# Tour Stage 13: 217k



## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

I haven't seen Stage 12, not have I read much about it. Appears as though a break got away, and stayed away. David Millar was able to overcome a late attack and take the stage, something Garmin sorely needed this Tour. 

Stage 13 takes them out to the coast. Maybe we will finally get some winds and eschelons! It doesn't look like there is a hard turn, where you could launch a separation if there is wind, but it almost looks like they ride over a bridge, but that is Mont Saint-Clair. In fact, it almost looks like a mini Poggio. From the top of that Cat3 it is 23k to the finish. Not a long descent, and I am not certain how technical it is, but it could be a springboard.

If a breakaway artist can hit that descent first, they may be able to churn away. Could Zabriskie try and make it two in a row for Garmin? I don't see him as a downhill specialist.

I will hope for something really cool, but I think it ends up a sprinter's stage. Cavendish really needs another stage. He can't let Sagan and Greipel beat him, can he? Chavanel could sneak away here. What about Boassen Hagen? 
I will go with Cavendish.


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## foofighter (Dec 19, 2008)

i personally want Sagan to do it but for the dark horse...I'll say Gilbert


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

The Mont Saint-Clair is short and the average is only 10.2% average... but it has steep pitches, I heard above 20%... It could be a good launch pad and I'm sure some will try to get away, maybe Nibali as in Milan San Remo? But it's a bit far from the line, I doubt it would work so I guess the effort will not be worth it for the italian. I think we'll see a sprint... I'll go with Greipel.


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## tazzmacd (Feb 24, 2012)

Cav will do this one.


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## charliepuyear (Oct 7, 2011)

I'm ready to see Cav in action again. Wiggo's lead is big enough right now that I wouldn't be surprised to see Sky support Cav a little.


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## KenS (Jan 28, 2004)

The profile looks like a Tuesday stage instead of a Saturday stage.

It is Bastille day and I wanted to predict that Chavanel or Voeckler could get it but the climb is 23 Km from the end, too far to hold off the sprinters. (And I realized that the combination of French+sprinter seems to be an oxymoron.)

I don't think that Cav will get much support from Sky as they are dedicated to protecting Wiggins in yellow to the end. 

Sagan is so strong that the cat 3 climb is a bump in the road for him. I give it to Sagan.


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## allison (Apr 19, 2006)

I think Cav needs it mentally (confidence), but not sure I'm convinced he'll get it. I think Chavanel will try to take a flyer from the pack, but it's a sprinter's stage. Just depends on who has some gas after the hard Alp's stages.

I'm going with Goss. He might have a stomach full of anger.


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

Finally, a sprint stage! Been 8 days since the last one. 

Prediction: Goss gets his first ever stage win.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

tazzmacd said:


> Cav will do this one.


If he has the opportunity and tries....the last several sprints Cav was a no show.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Would like to see Chavanel take it but I'm going with Cav.


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

It is Bastille Day. Every French rider will give it a go.

Maybe Pinot, Roy or Tommy V?

I think Cav will take it though.


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## Mordy (Aug 30, 2006)

I think we'll see a sprint at the beginning, a French sprint to see who wants to be in a break away right off.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

I'll go with Greipel on this one.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

OMG. That shouting match between the commissaire and the Liquigas car was classic.


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

Sagan will ride milimeters behind Goss rear wheel and sling shot past him at the finish line.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

JohnHenry said:


> It is Bastille Day. Every French rider will give it a go.
> 
> Maybe Pinot, Roy or Tommy V?
> 
> I think Cav will take it though.


^^^This Bastille Day means something in France.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Skewer said:


> Sagan will ride milimeters behind Goss rear wheel and sling shot past him at the finish line.


He hasn't managed to get around too many real sprinters yet. Goss had him beat yesterday before the shinanigans. He didn't have the speed to come around and that was a way to not lose the points after losing the sprint. Had it been Cav who was cut off, Goss would not have lost points.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

I am shocked to see Green Edge giving Sky a free ride. Lots of work by them. A day to take free mileage out of the yellow jersey team, and they are working to chase. Especially since Cav is still there and Sky could end up working or him at the finish with fresh legs.


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

spookyload said:


> He hasn't managed to get around too many real sprinters yet. Goss had him beat yesterday before the shinanigans. He didn't have the speed to come around and that was a way to not lose the points after losing the sprint. Had it been Cav who was cut off, Goss would not have lost points.


Can't wait to see Sagan's celebration victory today.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Skewer said:


> Can't wait to see Sagan's celebration victory today.


I can. 

So canned. So cheesy.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

I think Cav got dropped like last week's news...I'll be surprised if he can get back on with how the lead guys are going.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Marc said:


> OMG. That shouting match between the commissaire and the Liquigas car was classic.



nOOB question: What do you think they were yelling about?

Sagan drafting behind the team car?


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

cda 455 said:


> nOOB question: What do you think they were yelling about?
> 
> Sagan drafting behind the team car?


I think either Sagan drafting, or the team car passing on the wrong side.


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

Did Griepel and Goss make it to the leading group? They already said that Cav didn't


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

Sagan made it past the climb. He is in striking position to show us another victory celebration.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Skewer said:


> Sagan made it past the climb. He is in striking position to show us another victory celebration.


Hopefully in the interest of taste, someone has a lead pipe handy.


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

OK, Griepel made it. Looks like Goss and Cav didn't. 

Change my prediction to Griepel.


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

Looks like Sagan's strategy is to ride Greipel's rear wheel to the finish line.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Marc said:


> I think either Sagan drafting, _*or the team car passing on the wrong side.*_




Ah; Roger that.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

cda 455 said:


> Ah; Roger that.


