Posted on 07/12/2006 9:40:51 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 11: Tarbes to Val d'Aran/Pla-de-Beret - 206.5km
Course: Any Pyrenean stage that goes over the mighty mountain passes of Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde and Portillon merits the greatest attention from the race favorites - even though this one then continues into Spain for another 40km to finish on the long, but gently graded climb to the Pla-de-Beret summit. If this Tour is going to be a free-for-all, then climbers who want to shoot for the polkadot jersey or a high GC placing must attack on this challenging day. So look for likely KOM candidates to infiltrate the breaks that are bound to form on the narrow, winding roads that precede the Tourmalet. If GC contenders wait until the final climb (13.5km at 5.4 percent) before making a move, they will end up gaining (or losing) very little time.
History: This is the first time that a Tour stage will finish at Pla-de-Beret, but stage 8 of the 2003 Vuelta a España completed a similar course (except for the Tourmalet). At the Tour, the Tourmalet stage in this more difficult west-to-east direction (18.4km at 7.7 percent) has almost always caused major upsets.
Favorites: A stage finishing in Spain has to motivate the Spanish riders. Should a breakaway succeed, look for the Euskaltel team's Iban Mayo, Gerolsteiner's Georg Totschnig or Rabobank's Rasmussen, whereas a larger group arriving at the foot of the Pla-de-Beret will favor Valverde.
Azevedo is only 1:40 seconds behind Hincapie in the overall standings, so I'd have to believe DSC will be riding for him from this point forward.
The peleton, now being smoked by the poursuivants, is called 'Hincapie's group'.
luv2ski, where are you & your TiVo? About 2 climbs back? ;>)
You wouldn't think so... ;-)
Have they done Portillon yet, or are they approaching the final climb?
Yeah, It looks like George is done. Makes one wonder about DSC's preparation for this tour when we see an entire team considered a power in the mountains struggling together. Only Acevedo is looking strong today.
Just crested. They are now on the final descent to Puerto de Beret.
Looks like the Landis group is playing a game of: You set the pace. No, you set the pace.
I think there's a certain type of rider who will work harder when someone is depending upon him than he will when he's only depending upon himself. I wonder if the majority of DSC riders are those types?
Since there is no large team group up front, they will now all share the responsibility of pulling the group while they chase. Once they hit the final climb though it will be every man for himself.
Is Sinkewitz in the Landis/Kloden group?
They are approaching the final climb. They haven't gotten to the steep part yet.
I am at the top of the Col de Portillon. I'm reading the Newsflashes on letour.fr though and all of your posts.
None of those three are a threat to the GC. Landis, Kloden & Co. are content to let them go as they conserve energy and prepare for the final climb.
This is what has me so steamed. It's like DISCO has been replaced by those pod people from "Bodysnatchers" or something. Without Lance, they're acting like widows in mourning who've just decided to "let themselves go" and get fat & sloppy.Where is that sleek, well-oiled machine from years past?
The last 20 km look brutal.
The 2nd group of poursuivants is now the 'Landis group', in keeping w/ the fact that he is the top GC guy in that group.
Here are the riders at the front of the course and where they are on GC:
De la Fuente: 157th, 42:25 behind (i.e. they can let him go)
(0:30 behind de la Fuente)
Cunego: 60th, 10:51 behind
Arroyo: 98th, 18:22 behind
(i.e. they can let them go)
(1:40 behind de la Fuente)
Landis: 5th, 4:45 behind
Rogers: 6th, 4:53 behind
Kloden: 9th, 5:35 behind
Evans: 11th, 5:37 behind
Fothen: 13th, 5:48 behind
Moreau: 14th, 5:52 behind
Menchov: 16th, 5:58 behind
Zubeldia: 27th, 7:32 behind
Azevedo: 30th, 7:54 behind
Totschnig: 34th, 8:18 behind
Simoni: 41st, 9:19 behind
Boogerd: 44th, 9:27 behind
Parra: 50th, 9:42 behind
Leipheimer: 58th, 10:28 behind
Rasmussen: 64th, 11:25 behind
Schleck: 65th, 11:43 behind
(2:30 behind de la Fuente)
Yellow jersey's group
Thanks for the summary.
Landis/Kloden group is Jose' Azevedo (Discovery), Carlos Sastre, Frank Schleck (CSC), Floyd Landis (Phonak), Michael Rogers, Andreas Kloden (T-Mobile) Christophe Moreau (Ag2r) Denis Menchov, Michael Boogerd and Mikael Rasmussen (Rabobank), Levi Leipheimer and Marcus Fothen (Gerolsteiner), and Cadel Evans (Davitamon).
David Arroyo and Damiano Cunego have broken of the front and are chasing down De La Fuente.
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