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Le Tour de France 2015 | Stage 15 - Mende/Valence
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| Kirchen_75 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:08
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GC:
Sunday, July 19th
 Mende / Valence (183 km)
Discuss! |
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| dark_x2012 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:14
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2agan time  |
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| Dusen |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:15
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It would be pretty amazing if Sagan once again finish the tour with no wins  |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:16
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What do you mean it's a stage without a hill-top finish? We haven't had one of those for nine days!
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:16
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Go Matteo Trentin! |
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| lakebeach |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:17
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I see some have Cav and the Gorilla as the favorites. Isn't that 2nd category climb hard enough for Tinkoff and Giant to drop those pure sprinters?
"It's very hard to work with other guys because nobody wants to work with me so it's better to drop everybody." - Peter Sagan |
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| carlos_valverde |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:18
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I think a sprinter win this stage |
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| Smowz |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:19
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Erm van avermart?
Normally you still feel breakaway chance but this is only sprint stage bar Paris. Th biggest issue is if they go nuts in first 60 klicks cav and gorilla will be swinging off the back.
What is the run in like in terms of corners and the like?
I have this creeping feeling Sagan might nab this one.
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| deek12345 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:27
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hope for some real agressive racing as rest day on monday.
sagan to win. maybe |
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| SlickMongoose |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:28
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Tinkoff to go all out to drop Cavendish and Greipel, only for Sagan to still come 2nd. |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:28
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Same climb (Col de l'Escrinet) but from the other side, back in 2009. Cav won this stage in a reduced bunch sprint, despite the fact that the climb was a lot closer to the finish than tomorrow. I think it's 14km @ 4.2% so it shouldn't drop too many sprinters.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 22:43
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| dark_x2012 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:32
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Smowz wrote:
Erm van avermart?
Normally you still feel breakaway chance but this is only sprint stage bar Paris. Th biggest issue is if they go nuts in first 60 klicks cav and gorilla will be swinging off the back.
What is the run in like in terms of corners and the like?
I have this creeping feeling Sagan might nab this one.
Tinkov is mad at Sagan and I have the creepy feeling the team won't work too hard. Just kidding ofc. I think it's tomorrow or never for Sagan but still Degenkolb should take it as the Slovak has spent too much energy today. |
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| Smowz |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:33
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deek12345 wrote:
hope for some real agressive racing as rest day on monday.
sagan to win. maybe
Isn't the rest day on Tuesday?
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| Kirchen_75 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:33
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Alright GVA is a longshot on this one. I forgot about Coquard actually. |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:36
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Hmmm, maybe EBH s tred from trying the last few days and Farrar tries and wins it.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| deek12345 |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:37
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your right thought it was a monday |
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| Guido Mukk |
Posted on 18-07-2015 19:54
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designed for breakaway |
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| Malkael |
Posted on 18-07-2015 22:17
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Stage 15: Mende - Valence (183km)
(click image to enlarge)
Beginning in the town of Mende, today's stage takes the peloton on a 183 kilometre-long journey from Languedoc-Roussillon to the commune of Valence in Rhône-Alpes. The third and final transition stage, the race edges ever closer to the fearsome mountain passes of the Alps.
A challenge start awaits the riders as they immediately tackle the ascent up to the summit of the third category Côte de Badaroux (4.6km @ 5.1%) from kilometre zero, the climb unofficially longer than the race's own calculations. This could contribute to yet another fierce start to a stage as the breakaway struggles to settle down and establish itself.
Following the Côte de Badaroux the peloton will follow a lumpy descent down to the foot of the uncategorised climb to Chasserades. A short climb it will none-the-less help blunt the legs of the heavier sprinters.
Another bumpy descent proceeds the ascent up to Chasserades as the race heads towards Luc and a rendezvous with the fourth category Col du Bez (2.6km @ 4.4%). A relatively short climb according to the official calculations it is preceded by several kilometres of false flats.
