Stage 14: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Mende, 188km/116.8m
Stage 14: Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux to Mende, 188km/116.8m
So this morning, I’m not sure if one can say there’s a breakaway, or simply that there are two pelotons. The first pack comprises 32 riders, and that’s more than enough to keep a good race going for a while. None of those riders are serious CG contenders, but that doesn’t matter at the moment.
108km to go, and we’re just getting to the first little uphill. The sun is out, and it’s a gorgeous day. Both Sky and Sunweb are on the front of the peloton, and it’s a little hard to tell them apart sometimes, as they’re both in black and white kits.
Sagan comes up to the sprint point, and it looks like the rest of the peloton will just sit back and let him take it, but oooh, no. Thomas Boudat of Direct Energie challenges him and aaaaalmost tips him on the line. Sagan’s not having that. Boudat slings an arm over Sagan companionably as the race slides on- no hard feelings.
The groups are now over seven minutes apart. It doesn’t matter now, but it will once they reach the climbs at the end of the stage. Froome and Thomas are still neck and neck, which remains fascinating, considering they’re on the same damned team. But they’re still going to want to put some time on Tom Dumoulin, if they can.
The peloton comes through the sprint point, now, all in a sedate group, Sky and Sunweb leading what’s almost a single file through what I believe is the town of Besseges. It’s all pale orange brick buildings along a beautiful river- but it looks very hot.
Snack time for the race as they’re winding through narrow streets and back out towards the green countryside. Stone buildings, terra cotta tile roofs- man, it’s gorgeous out here.
G-d, this countryside is stunning. Like…wow. I’m gonna give it all up and go be a French goat herder. Sorry, Mom.
Terrifying shot, here, of Phillipe Gilbert clinging to the side of his team car as his mechanic whangs on the base of his saddle with a wrench- at speed. Speaking of which, the whole race is going pretty damned fast today, much as it did yesterday. There’s a certain general idea of when the riders will reach this point on the course or another- yesterday, the race was about fifteen minutes faster than its fastest estimate.
Ooooo, here’s something. A statement from Brent Copeland, the manager of Bahrain Merida, team of Vincenzo Nibali, out of the race now with a broken back, courtesy of an asshole with a camera strap up on the Alpe d’Huez yesterday:
“I’ve spoken to both Christian Prudhomme and UCI President David Lappartient at length. They apologised and assured us that safety will be improved in future, But for us, that’s not enough; we’ve suffered huge damage as a team. It’s not acceptable. That’s why our lawyers are studying the possibility of legal action.”
Wwwwwwwow. That’s something. And I’m totally with him: these guys train all year behind their captain, and build their entire strategies around him. Millions of dollars spent. Absolutely accidents happen, but for them to happen through sheer idiocy? He’s right. Not acceptable. I get that some riders love having their fans so close, and don’t mind the pats on the back and flags in their faces. But this is a race, not a circus. Let’s get it together, guys.
Seriously, I’m listening to all these men talk about how they just want the fans up the mountains to have a little more common sense, and how you can’t change the feel of the race and yes, it’s awful that Nibali was injured, but was can you do?
And all I can think is, “I’m listening to men excusing the entitled bullshit of other men. It’s not women up there getting in the riders’ faces and jumping into the road. It’s drunk men. Drunk white men. Listen to me, guys: that’s not changing any time soon. They’re not gonna get better. This one’s on you.”
ANYWAY. Gap’s now at 9.25”. Aw, man. BMC has lost another rider: Paddy Bevin, struggling with stomach problems for several days and looking terrible out on the road just now, has abandoned. Ugh- poor bastard.
On on on we go, and Jasper Stuyven of Team Trek-Segafredo is now out on his own in front, being followed by 19 riders. The peloton is a whopping NINETEEN MINUTES behind, and this is definitely going to be two races today. The leading group may very well break up again, as there’s a climb right up to the airfield at Mende where we finish, but I can’t see the whole peloton re-forming.
Stuyven is on the packed streets of Mende alone, now, the crowd cheering enthusiastically for him. He’s a Belgian rider, and it’s a holiday in Belgium today, so it’d certainly be a good day for him to win. But he’s got that steep climb, and anything could happen.
Sure enough, Thomas De Gendt attacks as the chase group enters Mende, followed by a Spanish Astana rider, Omar Fraile. Ooo! Fraile has passed De Gendt! He’s left the whole group behind. It’s kind of crazy.
Stuyven is on the part of the climb that’s a 12% gradient, and he’s got 1.5km to go until there’s any mercy at all. His lead is dropping. Can he do it? Man, I sort of hope so, at this point. Oh, G-d, now it’s a 16% gradient. That’s insane.
