STAGE 14: Saint-Gaudens -> Plateau de Beille - 168.5 km



steve

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STAGE 14: Saint-Gaudens -> Plateau de Beille - 168.5 km This is the last of the big Pyrenean stages. There are six tough tests: the Col de Portet-d’Aspet, the Col de la Core, the Col de Latrape, the Col d’Agnes, the Port de Lers and the finish at the Plateau de Beille. These climbs don’t have the same notoriety as the Aubisque and Tourmalet, but the cumulative amount of climbing will make for a great stage. At 168km, it’s short, but there will be attacks right from the start. It is no secret that the big guns will show what they are made of on a stage like this.





Stage 14 Mountain Passes
Km 26.5: Col de Portet-d'Aspet (1 069 m) - 4.3 km climb @ 9.7 % - Category 2 Km 62.5: Col de la Core (1 395 m) - 14.1 km climb @ 5.7 % - Category 1 Km 94.0: Col de Latrape (1 110 m) - 5.6 km climb @ 7.2 % - Category 2 Km 109.0: Col d'Agnes (1 570 m) - 10.0 km climb @ 8.2 % - Category 1 Km 118.0: Port de Lers (1 517 m) - 3.8 km climb @ 5.5 % - Category 3 Km 168.5: Plateau de Beille - 15.8 km climb @ 7.9 % - Category H Stage 14 Map Stage 14 Profile The Last KM's


General classification after stage 13 1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 55:49:57 2 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:01:49 3 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:02:06 4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:17 5 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:03:16 6 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:03:22 7 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:04:00 8 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:04:11 9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:04:35 10 Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 11 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 0:04:57 12 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team 0:05:07 13 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ 0:05:50 14 Peter Velits (Svk) HTC-Highroad 0:06:03 15 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Team RadioShack 0:07:17 16 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:07:27 17 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack 0:07:51 18 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:07:55 19 Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:08:20 20 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team 0:08:44 21 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ 0:08:47 22 Jerome Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:08:51 23 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Katusha Team 0:09:12 24 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar 0:09:20 25 Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad 0:10:51
 
