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Tour de France: Stage 12 Live Thread (Friday, July 14, 2006)
VeloNews.com ^ | July 14, 2006 | VeloNews.com

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


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: cycling; tdf; tdfstagethread; tourdefrance
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To: Ready4Freddy
http://www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/LIVE/docs/reglement_2006_us.pdf

For those of us with PDF readers, here are the race rules! In English and everything!
61 posted on 07/14/2006 7:13:53 AM PDT by BaBaStooey (I heart Emma Caulfield.)
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To: Baynative

'The Cannibal' said that!?!? ;>)


62 posted on 07/14/2006 7:14:05 AM PDT by Ready4Freddy ("The future ain't what it used to be.")
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To: Ready4Freddy

hmm.

Perhaps this break will make it.

It kinda looks like it at the moment.

Weird how Lotto lost all interest and Quickstep has shown none at all.


63 posted on 07/14/2006 7:14:23 AM PDT by Eurotwit (WI)
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To: Ready4Freddy

McEwen's primary leadout dude Steegmans was just recently dropped by the peloton and is riding along in a small group that's formed Casar, Celestino, Lopez Garcia, Ricco and Simoni.

Voeckler was also in that group (probably paying the price for his break yesterday) but fought his way back to the peloton.


64 posted on 07/14/2006 7:16:55 AM PDT by BaBaStooey (I heart Emma Caulfield.)
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To: BaBaStooey

LOL, thank you, BaBa!


65 posted on 07/14/2006 7:19:09 AM PDT by Ready4Freddy ("The future ain't what it used to be.")
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To: BaBaStooey
OK I'll buy that.

THis is the Velonews post I refered too -- they seem to think Friere can grab the jersey.

:45 PM With 55km to go The four men are heading to the sprint at Mirepoix. Odds are good that Freire will grab that. If he wins that one and holds on to take the sprint at the finish, he'll move into the points jersey. With that in mind, the Davitamon team is beginning to lend a hand in the chase.

If they are wrong then I apologize for repeating it.

I did notice there were two sprints today. Friere won the second for 6 pts. Who won the first? If it was six pts also and Friere took that one it would put him 24 pts back with 25 available at the line.

Either way it is probably a moot point as McEwen will take at least some points most likely.

66 posted on 07/14/2006 7:20:09 AM PDT by commish (Freedom tastes sweetest to those who have fought to protect it.)
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To: commish

That is an amazing pace, esp w/ 3 climbs in the stage, albeit smaller ones.


67 posted on 07/14/2006 7:21:18 AM PDT by Ready4Freddy ("The future ain't what it used to be.")
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To: commish

Looks like Phonak has decided that Popo can have his 4 or 5 minutes. Break is still at 4:30 with 27Km to go. Looks like it will be up to McEwen and co to reel it in if they want to.


68 posted on 07/14/2006 7:23:44 AM PDT by commish (Freedom tastes sweetest to those who have fought to protect it.)
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To: commish

Bennati took the first sprint.


69 posted on 07/14/2006 7:24:20 AM PDT by BaBaStooey (I heart Emma Caulfield.)
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Comment #70 Removed by Moderator

To: BaBaStooey

THanks. Maybe Velo is thinking today is a 35 pt day or something. OH well, good to know, and it explains why McEwen and co seem to be content to vie for 5th place instead of chasing.


71 posted on 07/14/2006 7:26:38 AM PDT by commish (Freedom tastes sweetest to those who have fought to protect it.)
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To: commish
No problem on the posting, commish, it mostly pointed out to me what a knowledge gap I had in the sprint points system. It wouldn't be the first time that the commentators miscalculated something in the heat of the moment!

Km : 76 - CAUMONT Points
1 083 BENNATI Daniele LAM ITA 6
2 022 GUERINI Giuseppe TMO ITA 4
3 003 HINCAPIE George DSC USA 2

Km : 162 - MIREPOIX (D.119a-D.119) Points
1 056 FREIRE Oscar RAB ESP 6
2 082 BALLAN Alessandro LAM ITA 4
3 119 LE MEVEL Christophe C.A FRA 2

72 posted on 07/14/2006 7:27:19 AM PDT by Ready4Freddy ("The future ain't what it used to be.")
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To: Ready4Freddy
Seeing Carlos Sastre in the final group when it was down to roughly 7-8 guys reminded me of his stage win in 2003, when he saluted his young son, I believe, with this little display as he crossed the finish line...


73 posted on 07/14/2006 7:28:40 AM PDT by BaBaStooey (I heart Emma Caulfield.)
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To: Ready4Freddy

Popo has been doing most of the work in the break (37%) and LeMevel has been doing the least (17%). Popo has the most to gain today on GC and LeMevel is looking for that big money rouge, blanc, et bleu victory on Fête nationale de la République Française!


74 posted on 07/14/2006 7:33:18 AM PDT by BaBaStooey (I heart Emma Caulfield.)
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To: BaBaStooey

Was just thinking, there's way too much at stake here for the escapees to allow Le Mavel that coveted stage win on Bastille Day. If he gets it, he will have earned it!


75 posted on 07/14/2006 7:35:38 AM PDT by Ready4Freddy ("The future ain't what it used to be.")
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To: BaBaStooey
I read something interesting about George that I didn't know before today...he married one of the Tour de France podium girls a few years back.

Because of this he is the hero of one of my sons!

76 posted on 07/14/2006 7:36:08 AM PDT by luv2ski
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Comment #77 Removed by Moderator

To: luv2ski

I think everyone here knows my affinity for cute French girls in yellow dresses.


78 posted on 07/14/2006 7:36:57 AM PDT by BaBaStooey (I heart Emma Caulfield.)
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To: BaBaStooey; Baynative
Also, this break is a great example of the guys working together (it's never going to be 25/25/25/25), as Bay said in a much earlier thread, it's a big reason why escapes fail when the group doesn't cooperate.

I'm thinking we're gonna see the peloton pick up the pace considerably hee, tho...

79 posted on 07/14/2006 7:38:57 AM PDT by Ready4Freddy ("The future ain't what it used to be.")
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To: Baynative

Vinokourov "rocked the baby" when he crossed the line for the stage win back in 2003. Not sure if he came up with that on his own or if he was emulating Stephens.

That was the famous stage where Beloki went down and Armstrong took a little ride across the field.


80 posted on 07/14/2006 7:39:55 AM PDT by BaBaStooey (I heart Emma Caulfield.)
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