SB Nation User Blog: crashdan

Tour Stage 7 Preview: Barcelona - Andorra-Arcalís

crashdan — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:41:34 -0000

Stage 7 :: Friday July 10, 2009
224km :: Barcelona - Andorra-Arcalís

God what a massive stage! 139 miles long, with multiple no BS mountains along the way and ending in yet another city state. Cool! To make matters even more interesting, it's a summit finish at 2200m (7,217'), after having departed from, essentially, sea level. How'd you like to do that in a day... let a lone race it.

This is the first true mountainous stage and it should shake things up in the GC placements, particularly as there are a lot of premium riders out there who are far down on the clock and might want to take a nice hard early flier to get back up into the top 10, if they have the form. Too early for Sastre, surely, but Menchov, perhaps?

Particular particulars? Gavia, Gavia!

The Tour continues its Spanish excursion with this first mountain-top finish. The stage departs from the city of Barcelona and heads into the Pyrénées. Leaving Spain, the Tour heads into the independent principality of Andorre. The stage finishes at the ski resort in Arcalis. There are five categorized climbs on the route, though three of the five are not especially difficult. The final climb at Arcalis, rated hors catégorie, should provide an early indication of who has brought his climbing legs to this Tour de France.

The Tour last visited Arcalis in 1997 where it served as the finish for stage 10. That year, 23 year old Jan Ullrich of Deutsche Telekom attacked with 10 kilometers to go, and took the stage win ahead of Marco Pantani of Mercatone Uno and Richard Virenque of Festina. The two climbers finished together 1:08 behind the German. Ullrich’s team leader Bjarne Riis, who won the 2006 [ed. note: we all know Gavia meant to say 1996 :) ] Tour and now manages team Saxo Bank, finished more than 3 minutes behind. Ullrich took the leader’s jersey Arcalis, and went on to win his first - and last - Tour de France.

Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 7 Preview at Steephill.tv

Wow... Ullrich, Pantani and Virenque. What a quality podium :|

Anyway, let's get on with the show! This stage is big, crossing somewhere between a 1/3rd and a full half of the way way across the Spanish peninsula. I just used today's finish line as the starting location, since the maps and time plan that ASO publishes are markedly inferior to those published by RCS (not that Christiane Prudhomme gives a flying fornication as to what I think of their materials). Wikipedia states that Barcelona's average elevation is 12 meters. So there's a long way to go from here!

Once we're out of the city, there's a peachy little climb, but it's unrated and unnamed by ASO. I liked it though, so I snapped screen shots of it.

A lot of rolling terrain will pass under the rider's wheels as they move towards the first rated climb of the day, the Cat.4 Côte de Montserrat of 4.1km in length and 3% or so gradient.

Once through Manresa, it's only a matter of 40 kilometers before the first red line climb, the Cat.3 Port de Solsona. Don't mind the funky little lines around Clariana de Cardener; Google Earth has no idea how to handle Spanish streets.

Once over the 708m Port de Solsona, there isn't much rest before attacking the first real mountain pass of the Tour, the 1160m pass of Col de Serra-Seca. The peloton will have an intermediate sprint in Solsona, followed by a wheel-entangling Musette-a-thon and then the climb will start. The Col de Serra-Seca is a typical Pyrénées gut punch of 7.7 km over an average 7.1% gradient.

The descent though, doesn't look too steep, so not much chance for the wicked descenders in the pack to do much of anything and as soon as you hit the trough, such as it is, it's right back up again over the Cat.3 Port del Comte.

Again, the descent looks fairly miniscule as the general tilt of the day seems "up" as they head to Alinya then wend their way northwest towards the final destination in Andorra.

The final climb to the Arcalís ski station is listed as 10.6km in length, but I can guarantee you that it's all false flat from Organya on. Expect the Princesa of Organya to make an appearance on the road side as the riders pass through.

You know, Princesa Leia Organya?

The final two intermediate sprints lie just inside the boundries of Andorra (I think) at Andorra la Vella and La Cortinada.

Then, finally, at El Serrat, the road tilts up for well and truly, ascending the final climb to Arcalís. As previously mentioned, the summit finish is at 2240 meters, and has an official length of 10.6km. The average gradient is 7.1% over that length. The crappy final climb profile provided by ASO on the Tour website seems to indicate that the worst gradient occurs in the first 4km of the climb out of El Serrat, which makes me think that that first left hand hairpin must really, really, suck.

