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TdF'13 Stage 17 - Embrun to Chorges (July 17)
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| Malkael |
Posted on 16-07-2013 16:30
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Stage 17 - Embrun to Chorges (Individual Time Trial)
Ahead of three consecutive arduous days in the French Alps, the 100th edition of le Tour de France travels to town of Embrun to begin the second of the race's two individual time trials. Quite like the first invalid time trial, Chris Froome's rivals will, in all likelihood, be hoping to conserve their current time deficits, rather than trying to narrow it.
The parcours for the 32km individual time trial from Embrun to the town of Chorges will be better suited to the climbers then the pure time trial specialists. Featuring two Category 2 climbs, the individual time trial will be quite technical. The riders will have to carefully calculate their effort and gearing throughout the course to achieve the best possible time.
Due to the amount of climbing in Stage 17, we could see several riders ditching their time trial bike for their regular road bike. It will be interesting to see whether the teams switch out their usual handlebars for the aero handlebars, often seen in the Triathlon, in an attempt to retain some sense of aerodynamics.
The beginning of the stage will be relentless as the riders almost instantly tackle the ascent of the Category 2 Côte de Puy-Sanières. With an average gradient of 6% and 6.4km in length, you can see why this individual time trial could better suit the climbers in the peloton and the lighter road bikes. After cresting the summit the riders will attempt to use recuperate during the technical descent, as the Category 2 Côte de Réallon looms on the horizon.
While the ascent of the Côte de Puy-Sanières will be difficult, the Côte de Réallon should be even more gruelling due to the fatigue factor. With an average gradient of 6.3% and 6.9km in length, the climb could quickly expose those who have mismanaged their effort, or who are off form. With the second intermediate time check located before the summit of the climb, the riders will have to continue ascending before beginning the descent in to the finishing line within the town of Chorges.
The descent in to Chorges from the summit of the Côte de Réallon will also be technical, with the small and twisting roads keeping the riders on their toes. The riders will not cease descending until they charge under the Flamme Rouge, where the road will level out and ascend so very slightly towards the finishing line. There will be little flat road during the course, with the parcours either climbing or descending in gradient for the vast majority of the stage.
Stage Contenders & Outsiders
The overwhelming favourite for the stage will, in all likelihood, be Chris Froome, of Team Sky, whose dominance of the 2013 Tour de France has been relentless. After coming eerily near to Tony Martin's time during the, largely, flat individual time trial to Mont-Saint-Michel, the climbs should firmly advantage Froome. Whilst the Stage 17's parcours will arguably be one challenge too far for the German, who rides for Omega Pharma-Quicktep, he could still dig exceptionally deep and attempt to challenge for the stage victory.
Despite faltering in the first individual time trial, the parcours for Stage 17 better suit Nairo Quintana, of Movistar. So can we expect the diminutive Colombian climber to challenge for the stage victory? That may be a bit ambitious against the likes of Chris Froome, but after unexpectedly winning the Vuelta al Pais Vasco with a domineering time trial performance on a hilly parcours, you cannot rule it out.
Other General Classification riders hoping to have great performances include Bauke Mollema and Laurens ten Dam, of Team Belkin. With the majority of Mollema's greatest time trial performances coming in individual time trials featuring hilly terrain or a mountain finish, the Dutchman will be hopefully of riding a great time. Whilst the terrain will certainly suit Laurens ten Dam better than the first individual time trial, where his climbing skills will be able to help his performance.
The duo of Alberto Contador and Romain Kreuziger, of Team Saxo-Tinkoff, will also be eager to feature close to Froome's own time set for the course. Despite the three gruelling Alpine stages still to come, Contador will be eager to not to lose time further to Froome. As the Spaniard aims to preserve any slims hopes he has of cannoning Froome off the top step of the podium, even if it means endangering his own podium chances.
Whilst Romain Kreuziger will still be hopeful of a podium finish if Mollema has a horrid day. Or to the dread of Team Saxo-Tinkoff, should Contador unfortunately crack during one stage through the French Alps.
So we all agreed on a Chris Froome win then? Well that makes this a short epilogue. No chance of a surprise? No, I did not think so. |
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| CountArach |
Posted on 16-07-2013 16:31
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This will be great. Quintana should climb up the rankings a bit.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 16-07-2013 16:32
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Well rain is predicted for this, depends when it rains, if it rains all day and conditions stay the same for everyone, then Froome wins. If conditions change throughout, then who knows, could be a number of riders.
Edited by Alakagom on 16-07-2013 16:33
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 16:34
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With those downhills, it won't be that easy for Froome.
Mollema to have the best time from the gc favorites, behind Froome
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 16:34
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Anybody knows if they will use timetrial or road bikes?
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| Pellizotti2 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 16:48
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This'll open huge gaps. The dawg will have well over 6 minutes on everyone tomorrow evening.
Hopefully Quintana will limit his losses enough to remain close to Contador, Kreuziger and Mollema.
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 16:51
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Gaps are generally smaller in hilly tt's compared to flat tt's.
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| Wilier |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:00
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Spilak23 wrote:
Gaps are generally smaller in hilly tt's compared to flat tt's.
Yeah, only Froome will have a big gap probably. |
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:16
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Over 2 minutes tomorrow. All will be 6 minutes behind Vroome. Quintana to be the best non-Vroome rider. |
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| cosmic |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:23
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Too much uphill for Martin, so Froome will win the stage by a huge margin, and put at least 2 more minutes to every "contender".
Edited by cosmic on 16-07-2013 17:25
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-11-2024 10:17
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| Jacdk |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:31
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Top 5
Froome
Porte
Conador
Kreuziger
Quintana |
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:36
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Jacdk wrote:
Top 5
Froome
Porte
Conador
Kreuziger
Quintana
Porte already said it's going to be as much of a rest day as possible, so he won't be going for it at all.
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| fickman |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:38
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If it rains Quintana could be the only rider to lose less than 2 min to Froome. Iirc he was the only capable of beat SKY (Henao and even Porte) in the rain in Pais Vasco in a similar Hilly TT. |
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| Kirchen_75 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:44
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Tony finishes his TT DOWNPOUR! |
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| Wilier |
Posted on 16-07-2013 17:45
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Contador's knee. I wonder if it will affect him.
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| TimoCycling |
Posted on 16-07-2013 18:01
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Ouch that hurts for Conta... Let's see what Mollema can do tomorrow! I hope he can take some time on Contador and Kreuziger! |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 18:11
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Alakagom wrote:
Jacdk wrote:
Top 5
Froome
Porte
Conador
Kreuziger
Quintana
Porte already said it's going to be as much of a rest day as possible, so he won't be going for it at all.
What bout the first TT. Was he going for it there? Cause if he wasn't, imagine what he would have done if he was 
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| CrueTrue |
Posted on 16-07-2013 18:29
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Do we have anything to go by results wise? Any previous races on a similar route? |
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 16-07-2013 18:31
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Last year's Vuelta TTand the Pais Vasco timetrials are the best to compare to but those had some flat parts which isn't the case here
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| TimoCycling |
Posted on 16-07-2013 18:34
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CrueTrue wrote:
Do we have anything to go by results wise? Any previous races on a similar route?
I think the Tour du Suisse TT was a bit similar, Mollema did really well there but Costa did extremely well, coming in first. |
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