Will They or Won’t They? Stage 10 has the classic look of a day when they break will get away and stay away all through to the finish. It is 194km long through high mountains, but the final 43km of the stage has 33km of descending in it.
This is the sort of stage that Thor Hushovd won on last year, and will see the usual breakaway specialists licking their lips at the prospect of a shot at a stage win.
There is, however, a huge “however” to this scenario. Cadel and Nibali need to make up a lot of time on Wiggo if they’re going to challenge for the win.
They have two great hopes – firstly that they can ride him off their wheel on the climbs and then skip away from him; or secondly that they make the race so hard now that in the third week Wiggo weakens and they take their time back then.
I think it is still too early for them to be able to get away from him, but the possibility of Cadel and Nibali putting Wiggo into the hurt basket is rather high. Look for attacks on the Grand Colombier, followed by aggressive descending, hard riding up the final (10km) climb of the day, and then desperate racing to the finish.
Will they go for it, or won’t they?? Will they be able to isolate Wiggo from his team (even a little)? And finally, will they or won’t they catch the break that is bound to get away?
We shall see shortly, and it should be some great viewing!! I am on the break sticking, with Millar sneaking home in front of a barnstorming Cadel, then Nibali. Will They or Won’t They?