Tour Stage 6 Preview: Girona - Barcelona

crashdan — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:31:15 -0000

Stage 6 :: Thursday July 9, 2009
181.5km :: Girona - Barcelona

Wait, I'm confused. This is the Tour de France, yet this stage occurs entirely in Cataluña and looks so Giro-like (rolling, lumpy, uphill finish), that I half expect to see Danilo Di Luca exhibiting massive grinta while trying to shake loose an unflappable Denis Menchov.

Thtage 6 runth from Girona to Barthelona along the northeathtern Mediterranean coatht of Thpain (or ith thith exthcluthively Cataluña? Thorry, don't totally underthtand the politicth there). We thtill don't deviate dramatically from the coatht line, although we finally thee the first bunch of climbth rated above Category 4. Let'th have a look, thall we?

Madame La Gavia, lay it on us...

The Tour de France now heads into Spain for a brief visit. Continuing the Mediterranean theme of this first week of the Tour, the stage visits Gerona and Barcelona. This course has breakaway written all over it, and includes five categorized climbs and few flat kilometers. The final climb of the day, the Côte de la Conreria, lies 22 kilometers from the finish, close enough to influence the stage outcome. The finish is also uphill. The break should stay away today.

This year marks the first ever visit of the Tour de France to Gerona. Drawn by the good weather and hilly terrain, many American riders racing in Europe have chosen Girona as their home-base on the continent. The stage finishes in Barcelona, the capital of Cataluña. The city has hosted a stage finish twice previously, and the Tour visited Barcelona most recently in 1965. That year, the stage began in Aix-les-Thermes and climbed two major cols in freezing conditions. Spanish rider José Pérez Francés of Ferrys won the stage after a 223 kilometer solo break, which is among the longest in Tour history. Italian Felice Gimondi of Salvarani wore the leader’s jersey that day, and went on to celebrate the overall victory in Paris. This year, the stage finishes in the Parc de Montjuic, site of the 1929 World Exposition.

Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 6 Preview at Steephill.tv

Lame pronunciation jokes aside, I like the looks of this stage. While missing the epic climb up Vesuvio at the end, it does remind me distinctly of Stage 19 from this year's Giro d'Italia, particularly the stretch along the gorgeous Amalfi coastline, which will be played tomorrow by the magnificent Catalan coastline.

We run straight to the ocean, and then make a turn southwest to move along the very rolling terrain that reminds me so much of Amalfi. Within the baroque frills of the coastline, the riders will surmount two Cat.4 climbs: the Côte de Sant Feliu de Guixols and the Côte de Tossa de Mar.

After the short descent back down to sea level, there are a pair of traguardos volante along the beach, followed by a Hot Chocolate station.

Then, finally, an excuse for me to pull out the red crayon. Cat.3 climbs! First, we turn inland from the coast to climb up to the first pass, the Côte de Sant Vicenc de Montalt, rising 202m over a 5.4% gradient, which is followed, almost entirely uphill (not sure why they broke this into two climbs) by the Collsacreu at 345m, also over a 5.2% gradient.

From the Collsacreu, they descend and head back to the coastline, passing over the minor Côte de la Conreria, which will send them hurtling back to the beach, to run south to Barcelona.

It's a nasty finish, not a summit finish by any stretch, but definitely more than just a false flat. It's a long, lazy turn uphill to the stadium that will make any classics riders in the peloton start drooling right about now.

Tour Stage 5 Preview: Le Cap d'Agde - Perpignan 196.5 km

crashdan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:13:32 -0000

Stage 5 :: Tuesday July 7, 2009
196.5km :: Le Cap d'Agde - Perginan

Another flat stage is upon us; one for the sprinters. We got our fill of action with that magnificent Team Time Trial on oil slick roads today, but a look at tomorrow's stage shows some rolling stuff with a pair of Category 4 climbs at the end, but nothing really breakaway worthy and since there haven't been any real mountains yet, I'm betting the sprinters want to taste some more blood before cashing in their chips.

Who will it be? Viking God of Smoke? The man that could win the Isle of Man TT even on something other than a bike powered by an internal combustion engine? Tommeke? Or, my secret wish, Haussler? Don't pay attention to anything I say, because I really have no idea what I'm talking about, so I'll pass the microphone off to the Princess of the Preview, Principessa di Prognosticazzione, Gavia.

