Tour De France 2014 Stage 15: Tallard - Nimes

[monty1104]

Rafal Majka ha a great ride last night, getting away early in the stage, picking up lots of KOTM points and actually putting time into the peleton on the climb to Risoul, until Nibali decided to attack. Majka won the stage and is now tied with Rodriguez for the polkadot jersey, although Rodriguez will wear it due to the count back rule (more points gathered on higher category climbs).

Tour De France 2014 Stage 15: Tallard - Nimes
Current Jersey Leaders
Yellow: Vincenzo Nibail (AST)
White: Romain Bardet (ALM)
Green: Peter Sagan (CAN)
Polkadot: Joaquim Rodriguez (KAT)
Lantern Rouge: Ji Cheng (GSH)
Team: AG2R La Mondiale

General Classification after Stage 14
ITA 1 NIBALI, Vincenzo (ASTANA) 61:52:54
ESP 2 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR) + 4:37
FRA 3 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 4:50
FRA 4 PINOT, Thibaut (FDJ.fr) + 5:06
USA 5 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 5:49
FRA 6 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 6:08
NED 7 MOLLEMA, Bauke (BELKIN) + 8:33
CZE 8 KONIG, Leopold (NETAPP - ENDURA) + 9:32
NED 9 TEN DAM, Laurens (BELKIN) + 10:01
FRA 10 ROLLAND, Pierre (EUROPCAR) + 10:48

With no KOTM points available, no time to be gained (unless there is a crash) and the Green Jersey completely in Peter Sagan's feed bag, there is really nothing to be gained tonight, other than a stage win. This is one of the final chances for the sprinters, so expect Giant Shimano, Canondale and Lotto Belisol to share the pacemaking for their sprinters. I can't see the breakaway winning here. Astana shouldn't have to do much work due to the sprinter's teams dominating, and even if a break does get away, it is unlikely to contain any rider that is of a threat to the yellow jersey, so tonight will be kind of like an active recovery day for Astana. My tip for tonight is Marcel Kittel.

Look out for: If you're playing Paul and Phil bingo (card below), then tonight you should look to fill the card, as the boys will have their work cut out trying to keep things interesting tonight.

Conversation regarding past cases of PED use or innuendo surrounding current riders will not be tolerated. This thread is specifically about Stage 15 of the 2014 Tour de France, so let's keep it that way.

 

[alfy!]

Apparently OPQS are banking on strong winds and echelons forming today. They want to really attack hard on the front to cause chaos in the peleton.

So we could have a ripper stage on our hands. If not, it'll be a standard flat sprint.

 

[Vader]

Some of those Phil & Paul bingo "number" are unlikely to come up on a flat stage. Some of them are reserved exclusively for the mountain stages, like "dancing on the pedals" and "elite group of riders". We might look forward to a "suitcase of courage" though.

 

[monty1104]

That sky does not look promising. Not Team Sky, the actual sky.

 

[Donakebab]

Richies goose is cooked.

 

[Donakebab]

Welp, Richie is back. In other news, that moto rider just lost his job. The face the race ref pulled was gold.

 

[Donakebab]

Damn you gotta feel for Bauer and Elminger. Such a good ride but caught on the line.

 

[monty1104]

Wow. Very unlucky for Bauer and Elmiger, caught in the final 100m.

Good sprint by Kristoff. Aussie Heinrich in second, Sagan 3rd.

 

[grouse mate]

200+k's in a 2 man break and to lose like that, thats gonna hurt.