Key events
William Fotheringham’s stage guide
Stage 14, Saturday 18 July: Mulhouse to Le Markstein Fellering, 155.3km
A brutal day’s climbing including a 106km loop that goes through the finish line twice, at the top of the first-category Grand Ballon after 43.9km, then finally via the Col du Haag, a steep, narrow climb, 11km at 7% up what the manual describes as “a forest path which has been converted into a cycle path”. That is after climbing the Ballon d’Alsace for the second time in two days. The trend on the Tour’s shorter mountain stages now is that the early escapees do not get enough space to contest the stage win; this has Pogacar or Vingegaard written all over it.
Preamble
Hello! A weekend of mountain agony in the Vosges awaits for the riders, and a rather more enjoyable couple of afternoons of watching for the rest of us.
An excellent first tour win for Switzerland’s Mauro Schmid yesterday in a sprint for the line was accompanied by a surprise rise up the GC rankings for Tom Pidcock, who starts today in fourth. More knowledgable people than me expect him not to have such a free ride now he has a target on his back.
On stage 13, the pelaton drifted in more than seven minutes clear of the leaders, and that’s where Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard bided their time. They are bound to be more conspicuous today – the map of the terrain is a series of nasty looking acute triangles.
Do join us, and send me your musings – I’d appreciate the expertise!
Leave a Reply