Posted on 07/14/2006 10:20:34 PM PDT by nutmeg
Stage 13: Béziers to Montélimar - 230km
Course: At 230km, this is the longest stage of the race, and together with the likely fast pace and baking hot weather, it could be one of the most grueling, too. It starts at Béziers on the Mediterranean seaboard before cutting across the southeast corner of the Massif Central on winding back roads that are constantly dipping and climbing through the foothills. The critical part of the stage comes with 60km to go, from where the race twists through the spectacular canyons of the Ardèche and Ibie rivers and crests two Cat. 4 climbs before emerging onto the N.102 highway with 25km to go. There's a fast twisting descent to the wide Rhône River, which the race crosses before a flat finish in Montélimar.
History: Surprisingly, for a city of 30,000 and the home of world-famous nougat candy, Montélimar has never hosted a stage.
Favorites: This marathon stage is ideal for a small group to gain a substantial lead in the early kilometers. If potentially dangerous riders like CSC's Fränk Schleck are in the breakaway then the yellow jersey's team won't let the move get too far ahead. Otherwise, there will be little opposition to a break with riders way down on GC. It could suit a rider like Rabobank's Pieter Weening or Davitamon's Chris Horner.
Graphics by CyclingNews.com
24+ minutes ahead of the Peleton now. I wonder when they'll run out of gas.
Why is it that nobody seems to think that my guy Cyril Dessel can't end up on the podium on the Champs? He's riding so well, and yet everybody on TV always has to throw in the qualifier "not expected to be a factor in Paris" whenever they mention him?
What is up with a 26+ minute gap? What's the time cut-off going to be for this stage???
AP: America's teams struggling across board (Uh...better check out MotoGP, Eddie)
Cyclingnews says at the present pace it would come at around 30 minutes, but I guess they'd have to make an exception in this case. I think Phonak will have to bring the break back by a few minutes...
38 035 DESSEL Cyril A2R FRA 03' 42"
That's his time from the ITT in Stage 7, I'm guessing he's not much of a trialer.
Why is it that nobody seems to think that my guy Cyril Dessel can't end up on the podium on the Champs?
23 097 PEREIRO SIO Oscar CEI ESP 02' 41"
If ya can't hang in the mountains, the TT isn't going to matter, but for those you highlighted, who can climb, the TT may well be the deciding factor.
It still seems a bit irresponsible to let a break get this far up the road, though. Pereiro is no slouch - it seems that the little extra effort to keep him at 5+ minutes would be better than allowing him to get within a couple minutes of the lead (or into the lead). Why allow another variable to enter the equation when it can pretty easily be prevented?
Sorry, Vision - Pereio Sio may well take the yellow today, vision, and maybe even climb well in the 3 Alps stages to come, but his performance in the Stage 7 Individual Time Trial wasn't very good. We have another ITT coming up in Stage 19, another ~57km race against the clock. Some guys thrive on time trials (Lance, in particular), some don't.
Thanks - I don't really have much time this am...
Floyd's not bad either. 2nd in this year's first one.
Maybe Phonak would rather not defend the jersey tomorrow, although one would think keeping the jersey would be worthwhile since it would mean just one day of riding out front. And Phonak certainly didn't demonstrate any ability to help Landis in the Pyrenees, so I'm not sure how much help a rested team will be when the mountains come regardless...
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