Posted on 07/13/2006 11:37:15 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 12: Luchon to Carcassonne - 211.5km
Course: There are no major climbs on this first of three transitional stages between the Pyrénées and Alps, but that doesn't mean it will be an easy day. Stages like this often give rise to long breakaways that succeed, especially when the weather in this southern part of France is hot and sticky. Any break that develops in the hilly opening two-thirds of the stage will need to get at least a 10-minute lead if it has any chance of holding off the pack on the straighter roads and flatter terrain of the final 70km.
History: An almost identical stage from Luchon to Carcassonne in 1962 was won by multi-time French champion Jean Stablinski, who finished 12 seconds ahead of 11 chasers. The last of four stages to finish in Carcassonne was a 77km team time trial from Narbonne won by TI-Raleigh in 1981.
Favorites: This stage is taking place on the French national holiday of July 14, so expect an all-out effort from the home riders, especially Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Télécom), Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) and Patrice Halgand (Crédit Agricole).
Graphics by CyclingNews.com
The finish today was very exciting. I loved seeing Popovuch keep on attacking.
Well deserved win, and it brings him somewhat back into GC contention, which is a bonus for Discovery.
Cheers.
Oh yeah... WAY TO GO DISCO!
Yes, Eddie Merckx knows all about that. Slugged in the gut by a French "fan" while climbing and wearing yellow when trying to win his 6th Tour. Lost tons of time that day, tho' he was still in Yellow. But he didn't recover well and lost it soon after.
This is what makes me so crazy. One false move by just one idiot on the side of the road, can put a rider who's trained his whole adult life for this tour out of contention forever. When the Iraq war started and anti-americanism was at such a fever-pitch in France, I was so very frightened for LA, my stomach was in knots the whole tour. But you don't even need a war to set off some of these nuts: ask Eddie Merckx.
Do you mean George Hincapie? How interesting...
Nice results today, although I'm wondering why Team Discovery took so long to get going...
Agree.
Seeing the riders get near the tops of the mountain passes in some places and seeing the road almost blocked by fans? It looks like some just barely step out of the way in time.
Do you mean George Hincapie? How interesting...
Other posters have touched upon it, mentioning perhaps the most notorious incident of Eddy Merckx being assaulted by a spectator some 30 years ago, but the proximity of the fans to the course has always been one of the 'charms', as it were, of Le Tour.
I've been watching the Tour pretty religiously for well over 20 years now, and I can't really say if it's gotten worse - years ago all you saw was recaps at night, and a few hours on ABC?? on Sundays. Stages in the Pyrenees have always been total cluster f!*!ks, with their "...screaming, liquored-up, flag-draped Basques, who had poured in from Spain by the busload...", as that Breaking Away article on Floyd Landis so eloquently put it.
The Pyrennes stages have been the only ones that really concerned me, when the Basque separatist movement became quite violent in the late 80's / early 90's. I'm not sure that the stage sidelines have gotten more crowded - how could they, they've been packed for years! I think what has happened, with the advent of such great wall-to-wall coverage by OLN and, dare I say it, French TV, is that we're more aware of it. The closer coverage has its upside too, tho - I think deliberate acts of violence / sabotage are way down, due to the higher chances of being seen on film & thus caught.
What does seem to be on the rise is accidents, collisions w/ fans, being hit by signs or getting caught on handbags, as has happened more than once in recent years. My understanding about Paolo Savoldelli, who dropped out today, was that he was injured after the stage when he was descending, after deciding to ride back to the hotel rather than take the team bus. That could happen to anyone - barricades gone, spectators & vehicles all over the roads, etc. That's why they have the team buses, but a lot of times riders will ride down for a little 'quiet time' to reflect upon their performance, good or bad.
This is the first Tour I've followed closely, and it is absurd the degree to which fans can walk out onto the road, or stick their arms out, and interfere with the riders.
Salvodelli is also known as "Il Falco" (The falcon) in his native Italy because he has the ability and reputation to descend down mountains like a daredevil.
Perhaps there is a little more to the story, and he was being a little careless in his descent down the mountain as well?
Regardless this is probably the last time you'll see him in a Discovery uniform. His contract is up at the end of the racing season and he is rumored to be joining an Italian team as undisputed leader for both the Giro (where he was the Disco leader) and Le Tour.
Interesting news on Salvodelli, good for him if he can land a spot as team leader!
And wasn't this pic from that as well :-)
Thanks
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
I remember in the early days of OLN coverage that they only had a few sponsors. They would show the same 3 ads over and over and over for 3 frickin' weeks!
Not necessarily. Check out Stage 16. That thing is a monster.
Hey! I liked some of those old videos! ;-D
At least they still showed videos then. Now MTV is all "Real World", etc. Real garbage is closer...
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