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
17:13 - Peloton Over 29 Minutes Behind...
Unless the peloton picks up the pace soon, we will see a new stage leader at the end of the day. The last time check has the bunch 29 minutes behind, that means that Pereiro is the virtual leader of the Tour... with a 10" advantage over Landis.
Looks like Phonak prefers to give away the yellow jersey.
They'll need to average 59km/hr the rest of the way for Landis to stay in yellow. Interesting tactics...
They'll need to average 59km/hr the rest of the way for Landis to stay in yellow. Interesting tactics...
Darn! His agent is probably banging his head on his desk. Jens just put a gimmecap over The Worst Case of Helmet Hair in the Histoire de la TDF. No more photo ops to document it. There goes that multimillion ff campaign for L'Oreal straight down the tube.
You're cracking me up here! Lady, you funny long time!
LOL. Guess they misread the map & thought the stage finish today was in Lourdes.
Maybe...
Time for Jens was 5h 24' 36", what's the factor - 13%? If so, I think it works out to 42' 12"? Or am I missing something?
Pereiro gets 10" time bonus for his intermediate sprint points, and something like 20" for placing 2nd in the stage, I think, so his deficit to Landis has ~30" shave off.
17:37 - 29 Minutes The Limit...
The elimination time is calculated on a percentage of the winner’s time. At the moment, the peloton is yet to finish... it is 3km from the finish. Lampre is setting up the sprint for Bennati but the deficit of the peloton was reported to be 29 minutes after Voigt claimed his victory. Could it be that the entire peloton finishes after the time limit...?
17:41 - Pereiro Into Yellow!
The runner-up in stage 13 will claim the yellow jersey. He is the seventh man to wear the leader’s colours in this year’s Tour... he began the stage in 46th place, 28’50" behind former team-mate Landis who finished with the peloton 29’57" behind Voigt.
17:43 - Landis 29th In Stage...
Floyd Landis finished in 29th position in the stage, 29’57" behind Voigt and Pereiro. The American will lose his yellow jersey and slip into second place overall, 1’29" behind Pereiro.
Mais alors! Where's Chou-Chou Dessler? Did he even come in yet?
Hmmm, did you notice that neither Eurotwit nor luv2ski made an appearance today? Hmmmm.....
Hmmm, did you notice that neither Eurotwit nor luv2ski made an appearance today? Hmmmm..... ;>)
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