What you got for us Gav?

Another day, another lovely jaunt along the Mediterranean. It’s a mostly flat ride today departing from the seaside town of Le Cap d’Agde. There are only two categorized climbs on the menu, and they appear just outside Saint-Jean-de-Barrou at about the halfway point of the stage. After the climbs, the stage races along at nearly sea level for more than 70 kilometers. The stage finishes in the Place de Catalogne in Perpignan. A sprint finish is all but inevitable.

Le Cap d’Agde sits on the coast not far from Montepellier, which hosted the stage 4 team time trial. The Tour organizers have done well to minimize the transfers in this opening week of the Tour, which showcases France’s Meditarranean coast. Le Cap d’Agde sits at the base of an ancient volcano, mont Saint-Loup, and the coastline is decorated with black basalt rock formations. Like La Grande-Motte, Le Cap d’Agde was developed in the 1970s as a pleasure port and tourist destination. This year marks the first visit of the Tour de France to the town.

Perpignan, by contrast, has hosted a stage finish for the Tour de France on eight occasions since 1947. It has also hosted the départ nine times since 1947, for those keeping score at home. The most recent winner in Perpignan was French rider Laurent Desbiens of Cofidis during the 1997 Tour. The stage ran from Andorre to Perpignan, and Jan Ullrich of Deutsche Telekom held the race lead. In 2001, stage 12 began in Perpignan and Félix Cárdenas of Kelme celebrated victory on the Plateau de Bonascre. François Simon of Bonjour wore the leader’s jersey that day, thanks to a break during stage 8 that gained 35 minutes over the main field. François was the third of three Simon brothers to wear the Yellow Jersey during his career.

Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 5 Preview at Steephill.tv

I'm going to keep the chatter to a minimum and just let you guys get to the commentary; the stage, she is flat. I will point out, however, this little blurb from the official Tour website.

The stage is dedicated to Salvador Dali, who called the Perpignan railway station the “cosmogonic centre of the universe”. The icon of surrealism, who was touched by a form of fascination for the spectacle of cycling, created the 1959 Tour’s postcard. If his influence inspires the pack in the Corbières or along the seaside, anything will be possible.

Here we are at Coasty McCoastline, running north - south.

Big start down on the Agde Cape.

Chicken in Aspic with Nougat at Thezan des Corbières

Some mighty, mighty hills to climb.

And more flatness ensues all the way to the finish.

Nasty little right hander to get to the finish.

And yes, I made up the word "Prognosticazzione"

Tour Stage 4 Preview: Montpellier TTT !!!

crashdan — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:04:14 -0000

Stage 4 :: Tuesday July 7, 2009
39km :: Montpellier

Oh man, we've been begging for it, and had it delivered to us in races as diverse as the Amgen Tour of California and the Giro d'Italia (remember Christian's Maglia Rosa last year?). However, it's been four long languid years, almost to the day, since we've seen a Team Time Trial at the Tour de France.

It was July 5th, 2005 and the stage was from Tours to Blois over a somewhat lumpy (towards the end) 67.5km course. Zabriskie was in Yellow but Team Discovery won the day and Dave's crash caused him to arrive 1:26 down, giving the Yellow to Lance for what would eventually become his 7th GC victory. There was much rejoicing at the sight of train after train of teams hurtling along the French countryside.

For those of you that might be a little new to this sport, there are few things that will cheer the heart of even the most cynical, diehard, cycling fan. They are, in order...

De Ronde van Vlaanderen
Duvel and Frites
A magnificently executed Team Time Trial
A Jens! Voigt breakaway
Pork Belly served with Kimchi and Peanuts

Tomorrow's course is flat and only half as long as the 2005 course, but who cares, IT'S A FREAKING TEAM TIME TRIAL!

Gavia, dahling, layeth down the preview smack...

The team time trial returns to the Tour de France this year for stage 4. The teams will ride 39 kilometers around Montpellier on a mostly flat course. Indeed, the course is flat enough that there are no mountain points on offer during the stage. Three time checks at 9, 19.5, and 30.7 kilometers will allow fans - and the team cars - a chance to track the teams’ progress.