Stage 14 News

Cadel Evans in Tour de France yellow jersey test If history is anything to go by, Cadel Evans should be looking to win his second stage win of the Tour de France on Saturday if he wants to bag the elusive yellow jersey. Stage 14, the third and last day in the Pyrenees, finishes with the gruelling 15.8 km ascent to Plateau de Beille. The climb has featured four previous times on the race, and each time the stage winner has gone on to win the yellow jersey -- Marco Pantani in 1998, Lance Armstrong in 2002 and 2004 and Contador in 2007. Australian Evans, a runner-up in 2007 and 2008, is arguably in the best form of his career on the race where he has finished beyond 20th place overall the past two years. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jiNuzHeN4RtKZsycMDaRsehMdMuw?docId=CNG.85dd3468c38ddd2a33b111209b8647f1.161 Contador expects to be in “perfect condition” Saxo Bank-SunGard’s Alberto Contador finished the stage today happy about his almost fully recovered knee: “My knee is doing better but at the beginning of the stage it bothered me a little but at the end of the day there was no problems. Hopefully, tomorrow I will be in perfect condition”. http://www.bikeworldnews.com/2011/07/15/contador-expects-perfect-condition/ 'Beille won't decide yellow jersey' Luxemburger Schleck has finished runner-up the past two years and is one of several riders hoping to loosen Spaniard Alberto Contador's grip on the race. Stage 14, the third and last day in the Pyrenees, finishes with the gruelling 15.8 km ascent to Plateau de Beille. The climb has featured four previous times on the race, and each time the stage winner has gone on to win the yellow jersey: Marco Pantani in 1998, Lance Armstrong in 2002 and 2004 and Contador in 2007. Although aware of the historical significance of the stage, Schleck indicated that with another three mountain stages in the Alps there is still plenty of racing left. "We're looking forward to tomorrow, of course, but we don't expect the Tour to be decided here," he said. "Every race has to be ridden." After the Pyrenees, Contador, who has been suffering knee pain, will get a chance to recover for a few days before three, arguably more brutal climbing days begin in the Alps starting on stage 17. http://www.supersport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/news/110715/Beille_wont_decide_yellow_jersey Cadel Evans expects yellow jersey stoush on stage 14 The Australian, sitting third overall, believes the 168.5km trek from Saint-Gaudens to Plateau de Beille will be the toughest so far on the 98th Tour. "There will be fireworks tomorrow, don't worry," Evans said after finishing 24th from Pau to Lourdes. "I'm not scared of it, but we'll still be suffering even if we're having a good day. "I think some of the guys are still improving like (Sammy) Sanchez and (Ivan) Basso, certainly. "So there will still be changes (to the general classification). It's not like there's going to be a repeat every day." Stage 14 lays claim to status as the Queen stage of the race - in other words, the most difficult. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tour-de-france/cadel-evans-expects-yellow-jersey-stoush-on-stage-14/story-fn8s9i81-1226095688582 Time for Contador to attack in stage 14 Alberto Contador has little choice but to attack in Saturday's 14th stage of the Tour de France if the three-times champion is to finish on top of the podium again in Paris. The 28-year-old Spaniard, who lost crucial time in the first stage and lost more ground again in the first mountain stage, has a 2:11 deficit to make up against his highest-ranked rival Frank Schleck. The Luxembourg rider is one of four top guns with a slight advantage on seventh-placed Contador, who has been nursing a knee problem since he crashed during the first week of the race. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/16/us-cycling-tour-idUSTRE76F08U20110716 Key test awaits riders in the Pyrenees The test comes Saturday, a day after after Norway's Thor Hushovd won the 13th stage and France's Thomas Voeckler kept the yellow jersey. It gets serious now, with Evans ready to take on defending champion Alberto Contador and the Schleck brothers. Contador's right knee still is bruised but healing. The Schleck brothers are racing with - or against - each other depending on whom is to be believed. Evans, an Australian, is gliding over obstacles with the cool of a surfer negotiating crushing waves. http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/125678268.html Time for Contador to attack in stage 14 Alberto Contador has little choice but to attack in Saturday's 14th stage of the Tour de France if the three-times champion is to finish on top of the podium again in Paris. The 28-year-old Spaniard, who lost crucial time in the first stage and lost more ground again in the first mountain stage, has a 2:11 deficit to make up against his highest-ranked rival Frank Schleck. http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCATRE76F08U20110716 Mountain stage of Tour de France turns riders into heroes The race for the yellow jersey intensified when the Tour de France entered the Pyrenees on 12th stage with a climb where the difference in the riders’ strengths quickly becomes apparent. Riding up a mountain is a long, painful exercise, even for the specialists who appear at ease. At lower speeds the slipstream has little effect, so a rider who is struggling can’t save energy in the shelter of others. For an hour or more at a time, the riders will constantly press hard on their pedals, without reprieve. The sun will bake the riders as they climb, sapping their energy. http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/1025744--mountain-stage-of-tour-de-france-turns-riders-into-heroes?bn=1 Contador must attack on final Pyrenees stage The Tour de France is into the third and last day in the Pyrenees mountains with six climbs in the 168.5 kilometre 14th stage with the three-times champion Alberto Contador having little choice but to attack if he's to finish on top of the podium again in Paris. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/sport/80014/contador-must-attack-on-final-pyrenees-stage Saturday's Stage 14 could decide Tour Will Plateau de Beille once again play king-maker at the Tour de France? The brutally steep climb — at least in the opening kilometers — has crowned the eventual Tour de France winner. In the four stages that have ended high at the isolated cross-country skiing resort, the stage winner has gone on to claim the maillot jaune in Paris. With three hard days looming in the Alps, the favorites downplayed the importance of Plateau de Beille in how it will impact the final podium order on the Champs-Elysees on July 24 in Paris. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43775049/ns/sports-cycling/ Evans predicts Stage 14 fireworks Australian cyclist Cadel Evans is predicting Stage 14 will have a big say on the eventual outcome of the Tour de France. BMC Racing rider Evans is placed third in the race for the yellow jersey, trailing overall leader Thomas Voeckler by two minutes and six seconds. After a quiet stage for many of the general classification contenders on Friday, Evans feels that Saturday's 168.5km trek from Saint-Gaudens to Plateau de Beille could be decisive. http://www.sportal.com.au/tourdefrance-news-display/evans-expects-fireworks-130375 RadioShack shift focus to stage victories RadioShack will turn their attention to stage wins after their third potential GC leader, Andreas Klöden, abandoned the race on stage 13 to Lourdes. The 36-year-old German had been suffering from injuries after succumbing to multiple crashes in this year's race. After slipping off the back of today's bunch after an electric first hour of racing the German decided to throw in the towel. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/radioshack-shift-focus-to-stage-victories Evans brushes off ghosts of Plateau de Beille's past Cadel Evans (BMC) is predicting fireworks during Saturday's Tour de France stage to Plateau de Beille. The Australian currently sits 3rd on GC, 2:06 down on yellow but sandwiched between the Schleck brothers by a matter of seconds. "There will be fireworks tomorrow, don't worry," he said after a relatively calm stage for the GC contenders. "I think everyone is pretty tired from yesterday and tomorrow is a big day as well. It's a long final climb and a hard day and everyone is starting to race with less nervousness today." http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-brushes-off-ghosts-of-plateau-de-beilles-past
 
