Caretaker

inrng : tour de france stage 15 preview

With GC wide open despte Alaphilippe's 2 : 02 lead there's likely to be attacks. Ineos may be down but they're not out. TJV will have ambitions. This stage will suit a rider like Valverde. Can Dan Martin recover some pride after his poor showing in the last two stages?

Caretaker

SPOILER ALERT


Simon Yates from Pinot and Landa 3rd.

Alaphilippe losing time but not the yellow jersey.

Full results to follow.

one4smoke

Much needed rest day tomorrow for Alaphilippe, as I think the tank is starting to run dry.

He's definitely giving it all he's got.

Caretaker

1 YATES, Simon Philip (MTS) 4:47:04
2 PINOT, Thibaut (GFC) + 33
3 LANDA MEANA, Mikel (MOV)
4 BUCHMANN, Emanuel (BOH) + 51
5 BERNAL GOMEZ, Egan Arley (INS)
6 KÄMNA, Lennard (SUN) + 1:03
7 THOMAS, Geraint (INS) + 1:22
8 KRUIJSWIJK, Steven (TJV)
9 VALVERDE, Alejandro (MOV)
10 PORTE, Richie (TFS) + 1:30
11 ALAPHILIPPE, Julian (DQT) + 1:49
12 POELS, Wout (INS)+1:49

GC

1 ALAPHILIPPE, Julian (DQT) 61:00:22
2 THOMAS, Geraint (INS) + 1:35
3 KRUIJSWIJK, Steven (TJV) + 1:47
4 PINOT, Thibaut (GFC) + 1:50
5 BERNAL GOMEZ, Egan Arley (INS) + 2:02
6 BUCHMANN, Emanuel (BOH) + 2:14
7 LANDA MEANA, Mikel (MOV) + 4:54
8 VALVERDE, Alejandro (MOV) + 5:00
9 FUGLSANG, Jakob (AST) + 5:27
10 URAN, Rigoberto (EF1) + 5:33

Great stage, great racing. Pinot back in the picture. Alaphilippe got isolated on the last climb and battled bravely to hold onto yellow. We have the rest day and then two easier GC days before we hit the Alps for three days of hell that will decide the GC podium in Paris.

GrainBrain

Ah Rigo, still my favorite GC rider. Always seems like he's having fun. Oh well here's hoping for a top ten finish.

Maybe he'll get lucky and the current big names will blow up in the Alps.

Some great racing so far!

Caretaker

DQT lost one particular asset early in stage 15 and had to rely on Viviani as a domestique.

Enric Mas (DQT) +31:29

Have to believe he's sick. Hopefully with the rest day and taking it easy in stages 16 & 17 he will be back for the mountain stages to help Alaphilippe.

Homebrew01

Wiggins said Alaphilippe made tactical mistakes in Stage 15, but didn't elaborate.
Thoughts ?

Caretaker

He means going with the Pinot attack, not being able to stick the pace, getting dropped and isolated. Probably should have stuck with Thomas and just kept a steady pace.
Easy to say with hindsight.