The stage will be decided on real time. There will be no adjustments to the teams’ finishing times as has sometimes been the case in the past. The time on the line will determine the stage and general classification standings, and will be taken when the fifth rider finishes.

Montepellier lies just inland from the Mediterranean coast and continues the sea breeze theme of the first week of this year’s Tour de France. The stage begins in the city center at the Jardin des Plants and follows a u-shaped course into the outskirts of the city before returning to finish at the Croix de Argent. Created in 1593, the Jardin des Plants in the oldest botanical garden in France. We can expect good weather for the stage, because Montpellier has the typically warm Mediterranean climate. The Tour de France last visited Montpellier in 2007 for the start of stage 12, a sprint stage won by Tom Boonen.

Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 4 Preview at Steephill.tv

Now, this course is flat (as noted above) and close to the sea (as also noted above). There's very little of direct interest, course wise, unless you have a sharp interest in Montpellier. Here's a quick overview...

Unfortunately, the shortness and flatness of the stage just doesn't lend itself well to these terrain / topographical mapping feats that I perform using Google Earth; the mountain stages are obviously far more compelling.

There is, however, one interesting aspect to this course I noted when I was mapping it out. There are no less than 10 round-a-bouts en route. You know these things, they are the funny little paved circles that appear to dot the French countryside (and city side) like Master Planned crop circles. They cause absolute havoc in the peloton with half the riders taking one side and the others taking the opposite. It totally reshuffles everyone. Now, this doesn't necessarily matter to a Team Time Trial, except that you tend to barrel into this things at full tilt, and depending on the bend radius of the curve, it can "crack the whip" and might split off one or two riders off the back of the train, forcing them to catch back up. Not so bad once or twice, but do it ten times and who knows.

Here's a sampling of some of the road furniture...

Enjoy!

Tour Stage 3 Preview: Marseille - La Grande-Motte

crashdan — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:12:45 -0000

Stage 3 :: Monday July 6, 2009
196.5km :: Marseille - La Grande-Motte

More rolling terrain with lots a passel of 100m and 200m bergs to blunder up. It's Thursday evening and the traffic out to Redlands is choked with some mighty, mighty, Los Angeles holiday traffic (delayed publishing is a beautiful thing) so I'll endeavor to punch out this stage preview with something between lassitude and alacrity.

This is a trip along the sea coast, again. Going from Marseille in the east and heading west along the coast around the Gulfs of Fos and Beauduc to end at La Grande-Motte, which according to the Babelfish means "The Big Mound". Perhaps, one of these days, ASO will finally pay homage to something significant and end a stage in La Grande-Lebowski.

Never fear, traffic ain't so bad that I can't take a moment to ~~steal~~ ~~borrow~~ ~~purloin~~ quote directly from Gavia...

Marseille has frequently played host to the Tour de France. The most recent visit came in 2007 when Cédric Vasseur then riding for Quick Step won stage 10 after a long breakaway. After departing Marseille, the stage passes through Camargue region, an area of marshes and lakes which forms the Rhône River delta. The wetlands of the Carmargue are home to 400 species of birds, including the Flamingo. Little wonder this region is known as the "French Florida." There can be wind in this area, but generally it is not overly strong.

The stage finishes in La Grande-Motte, a resort city best known for its pair of pyramid-shaped hotels and boasting 300 days of sun each year. The Tour de France last visited La Grande-Motte in 1969. Belgian rider Guido Reybrouck, riding for the Faema team, won the stage, while Eddy Merckx wore the Yellow Jersey of race leader.

Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 3 Preview at Steephill.tv

If "Guido Reybrouck" isn't a Steven Seagal character waiting to be created, I'm off my nut. Anyway, Marseille, come on down, you're the next contestant on The Price Is Right!

From Marseilles, we head southward to Le Rove, which is French for "Turd Blossom". Then bend around and come back up to Pennes-Mirabeau, before heading out and up to the day's first traguardo volante.

Once the sprinters have had their way with La Fare-les-Oliviers, it's up the massive Côte de Calissanne, 126m. then on down to Eyguières. That's something I forgot about making stage previews for the Tour. Accents. Not so difficult a task with the Giro, but hell on the English keyboard during Lè Tôur.

The second sprint of the day is in Mouriès, followed by a jinkitty-jink up from Maussane-les-Alpilles up to the Col de la Vayède, 183m. Once over that massive summit, it's down to the place du gourmond [I'm just making this stuff up now :) ] in Paradou.

