Stage 13 result:
- Van Avermaet
- Sagan
- Bakelants
- Degenkolb
- Martens
What a finish! Sagan got himself into the perfect position to snatch the stage victory at the last, but Van Avermaet held him off!
Updated
The last 600metres are uphill ... and that is when the pack consume the front trio...
The front three are looking over their shoulders .... they can sense the looming threat behind the, just 12 second away with 1.2km to go ....
3km to go, and the peloton are 19 seconds from the front as they arrive at the base of the descent and prepare to start the tough uphill finish.
There’s a lot of movement in front of the peloton now, with Cavendish among those edging into a position to strike ....
Haas, Geniez and Périchon have been gobbled up by the day peloton. De Gendt, Kelderman and Gaultier remain in front - by 30 seconds.
Froome - have we even mentioned him so far today? - is being delivered to a spot just five away from the front of the peloton who are 38” behind the leading trio.
The peloton have their eyes on the leading trio: they can see their target just down the road, just 50 seconds in front. With 10km to go, it looks unlikely that any of the rider who have been at the front for 170km are going to be rewarded for their boldness with a stage victory.
Valiantly they front six try to protect their lead as the peloton breathes down their necks. They crank up the pace anew .... and Périchon can’t keep up. He’s been left behind. And Haas, suffering due to his previous exertions, is now struggling to. So Gaultier, De Gendt Kelderman now lead the way as the breakaway group becomes three. Meanwhile, the peloton is just 1’05” back, and Sagan is towards the front of it as he aims to remain in the green jersey. Griepel is the virtual wearer of that at the moment but he has been dropped by the peloton.
Gaultier gestures at Haas - pointing his finger to his head as if to suggest the early attack was bonkers. Haas just laughs. But he won’t be smiling at the news that the peloton are gaining ground again, with the lead down to 1’28”.
Haas has been caught by the other five, who don’t seem to have appreciated his attempt to go solo so soon. THe Australian did manage to extend the gap to the peloton at little, but did he deplete the breakaway group’s energy in the process? 1’34” in front, they still have 17km to go.
Gaultier leads a counter-attack on Haas, and the rest of the breakaway group join the pursuit. But the Australian is looking strong at the moment and travelling at a cracking pace as he goes under the 20km-to-go mark. Haas now has a 10 second lead over the other five, with the peloton 1’44” back.
Hey-ho, someone’s feeling lucky! Nathan Haas has darted out of the breakaway group and made a bold bid for personal glory: it would be a mighty achievement to hang on for the next 23km ...
The front six are now just 1’33” in front, and the sprinters’ teams in the peloton are starting to prepare to strike. Boasson Hagen, Janse van Rensburg and Matthews are all well placed. Still 24km to go.
Greipel is struggling. He’s fallen behind the peloton and now straggling two minutes back with Wellens and Curvers.
Kelderman was the first to summit the last peak of the stage but there was no scramble for the point, as all of the leading six seem more concentrated on just surviving out in front. But their lead is now below two minutes ...
The six tiring leaders are making their way up the last climb of the day, the category 4 Cote de la Selve. With 33km to go, their lead over the peloton (now led by Orica Green Edge) is down to 2’15”. It doesn’t look like the stage winners will come from that breakaway pack.
A round of applause, please, for Peraud, who has just rejoined the peloton after losing nearly three minutes as a result of that painful fall about 20km ago.
The heat is relenting a tad, with the temperature having dropped a few degrees to 33C. And the tempo is dropping too, at least from the six on the front, who are really starting to suffer as a result of setting the pace for some 120km.
Local boy Geniez reaches the summit first, claiming a King of the Mountain point for his efforts.
The riders are going up the short category 4 peak that is Cote de la Pomparie, and the leaders are finding it tough. The gap is down below three minutes.
Nibali has rejoined the peloton at last after a chsae of several kilometres. Just 48km to go to the finish now, and the leading sextet are 3’17” clear.
“I believe it was David Millar who said that being in a crash while racing was the same as being thrown out of a car at 60kph wearing only your birthday suit,” recalls Matt Lysaght. “Something Monsieur Peraud will attest to no doubt.” Yep, as he winces while trying to get back in touch with the peloton and being tended to by his doctor, who is wiping his wound while leaning through the window of a car drawn up alongside him.
Blues for Vincenzo Nibali, who has just suffered a puncture. He makes a quick change and joins the second group in a split peloton. His team-mates come back to engineer a fusion.
Peraud lost nearly three minutes as a result of that fall. Worse, it coincided with the peloton quickening up, as they begin to nibble away at the front six’s lead, which is down to 3’15”. John Sanderson makes a pertinent point about so-called boring stages: “That we see stages where everyone is, frankly, knackered is a good thing. I hope the days when riders seemed ready for more attacking riding after obliterating everyone the day before are long gone.”