Its an epic stage today! It will be interesting to see if contador tries to deal with Evans, Basso and the Schleck brothers.

I think Frank Schleck will win today, Ivan and Cadel a close second - contador will lose at least 2 minutes. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
 
Looks like they're having lots of trouble getting rid of Voeckler.

Anyone know how his ITT is this year? He's still got quite a big lead on the others.
 
Sorry guys but I'm desperate to have a whinge about today's stage. So here goes:

What a disappointment today. Fairly indicative of the timid riding from the supposed stars of the Tour in our present era. The group of favourites climbed Plateau de Baille nearly 4 minutes slower than Pantani's record for the climb which shows how the very best riders were going nowhere near their best pace. Constant stop starting and looking round at each other makes for a real let down.

Andy Schleck imparticular, who was the strong man today, seems incapable of making a sustained effort despite having the form to do so. He could have put real time into Contador today and didn't give it a proper go at all. What's the point of sprinting for 2 seconds with 400m to go? Not sure I'm gonna sit through much more of this boredom in the alps. Bring back Merckx, Hinault, Chiappucci, Pantani etc. At least the tour was made into a real test by the courageous stars of yesteryear.
 
Originally Posted by MFondriest .

Sorry guys but I'm desperate to have a whinge about today's stage. So here goes:

What a disappointment today. Fairly indicative of the timid riding from the supposed stars of the Tour in our present era. The group of favourites climbed Plateau de Baille nearly 4 minutes slower than Pantani's record for the climb which shows how the very best riders were going nowhere near their best pace. Constant stop starting and looking round at each other makes for a real let down.

Andy Schleck imparticular, who was the strong man today, seems incapable of making a sustained effort despite having the form to do so. He could have put real time into Contador today and didn't give it a proper go at all. What's the point of sprinting for 2 seconds with 400m to go? Not sure I'm gonna sit through much more of this boredom in the alps. Bring back Merckx, Hinault, Chiappucci, Pantani etc. At least the tour was made into a real test by the courageous stars of yesteryear.

Need some cheese to go with that wine???? LOL! Gotta love those who believe everything was better in the 'good ol' days'...

I'm not following your complaining. Today was just another stage of the race. Are they supposed to turn themselves inside-out (at your whim) on EVERY stage of the race?? Give me a break! The racers of this tour give the appearance of being more human than those in the days of Pantani's exploits (60% hematocrits notwithstanding). Try comparing apples with apples...

