Posted on 07/10/2006 8:59:43 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 10: Cambo-les-Bains to Pau - 190.5km
Course: This is a much easier introduction to the mountains than in recent years. Instead of a mountaintop finish, the last of three climbs on this 190.5km stage across the Basque part of the Pyrénées is 42.5km from the finish in Pau. That means that riders dropped on the Col de Marie-Blanque will have a chance to chase back to the peloton. Breakaways will inevitably go clear on the rolling roads that precede the day's major obstacle, the Col de Soudet, that climbs for almost 15km at over 7 percent, with some much steeper pitches on the upper reaches of the bumpy, narrow road that leads to the 5052-foot summit. The organizers have given the Soudet an hors-catégorie rating, which means that it's one of the toughest climbs of this Tour. The Marie-Blanque, another 40km along the way, is shorter but even steeper, and could easily spring a breakaway group.
History: There have been more than 50 stage finishes at Pau, but the only similar stages coming from the Atlantic coast were in the mid-1980s. The closest to this one was from Bayonne to Pau in 1987, when the very tough Burdincurutcheta climb preceded the Soudet and Marie-Blanque. That stage saw a four-man break go clear of a 34-strong lead group on the last climb, with Dutchman Erik Breukink winning the stage ahead of Frenchman Jean-François Bernard and Colombians Pablo Wilches and Lucho Herrera, 3:45 ahead of the next group. Bernard and Herrera went on to finish that Tour in the top five. Last year. Oscar Pereiro won the stage into Pau from a small breakaway group started by Cadel Evans on the Col d'Aubisque.
Favorites: The two main climbs will definitely break up the race, but a large group is likely to arrive in Pau to contest the stage win. The most likely stage winner is a climber not yet in contention, perhaps Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital), who is a great sprinter in a small group.
Graphics by CyclingNews.com
Some great scenery.
I am sure we get to appreciate it a bit more than the riders at this point :-)
Robbie McEwen still riding easily along. That means: Increase the pace darnit :-)
9 of the 13 escapees are less than 10' behind the yellow, only 2 are within 5'. Most of these guys should be caught on the climb.
You know its a big mountain when Robbie gets dropped, and then of course, its wheelie time.
Agreed, iggie, maybe not major attacks, but the GC leaders cannot afford to allow the escape group to maintain a meaningful lead up the mountain due to the 2 long run-downs.
Mayo in trouble.
Looking at todays profile I feared that todays stage was just a bit of a tease before tomorrow.
Unfortunately.
You can see the escape group breaking up w/ more than half the climb to go. I'd say 14km/7.3 avg is at the low end of HC, but there is a stretch that is 11% on that hill. Some science, some art, I suppose...
Hushovd has been dropped.
Rasmussen has moved up, now it is time to begin his defense of last year's KOTM title.
Dessel & Mercado are leading the climb handily. They are 3'50" & 6'32" behind the yellow, you can bet the GC leaders are concerned about them.
Whoa, there's a shock. One of the riders considered a climbing threat has Blown and is already dropped from the Peleton. Bye bye Iban Mayo, it was nice knowin ya.
It just seems a bit light for me... Especially when there really haven't been any major climbs yet - no massif central this year. Of course, I've never done a climb like that... My major climbs around here are more like 1-2 km and 15-18%. We have steep hills, but no long ones...
Mayo was a wash-out last year too...
This is probably Mayo's last Tour as a leader.
There are a number of riders dropping off the back of the peloton. The riders involved include: Cretskens (QSI), Dumoulin (A2R), Mayo (EUS), Extebarria (EUS)...
14:51 - More Victims Of Col de Soudet...
Casper, Casar and Boonen are three more names to add to the grupetto that’s forming at the rear of the stage...
As bad as he is looking right now, on the first real climb of the tour, I would say Mayo needs to start worrying about not making time at all.
14:56 - Riders With Yellow Jersey...
The peloton continues to be led by the T-Mobile team which is 9’03" behind Mercado and Dessel. The riders in the yellow jersey’s group include: Five or six T-Mobile team-mates, Landis, Leipheimer, Hincapie, Moreau, Evans, Sastre, Zubeldia... and most of the overall favourites with the exception of Mayo who is being pushed by team-mates at the back of the peloton.
I am impressed with how well T-Mobile is protecting Gonchar at the moment. You know somewhere right now Jan Ullrich is breaking stuff.
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