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TdF Stage 17 - Bagnères-de-Luchon to Peyragudes

Big day ahead, the last day in the mountains and the last chance for Nibali/Van den Broeck to make their move although unless Wiggins has an 'Evans' day today I can't see anyone beating him now.

Fantasy wise, who're your guys? Is the Voeckler/Kessiakoff showdown going to continue for the polka dot jersey? Can Chris Sorensen manage to get in the break again? Will Pierre Rolland do anything at all?

I've made the one transfer from yesterday having taken out Gorka Izagirre (hence I cannot possibly win the stage):

Wiggins
Froome
Rolland
Kessiakoff
Jeandesboz
Simon
Vichot
Pinot
Impey in for Izagirre (more for tomorrow than today)

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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29 comments

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drheaton | 12 years ago
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Chris Anker Sorensen is hardcore  13

le tour wrote:

We saw Chris Anker Sorensen really having a good go in the Pyrenees. He was 24th in stage 17 and second in stage 16 but he rode most of yesterday's stage with blood dripping from a wound on his left hand. We asked Saxo Bank's Nick Gates what happened yesterday... did he put his hand in his spokes?

“Yeah," said the directeur sportif, "a newspaper had been thrown out for a rider to put down his jersey for a descent and it went into Chris’ wheel. He tried to rip it out and he got his fingers stuck in the spokes. He’s not in a good way. He had micro-surgery on two fingers last night at the hospital and they’re now patching him up again to see if they can get the green light so he can race. He’s still in a lot of pain but he’s going to have a crack and see if he can race.”

le tour wrote:

LeTour.fr asked Nick Gates about the treatment of Sorensen's wound: what did they have to do? Were there fingertips missing or what exactly is the wound?

“Basically his small finger was ground down to the bone all the way up the side. They stuck a splint on there and that’ll get him through until the end of the Tour and on Monday or Tuesday he’ll have to go to a hospital and get it really fixed up. He’s a tough guy! The way he got through the stage.

“The accident happened on a really fast part of the race and they couldn’t dress the wound properly. There was no option. He had to defend his position on GC and he did that really well. He’s held 14th overall so he’s at least happy with that.”

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Gkam84 | 12 years ago
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Hardly climbs, From what I know, If everything goes right, Sky will be leading out Cav for the win tomorrow and in Paris

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Alan Tullett replied to Gkam84 | 12 years ago
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Gkam84 wrote:

Hardly climbs, From what I know, If everything goes right, Sky will be leading out Cav for the win tomorrow and in Paris

Paris, yes. I hope Cav wins there. His sprinting is a bit more exciting than watching Wiggins. (But I had enough excitement today watching Valverde win.) But I doubt it tomorrow. Sky and the other GC teams are probably too knackered to do anything. One for a sprinter/break artist. Maybe Dumoulin who's had one go but I'm not going to put him in. Gerrans has done nothing but he may still be injured. Morkov again, he likes the little hills and Saxo have nothing. Gilbert could win in a break. BMC don't have a stage win yet.

Had strong gut feelings about yesterday and today with Voeckler and Valverde, but haven't got a clue for tomorrow. But quite a few teams haven't won anything yet, EUS, Orica and lots of others. Hoping for something from Urtasun,Izagirre, Vichot or Impey. Put in Sagan as well, just in case he goes for it again and he has the same points as Voeckler who certainly won't do anything. Thinking about it now Gilbert might be worth a punt but I don't think I have the points or transfers now. When I don't have a clue I just play it safe. Either a couple of DSs turn up or I'm finished.

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Stumps | 12 years ago
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Bugger, i didnt check the profile - just saw flat - swapped out Nibali and Froome for Sagan and Griepel  14

Mind you i think Sagan will go for it as if he wins he will take the green jersey, not that i can see anyone else taking it from him.

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drheaton | 12 years ago
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There's still plenty to play for, 4 climbs tomorrow, plus sprint, plus with the last climb some 15km from the finish the possibility that a break may stick. Sky won't chase and I can see the stage going the same way as Monday.

Lotto might not feel confident that Griepel can get over the hill, Sky not bothering and Greenedge not confident in Goss at all might give the chance to someone who's not got a win yet, Vino maybe?

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Stumps | 12 years ago
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Ah well thats my tour over with. Cant get anywhere near the top of any of the leagues i'm in or this years tour. Had good fun though.  4

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drheaton | 12 years ago
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Congrats Alan.

Dave, out of interest, has anyone won a stage so far without have Gorka Izaguirre in their team?

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TERatcliffe26 | 12 years ago
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Congrats Alan on the stage win

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Alan Tullett replied to TERatcliffe26 | 12 years ago
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TERatcliffe26 wrote:

Congrats Alan on the stage win

Thanks TERatcliffe and drheaton.

It was the one I was going for although I would have had won yesterday as well if I had had Izagirre then. I changed Martinez for Izagirre last night as I'd read he wasn't feeling that good and kept Urtasun for tomorrow. Changing Sorenson for Valverde was the key though. Watching the highlights, knowing nothing about the result, I was urging the cheating little bastard along to his victory (I hope he is clean now), but thought I probably wouldn't win the stage as I'd made the swap with Martinez and I'd seen him pick up some mountain points. Luckily the other players had Rolland with 32 and I had Voeckler with 33 (that's 129 over the weekend).