Bellies full of what I can only imagine is Chicken in Aspic with a nice Côtes du Rhône, it's off to the final intermediate in Arles, then a swift run back to the coast to end the stage in the Town of Big Mound.

Tour Stage 2 Preview: Monaco - Brignoles

crashdan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:34:31 -0000

Stage 2 :: Sunday July 5, 2009
187km :: Monaco - Brignoles

First full stage of the tour, running from Monaco to Brignoles. If you were to look at the map, you would see that we're just a hairs-breath below the Cime de la Bonette-Restefond, Stage 16 of the '08 edition, as well as just south of the region of Cuneo, Italy from stage 10 of this year's edition of the Giro that ran from Cuneo to Pinerolo. We're heading away from that region, though, heading down the coast of the south of France a tad to Brignoles.

The stage looks quite lumpy actually, like all those lumpy Italiano tappes from a few weeks ago. Peak on the flip for a view of the goods.

Gavia saves me doing any real work...

This year’s Tour de France remains close to the coast during its first week. This second stage begins in Monaco and runs west along the coast, passing through Nice, before heading slightly inland to finish in Brignoles. The profile includes four categorized climbs to tempt the attackers. The sprinters’ teams face a difficult day, and this stage offers the possibility, though slim, that a breakaway could survive to the finish in Brignoles.

This year marks the first visit of the Tour de France to the city of Brignoles, which lies inland from the coast and about equidistant from Toulon, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille. During the Middle Ages, the Comtes de Provence made Brignoles their primary residence and it was renowned its plums. The official tourist site lists cycling among its recommended activities. Coincidence? I think not.

Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 2 Preview at Steephill.tv

Here's the overview of the stage, Monaco in the east, Brignoles to the west.

While it looks sort of flat, it's more of a mushy stage, rolling and uneven.

First up is a climb up 481m to La Turbie, immediately above Monaco.

The riders give up all 481 of those meters though, as they descend straight down to the Traguardo Volante (not sure how to say it en Français) in the sleepy little town of Nice.

After running down right on the waterfront, the contendahs take a sharp turn and head up to the cat 4 Côte de Roquefort-les-Pins, all 218m of it..

Then, there's another intermediate sprint in Fayence, followed by a puckish little bit of gastronomie in Garron.

The lumpiness continues over the Cat 4 Col de l'Ange (more of a slight ridge than anything else), 206m, and then continues on to the third sprint of the day in Lorgues.

Final bit is this right here; what's a sprint finish that doesn't include a sharp right hander with road furniture followed by a swooping left hand curve to a 100m straight finish. In case you're wondering how to find the finishing straight on a satellite map... always look for the area with the biggest parking lot :)

Tour Stage 1 Preview: Monaco ITT

crashdan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:14:51 -0000

Stage 1 :: Saturday July 4, 2009
15.5km :: Monaco

Well, that time is upon us, the first Stage Preview of the 2009 edition of Le Tour de France. We begin the July festivities in the Principality of Monaco, one of the few remaining City States left on the earth (can you name the others?) Monaco is the home of such natives as Boris Becker and Michael Rassmussen, bet you didn't know they were from Monaco!

Let's have a look at where we're goin and what we're gonna do...

Watch carefully now as I lean fully on Gavia for support.

The 2009 Tour begins in the principality of Monaco with a time trial. The course climbs into the foothills of the Alpes Maritimes just outside the city before descending to a flat finish between high-rise hotels and the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean. At 15.5 kilometers, the stage is too long to be a prologue, and will offer an early indication of who has brought race-winning legs to this year’s Tour de France. The course includes one category 4 climb, the Côte de Beausoleil, literally “beautiful sun,” which reaches a maximum elevation of 205 meters. The second half of the course descends to a flat finish along the beach on the Boulevard Louis II near Port Hercule.

Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 1 Preview at Steephill.tv

On with the pictorials... We start on the sunny coast of Monaco, that little sliver of tax haven on the shores of the Mediterranean. We also end there. In fact, we end basically on the southern leg of the same road as the start ramp.

Here we see the course from the southerly end, looking up.

Looking down the course from the north.

They ride around that little spit of yellow at the bottom and then head up the MASSIVE incline to the Cat.4 rated climb.

