 1 mountaintop finish at La Rosiere. I've heard some teams are giving this one some preview rides. If somebody wants to attack on the climbs, today might be that one-blow monoclimb sort of day. It's a short day, at 108 km, so there could be plenty of attacking.


(https://v2-medias.aso.fr/core_app/img-cycling-tdf-jpg/11/5897/0:0,1500:846-960-0-70/84eb4)
(https://v2-medias.aso.fr/core_app/img-cycling-tdf-jpg/et-11-montee-bisanne/6178/0:6,1118:751-960-0-70/47497)
(https://v2-medias.aso.fr/core_app/img-cycling-tdf-jpg/et-11-col-du-pre-cormet-roselende/6174/0:0,1121:759-960-0-70/f0043)
(https://v2-medias.aso.fr/core_app/img-cycling-tdf-jpg/et-11-la-rosiere/6177/0:0,1143:751-960-0-70/330b2)
Title: Re: Stage 11: Albertville / La Rosière Espace San Bernardo
Post by: t-72 on June 25, 2018, 18:56
Quote from: M Gee on June 25, 2018, 03:44
I've heard some teams are giving this one some preview rides. If somebody wants to attack on the climbs, today might be that one-blow monoclimb sort of day. It's a short day, at 108 km, so there could be plenty of attacking.

I guess all teams that participated in the Criterium de Dauphine have been previewing it, as it was stage 6 in that race on June 9th. Stage win by #astana Pello Bilbao and #sky Geraint Thomas leading in the GC favorites some 20 secs later. Fairly small gaps between the best GC riders, but plenty of losses further back (amongst riders already off the back GC-wise). The expected "one stage I try harder" ride by #bahrain Nibali never materialized.

It also seems some riders that didn't ride the Dauphine have been out for a Sunday ride with friends:

https://twitter.com/simongeschke/status/1010948312944521216

Nice move, the Beaufort area is now on my must do before I ...... list. Along with the cheese!  :D
Title: Re: Stage 11: Albertville / La Rosière Espace San Bernardo
Post by: M Gee on June 25, 2018, 20:30
Quote from: t-72 on June 25, 2018, 18:56
I guess all teams that participated in the Criterium de Dauphine have been previewing it, as it was stage 6 in that race on June 9th. Stage win by #astana Pello Bilbao and #sky Geraint Thomas leading in the GC favorites some 20 secs later. Fairly small gaps between the best GC riders, but plenty of losses further back (amongst riders already off the back GC-wise). The expected "one stage I try harder" ride by #bahrain Nibali never materialized.

It also seems some riders that didn't ride the Dauphine have been out for a Sunday ride with friends:

https://twitter.com/simongeschke/status/1010948312944521216

Nice move, the Beaufort area is now on my must do before I ...... list. Along with the cheese!  :D

It was some of the non-Dauphine participants that got my attention - namely Sunweb / Dumoulin.
Title: Re: Stage 11: Albertville / La Rosière Espace San Bernardo
Post by: M Gee on June 26, 2018, 11:43
Quote from: t-72 on June 25, 2018, 18:56
I guess all teams that participated in the Criterium de Dauphine have been previewing it, as it was stage 6 in that race on June 9th. Stage win by #astana Pello Bilbao and #sky Geraint Thomas leading in the GC favorites some 20 secs later. Fairly small gaps between the best GC riders, but plenty of losses further back (amongst riders already off the back GC-wise). The expected "one stage I try harder" ride by #bahrain Nibali never materialized.

It also seems some riders that didn't ride the Dauphine have been out for a Sunday ride with friends:

https://twitter.com/simongeschke/status/1010948312944521216

Nice move, the Beaufort area is now on my must do before I ...... list. Along with the cheese!  :D

You know, I didn't watch the Dauphine this year. It just didn't seem that interesting as it happened. I suppose if Thomas had been more dominant, or Nibali had shown up on the podium, I might have had a bit more excitement, but none of that happened. Well, thanks to your mention here, and the miracle of modern ripping, I downloaded a recording and watched the stage. It definitely scored a 10 for attacking action! But it all rather came to naught at the end.

My thoughts, though, on reviewing stage 10, is THAT is where the opportunity lies. Stage 11 will be a hang on to survive, and if you are Froome, attack like Thomas did - at the last. I don't expect Froome will be having bad days like he did in the Giro, and it will take that for the outcome to be any different. Unless, maybe, Movistar play the "who's the leader" card, and keep sending alternate leaders up the road forcing Sky to either chase or eventually let the elastic pop. Of course, THAT strategy will rely on Movistar having a very fortunate first 9 days. I'm thinking the most likely status for them at this point is to me 1.5 to 3 minutes down on the more favored GC contenders anyway (from the TTT).
Title: Re: Stage 11: Albertville / La Rosière Espace San Bernardo
Post by: t-72 on July 17, 2018, 21:30
In media, after stage 10, mixed responses between blaming the others for being cowardly and that sinking feeling when commentaries realize Team Sky is riding so fast it looks like the others are on the limit on the climbs.