Fraile is now only 35 seconds behind Stuyven, and Stuyven’s legs have to be exploding right now.
Julian Alaphilippe attacks back in the group, trying to get to Fraile and then Stuyven.
Oh! Stuyven has been caught by Alaphilippe! Fraile is now in the lead, with Alaphilippe trying desperately to reach him. 12 seconds between them. Stuyven is recovering just a bit, but no, Alaphilippe is on his wheel! Up ahead of them both, Fraile has come up over the top of the climb, and there’s no way now they’ll catch him.
Fraile is looking over his shoulder again and again, but he’s also zipping up his jersey. He knows he’s got it. He knows. He sits up at the line, pointing to his Astana logo, just beaming.
Alaphilippe crosses behind him, and Stuyven after him. Interestingly, it’s Peter Sagan who crosses fourth. A sprinter. On a climb. Damn, what’s in those legs, man?
The remains of the race are still coming, and we’re talking Froome, Thomas, Quintana- all the big names. Oh, dear- Adam Yates is off the back. This is not his year. They’re all setting a pretty high pace, taking direct aim at the hideous climb just past the town to the airfield.
Dumoulin is sticking close to Froome and Thomas even as riders are dropping like flies off the back. Romain Bardet is in there, as is Valverde. Bauke Mollema- we’ve not heard much of him this year at all, have we? But there he is.
It’s grim watching these guys. They’ve had a long-ass day, and now this sadistic gradient. They’re under the banner for 3k to the finish. Sky is just waiting, just waiting- but it’s a battle now! Dumoulin, Roglic, Bardet, Thomas, Froome, Quintana all fighting!
Thomas is over the top with Froome on his wheel. Roglic is in front by a few seconds over Thomas, Froome and Dumoulin cross together. Quintana is right behind them.
All in all, then, no changes to the GC. Thomas is on top, Froome is 1.39” behind him, Dumoulin at 1.50”, and Roglic still in 4th, 2.38” off the lead.
I’ll note that that last climb had one side of the road completely lined with barriers, and the other side heavily policed. No smoke bombs, no crowding. And hey, what a surprise: no one getting knocked off their bikes by idiots. It’s a refreshing change. However, we have more mountains to come, so I’m not letting that held breath go just yet.
Photo from: https://au.eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2018/omar-fraile-wins-stage-14-as-geraint-thomas-stays-in-yellow_sto6857033/story.shtml
So this morning, I’m not sure if one can say there’s a breakaway, or simply that there are two pelotons. The first pack comprises 32 riders, and that’s more than enough to keep a good race going for a while. None of those riders are serious CG contenders, but that doesn’t matter at the moment.
108km to go, and we’re just getting to the first little uphill. The sun is out, and it’s a gorgeous day. Both Sky and Sunweb are on the front of the peloton, and it’s a little hard to tell them apart sometimes, as they’re both in black and white kits.
Sagan comes up to the sprint point, and it looks like the rest of the peloton will just sit back and let him take it, but oooh, no. Thomas Boudat of Direct Energie challenges him and aaaaalmost tips him on the line. Sagan’s not having that. Boudat slings an arm over Sagan companionably as the race slides on- no hard feelings.
The groups are now over seven minutes apart. It doesn’t matter now, but it will once they reach the climbs at the end of the stage. Froome and Thomas are still neck and neck, which remains fascinating, considering they’re on the same damned team. But they’re still going to want to put some time on Tom Dumoulin, if they can.
The peloton comes through the sprint point, now, all in a sedate group, Sky and Sunweb leading what’s almost a single file through what I believe is the town of Besseges. It’s all pale orange brick buildings along a beautiful river- but it looks very hot.
Snack time for the race as they’re winding through narrow streets and back out towards the green countryside. Stone buildings, terra cotta tile roofs- man, it’s gorgeous out here.
G-d, this countryside is stunning. Like…wow. I’m gonna give it all up and go be a French goat herder. Sorry, Mom.
Terrifying shot, here, of Phillipe Gilbert clinging to the side of his team car as his mechanic whangs on the base of his saddle with a wrench- at speed. Speaking of which, the whole race is going pretty damned fast today, much as it did yesterday. There’s a certain general idea of when the riders will reach this point on the course or another- yesterday, the race was about fifteen minutes faster than its fastest estimate.
Ooooo, here’s something. A statement from Brent Copeland, the manager of Bahrain Merida, team of Vincenzo Nibali, out of the race now with a broken back, courtesy of an asshole with a camera strap up on the Alpe d’Huez yesterday:
“I’ve spoken to both Christian Prudhomme and UCI President David Lappartient at length. They apologised and assured us that safety will be improved in future, But for us, that’s not enough; we’ve suffered huge damage as a team. It’s not acceptable. That’s why our lawyers are studying the possibility of legal action.”