The climbing doesn't end at the summit of the Col du Bez however, once at the top the riders will continue ever upwards towards the summit of the Col de la Croix de Bauzon. Another fourth category climb, the Col de la Croix de Bauzon (1.3km @ 6.2%) marks the highest point of today's stage.
A long descent of just under twenty kilometres to Jaujac awaits the peloton after they crest the Col de la Croix de Bauzon, the road then soon becomes bumpy all the way to the intermediate sprint in Aubenas (108km). The intermediate sprint at Aubenas is uphill at an average gradient of around four per cent and favours the likes of Peter Sagan over Andre Greipel.
After the intermediate sprint the road descends to the foot of the second category Col de l'Escrinet (7.9km @ 5.8%), where the heavier sprinters are expected to be spat out the back of the peloton if they aren't already. The beginning of the climb is the hardest in terms of gradient and will prove the toughest challenge for those sprinters still present.
From the summit of the Col de l'Escrinet the peloton have a largely downhill and then flat run in to today's finish in Valence. With light rain and a headwind predicted the 20'ish kilometre long descent will give daredevil riders an opportunity to rejoin.
Final Kilometres
(click image to enlarge)
Crossing over the Rhône with under 7000-metres remaining the peloton will have to contend with some pinch points in the road, four roundabouts and other assorted traffic furniture as they race towards the finishing line. Expect the peloton to be strung out as the sprint teams fight to position their lead out trains and the general classification teams look to protect their team leaders.
Roughly 3500 metres from the finish a hill of a few hundred metres in length, at an average gradient of 4-5%, could be a potential launch pad for opportunists in the pack if the peloton is disorganised.
The final 3000 metres are relatively straight, mostly straight out with the odd sweeping bend to them. However, positioning and line within the final 1000 metres as the riders sweep right, through one final roundabout, on to today's short 280 metre-long finishing straight, seven metres in width.
Although race organisers ASO consider this stage to be a chance for the sprinters they would have to be kidding themselves if they think Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel are favourites to take the stage victory. If any one, or more, teams apply pressure over the climbs on today's parcours then the duo will need to dig deep just to stay in contact.
If Oleg Tinkoff wants Peter Sagan to break his drought of stage victories at the Tour de France then Stage 15 should see the Tinkoff - Saxo team out in force to look after the Slovakian's ambitions. In the few sprint finishes we've had during the 2015 Tour de France Andre Greipel and Mark Cavendish have been Sagan's greatest roadblock to victory, so distancing them is paramount.
If what Team Katusha have been saying to the press is true then today should see Alexander Kristoff in contention for the stage victory. The Russian team stated that they would not chase the breakaway yesterday for Joaquim Rodriguez due to today's fifteenth stage and the looming Alps. While the Norwegian rider has looked off the boil so far at the 2015 Tour de France he looks to be riding himself in to some improved form.
Can John Degenkolb finally break Giant - Alpecin's duck at the 2015 Tour de France?
Giant - Alpecin will the most desperate of the sprint teams to claim the stage victory today, so far still without a stage victory unlike both Tinkoff - Saxo and Team Katusha. While John Degenkolb would probably prefer a tougher finish his chances of victory will naturally be higher if Andre Greipel and Mark Cavendish are absent.
Some other sprinters who should be able to survive the climb and who will be eager to continue Peter Sagan's winless streak going include Arnaud Demare, Bryan Coquard and Michael Matthews. However, this is all dependent on the breakaway being brought back.
Some strong, opportunistic riders to keep an eye out for are Ramunas Navadauskas, Lars Bak, Tim Wellens, Bartosz Huzarski, Michal Kwiatkowski, Zdenek Stybar, Sep Vanmarcke and Daniel Oss.
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| tovhol |
Posted on 18-07-2015 22:32
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Hopefully this will be Kristoff's stage! Also, if EBH is in a good shape tomorrow, I see him as a threat for the other sprinters
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 18-07-2015 22:53
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Edvald seems to be struggeling with the heat, atleast he has seemed pretty "cooked" the last few days. I'm really hoping for stage win for either him or Kristoff, but chances are looking slim.
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist"
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