10th in Premium now so everything to play for. But there aren't so many points on offer now.

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drheaton | 12 years ago
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I told my dad that Valverde would win today then didn't pick him  14

2, 3, 4 and 5 isn't bad, pity that my other DSs let me down again.

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Gkam84 | 12 years ago
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This is what you call Sky domination, Although Froome is clearly stronger again, LET HIM GO FOR THE STAGE WIN  14

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silas chime | 12 years ago
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Pinot won't be a DS next season  13

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chrisdstripes | 12 years ago
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Ha! Yep - thats the one...

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Simon_MacMichael | 12 years ago
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Boyson Hagen, shurely?

 3

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chrisdstripes | 12 years ago
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Right - I'm at home and watching to the finish. C'mon Brad!
Anyone else noticed Paul Sherwen has used the phrase "job of work" a lot less this year? As in "what a great job of work Boasson Hagen has done on the front today"...

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chrisdstripes | 12 years ago
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11km to the top and Liquigas on the front - this shit's about to get REAL...

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silas chime | 12 years ago
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Will the final cat 1(Peyresourde) count towards fantasy points?

Some sites list the summit as before the finish and some list it as the finish itself(Peyregudes).

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TERatcliffe26 replied to silas chime | 12 years ago
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silas chime wrote:

Will the final cat 1(Peyresourde) count towards fantasy points?

Some sites list the summit as before the finish and some list it as the finish itself(Peyregudes).

nope it wont count, as its still classed as a summit finish (most mountain summits were like 1km before the finish in the TdS but didnt count towards the points)

Anyway should have a solid score today  1 i make it 53 points for me so far, split between rolland, kessiakoff, izagirre and casar

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chrisdstripes | 12 years ago
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Oh no - Sorensen was in the break but he crashed! Looks like he has a bloody finger. Only 3 mins in it tho - the break should get the next set of HC mountain points but wouldn't be surprised if its the top GC guys at the front by the end...

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livestrongnick | 12 years ago
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I like descents but this is f-ing scary shit!!!  31  17

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TERatcliffe26 | 12 years ago
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well my team is the same as yesterday...

Wiggins
Tejay
Rolland
Kessiakoff

Casar
Vichot
Impey
Boeckmans
Izagirre

Nice start i guess, 2nd, 3rd and 5th over the cat 1 climb

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silas chime | 12 years ago
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Zubeldia's going out of the back  13

As is Sagan,Gilbert,Grabsch and others as EBH paces the peloton up to the escape.Hope EBH doesn't kill himself as he's coming in tomorrow along with Sagan(allrounders who can finish and TT are the key for the last 3 stages)

Tivo(10pts)beats Freddie(8pts)over the top.
Rolland(6pts),Valverde(4pts),Casar(2pts),EBH(1pt)round it out over the first climb.

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Gkam84 | 12 years ago
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Where has the road gone??  13

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chrisdstripes | 12 years ago
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Looks like I was half-right - Cobo is going but is probably working for Valverde...

Leipheimer, Rolland, Voeckler, Sorensen, Kessiakoff all in there, might not be the definitive break tho, the gap is fairly small...

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livestrongnick | 12 years ago
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Yeah Albasini having a dig!!  4

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silas chime | 12 years ago
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25th premium and 50th overall for the TDF so just trying to move up a few places in each over these last 4 stages.

Rolland was very disappointing yesterday so have taken him out for Sorensen but banking a transfer for tomorrow.

Nibali
VanGarderen
C.A.Sorensen
Kessiakoff
Albasini
Izagirre
Pinot
Edet(is he ever going to do anything!!)
Vichot

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chrisdstripes | 12 years ago
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Right. I've made 2 transfers, as I had 4 available so would only have lost them otherwise. Fancied taking a risk on the break, so I've gone for Cobo  39 - Too far behind on GC to get chased, but he's obviously riding the tour as prep for the Vuelta, and yesterday for the first time he stayed with the main group so maybe he's finding his legs. So a good chance of zero, but if I get lucky I doubt many people will have him. And there's always more chance of a Spaniard attacking in the Pyrenees than the Alps.

Froome
Cobo
Rolland
Sorensen (my new favourite rider - I really hope he goes again today)
Grivko (in for Pinot - partly for the TT but he does seem in good form so could be in a break too)
Jeandesbosz (had him since stage 5 with a grand total of zero points, should've gone for Izagirre)
Stortoni (8th yesterday)
De Weert (don't ask...)
Boeckmans (for Friday/Sunday)

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drheaton | 12 years ago
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I considered bringing in Voeckler for Froome but I can't seem him getting to the end today so didn't think he'd score quite as highly. Plus, already thinking ahead to Saturday and didn't want to lose a TT guy only to have to bring him back in.

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livestrongnick | 12 years ago
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Just the one transfer saving for saturday  26

Thomas Voeckler (Daniel Martin out)
Bradley Wiggins
Fredrik Kessiakoff
C sorensen (Nicolas Roche out)

Michael Albasini
Gorka Izagirre
Joan Horrach
Thibaut Pinot
Nicolas Edet

Hoping for Albasini today  39

EDIT - Dropped Roche for Sorensen  3

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