Stage fifteen and today’s stage with two category one climbs and a hellish ascent of the hors categorie Grand Colombier, it was day that promised to potentially shape the final week of the Tour.
In the SBS studio Tomo had Mark Renshaw back for the
pre-race analysis and according to Renshaw, “The early climbs will soften up
the punch in the legs”. I think I get what he means.
Macka was early with his Zoom call and discussion turned to
what happens when things initially don’t go to plan in a race. We all know the
answer; teams need to implement the P word.
Over to the Plat du Tour kitchen and Guillaume Brahimi was
preparing a dessert of Ile flottante with praline and lavender creme anglaise.
The dish features meringue pillows floating on custard and Brahimi showed us a
party trick that he would encourage us to do try at home – tipping the bowl with
whisked meringue mixture upside down over your head. If it sticks it’s ready.
Makes me wonder though how many takes were needed for the stunt.
Before too long it was off to the action as racing got under
way and it wasn’t long before Troll DJ busted out Before Too Long by Paul Kelly
in honour of the riders who notched up there first victories at the Tour.
Onion Skin by Boom Crash Opera made us wince at the sight of
battered and bruised cyclists, some of which have had one crash too many. Only
thing Troll DJ, was this an alternative version by Boom Crash Opera or a cover?
The race had barely gotten under way when on a descent at
about 60km/h Bob Jungels swung to the right of the road catching the front
wheel of Sergio Higuita with his back wheel and Higuita went down heavily.
Amazingly Higuita got up, got going but was quickly met by a
Tour ambulance. The Colombian national champ made it to the peloton but
abandoned. It looked like he banged his head in the crash and with concussion
fears for Romain Bardet fresh on everyone’s minds it was probably for the best
he didn’t continue.
Soon after an eight-man breakaway formed that included Simon
Geschke, Jesus Herrada, Michael Gogl and Pierre Rolland.
I have a great idea for a cycling team name.
Then another crash. Involving Hugo Hofstetter and Richard
Carapaz. Not shaping up well for Egan
Bernal who would be counting on help from Carapaz on the climbs.
First climb of the day was the category one Montee de la
Selle de Fromentel. Geschke, Herrada and
Rolland were out front and Michael Gogl zig-zagged up the steep climb to make
contact.
Robbie and Bridie spotted some field art of what looked like
milk and cheese in the gears, chicken on the handle bars and I could have sworn
for a moment there the two were talking about Gogl and not the field art. It’s
been a long two weeks.
With the Montee de la Selle de Fromentel with its 22% pitch
near the top out of the way, it wouldn’t be long for the next Biche of a climb,
the categorie one Col de la Biche.
With the Col de la Biche conquered, all 17km at 7.1% average
gradient Grand Colombier awaited.
Back in the peloton and Thibaut Pinot was shaking his head
again. Just when you think things can go wrong in the Tour you can count on the
French to make it happen.
On the ascent of Grand Colombier, Gogl and Rolland held
together until Gogl cracked. News came through that both Bernal and Nairo
Quintana had been dropped and the Murder Hornets were buzzing with delight as
Wout Van Aert led the charge.
At 10km to go the lead group included Primoz Roglic, Tadej
Pogacar, Tasmania’s Richie Porte and Adam Yates.
Yates launched an attack and as Yoda would say, “Yates, can
you yes”. He was soon caught by the Murder Hornets with Tom Dumoulin doing a
fair share of the destroying.
Robbie officially declared that Bernal had blown a foo-foo
valve and with that Rigoberto Uran slipped into third place on virtual GC from
Bernal and I was going out of my tiny mind!
Uran is also known as ‘Mick Jagger’ in the peloton and when
he retires he should put a team together and call it ‘Colombia Start Me Up
Nation’.
On the run to the line Richie Porte looked like he was in
with a chance of a stage victory but the Slovenians were too strong and it was,
in the words of Robbie, “The Pog, the Rog, the Porte”.
Egan Bernal gave that salty look crossing the line. He’s
slipped from third to thirteenth, the rest day couldn’t come soon enough.
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