Wow... a whole 205m climb up to Beausoleil. Whew. I know, I scoff... I've still got Giro on the mind though. Add a few dozen more of those little 205m climbs in there and you'd have a nice Italian stage!

Back on down to the next little hairpin...

And then following the course of the Monaco Grand Prix...

Through the tunnel that goes under some fancy lookin' pools

... and ending right there where it started. 15.5km later.

That's all there is to it... Le Tour de France 2009 is now officially underway!

I'm hoping someone can provide a basic translation of the audio. Essentially, Anthony Van Loo has...

crashdan — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:21:39 -0000

I'm hoping someone can provide a basic translation of the audio. Essentially, Anthony Van Loo has a heart attack, on the football pitch, and is revived by an implanted defibrillator. Wow... just... wow...

Giro Stage 20 Preview: Roma (ITT)

crashdan — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:04:54 -0000

Stage 20 :: Sunday June 1, 2009
14.4km :: Roma

Well, here we are friends: Last Day, Capricorn 15's, Year of the City, 2009.

Carousel Begins.

(I do occasionally feel bad for our non-US members who probably have no freakin' clue about half the things I type)

This is the final stage, the Individual Time Trial around the city of Rome, taking in many of the magnificently beautiful sights.

It's an exceptionally techinical course, with an inordinate amount of hard turns in it that might not be so well suited to true chronomachina, we shall see, we shall see.

Once more, unto the preview, dear Gavia...

The Giro Centenario comes to its grand finale in Roma with this short individual time trial. The first Giro d’Italia included a stage from Napoli to Roma, and the city has often hosted Italy’s grand tour. The time trial course twists and turns through icons of antiquity, finishing in the shadow of the Colliseo.

(Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 21 Preview at Steephill.tv

Hey Gav, I say we kick up our feet and let everyone clean up the mess now that the parties almost over.

I've never been to Rome myself, so I'm only passingly familiar with the sights. St. Peter's Basilica and the Coliseum, that's about it. I'll do my best to label things with the help of The Google.

No word was mentioned as to whether Lucius Vorenus, Praefectus Evocatorum, of the Aventine will be present during the time trial.

This is a street level view of the starting straight.

The Piazza del Popolo

Heading across the Tiber River

Skirting the border of Vatican City by St. Peter's Basilica.

Back across from the Tiber to the Piazza del Popolo...

The Victor Emmanuele II monument...

Coming around the Coliseum towards the finishing straight.

And ending in the Giro in the shadow of the Coliseum. Pretty damn cool.

Thanks for reading folks, it's been my pleasure to put these together.

A presto!

Giro Stage 20 Preview: Napoli - Anagni

crashdan — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:00:19 -0000

Stage 20 :: Saturday May 31, 2009
203km :: Napoli - Anagni

Finally a stage that Silence-Lotto rider Pancake McLovestheflats can relax on. No uphill start, no summit finish, no intermediate nastiness and even the rated climb in Anagni only really like a bone thrown to the local municipalities race committee.

I can't really say much about this, beyond the fact that it passes by, although not over, another volcano.

So join me on the flip for some tantilizingly dull mapping of a stage that screams "breakaway" since ain't none of the heads of state doing any work on this baby before the ITT on Sunday. More knowledgeable minds than I can determine whether LPR will want to hot it up for %$#@! to sprint, at the expense of letting Di Luca take a breather.

Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a Gavia out of my hat (again!??!)

The Giro rolls out from Napoli, and the course begins with approximately 100 kilometers of flat racing along the coast. There are a few small ripples in the profile, but they shouldn’t interrupt the tranquility of the morning.

* * *

This finish will suit a classics-type rider, who can finish fast on a steep climb. If Philippe Gilbert has anything left in his legs at this point of the race, this stage finish is made for him. But really, it’s anyone’s guess who will find his way into the right break. Deep in the third week of a grand tour, it’s impossible to predict who will still have legs for such adventuring.

(Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 20 Preview at Steephill.tv)

No doubt about it, I gotta get me a new hat!

Flat... Flat... Flat...

Look, a volcano.

"More flatness ensued; the riders were befuddled at the lack of elevation gain"

Mountain! No, wait, they go around it.

And the final "climb" up to Anagni. It's only 2.7km long and rises 126m, but somehow, they do manage to pack a max gradient of 8% in there somewhere.

That's it folks... only Roma left after this one...