Tour de France 2017

I thought they were targeting a GVA win, which is like sky going for a kwiatkowski win. Pretty stupid

They were the only team with 2 riders in the final stage winning break. Still fucked it up.

As has been said before bmc ds's seem to disagree over tacktics. Ride hard attack wear yourselves out or go for a stage win and eff it up. Getting nothing but tired legs.

27km of climbing at over 9% tomorrow. Everyone is going to be fucked

This thread makes today sound like a great stage. How come the ITV highlights made it as dull as ditchwater?

Out of interest has anyone ridden any of these climbs? They look horrific, but I'm keen to know what they are like for us mere mortals

From a GC perspective it was. The biggest surprise for me so far is the Jonathon Edwards (Eurosport host) seems to really enjoy it

I think it was the "will the break get away, won't it, who's in it, will it get reeled in" made it more exciting than the actual plot summary which is that it was balls out from the off, it took ages for a break to get away, then the break broke, then that broke, G fell off, too fast for any GC attacks, then they hit the final climb and Gesink broke and Calmejean got cramp for a bit.

Yep, I figured it was that. But I still don't see why ITV couldn't have concentrated on the fun stuff and laid down the narrative of the stage rather than the narrative of the result.

I've ridden the Grand Colombier and the Mont du Chat. Both are hard, but a fit amateur rider can get up them without too much distress. They are steep by Alpine standards, and the surfaces are pretty rough. Because they aren't that high, they can get incredibly hot, although I think the forecast for tomorrow is cool and possibly wet.

Wouldn't want to have to race up them though.

If it's wet, it'll be carnage on the descents 😰

Gonna be a good day for Roman Bardet

yes, Like @andyp the last 2 of today's sufferfest and indeed on a day with temperatures around 36 deg C. Mt du Chat is hard because of the last 5k not dipping below 10% avg... and they're not going up Grand Colombier from Culoz this time which is the 'easier' side, but from Brénaz, featuring a 3km stretch of bloody steep road as illustrated below

I remember when I rode grand Colombier last year, I took the 'wrong' turn up it, and did like 5k at 10-16% or so. Horrid. Felt worse that that. Had to do 360w for 20m to get up it.
Made the rest of the climb to the top quite pleasant.
Never go right at virieu le petit.

Oh shit that's the way the tours going up?
Its brutal.

Why oh why is it always on days like this that I am busy during the day and can only watch highlights.

Gah.

I feel your pain dude. I am trying to take comfort in the fact I get to watch most of the other days in full. But still.
Cocks sake eh?

I might record the whole stage then stay up all night.

Hmmmmm.

Why not?

Remember when you were working, you were pleased the set piece GC stages were on the weekends?

I could understand why Van Avermaet was allowed to go on the attack yesterday, but fuck knows what they were thinking to knacker out Roche and Caruso on the day before the hardest single stage in the race. Titchie Richie had better hope he isn't isolated today, as he is sure as hell not going to have any team mates to support him at the critical time.

Shit's going down today.

Hopefully.

but Tom Dumoulin's not...oh I see what you mean

#neverhappy

Indeed, when @Howard and I rode the Grand Colombier 2 years ago, it was so hot that the tarmac was melting!

Trying to decide whether to walk around and sitesee in Berlin this afternoon, or just go back to airbnb apartment and watch ITV4...