2008 TDF Stage 6 : Aigurande - Super-Besse Sancy
- Thread starter limerickman
- Start date
This is a seriously interesting stage. Here's the finishing climb.
7.4 km @ 5.7% then a rest for a couple of kms then 1.5 km @ 10% to the finish line. My heart rate's gone to zone 3 and my legs hurt just typing this description.
7.4 km @ 5.7% then a rest for a couple of kms then 1.5 km @ 10% to the finish line. My heart rate's gone to zone 3 and my legs hurt just typing this description.
Don't tell everyone that all you need to do is attack and you win. You're giving away the secrets of the inner circle...Grater said:
You're right. Cadel Evans will win...Grater said:No wheelsucking **** *** wins the tour this year!
Team Garmin's plan B for taking the yellow jersey is to try and take it on this stage. That means Miller attacking and taking back the time on Schumi, but also being ahead of Kirchen on the line. Anyone think it can work? I reckon it might be too steep for him to put in a successful dig at the end, so he'd need to be away before the second, steeper section.Crankyfeet said:This is a seriously interesting stage. Here's the finishing climb.
7.4 km @ 5.7% then a rest for a couple of kms then 1.5 km @ 10% to the finish line. My heart rate's gone to zone 3 and my legs hurt just typing this description.
Team Columbia... and possibly Gerolsteiner... are going to be all over Garmin if they (or just Millar) try to make a break, aren't they?Rolfrae said:
And it's hard to imagine Millar being able to pull away from Kirchen on the final climb.
As they are equal on time all Miller has to do is cross the line ahead of Kirchen to take yellow (and obviously be sufficiently ahead of Schumi). But, as you say, not so sure he can outsprint/climb Kirchen. I guess they can send Vande Velde up the road (as he's their next man on GC) and let Miller sit on whilst the others chase.Crankyfeet said:
Whatever happens, it's going to be good TV.Rolfrae said:
You'll probably have Evans trying to hang onto Valverde's and possibly Menchov's attacks as well.
I think it will not be Kim or Millar or one of those guys... too much control. I fancy a bit of a suicide attack by someone like Riccò. Nothing much to lose and not really a GC threat.
Some people will be whittled away by the first part of the climb, but gaps will only really appear in that last steep section of 1.5km. And that's not long enough to create any big time gaps, so this stage is more about the win and snatching yellow by a few seconds. Kirchen, Valverde are both strong contenders for this, as is Cunego. But I think I'll go with Ricco to take this stage with a massive effort, as he knows he'll fade later in the race after such a hard Giro.
I can see a successful attack on the Col de la Croix Morand and setting up a nice break on the decent. Considering the profile, I think this sets up for a break staying away.
I think the GC guys aren't going to gamble a whole bunch on this stage and if the break does not include a serious GC contender, the break stays away and we have a first time stage winner.
However, somebody like Vandevelde might go all in early and try to pull a chicken. Cunego, Peirero or one of the Schleck brothers might take a shot.
We'll definitely find out if Valverde is still on form.
I think the GC guys aren't going to gamble a whole bunch on this stage and if the break does not include a serious GC contender, the break stays away and we have a first time stage winner.
However, somebody like Vandevelde might go all in early and try to pull a chicken. Cunego, Peirero or one of the Schleck brothers might take a shot.
We'll definitely find out if Valverde is still on form.
But these aren't big Cols - they could have made it much more interesting if they'd have finished the stage at the nearby Puy-de-Dome.... a rather nasty 1st cat climb that's not been used for years.poulidor said:+1
Some people would try to harden the race to create gap.
The first cols are sometimes difficult after having pushed big gears the precedent days.
The Alps look pretty grim, with a few 9,000ft cols. Upon a quick glance it looks as though they saved the "classic" Alpe d'Huez stage (Galibier, Croix de Fer, Alpe) until the last day. Poor bastards. LOL
I wonder if the mechanics will hook the riders up with cyclo-cross tires for the climb of the Restefond.
Since this Tour is wide open, I'm hoping someone takes a gamble tomorrow and cracks this thing wide open.poulidor said:
I really think some hard pressure could crack quite a few nuts, particularly with the big efforts made yesterday by the "contenders".
Maybe Valverde was leaving something in the tank for just that purpose.
If we assume that there is less doping... It's making me look forward to the mountains even more. And there is no real huge standout favourite and no predictable script. Good stuff.poulidor said:
I was looking at some of the altitudes on the late stages. Restefond is 2800m on Stage 16. That's 9,200 ft. That's gotta kill the oxygen delivery system at that altitude.
Then on stage 17 the next day... They've got Galibier at 2645m (8,678 ft) folllowed by la Croix de Fer (2,067m)... then d'Huez (1680m)...
Some lactic torture... and we might even see some pain on their faces compared to recent history. Not that I'm a sadist.