Today there was a little hint of a #uae Dan Martin attack and that was about all, if we discount the fact that Greg van Avermaet continued to open the gap to the other GC riders  :P

I don't think I will be able to follow the race for the rest of the week but I hope there will be a little bit more to discuss when I come back.
Title: Re: Stage 11: Albertville / La Rosière Espace San Bernardo
Post by: M Gee on July 18, 2018, 04:09
Quote from: t-72 on July 17, 2018, 21:30
In media, after stage 10, mixed responses between blaming the others for being cowardly and that sinking feeling when commentaries realize Team Sky is riding so fast it looks like the others are on the limit on the climbs.

Today there was a little hint of a #uae Dan Martin attack and that was about all, if we discount the fact that Greg van Avermaet continued to open the gap to the other GC riders  :P

I don't think I will be able to follow the race for the rest of the week but I hope there will be a little bit more to discuss when I come back.

Yeah, one of the rider interviews post the stage said the GC group was moving along very fast. Which means I missed the prediction. Well, maybe stage 11 will see more!
Title: Re: Stage 11: Albertville / La Rosière Espace San Bernardo
Post by: M Gee on July 19, 2018, 02:08
And yes it did! (See more action). We got some attacks today! And Sky promptly demonstrated why the other GC contenders give them so much respect.

But right now, I've got a big raspberry for all you doubters: DUMOULIN!  Sitting RIGHT UP THERE IN #3! YES! For some reason, he hasn't been getting much respect around here. I've even doubted his abillity to hang in the 3rd week, but here he was today, attacking! And finishing nicely! For sure, tomorrow will tell us more, but hey man! He knows how to ride GTs now. We can't say he doesn't! So it shouldn't be a matter of pacing himself here.

Nibali is sitting about where I've always thought he ranks. He's doing well, and could still turn things on their head. Roglic is a surpriser, but young, so . . .  Landa, Bardet, Quintana, Martin, Fuglsang, Nieve - all riding consistently with where we've seen them before. They could have a couple of good days and change things - or it could go the other way.

Just a little analysis - how much did each of our top 20 improve their position vs #yellow?

11ClassementeRiderGC TimeChange
GBR1THOMAS, Geraint (SKY)44:06:162:22
GBR2FROOME, Chris (SKY)1:251:56
NED3DUMOULIN, Tom (SUNWEB)1:441:58
ITA4NIBALI, Vincenzo (BAHRAIN - MERIDA)2:141:13
SLO5ROGLIC, Primož (LOTTO NL - JUMBO)2:231:13
NED6KRUIJSWIJK, Steven (LOTTO NL - JUMBO)2:401:05
ESP7LANDA MEANA, Mikel (MOVISTAR)2:560:25
FRA8BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE)2:581:13
COL9QUINTANA, Nairo (MOVISTAR)3:161:13
IRL10MARTIN, Daniel (UAE TEAM EMIRATES)3:161:45
ESP11VALVERDE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR)4:28-1:18
DEN12FUGLSANG, Jakob (ASTANA)4:53-1:41
RUS13ZAKARIN, Ilnur (KATUSHA ALPECIN)4:580:14
ESP14NIEVE ITURRALDE, Mikel (MITCHELTON - SCOTT)5:21
LUX15JUNGELS, Bob (QUICK - STEP FLOORS)5:50-2:30
GBR16YATES, Adam (MITCHELTON - SCOTT)5:51-2:30
ITA17POZZOVIVO, Domenico (BAHRAIN - MERIDA)6:36-1:18
ITA18CARUSO, Damiano (BMC RACING)10:01
BEL19PAUWELS, Serge (DIMENSION DATA)10:10-4:58
FRA20LATOUR, Pierre Roger (AG2R LA MONDIALE)11:46

Nieve, Caruso, and LaTour have just moved up into the top 20, so I didn't have their stage 10 times. The spread between 1 and 20 has increased, as to be expected. Unfortunately, Fuglsang, Jungels, and Yates have fallen backwards in the standings. Consistent with previous performances, as much as we wish they would do better. Thomas actually EXTENDED his lead over Froome. So the team thing with Sky really will come into play.