monty1104
Premium Platinum
Thanks mcgarnacle, your post today was so good, I'll use it as the wrap up of last night's stage
Stage 17: Saint Lary - Pla d'Adet
Current Jersey Leaders
Yellow: Vincenzo Nibail (AST)
White: Thibaut Pinot (FDJ)
Green: Peter Sagan (CAN)
Polkadot: Rafal Majka (SAX)
Lantern Rouge: Ji Cheng (GSH)
Team: AG2R La Mondiale
General Classification after Stage 16
ITA 1 NIBALI, Vincenzo (ASTANA) 73:05:19
ESP 2 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR) + 4:37
FRA 3 PINOT, Thibaut (FDJ.fr) + 5:06
FRA 4 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 6:08
FRA 5 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 6:40
USA 6 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 9:25
CZE 7 KONIG, Leopold (NETAPP - ENDURA) + 9:32
NED 8 TEN DAM, Laurens (BELKIN) + 11:12
POL 9 KWIATKOWSKI, Michal (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 11:28
NED 10 MOLLEMA, Bauke (BELKIN) + 11:33
I would imagine that his would be the stage Christian Prudhomme imagined we would see the yellow jersey really be fought out, with Contador, Nibali, Froome and maybe even Talansky duking it out. As we all know, we only have one of those guys left. Barring any disaster, Nibali will now win the Tour. However who stands on the podium with him is up for grabs. There are four riders that sit 2nd to 5th, separated by only 2'03". Valverde, plus the French Legion; Bardet, Pinot and Peraud. To be honest, I think it is great seeing some Frenchmen really in the running to get on the podium. In my time viewing, the best French hope has been Voeckler, and even that was only by circumstance, he wasn't a pre-race favourite. Tonight we will see these four riders really going for it, with Valverde expected to be the real aggressor. Within that battle, Bardet and Pinot are also fighting for the white jersey. We also have the KOM battle, between Rodriguez and Majka. Yes Nibali is there, but he may win it by circumstance, not because he is really trying to win it.
I imagine there will be a breakaway win again tonight, so I'll say the winner will be Rein Taaramae. Why? I've said for years that this guy will do something special one day. He will eventually prove me right.
Watch for: I reckon our mate Gabriel Gate will do paella, or something similarly Spanish since the race makes a brief incursion into Spain.
Conversation regarding past cases of PED use or innuendo surrounding current riders will not be tolerated. This thread is specifically about Stage 17 of the 2014 Tour de France, so let's keep it that way.
We've had folks in the past whining about stages which waste HC climbs 20-30 km from finishes in the valley, but last night showed one of the best things the TDF does with its course design than the other two GTs. Variety. It provded a stage which really brought out the descending skills of riders. The climb still had a massive impact by withering away 21 breakaway riders to 4, and it also changed the white jesey comp too. However after the selection up the Port de Bales, it was the descent that sorted out the win.
Stage 17: Saint Lary - Pla d'Adet
Current Jersey Leaders
Yellow: Vincenzo Nibail (AST)
White: Thibaut Pinot (FDJ)
Green: Peter Sagan (CAN)
Polkadot: Rafal Majka (SAX)
Lantern Rouge: Ji Cheng (GSH)
Team: AG2R La Mondiale
- Km 57.5 - Col du Portillon (1 292 m)8.3 kilometre-long climb at 7.1% - category 1
- Km 82.0 - Col de Peyresourde (1 569 m)13.2 kilometre-long climb at 7% - category 1
- Km 102.5 - Col de Val Louron-Azet (1 580 m)7.4 kilometre-long climb at 8.3% - category 1
- Km 124.5 - Montée de Saint-Lary Pla d'Adet (1 680 m)10.2 kilometre-long climb at 8.3% - category HC
General Classification after Stage 16
ITA 1 NIBALI, Vincenzo (ASTANA) 73:05:19
ESP 2 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR) + 4:37
FRA 3 PINOT, Thibaut (FDJ.fr) + 5:06
FRA 4 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 6:08
FRA 5 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 6:40
USA 6 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 9:25
CZE 7 KONIG, Leopold (NETAPP - ENDURA) + 9:32
NED 8 TEN DAM, Laurens (BELKIN) + 11:12
POL 9 KWIATKOWSKI, Michal (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 11:28
NED 10 MOLLEMA, Bauke (BELKIN) + 11:33
I would imagine that his would be the stage Christian Prudhomme imagined we would see the yellow jersey really be fought out, with Contador, Nibali, Froome and maybe even Talansky duking it out. As we all know, we only have one of those guys left. Barring any disaster, Nibali will now win the Tour. However who stands on the podium with him is up for grabs. There are four riders that sit 2nd to 5th, separated by only 2'03". Valverde, plus the French Legion; Bardet, Pinot and Peraud. To be honest, I think it is great seeing some Frenchmen really in the running to get on the podium. In my time viewing, the best French hope has been Voeckler, and even that was only by circumstance, he wasn't a pre-race favourite. Tonight we will see these four riders really going for it, with Valverde expected to be the real aggressor. Within that battle, Bardet and Pinot are also fighting for the white jersey. We also have the KOM battle, between Rodriguez and Majka. Yes Nibali is there, but he may win it by circumstance, not because he is really trying to win it.
I imagine there will be a breakaway win again tonight, so I'll say the winner will be Rein Taaramae. Why? I've said for years that this guy will do something special one day. He will eventually prove me right.
Watch for: I reckon our mate Gabriel Gate will do paella, or something similarly Spanish since the race makes a brief incursion into Spain.
Conversation regarding past cases of PED use or innuendo surrounding current riders will not be tolerated. This thread is specifically about Stage 17 of the 2014 Tour de France, so let's keep it that way.