What's the most likely outcome of this gridding nonsense?
Only one team have more than two riders in the top 20 and a lot of distribution among the various groups of 20 behind them I can't imagine there's going to be much more than a lot of shuffling on the lower slopes of the Peyresourde and business as usual after the first 5k.
Only Movistar have the numbers (barely) to try and launch an off the line attack but the only response I can see to that is everyone else working together to neutralise it. In the meantime we'll see the likes of Luke Rowe (lowest Sky in the GC) rip through the groups picking up team members as he goes until they get delivered to the team leader(s). At which point, with a stage that short, they can just drop off and get in the grupetto if they've cooked themselves in doing so.
How badly have I misread that?
Also predicting this to be the stage Froome claws back time. Attack on the last climb and Geraint to hang on to Ol' Windmills unless the gap starts looking over a minute in which case he'll attack too and make sure he holds on to Yellow for one more day.
What's the most likely outcome of this gridding nonsense?
Only one team have more than two riders in the top 20 and a lot of distribution among the various groups of 20 behind them I can't imagine there's going to be much more than a lot of shuffling on the lower slopes of the Peyresourde and business as usual after the first 5k.
Only Movistar have the numbers (barely) to try and launch an off the line attack but the only response I can see to that is everyone else working together to neutralise it. In the meantime we'll see the likes of Luke Rowe (lowest Sky in the GC) rip through the groups picking up team members as he goes until they get delivered to the team leader(s). At which point, with a stage that short, they can just drop off and get in the grupetto if they've cooked themselves in doing so.
How badly have I misread that?
Also predicting this to be the stage Froome claws back time. Attack on the last climb and Geraint to hang on to Ol' Windmills unless the gap starts looking over a minute in which case he'll attack too and make sure he holds on to Yellow for one more day.