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TdF'13 Stage 20 - Annecy to Annecy-Semnoz (July 20)
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| Malkael |
Posted on 19-07-2013 16:20
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Stage 20 - Annecy to Annecy-Semnoz
The third and concluding stage in the French Alps is also the penultimate stage of the 100th edition of the Tour de France. Travelling in a clockwise direction from the town of Annecy, the peloton will traverse the 125km parcours to the summit of Annecy-Semnoz. Yet another difficult mountainous parcours awaits the riders on Stage 20, as the peloton summits six categorised climbs.
Making one final gallant appearance for the 2013 Tour de France, the King of the Mountains competition is going out on a high with yet another summit finish. With Stage 20 finishing atop the climb of the Semnoz, categorised as a Hors catégorie climb, there is grand total of 50 points on offer for the stage winner. Whilst there is a grand total of 21 points on offer over the summits of the five other categorised climbs spread throughout the parcours.
Another stage and yet another difficult beginning for the peloton, who will have to begin climbing just 7km after the official commencement of the stage. Fortunately, the Côte du Puget is just a Category 2 climb rather than a Hors catégorie climb, however, it is still 5.4km in length at an average gradient of 5.9%. It will then be immediately followed by the ascent of the Category 3 Col de Leschaux, some 3.6km in length at an average gradient of 6.1%.
Intermediate Sprint
The journey to the Intermediate Sprint and the Category 3 climbs of the Côte d'Aillon-le-Vieux and Col des Prés will be rolling, and will not allow the riders to easily recover. The Intermediate Sprint at Le Châtelard, located 33km in to the Stage 20's parcours, should not have any influence on the Points classification, and will mostly be contested for the prize money on offer.
After cycling through the Intermediate Sprint, the peloton will tackle another succession of climbs. Initially the riders shall ascend the Côte d'Aillon-le-Vieux, at a length of 6km and an average gradient of 4%. Almost immediately afterwards, the riders shall begin the ascent of the Col des Prés, which is 3.4km in length at an average gradient of 6.9%. After which the peloton then have a chance to try and recover before the climb of the Mont Revard.
Whilst one of the General Classification riders could attempt an audacious attack on the Mont Revard, the distance between the climbs of the Mont Revard and Semnoz will likely dissuade such an action. The Category 1 Mont Revard should warm the legs of the climbers up for the climb to come, at a length of 15.9km at an average gradient of 5.6%. After the summit of the Mont Revard there is a 35.8km descent and flat section to the beginning of the ascent of the Semnoz.
Annecy-Semnoz
Whilst referred to as the Annecy-Semnoz by the Tour de France, the climb is known as the Semnoz. At a length of 10.7km at an average gradient of 8.5%, the ascent of the Semnoz will be a tough finale to Stage 20. Excluding one section at an average gradient of 5.5%, the average gradient of the climb never dips below 7.5%. With sections of the climb featuring an average gradient of up to 10.5%, the Semnoz will be a playground for the climbing specialists.
With the breakaway having claimed two consecutive stage victories in the mountains, could the breakaway make it a third straight stage victory? The parcours could arguably suit the breakaway's chances of claiming a third straight stage victory. With Team Sky, once again, probable to let another non-threatening breakaway gain a monumental time gap.
However, with the war for General Classification positions still undecided coming in to Stage 20, the breakaway's chance may be dictated by the goals of teams other then Sky Pro Cycling. Both Movistar, with Nairo Quintana, and Team Katusha, with Joaquim Rodriguez, will be eager to try and pressure Team Saxo-Tinoff and Alberto Contador in to cracking under relentless pressure. So the stage may be ridden at a tempo not dictated by Team Sky, though that may only be within the last dozen or so kilometres, once again advantaging the breakaway if so.
Should the breakaway not steal the limelight for a third straight stage in the French Alps, I would expect either Nairo Quintana or Joaquim Rodriguez to be digging deep for the stage victory. With an improved podium position up for grabs for the Colombian, and a podium position up for grabs for the Catalonian Spaniard, they will be eager to distance their rivals. However, one can never rule out Chris Froome or Richie Porte taking the stage victory just because Froome can, or because Froome wants to reward Porte's magnificent support.
Another day and another stage for the breakaway? Or shall the nature of the fight for General Classification positions see the peloton ride at a much faster pace during Stage 20? Who do you fancy for the breakaway or from the peloton?
Edited by Malkael on 19-07-2013 16:30
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| NTTHRASH |
Posted on 19-07-2013 16:23
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Classics Specialist
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Another fine preview. 