Wwwwwwwow. That’s something. And I’m totally with him: these guys train all year behind their captain, and build their entire strategies around him. Millions of dollars spent. Absolutely accidents happen, but for them to happen through sheer idiocy? He’s right. Not acceptable. I get that some riders love having their fans so close, and don’t mind the pats on the back and flags in their faces. But this is a race, not a circus. Let’s get it together, guys.
Seriously, I’m listening to all these men talk about how they just want the fans up the mountains to have a little more common sense, and how you can’t change the feel of the race and yes, it’s awful that Nibali was injured, but was can you do?
And all I can think is, “I’m listening to men excusing the entitled bullshit of other men. It’s not women up there getting in the riders’ faces and jumping into the road. It’s drunk men. Drunk white men. Listen to me, guys: that’s not changing any time soon. They’re not gonna get better. This one’s on you.”
ANYWAY. Gap’s now at 9.25”. Aw, man. BMC has lost another rider: Paddy Bevin, struggling with stomach problems for several days and looking terrible out on the road just now, has abandoned. Ugh- poor bastard.
On on on we go, and Jasper Stuyven of Team Trek-Segafredo is now out on his own in front, being followed by 19 riders. The peloton is a whopping NINETEEN MINUTES behind, and this is definitely going to be two races today. The leading group may very well break up again, as there’s a climb right up to the airfield at Mende where we finish, but I can’t see the whole peloton re-forming.
Stuyven is on the packed streets of Mende alone, now, the crowd cheering enthusiastically for him. He’s a Belgian rider, and it’s a holiday in Belgium today, so it’d certainly be a good day for him to win. But he’s got that steep climb, and anything could happen.
Sure enough, Thomas De Gendt attacks as the chase group enters Mende, followed by a Spanish Astana rider, Omar Fraile. Ooo! Fraile has passed De Gendt! He’s left the whole group behind. It’s kind of crazy.
Stuyven is on the part of the climb that’s a 12% gradient, and he’s got 1.5km to go until there’s any mercy at all. His lead is dropping. Can he do it? Man, I sort of hope so, at this point. Oh, G-d, now it’s a 16% gradient. That’s insane.
Fraile is now only 35 seconds behind Stuyven, and Stuyven’s legs have to be exploding right now.
Julian Alaphilippe attacks back in the group, trying to get to Fraile and then Stuyven.
Oh! Stuyven has been caught by Alaphilippe! Fraile is now in the lead, with Alaphilippe trying desperately to reach him. 12 seconds between them. Stuyven is recovering just a bit, but no, Alaphilippe is on his wheel! Up ahead of them both, Fraile has come up over the top of the climb, and there’s no way now they’ll catch him.
Fraile is looking over his shoulder again and again, but he’s also zipping up his jersey. He knows he’s got it. He knows. He sits up at the line, pointing to his Astana logo, just beaming.
Alaphilippe crosses behind him, and Stuyven after him. Interestingly, it’s Peter Sagan who crosses fourth. A sprinter. On a climb. Damn, what’s in those legs, man?
The remains of the race are still coming, and we’re talking Froome, Thomas, Quintana- all the big names. Oh, dear- Adam Yates is off the back. This is not his year. They’re all setting a pretty high pace, taking direct aim at the hideous climb just past the town to the airfield.
Dumoulin is sticking close to Froome and Thomas even as riders are dropping like flies off the back. Romain Bardet is in there, as is Valverde. Bauke Mollema- we’ve not heard much of him this year at all, have we? But there he is.
It’s grim watching these guys. They’ve had a long-ass day, and now this sadistic gradient. They’re under the banner for 3k to the finish. Sky is just waiting, just waiting- but it’s a battle now! Dumoulin, Roglic, Bardet, Thomas, Froome, Quintana all fighting!
Thomas is over the top with Froome on his wheel. Roglic is in front by a few seconds over Thomas, Froome and Dumoulin cross together. Quintana is right behind them.
All in all, then, no changes to the GC. Thomas is on top, Froome is 1.39” behind him, Dumoulin at 1.50”, and Roglic still in 4th, 2.38” off the lead.
I’ll note that that last climb had one side of the road completely lined with barriers, and the other side heavily policed. No smoke bombs, no crowding. And hey, what a surprise: no one getting knocked off their bikes by idiots. It’s a refreshing change. However, we have more mountains to come, so I’m not letting that held breath go just yet.
Photo from: https://au.eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2018/omar-fraile-wins-stage-14-as-geraint-thomas-stays-in-yellow_sto6857033/story.shtml