Ouch! Jean-Christope Peraud has come off his bike at the back of the peloton, seemingly after catching the wheel of the bike in front of him. His torn shorts show a a badly bloodied hip and his tortured grimace shows that, yes, it really hurts. But after a quick sponge-down and a dab with a plaster, he clambers back aboard his bike and rides on. Suckers for punishments, these guys.
Updated
De Gendt is the first to summit Côte de Saint-Cirque, taking two King of the Mountain points, and followed by Geniez, who takes one. The front six, who have been there since the 12km point, remain nearly four minutes ahead of the peloton, where there is still no sign of an attempt to reel them in, nor of a bid to attack Sky.
Updated
Half-way up the first significant climb of the day - the category 3 Cote de Saint-Cirgue - and several riders are straining to remain in touch at the back of the peloton. Factor in the heat and this stage is getting very gruelling.
Gaultier has rejoined the leading group, having repaired the puncture that led to him being dropped. “People who complain about ‘boring’ stages or boring Tours just don’t understand cycling, probably because they’ve never done it,” fumes John E. Dunn. “This is a hard sport on a hard course. The weather is frighteningly hot or wet or cold. It is difficult to animate a race for the PlayStation generation. Sometimes when riders just can’t do it that’s fine. They are human, they get tired. The purists and experienced fans respect that.”
Gaultier has been dropped by the breakaway group, which now numbers just five riders. Their lead over the peloton stands at 4’23”. Meanwhile, Robet Shaw is wondering what James Cavell and Tom Oxley are bickering about. “What Sky dominance? They’ve not won a Grand Tour since 2013, have two riders in the top 10, and taken one stage at this year’s tour. Their performance in Stage 10 and the result was emphatic, but that was one stage in one Grand Tour - in the rest of the race they’ve simply defended their lead solidly. Start complaining when they’re successfully doing this year in, year out.”
Giant-Alpecin have been helming the peloton for most of the day so far, with none of the others teams so far showing any intent to take charge or make a move on Sky. Still, 83km to go yet.
As we await significant developments on the road, today’s other big battle is heating up, as Tom Oxley fires off a retort at James Cavell. “This is just a change in tactics. Sky realise that multiple riders capable of high pace in the mountain is more efficient than constant attacks form fourth wheel. Valverde and Quintana are not being humiliated. That’s Nibali Cavell is describing. Why do Movistar only have two climbers capable of staying with Sky? Surely if they were thinking of being genuinely competitive they should have at least another one if not three? The dominance of Sky is more to do with poor team selection of their competition than their own strengths; and don’t dismiss the luck they have had so far. Not one of Sky’s big four has retired. I would also suggest that the form shown by Thomas throughout the season would put him ahead of Porte in the pecking order?”
94km left and no has yet felt the need to try reeling in the six leaders, who have stretched the gap to four minutes. “It’s a bit unfair, I think to complain about Froome and Sky’s dominance,” carps Nick Honeywell. “It’s a combination of hard work, luck, and other teams needing to step their game up. Halfway through one tour is far too early to start talking about how to handicap Sky to make the race more interesting. Let’s not forget last year’s tour. The GC fight in that was sewn up within the first seven days - by Nibali, not Froome. This year has been much more interesting in comparison. And look at Nibali now, or Froome’s defence last year - there’s no guarantee that Froome and Sky will replicate their performance next year.”
I’m not sure what their exact job title is, but apparently each team employs someone to fill tights with crushed ice and given them to riders to wrap around their necks to offer some relief from the heat. Meanwhile, this: “I guess James Cavell is too young to remember Big Mig,” quips Bob O’Hara. “At least Froome wins his own road stages.”
Since this Froome v The Rest race seems settled, let’s keep tabs on the growing Cavell v Oxley grudgefest. Here’s the last blsta from Cavell. “How does a team with Quintana and Valverde fail to be a true challenge? Well, when you attack on the finishing climb and get hauled back by a guy you’d probably have said was Sky’s fourth best climber prior to the this week? That was an absolute humiliation for riders who are used to smashing races to pieces when they attack. This sort of dominance by one team is rather new. Lance actually had to chase after Pantani and Ulrich himself when they had a dig.”
“James Cavell is right, and Tom Oxley is wrong,” rules Graham Pierce. “Part of the appeal of cycling is that you don’t have to tie your colours to a mast and can just enjoy the spectacle. I was pleased to see Bradley Wiggins win, but I can understand that it didn’t necessarily make for a compelling spectacle watching him gauging his efforts up climb after climb, just as it wasn’t particularly thrilling to watch Indurain do much the same thing. For five years.”
That was a hectic sprint for the remaining points! Greipel put on a powerful late charge - shouldering his way past one rider Degenklopp - to cross first. Degenklopp came next, followed by Cavendish and then Sagan. That’s enough to put Greipel back in the green jersey as things stand.
No solidarity among the six breakaway riders when it came to the itnermediate sprint: all six went for the full 20 points with gusto. De Gendt gets there first, with Périchon coming second to take 17 points. It’ll be interesting to see who takes the remaining points when Sagan, Griepel and Co get to the sprint.
