2009 Tour de France - Stage 9

Stage 9 Saint-Gaudens to Tarbes - 160.5 km

The Pyrenees part of the Tour ends with a selection of the region’s legendary Tour de France mountain passes; the Col d'Aspin (12.3km at 6.4% ave) and the Col du Tourmalet (17.1km at 7.4 percent), where riders will be greeted by the masses. The Aspin is a challenging Cat 1. The Tourmalet is Hors Category and has been used more times in the tour de France than any other climb. it is the kind of place legends are made.

Consider this passage from 'La Fabuleuse Histoire du Tour' de France by Pierre Chany.

"The Pyrenees were included in the Tour de France at the insistence of Alphonse Steinès, a colleague of the organiser, Henri Desgrange. Steinès first agreed that the Tour would pay 2,000 francs to clear the col d'Aubisque, then came back to investigate the Tourmalet. He started at Sainte-Marie-de-Campan with sausage, ham and cheese at the inn opposite the church and arranged to hire a driver called Dupont from Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Dupont and Steinès made it the first 16km, after which their car came to a stop. Dupont and Steinès started to walk but Dupont turned back after 600m, shouting:
"The bears come over from Spain when it snows."
Steinès set off. He mistook voices in the darkness for thieves. They were youngsters guarding sheep with their dog. Steinès called to one.
"Son, do you know the Tourmalet well? Could you guide me? I'll give you a gold coin. When we get to the other top, I'll give you another one."
The boy joined him but then turned back. Steinès rested on a rock. He considered sitting it out until dawn, then realised he'd freeze. He slipped on the icy road, then fell into a stream. He climbed back to the road and again fell in the snow. Exhausted and stumbling, he heard another, voice.
"Tell me who goes there or I'll shoot."
"I'm a lost traveller. I've just come across the Tourmalet."
"Oh, it's you, Monsieur Steinès! We were expecting you! We got a phone call at Ste-Marie-de-Campan. Everybody's at Barèges. It's coming on for three o'clock. There are search teams of guides out looking for you."
The organising newspaper, L'Autoz had a correspondent at Barèges, a man called Lanne-Camy. He took him for a bath and provided new clothes.

Steines sent a telegram to Desgrange:

"Crossed Tourmalet stop. Very good road stop. Perfectly feasible stop."

You might notice a statue perched on top Tourmalet. In 1910 when it was first included, Octave Lapize was first over the summit, he shouted at the officials at the top "Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!' (French for 'You are murderers! Yes, murderers!'). Lapize went on to win the tour that year and the statue perched atop them mountain is of him.

This is a big mountain and the scenery is superb, it should make for some excellent viewing, good roads meaning it will be packed with tourists, this is one of those climbs where you wonder how the riders push through the packs.

anyway back to the race....

An early breakaway will need good legs to master both of the challenging climbs and hold out until the finish, as there are still some 70 kilometres to cover to Tarbes after the summit of the Tourmalet. Depending on what happens within the group of favourites, this stage could be more nervous than it appears on paper, especially since there is a rest day tomorrow. This is thew kind of stage Cadel should have had a go on and i guess he still might, three quarters of the way up the tourmalet would be perfect. Maybe it will be one of the other GC riders turn to have a go at Astana or perhaps they are all happy waiting for the Alps next week. A breakaway rider who is an excellent descender (there is 18km of descending after the peak of the Tourmalet) will be hard to catch and might ensure a decent lead.

Climbs.

Km 60.5 - Col d'Aspin - 12.3 km climb to 6.4 % - Category 1
Km 90.0 - Col du Tourmalet - 17.1 km climb to 7.4 % - Category H

Betting
No thanks, wait until they start then bet in play after the descent of the big one.

Expect it to be Mouncoutie or Chavanel or some other frenchman!

Seriously hard stage to pick with the way the GC is positioned.