"America. Show a nipple on television and the whole country goes ape-shit." -DubbelDekker
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 19-07-2013 16:31
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World Champion
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Quintana finally to win tomorrow and to step into 2nd and Purito into 3rd. |
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| issoisso |
Posted on 19-07-2013 16:34
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Tour de France Champion
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Evans to attack at the start, get pulled back and immediately give up and soft pedal to the finish
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 19-07-2013 16:37
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Tour de France Champion
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Main question will be..can Contador hold a podium? |
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 19-07-2013 16:39
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20k in the valley will surely rule out any chance of a GC attack before Semnoz (not that it would be likely anyway). |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-11-2024 10:23
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| cosmic |
Posted on 19-07-2013 17:14
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Almost makes you wanna cry thinking what this stage could've been without Froomestrong. 4 riders within 50 seconds decking it out for the win would've been truly legendary. |
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| kumazan |
Posted on 19-07-2013 17:25
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cosmic wrote:
Almost makes you wanna cry thinking what this stage could've been without Froomestrong. 4 riders within 50 seconds decking it out for the win would've been truly legendary.
The race would have been different without Froome. You can't just take him out and say, look, it'd have been incredibly close.
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| cosmic |
Posted on 19-07-2013 17:43
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Stagiare
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kumazan wrote:
cosmic wrote:
Almost makes you wanna cry thinking what this stage could've been without Froomestrong. 4 riders within 50 seconds decking it out for the win would've been truly legendary.
The race would have been different without Froome. You can't just take him out and say, look, it'd have been incredibly close.
No shit sherlock. It still doesn't change the fact that it would've been an epic scenario though. |
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| fosforgasXIII |
Posted on 19-07-2013 17:58
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Movistar and Saxo-Tinkoff will be pacing up front. I can't predict the break-away, but if the "favourits" get there first, I think Quitana or Froome (if he doesn't forget to eat) will cross the line first, followed by Purito and then Nieve, Fuglsang and Contador (who will save his podium, allthough I fear for his 2nd place) being paced by Kreuziger. Mollema will lose more time and will finish his GC somewhere around 8th or 9th position (which is still good for him imo).
Spoiler Bear in mind that since I predicted this, none of the above will happen most likely. |
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| welker3257 |
Posted on 19-07-2013 18:09
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My predicitions: Riblon goes in the break and takes the KOM lead, but Quintana takes the stage win and the jersey. Froome just takes it easy and loses about a minute to Quintana who finishes along side Rodriguez. Contador has a terrible day and moves down to 4th. Navarro goes in the break again but doesn't gain any time and falls out of the top 10.
The new GC will look like this:
1st Froome
2nd Quintana
3rd Rodriguez
4th Contador
5th Krueziger
6th Fulgsang
7th Mollema
8th Valverde
9th Kwiatkowski
10th Talansky
11th Navarro
Edited by welker3257 on 19-07-2013 18:26
Gig 'em Aggies
Fast N' Loud Cycling Project - ICL
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| fosforgasXIII |
Posted on 19-07-2013 18:13
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Breakaway Specialist
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welker3257 wrote:
My predicitions: Riblon goes in the break and takes the KOM lead, but Quintana takes the stage win and the jersey. Froome just takes it easy and loses about a minute to Quintana who finishes along side Rodriguez. Contador has a terrible day and moves down to 4th. Navarro goes in the break again but doesn't gain any time and falls out of the top 10.
The new GC will look like this:
1st Froome
2nd Quintana
3rd Rodriguez
4th Contador
5th Krueziger
6th Fulgang
7th Mollema
7th Valverde
9th Kwiatkowski
10th Talansky
11th Navarro
I don't know that guy 
Also 2 riders on 7th. |
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| welker3257 |
Posted on 19-07-2013 18:28
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They will end up tied on time
Gig 'em Aggies
Fast N' Loud Cycling Project - ICL
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 19-07-2013 18:30
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I vote Quintana for KoM, stage win and 2nd place in GC  |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 19-07-2013 19:36
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Dan Martin was just saving himself. Tomorrow he wins. 
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| XxMillad24Xx |
Posted on 19-07-2013 19:41
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Stagiare
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I need to stop picking Schleck, so i guess Quintana takes the stage and KOM
"Cycling is now the the world's cleanest sport." - Chris Froome
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 19-07-2013 20:03
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Belkin getting annoyed and calling out Spanish riders for bb mondays
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| issoisso |
Posted on 19-07-2013 20:04
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 22918
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Spilak23 wrote:
Belkin getting annoyed and calling out Spanish riders for bb mondays
Hooray for hipocrisy
EDIT: To explain. They have a spanish guy on their team who is named in two different doping investigations and they let him race despite the MPCC asking them not to. Yet they complain about other teams' BBMs.
Also, no complaints about the british, the colombians, the czech, the danish, etc. Nope, just the spanish.
Sure sure, dutch fans come in here and tell me how i'm 'hating' Belkin. Fact is Verhoeven is being a hypocrite.
Edited by issoisso on 19-07-2013 20:18
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
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| Kimmage |
Posted on 19-07-2013 20:29
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Spilak23 wrote:
Belkin getting annoyed and calling out Spanish riders for bb mondays
Do you have a link to this? I'd like to see the exact quotes. |
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| Failured |
Posted on 19-07-2013 20:30
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baseballlover312 wrote:
Dan Martin was just saving himself. Tomorrow he wins.
He will get 2nd behind Fuglsang.  |
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