Short Climbers Favoured in Tour's Stage 12
After concluding their stint in the Alps, riders of the 2010 Tour de France travelled along a route that favoured the sprint specialists among them in Stage 11. Friday’s Stage 12, however, will likely see short distance climbers excel.
Stage 12 is 210.5km long, making it the third longest stage in this year’s Tour. It begins in Bourg-de-Péage and finishes in Mende.
Faced with any number of obstacles during each Tour, the well-known heat of the region may be the primary challenge for them on Friday, though there are others in store.
While it has been classified as a plain stage, the route contains five difficult climbs spread throughout the stage. The 3.1km climb to a 10% incline just before the finish line should favour the Tour’s explosive climbers.
With the final ascent relatively short, the opening climb up Côte de Saint-Barthélémy-le-Plain stretches over 10.7km to an incline of 3.1%.
Nearly two-thirds into the stage, riders will have to ascend Suc de Montivernoux for 13.7km, forming another climbing challenge to be overcome in the stage.
Contador is the Favourite
Team Astana’s overall contender Alberto Contador is likely to prosper in the varied terrain, as he is known use quick power boosts to overcome shorter climbs ahead of his competitors.
Contador, currently in 2nd place overall, has maintained a low profile in the plain stages, with the intention of making an impact during the climbing stages.
The winner of last year’s general classification, Contador excelled during the recent stage in the Alps along with fellow overall contender Andy Schleck.
Schleck, runner-up to Contador in last year’s Tour and winner of 2009’s young riders classification, has held the yellow leader’s jersey since Stage 10.
Schleck, however, may not be able to take advantage of Stage 12’s short climbs as well as Contador.
Though a proficient climber who is sure to make significant advances during the Tour’s longer climbing stages in the Pyrenees, which begin on Sunday, the Team Saxo Bank leader prefers longer climbs rather than the short, intense ones he will be facing on Friday.
The Pyrenees are thought to be crucial for Schleck, as they will present him with a valuable opportunity to gain significant time on Contador, who will likely be confined to attacking Schleck during the high-mountain stages.
A more proficient time trialist than Schleck, Contador is expected to outperform his Swiss competitor in the decisive time trial during Stage 19.
Saxo Bank’s Jakob Fuglsang will provide Schleck with crucial support in the climbing stages.
Many expected Schleck’s overall contention to suffer from his older brother Frank’s withdrawal from the Tour, but Fuglsang remains confident that Schleck can retain the yellow jersey until the end of this year’s race.
"Maybe we'd have had different tactics if Frank was in the race, but in the end we have what we have and I think we have a really good card in Andy. I still believe we can win this Tour," Fuglsang told Cyclingnews after Frank Schleck’s crash.
Contador’s Astana teammate Alexander Vinokourov, who won the Vuelta a Espana in 2006, is a proficient short distance climber who will be looking to bump his place in the overall standings on Friday. Currently in 14th place overall, Vinokourov finished 95th in Stage 11.
Like Schleck, Team RadioShack’s seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong is likely to suffer from the short climbs as well.
Riding the last Tour of his career, Armstrong's hopes to contend for the general classification are thought to have disappeared after a poor performance during Stage 8 in the Alps.
Who will excel in the short climbs during Stage 12? Will it be Schleck, Contador, or another rider who's about to make a move?
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