Posted on 07/22/2007 2:14:34 AM PDT by Aeronaut
Tour de France ping!
Please FReepmail 'Aeronaut' if you want on or off the Tour de France 2007 list.
A little early? Been up all night like me? :-)
Not much to daa to the graphic.
“Versus” TV schedule:
Stage 14: Sunday, July 22, 2007 - Mazamet to Plateau-de-Beille
8:00am to 11:30am: LIVE Daily Coverage
8:00pm to 11:00pm: Expanded Primetime Coverage
12:00am to 3:00am: Race Action Replay
Early riser.
That breakaway with the Yellow Jersey kinda’ jolted the peloton out of it’s nap.
Good morning Aeronaut! I thought I’d be able to catch you back over here ;-)
We’re the hardcases, obviously.
Stage 14 is classified a ‘high mountain’ route, the first of three Pyrenean stages, and incorporates three timed climbs and three sprint time trials. The final ascent to Plateau-du-Beille, 15.9km at a gradient of 7.9%, will be a severe challenge for all concerned.
Following an immediate ‘king of the mountains’, the first sprint will take place in Carcassonne after 46.5km. Itself a designated stage venue seven times, the town was the scene of a Jean Stablinkski victory in 1962. The four-time French champion achieved his best Tour finish that year, coming 30th. He went on to win the 1962 World Championship.
The peloton will take the second trial at Campagne-sur-Aude, before climbing to Port de Pailhères at 2,001 metres. Brief respite follows in the form of a 1,500-metre descent into Luzenac, before riders embark on the desperately hard climb to the finish in Plateau-du-Beille.
The final destination is a town with fond memories for American Lance Armstrong. The seven-time Tour champion won there in 2002 and 2004, both stages having emanated in Lannemazan.
Italian Marco Pantini, regarded as the foremost climber of the late twentieth century, claimed victory in Plateau-du-Beille on the way to his only Tour triumph in 1998. Pantini faced doping charges in 1999 and was involved in a high-profile spat with Armstrong in 2000. He was found dead after a suspected drug overdose on February 14th, 2004. Plateau-du-Belle offers a 360-degree view of the surrounding Pyrenees and overlooks the Ax valley. As a renowned Nordic sports venue, the town boasts 70km of cross-country ski runs and a luge track.
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And here's The Eurosport Ticker if someone doesn't have one handy. (I have others available if you don't like that one, just ask).
I happened to catch a bit of the race on the tube, (actually small LCD), last night. Never paid any attention to it before, so I have a question. What is the deal with the Yellow Jersey? They said the French TV does not like to show it, because a French guy never gets to wear it.
Yellow - overall leader on time, Green - most sprint point, Pokadot - most points on mountains and White - fastest young rider under 25.
Each stage can have a winner while the Jerseys are total for the course. A lot of team tactics in keeping and winning each Jersey.
Each country likes to focus on it’s riders, no matter their team. Some think the French would rather have a French man in Yellow so the cameras focus a bit more on other riders.
PLATEAU DE BEILLEWell Rasmussen is now the man to beat. It’s pretty much a five man race now - Rasmussen, Contador, Evans, Leipheimer, and Kloden. Somehow the challengers need to erode Rasmussen’s lead before the final time trial. If they can’t do it in the mountains, is it possible one of the teams will try a breakaway in one of the final flat stages? Has a modern Tour ever been won that way?
I don’t know Steve. I wonder who that scenario would favor in your list?
Here are standings for Stage 14:
STAGE STANDINGS
1. CONTADOR Alberto 112 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 5h 25’ 48”
2. RASMUSSEN Michael 58 RABOBANK 5h 25’ 48”
3. SOLER HERNANDEZ Juan Mauricio 219 BARLOWORLD 5h 26’ 25” + 00’ 37”
4. LEIPHEIMER Levi 111 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 5h 26’ 28” + 00’ 40”
5. SASTRE Carlos 31 TEAM CSC 5h 26’ 41” + 00’ 53”
6. KLÖDEN Andréas 196 ASTANA 5h 27’ 40” + 01’ 52”
7. EVANS Cadel 41 PREDICTOR - LOTTO 5h 27’ 40” + 01’ 52”
8. COLOM Antonio 192 ASTANA 5h 28’ 11” + 02’ 23”
9. KASHECHKIN Andrey 195 ASTANA 5h 28’ 11” + 02’ 23”
10. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 118 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 5h 28’ 54” + 03’ 06”
OVERALL STANDINGS
1. RASMUSSEN Michael 58 RABOBANK 64h 12’ 15”
2. CONTADOR Alberto 112 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 64h 14’ 38” + 02’ 23”
3. EVANS Cadel 41 PREDICTOR - LOTTO 64h 15’ 19” + 03’ 04”
4. LEIPHEIMER Levi 111 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 64h 16’ 44” + 04’ 29”
5. KLÖDEN Andréas 196 ASTANA 64h 16’ 53” + 04’ 38”
6. SASTRE Carlos 31 TEAM CSC 64h 18’ 05” + 05’ 50”
7. KASHECHKIN Andrey 195 ASTANA 64h 19’ 13” + 06’ 58”
8. ASTARLOZA Mikel 73 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 64h 20’ 40” + 08’ 25”
9. VALVERDE Alejandro 18 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 64h 22’ 00” + 09’ 45”
10. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 118 DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 64h 23’ 10” + 10’ 55”
11. PEREIRO SIO Oscar 11 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 64h 23’ 16” + 11’ 01”
12. SOLER HERNANDEZ Juan Mauricio 219 BARLOWORLD 64h 23’ 46” + 11’ 31”
Stage 15: Monday, July 23, 2007
Foix to Loudenville - Le Louron
7:30am to 11:30am: LIVE Daily Coverage
12:00pm to 2:00pm: Race Action Replay
2:30pm to 4:30pm: Race Action Replay
5:00pm to 7:00pm: Race Action Replay
8:00pm to 11:00pm: Expanded Primetime Coverage
12:00am to 3:00am: Race Action Replay
I'd love to see Johan follow your strategy & pull a switcheroo: the presumptive contender Levi back with the peloton & Trojan Horse George in your breakaway.
I still harbor the (totally unrealistic, I know) fantasy that George gets to win this thing someday.
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