Could well be both, Sagan was being pretty blatant. Harmon/Kelly were expecting a fine attached to the team car window tonight.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Cav is 3 min back on the yellow jersey group.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Could Vino keep 10" with all the islands and turns into the finish? It'll be close. Probably get caught in sight of the line. Voeckler out the back.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Crosswind is nasty!


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

cda 455 said:


> Crosswind is nasty!


Nice attack by LL Sanchez.,


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Wow. I think Greipel grabbed it


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

Wiggins would have been a good lead out man.


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

wow, what a finish


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

I love Wiggo's leadout!!


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Marc said:


> Wow. I think Greipel grabbed it



By a quarter of a wheel!


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

inches from a Sagan victory celebration. Sagan though is a beast.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

1/3 of a wheel length. Sorry Sagan, you can save the Funky Chicken for next time.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Skewer said:


> Can't wait to see Sagan's celebration victory today.


Hmm...he will have to put that dance back in the playbook. Beat on a dead flat sprint against greipel. He sat in and didn't have the speed to pass for the win. Like I said.


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

Sagan is a lot faster than I thought he was. Thought Griepel would smoke him, but he barely won.


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## JonF (Apr 7, 2012)

cda 455 said:


> I love Wiggo's leadout!!


Yup! Huge respect for Wiggin's in the final KM.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Skewer said:


> inches from a Sagan victory celebration. Sagan though is a beast.


He sat in on a sprint and couldn't come around? How is he a beast?


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

The Lotto train disappointed. HTC train last year would never have broken up like that.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

gusmahler said:


> The Lotto train disappointed. HTC train last year would never have broken up like that.



Yep; HTC had the train down to a science.


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## Skewer (Sep 13, 2011)

spookyload said:


> He sat in on a sprint and couldn't come around? How is he a beast?


I think Greipel was a stronger sprinter than Sagan, but Sagan was reeling him in. Sagan just needed a couple of more feet to pass him to the finish line.


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## roddjbrown (Jan 19, 2012)

who/what was Sanchez's problem with when he got overtaken?

I find Wiggins slightly less dislikable after that move.I think Hinault's Froome comments have wound him up


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## EuroSVT (Sep 15, 2011)

What happened at the intermediate sprint, Goss & Cav just sat out, but they were there?


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

EuroSVT said:


> What happened at the intermediate sprint, Goss & Cav just sat out, but they were there?


Cav was nowhere to be seen:

FULL RESULTS OF INTERMEDIATE SPRINT:

1. Urtusaun (EUS) 20pts
2. Curvers (ARG) 17pts
3. Pineau (OPQ) 15pts
4. Ladagnous (FDJ) 13pts
5. Engoulvent (SAU) 11pts
6. Dumoulin (COF) 10pts
7. Bouet (ALM) 9pts
8. Morkov (STB) 8pts
9. Sagan (LIQ) 7pts
10. Greipel (LTB) 6pts
11. Goss (OGE) 5pts
12. Impey (OGE) 4pts
13. Cooke (OGE) 3pts
14. Eisel (SKY) 2pts
15. Rogers (SKY) 1pt


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## EuroSVT (Sep 15, 2011)

I thought he was lined up back there at 1,000M? My bad if it wasn't him. What I was getting at is that everyone in the bunch kind of - sort went, then sat out and let Sagan take it


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## gusmahler (Apr 7, 2012)

EuroSVT said:


> What happened at the intermediate sprint, Goss & Cav just sat out, but they were there?


Cav isn't trying at the intermediate sprints anymore. I guess he realizes that he has absolutely no shot at green, so no point in it. He was at the front, but only because Sky was pacing the peloton. 

Seems like he's just using the TdF as training miles for the Olympics. Really hope he tries on the last stage though. It will be a pure sprint between him, Goss, Griepel, and Sagan. No mountains to split them up. Hopefully no crashes that will put any of them in less than good shape. Just a short, flat stage that will lead to a sprint finish. I think that if Cav tries, then he will win the stage for the 4th year in a row. But he just isn't trying anymore, saving himself for the Olympics.

As for today's intermediate, I think Goss just got caught off guard. When Sagan made his move, neither Goss nor Griepel were prepared, so they just let him go.


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## FlandersFields (Jul 16, 2010)

One proud Belgian. Massive tour for Lotto so far, but this was just incredible.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

I don't expect to see the yellow jersey lead a teammate out on a sprint finish again in my lifetime. I'm not a big Wiggins fan, but I have to say that was massive panache.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

Kudos to Sky. Cav the Rainbow water carrier and Wiggo the Yellow Jersey lead out. Team players, no wonder they are doing so well


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

gawd I love to watch crosswinds shred a field.

hate hate hate to be in the race myself, but giggle gleefully to watch the pro's suffer like dogs.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Also: Sagan lost that sprint due to inexperience. Greipel beat him with the bike throw; Sagan threw his a moment too late.


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

atpjunkie said:


> Kudos to Sky. Cav the Rainbow water carrier and Wiggo the Yellow Jersey lead out. Team players, no wonder they are doing so well



Yeah, I was impressed with Mr. Wiggins today too  .


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Creakyknees said:


> gawd I love to watch crosswinds shred a field.
> 
> hate hate hate to be in the race myself, but giggle gleefully to watch the pro's suffer like dogs.


That's one thing I will miss about big George. Anytime the peloton hits a windy stretch you know he is going to go to the front and hammer and rip the field to shreds.


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