The Tour heads into the Pyrenees for the weekend. Right this moment is the dash model, tomorrow the marathon.
TGV (Tour à Grande Vitesse): a morning tour of the paddock and masks have been again in trend. First the Bahrain crew on Wednesday, now extra. It’s contagious. Spanish media mentioned Juan Ayuso had Covid however with gentle signs, solely he was shortly dropped and stop.
A crosswind provoked the bunch like a stick jammed right into a wasps’ nest. Victor Campenaerts launched the transfer and Mathieu van der Poel joined in. The race by no means stopped buzzing. The common velocity was hovering round 50km/h for 2 hours. A break of 23 riders coalesced and in it was Adam Yates, seventh total at seven minutes. He most likely realized loads of overseas swear phrases as his presence condemned the transfer. Visma, Soudal-Quickstep and Ineos couldn’t afford to let the group take time.
It was a artful transfer as Pogačar’s rivals have been burning up vitality on the eve of a weekend within the mountains. And so they needed to work for it, at one level Visma fashioned their very own echelon in an try to shut the hole but it surely didn’t work. They obtained assist from the sprinters’ groups, whereas up entrance the transfer was too huge and a few riders began to take a seat on. Then Magnus Cort attacked to type a quartet however this was too small to elude the chasing bunch, or what was left of it with lower than 80 riders, the bunch shredded by the hassle and a few hills within the closing. Dylan Groenewegen was amongst many dropped which was notable given how arduous Jayco had labored earlier.
No groups have managed to get a prepare to line out the sprints this Tour and coming into Pau it was a busy and hesitant, Jonas “Abracadabra” Abrahamsen even took a flyer with 3km to go. Maxim Van Gils tried to go previous Amaury Capiot in his bid to guide out Arnaud De Lie however took him out as an alternative. Up forward Christophe Laporte led Wout van Aert however ended up dropping him off with nonetheless 300m to go, too early? Van Aert thought so and held again however by now Jasper Philipsen had launched his dash and got here previous to remain away for his second stage win.
A paradox of the expected final result however solely after a demented day’s racing. Within the combine for the dash Pogačar mentioned, with a cough, he would possibly race extra defensively which might be a flip up for the books. It was the eighth quickest street stage in Tour historical past, and no tailwind.
The Route: 152km and 4,000m of vertical achieve, most of which is crammed into 75km. A passage by Lourdes, a spot that places the grotty in Grotto (Emile Zola’s “Lourdes” sees the primary character Marie de Guersaint horrified on the quantity of junk bought and that was 1894). Then it’s into the Pyrenees, a spot the place nothing modifications and every part feels a bit dated however snug, like visiting your grandparents’ home whenever you have been a child.
The Tourmalet wants little introduction. Climbed from Luz which means the simpler aspect, simply, it’s atypical of the Pyrenees with its size and common slope and is adopted by a well-recognized descent.
The Hourquette is just not hors-catégorie, only a good backroad various to the Col d’Aspin because it’s extra irregular. So is the descent, most likely probably the most technical a part of the course at present. There’s a short valley street method, 5 kilometres for these final caffeinated gels.
The End: the Pla d’Adet climb is a troublesome one. 10.6km at 7.9% is lots however there’s a steep begin to assist immediate a variety from the beginning and later by Espiaube it flattens out which the profile doesn’t present but it surely implies that when the street is rising it’s typically steep.
The Contenders: can the breakaway make it? We might see UAE extra hesitant at present as they gauge Visma’s type and each groups go face to face tomorrow.
It’ll be arduous for the breakaway to type, a technique is for a climber able to successful to go along with a crew mate who might help tow them clear; the opposite is to hope the battle rages and as an alternative they will make their transfer on the Tourmalet.
Jai Hindley is a breakaway decide now Purple Bull are with out Primož Roglič. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) is stage-hunting. Richard Carapaz tried arduous yesterday however must be okay at present, whereas Ben Healy is the opposite candidate from EF. DSM trio Romain Bardet, Oscar Onley and Warren Barguil have an opportunity right here. Tom Pidcock (Ineos) identified he was very gentle for the gravel stage so this fits extra and he can play his personal playing cards is out with Covid, Laurens De Plus could be reserved as a sherpa. Chris Harper (Jayco) is climbing nicely however but to win huge.
If it’s a GC battle then who to choose between Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-LAB) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE)? The Dane appears to be within the ascendant however Pogačar usually has the punch for the end. So if something Vingegaard wants to maneuver early on the ultimate climb the place it’s steepest, simpler mentioned than achieved and he would possibly choose to pester Pogačar by staying with him.
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Vingegaard, Pogačar
Hindley, Pidcock, Carapaz, Healy, Harper, Gaudu, Bardet
Climate: sunshine and clouds, simply 21°C within the valleys and far cooler at altitude.
TV: KM0 is at 1.20pm CEST and the end is forecast for five.30pm CEST. The Tourmalet begins at 2.50pm.
Postcard from Saint-Lary-Soulan
Many locations wish to set up themselves as a biking locations, notably ski areas eager to take pleasure in a profitable summer season season. Saint-Lary-Soulan is one such place and internet hosting the Tour de France helps.
The Pla d’Adet ski space dates from 1965 and it exhibits, each in a great way with retro structure that vibes Barbara Moore soundtracks and a needs-a-new-coat-of-paint method. It most likely appeared glowing when the Tour first got here in 1974. The race is revisiting on the fiftieth anniversary of the stage win by Raymond Poulidor. The 38 yr previous surged on the ultimate climb and even Eddy Merckx couldn’t reply. Merckx would win the 1974 Tour total and Poulidor completed second, after all.
The identical day noticed “voice of biking” Daniel Mangeas remark the stage over the PA system on the end after the lead speaker’s automobile broke down, 50 years later and Mangeas continues to be going, he was the speaker on the latest French championships… in his personal village of Saint-Martin-de-Landelles.
Extra lately Saint-Lary-Soulan has paved the Col de Portet in 2018, creating a brand new climb for street cyclists and obtained the Tour de France to christen it with a summit end in 2018 and 2021. Because the go is barely paved on one aspect it’s a cul-de-sac for street cyclists and so possibly not a giant draw, you may go to to do it however that’s it. When you’re within the space the Hourquette d’Ancizan and the Col d’Azet are close by. So is the 22km climb to the Lac de Cap Lengthy which has but to characteristic within the Tour de France however most likely must as this gives a lot with surroundings. It might actually put Saint-Lary-Soulan on the map.
The put up Tour de France Stage 14 Preview first appeared on The Inside Ring.
