Monthly Archives: July 2015
2015 Tour de France stage 13
They may have left the Pyrenes, but today was never going to be an easy day for the peloton. The day's numbers: 1 sprint, 3 categorized climbs, 198.5km, and a brutal climb of over 9% in the last 500 meters. The cooperative six man break dropped most of their colleague in the closing kilometers, … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 12
I don't envy the peloton tackling one of the hardest stages in the 2015 Tour on such a sweltering day. When sign on opened, most of the riders and photographers understandably hid in the shade as long as they could. Everyone got to work before long. Andrew Talanaky, his shot at GC is … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 11
The only thing better than watching race on a climb is catching a lift up the climb when you had expected to walk the 11km! I checked out the finish, but this series of switchbacks, by far the steepest section of Côte de Cauterets. The category 3 climb was the sixth and final climb, less … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 10
Every morning before sign on begins, the biggest race sponsors put on little shows for the crowd. Vittel asks Tour/Vittel related trivia questions and the prize for a correct answer is a ride for you and a friend in the publicity caravan and passes for the VIP area just before the finish line. Wouldn't … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 9 TTT
A team time trial typically opens a Grand Tour or follows shortly after. This year, the organizers slotted the TTT in as stage 9, meaning any ailing rider–and you can be sure there are many after crashes have left riders injured and several teams short handed–will have to dig deeper still so as to not … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 9 warm up
In the morning before the TTT began, each of the 22 teams went out for a final recon ride of the 28k course from Vannes to Plumelec. Rui Costa. Lars Boom. Vicenzo Nibali. Alexander Kristoff. Steven Kruijswijk and Wilco Kelderman. A good morning wave from TT specialist Svein Tuft. Trek. Nathan Haas awaits his teammates. … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 8
While it's been another fabulous day at the Tour, it's also been a long one, so dear readers, I hope you'll forgive me if this one is a little short on text! Tyler Farrar and Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg. Rafael Valls. Romian Sicard. MTN Qhubeka receive their prize for being the … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 7
Today followed the script to a T for a sprint stage: a futile break, sprint teams assuming control in the final 30k, jockeying for position in the final 10k, and lead out men peeling off and saying a prayer as their sprinters do what they do best. Eager to show off now that the … Continue reading
Tour de France stage 6
Judging from all the bunting and decorations around town, Abbeville has been eagerly awaiting the start of stage 6. Bryan Coquard of Europcar, usually the first team to sign on each morning, signed autographs. Lieuwe Westra headed straight to the snack table. Christophe Laporte said the team had been forced to change … Continue reading
2015 Tour de France stage 5
For the second time in two years, Arras played host to a Tour stage. And for the second time in two years, it was a gray and soggy morning. The rain divided its time evenly between drizzling, down pouring, and taking a break. As the team buses arrived, the rain actually let up for the … Continue reading