I'm certain the fireworks are coming (maybe even still not to your satisfaction). I suggest a little patience, or try getting on your own bike and go out and put some hurt on yourself by riding 20kph up 10% grades...
 
Originally Posted by Yojimbo_ .

Looks like they're having lots of trouble getting rid of Voeckler.

Anyone know how his ITT is this year? He's still got quite a big lead on the others.
i agree he could pull the win, why not, next in my list would be Cadel Evans if they arrive into the ITT with todays general classification,
 
I've been expecting more from this stage.
Leopard tried to whittle down the group on the way to Plateau de Beille, but it looked like the pace wasn't sharp enough. BMC could form their own line while Leopard guys were mostly wearing down themselves. Liquigas didn't have problems too.
I thought someone will seriously try to take advantage, but everything looked like circumvention.

I think Basso made mistake by stepping at the front and setting pace... It couldn't be that he thought he could ride off the others. Whatever... He's in form.
Contador doesn't look good enough to take the Yellow jersey. He could respond to every acceleration today, but didn't even think to launch his recognizable attack... He doesn't have it in his legs.

Evans has to be a happy man after Pyrenees.
The Alps are coming, but I think the Pyrenees were the place where climbers should take advantage.
 
first, chapeau to voeckler and thor for their tenacity to this point. both have worn the yellow jersey proudly.

second, i like the leopard's strategy is meeting some smart counter strategy. evans must be smiling slightly as he lets the schlecks put the pace down while he just covers. betting the schlecks wish they could throw a sastre into the attack as riis did a few years back. i am liking the tactical game being played out so far. right now there are too many good g.c. candidates to cover the schlecks attacks without any one of them burning out.
 
Voekler looked great today. I thought he would have lost big time today, but he is a fighter. I was surprised that this stage didn't break up the GC men, but they seem to be quite even with one another. Something will give in the last week, with two hard mountain top finishes and the ITT. With Evans' ability to time trial, I'm liking his odds.
 
Originally Posted by tonyzackery .

The racers of this tour give the appearance of being more human than those in the days of Pantani's exploits (60% hematocrits notwithstanding). Try comparing apples with apples...
.
No kidding, my first thought as well - "they are slower than Pantani!"...."well, he was doped to the gills. That might have had something to do with it."
 
Originally Posted by Chavez .




No kidding, my first thought as well - "they are slower than Pantani!"...."well, he was doped to the gills. That might have had something to do with it."
To be fair that's not the point I was making though is it? Obviously I wouldn't expect them to be as quick as Pantani but the very best riders in this year's tour would be much nearer than 4 minutes off Pantani's pace if riding at their optimum pace, especially on a 45 minute climb. In my view Andy Schleck was clearly the strongest rider in the group and could have shook the others off his wheel one by one within a kilometre or two if he had fully committed. It may have necessitated towing the likes of Basso, Evans, and Contador for a short distance but I think it was reasonably apparent he could have dropped them had he decided to, in much the same way Indurain and Armstrong would ride their rivals off their wheels with a sustained pace.

As I say it's a general whinge really with the indecisive tactics of the leading riders and in my view A. Schleck is mainly at fault since he has the firepower and is most in need of the timegains before the time trial.


Originally Posted by tonyzackery .



Need some cheese to go with that wine???? LOL! Gotta love those who believe everything was better in the 'good ol' days'...

I'm not following your complaining. Today was just another stage of the race. Are they supposed to turn themselves inside-out (at your whim) on EVERY stage of the race?? Give me a break! The racers of this tour give the appearance of being more human than those in the days of Pantani's exploits (60% hematocrits notwithstanding). Try comparing apples with apples...

I'm certain the fireworks are coming (maybe even still not to your satisfaction). I suggest a little patience, or try getting on your own bike and go out and put some hurt on yourself by riding 20kph up 10% grades...

