Thursday, March 28, 2024

Le Tour de France 2014 – Stage 16; Carcassonne – Bagnères-de-Luchon, 237 km

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HomeDiariesLe Tour de France 2014 - Stage 16; Carcassonne - Bagnères-de-Luchon, 237...

Bagnères-de-Luchon

We’ve left Carcassonne and heading for Bagnères-de-Luchon. But first, our favourite picture of the Tour so far ?

L’Équipe’s shot of F des J manager Marc Madiot kissing Arnold Jeannesson after Stage 16 for all the good work he did for Pinot during his six-and-a-quarter hour 16 shift.

Some folks poke fun at Madiot; we like his style – committed, passionate and outspoken.

As a rider he was brilliant; a French Pro champion, two wins in Paris-Roubaix and top tens in Flanders – he’s got the T-shirt, in our book.

And his boy Thibaut has the white jersey and a foot solidly on the podium.

Stage winner, Mick Rogers was impressive yesterday; taking his third Grand Tour stage within a few weeks.

And proving – if it were needed – that Tinkoff-Saxo is not just Alberto Contador.

We were on the final descent – just for a wee change.

Truth is that we couldn’t find a spot to stop on the Bales so, like the flexible journos that we are we holed up on the descent.

It’s actually something we’ve talked about doing for ages, so Stage 16 was the day.

The speed is pretty breath taking – and for a ‘poor descender’ Marc’s boy Thibaut does not bad at all.

Bagnères-de-Luchon
Thibaut Pinot Is descending rather well actually. Photo©B.Bade/ASO

He gets up them pretty good too – even distancing Nibali on the last climb albeit was Movistar who did the bulk of the damage with Visconti, Izaguirre and Gadret all burning big watts for Valverde.

By the time the race passed us Nibali was back with Pinot – Valverde was there too, of course and Peraud.

Bagnères-de-Luchon
They’re all great bike handles, but Nibali is exceptional. Photo©Ed Hood

Two jerseys we immediately noticed as MiA were the red of Tejay van Garderen and white of Romain Bardet.

Bardet came first, the worry on his face was all to obvious as his diminutive team mate Sam Dumoulin guided the then best young rider in the race down the rapid and at times very technical descent.

Bagnères-de-Luchon
Bardet wasn’t on a good day. Photo©Ed Hood

Tejay and his BMC amigos were beyond worried, there was panic in their eyes as they tried to limit the BMC man’s losses – and were on the ragged edge – but with Thibaut rampant that was always going to be difficult.

Bagnères-de-Luchon
Tejay had some teammates around him.

The top ten in this race has been anything but cast in stone and these stages are throwing up all sorts of surprises but most importantly we still have three Frenchmen in the top five in Pinot, Peraud and Bardet and that has to be the best thing that’s happened to le Tour in years.

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Kevin Reza of Europcar. Photo©Ed Hood
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Porte has fallen out of the top ten. Photo©Ed Hood
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We took some time to visit the Fabio Casartelli memorial on the descent of the Col de Portet d’Aspet. Photo©Ed Hood
Bagnères-de-Luchon
Mick Rogers heads for a stage win in another Grand Tour, after his fantastic victory in Stage 20 of the Giro. Photo©B.Bade/ASO

Our base camp is in Lourdes it’s a funny old town; a place for respect, reflection and hope – one of the world’s most important catholic shrines.

The fact that it’s perhaps the most commercialised, tacky, over priced place in France, if not Europe and at night could be part of the set of “Blade Runner in Blackpool” rather takes you by surprise.

But it’s a good base for our Pyreneean adventure and we’re there for three nights; which is cool, saving a lot of packing and unpacking.

Bagnères-de-Luchon
It wouldn’t be the Tour without the sunflower shots. Photo©B.Bade/ASO

Tomorrow we’ll be on the Col de Val Louron-Azet, hours ahead of the race – no slip-ups for this stage.

The sun is baking but Dave has cheered us up no end by checking the weather forecast – ‘chances of thunder storms.’

Wish us luck…

A demain.

Bagnères-de-Luchon
The time-gap gal has a bit of fun. Photo©B.Bade/ASO
Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

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