Stage 14: Saint Gaudens – Plateau de Beille The Plateau de Beille climbs for nearly 16 kilometers at an average gradient of 7.9%. It’s steepest for the first six kilometers, and there are a few steep pitches further up, before the climb levels out to just 2.5 percent over the final kilometer (hence the plateau…). …
By Chris Carmichael Stage 13 of the 2011 Tour de France was the kind of stage that leaves some cycling fans scratching their heads. They understand that it was a mountain stage because of the climb of the Col d’Aubisque, but they question the rationale for putting the summit of the day’s major climb 40 …
Stage 13: Pau – Lourdes (152.5km) The Col d’ Aubisque is a massive and very difficult climb, but during Stage 13 it is unlikely to cause a shake-up in the overall race for the yellow jersey. The summit of the climb is more than 40 kilometers from the finish line, and it is likely that …
By Chris Carmichael After more than a week of stages better suited to the all-rounders and sprinters, the 2011 tour de France reached the big mountains today in Stage 12. This is the playground of the climbing specialists and the yellow jersey contenders; the place where they can separate themselves from the majority of the …
Stage 12: Cugnaux – Luz Ardiden (211 km) The first of three stages in the Pyrenees is guaranteed to be a very hard day. The stage is long (211km), the first 120 kilometers are gradually uphill before you even reach the base of the first major climb, and once you do there are three giants …
By Chris Carmichael I can’t remember the last time there was this much rain during the Tour de France. Normally there are a few rainy days, but the peloton has endured wet conditions in almost every stage of this year’s race. On the positive side, rain means athletes have less trouble staying hydrated because the …
Stage 11: Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur (167.5 km) Stage 11 is the last hurrah for the sprinters before they go to the back of the pack and suffer through the mountains. A breakaway will certainly go up the road and stay there for most of the day, but it will almost as certainly be reeled in …
By Chris Carmichael Stage 10 of the 2011 Tour de France is what’s typically referred to as a “transition” stage. The race has to move around the whole of France, using a combination of stages and transfers on team busses and trains. Stage 10 was essentially part of the process of getting the peloton down …
Stage 10: Aurillac – Carmaux (161km) Stage 10 is relatively short and doesn’t feature any major difficulties that would offer opportunities for the yellow jersey contenders. And with the Pyrenees looming in the distance, many riders and teams will be happy to let a breakaway have the day. Knowing this, the competition to be …
By Chris Carmichael What is going on in the Tour de France this year?! Crashes are relatively common in the Tour and every other bike race, but the consequences – and in some cases, the circumstances – of this year’s crashes have been odd and incredible. The toll of broken bones suffered during the Tour …