How was today just another stage? It was the second hardest probably in the tour and the type of stage Andy Schleck imparticular should have targetted to put some time into the faster time trialists, especially since he clearly had the legs. Hence the reason for the disappointment.

As for getting out on my own bike and riding at 20kph up the cols. I'm not a pro cyclist am I, especially one that is trying to win the tour. Besides my own willingness to ride up climbs is hardly relevant to my original point. Try comparing apples with apples...
 
Originally Posted by MFondriest .

How was today just another stage? It was the second hardest probably in the tour and the type of stage Andy Schleck imparticular should have targetted to put some time into the faster time trialists, especially since he clearly had the legs. Hence the reason for the disappointment.

As for getting out on my own bike and riding at 20kph up the cols. I'm not a pro cyclist am I, especially one that is trying to win the tour. Besides my own willingness to ride up climbs is hardly relevant to my original point. Try comparing apples with apples...
I thought I was comparing apples with apples. Ohhhh, I get it now, so you're not really Maurizio Fondriest are you?/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

Well, in that case, once you gain some perspective (by riding your bike 20kph up a 10% grade) on what these men are doing on your TV set then I doubt you'll be in the frame of mind to criticize and whine about their racing exploits...
- arear
 
Originally Posted by tonyzackery .




I thought I was comparing apples with apples. Ohhhh, I get it now, so you're not really Maurizio Fondriest are you?/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif
Lol! The name is but a tribute. Alas the closest I will get to the great man is his autograph on a Leeds Classic programme.

I think it's fair enough for any cycling fan to complain about the tactics/perceived effort levels of the greats. After all it is an opinion and regardless of individual ability we all know what it is to suffer on a climb at our best speed and what it is to follow someone else whilst well within your limits.

But if it's my likely ability that bothers you my view that extra conservative tactics in the grand tours have made for a poorer viewing experience is shared by many people who could ride up climbs at tour speeds Roche, Hinault, Lemond to mention a few. Hence the reason people love someone like Voeckler being rewarded with some time in yellow.

Regardless, I don't need to be able to knock in a 147 break everytime I go to the snooker club to suggest that Rocket Ronnie doesn't give it all in every match, or to be able to run the 200m in 19.2 to observe that Usain Bolt doesn't always race to the line.
 
Originally Posted by MFondriest .




Lol! The name is but a tribute. Alas the closest I will get to the great man is his autograph on a Leeds Classic programme.

I think it's fair enough for any cycling fan to complain about the tactics/perceived effort levels of the greats. After all it is an opinion and regardless of individual ability we all know what it is to suffer on a climb at our best speed and what it is to follow someone else whilst well within your limits.

But if it's my likely ability that bothers you my view that extra conservative tactics in the grand tours have made for a poorer viewing experience is shared by many people who could ride up climbs at tour speeds Roche, Hinault, Lemond to mention a few. Hence the reason people love someone like Voeckler being rewarded with some time in yellow.

Regardless, I don't need to be able to knock in a 147 break everytime I go to the snooker club to suggest that Rocket Ronnie doesn't give it all in every match, or to be able to run the 200m in 19.2 to observe that Usain Bolt doesn't always race to the line.
Not your lack of ability in particular; any armchair quarterback who feels the urge to criticize with no perspective wrinkles my collar. Those that have actually "walked the walk" have credibility behind them to support their critique, which I can respect.

FYI, I was once a professional athlete in a past lifetime, so I know what it's like to be in a fish bowl getting second-guessed and critiqued by "armchair experts". I also know what it feels like to ride my bike up a 10% grade at 20kph, and it hurts so much (after 5mins or so for me) that those pros who can do it for 40mins stretches are almost god-like to me.

You're entitled to your opinion - that is true. I am entitled to mine: critique without perspective is extremely lame and borders on nonsense...
 
Well after all that, I must say I was disapointed with the stage. And I think some of the riders must now be concerned at the position of Voeckler seen as though on two mountain top finishes they havn't been able to get rid of him.
 

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