The six breakaway riders are still away, by 3’30” to be precise. Meanwhile, some support for the boy Cavell. “I think James Cavell makes a good point,” parps David Peacock. “Sky’s fortitude and resilience were to be admired yesterday but the efforts of their rivals made for a compelling stage and wouldn’t it have been great for the Alps and the rest of this year’s race if Froome had lost a couple of minutes and shown a little vulnerability?” Perhaps a horse racing-style handicap should be added after each stage to keep things close: should Froome have to wear, say, a rucksack full of rocks for today’s stage?
“What on earth is Cavell talking about?” storms Tom Oxley in reference to James Cavell’s comment a couple of entries ago. “We have waited for as long as I or my dad can remember to see competitive British riders at the tour. During the seven consecutive Lance err, wins, no one bemoaned US Postal dominance (obviously there were other issues that are not for this email). This is a period of dominance that should inspire other teams to step up to the plate. The money of Saxo-Tinkoff or Etixx or even BMC should mean they can get riders of equal quality on their rostas. If other teams shy away from the fight then shame on them. How does a team with Quintana and Valverde fail to be a true challenge? It’s not Sky’s fault that they are better prepared, better supported and better tacticians than the others? In fact, I have suggestion for Movistar: pay for Dan Martin, pay for Majka and have a team that can support their GC guys like Sky do. Too much of a good thing! What is Cavell smoking?” Ah, the internet, where folks can’t offer a different opinion without lobbing in an accusation against someone with a contrary view.
All this high-tech bike finery, but still they can’t protect tyres from punctures. Contador’s day has just been complicated by a flat tyre on the 77km mark. Not ruinous for him, of course, just a pain he could have done without.
According to reports in Belgium, the BMC rider Greg van Avermaet has been given permission to leavae the Tour on the second rest day (next Tuesday) in order to go see his wife, who is due to deliver their first child on the day of the final stage.
It’s extremely hot today, I should mention, and the tailwind offers the riders no relief from the heat. “It must be quite difficult for rival teams to motivate themselves to attack Sky, as the British team have 3 of the best half dozen riders in the race,” reckons James Cavell. “On Dutch TV yesterday evening several contributors were saying that Gesink and Mollema should forget trying to stay in the top 5-10 of the GC and instead deliberately drop off the radar so that Sky might let them get into early breaks so that they can perhaps win a stage in the manner of Rodriguez yesterday. This sat uncomfortably with others who found it a little sad to surrender the GC battle in the face of such superior opposition. We all wanted to see British winners but can there be too much of a good thing, and what sort of effects will this have on an international race? Do we really want to see other top riders abandoning the GC battle, or even not showing up at races where Sky field their A-Team?” Well, do you?
The six breakaway upstarts, still 3’30” ahead of the peloton, are passing through Lavaur, a town in the department of Tarn that is known for making lovely brushes and wooden shoes. I don’t know whether wooden shoes require a special kind of brush, but if they do, Lavaur is probably the place to get one. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Tactics talk
It will be intriguing to see how the teams trying to break Sky’s stranglehold on the race - Tinkoff, Movistar and BMC - approach todays stage. Will they view as an opportunity to rest and recuperate, or will they attack Sky? Movistar’s sports director, Jose Luis Arrieta does not appear to be in particularly bold form, as he explains to Eurosport that his team will seek to break Sky if they spot any sign of weakness but do not envisage that happening. If you’re ever looking to book a motivational speaker, this guy’s defeatist tone is worth bearing in mind.
The six leaders have passed the 50km mark, with Alexandre Geniez still among them. The FDJ rider is a native of Rodez, where today’s stage concludes, and will be deadset on clinching victory today. In other news, snow is cold.
Status report
After three days of hellish treks through the Pyrenees, today the riders face a transition day, featuring a 198.5km ride northwards to towards the Massif Central. It’s a day for the sprinters, but there are still some arduous climbs (a third category and two fourth categories, if you please) on the way to today’s finishing point in Rodez. The riders set off about 45 minutes ago and have a mere 151km left to go: six of them have stolen a march on the peloton, with Kelderman, Gautier (who launched the breakaway), De Gendt, Périchon, Geniez and Haas among those with a lead of 3’34”.
Updated
Paul will be here shortly, but in the meantime here is a brief guide to today’s stage:
Rather than seven sprint stages, make that six and a half. Breakaway specialists such as France’s Voeckler and Tony Gallopin will have earmarked this one, but so too the fastmen, although only those who can climb well, as the roads go as high as 692m above sea level in the finale.
From 80km out it’s constantly up and down through the Aveyron, so the flat-road experts such as Greipel and Cavendish will struggle to get to the finish with the leaders. Sagan is bound to be in there, Bouhanni is another possible, but the odds-on favourite will be Kristoff
Updated
