Carcassonne – Bagnères-de-Luchon

Distance: 237.5 kilometers.

This is a very long stage that starts hilly with a pair of Category 4’s in the first half, and then gets serious with Categories 2 and 3 climbs leading to the HC Port de Balès. The finish is a 20-kilometer downhill run.

Alberto Costa Rui and Simon Yates withdrew before the start. Alberto was diagnosed with pneumonia and is going for medical treatment, while Simon was pulled by the team because of his age and inexperience. Simon was never intended to ride to the entire race, as it is considered too stressful for beginning riders.

A good day for Tinkoff-Saxo as Michael Rogers won the stage, while Rafal Majka managed to take the point for the first Category 4 and put on the Polka Dots.

Romain Bardet had a terrible day and lost the White to Thibaut Pinot.

More of the Pyrenees tomorrow.

Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – AST – 041 ) [Yellow] 73h 05′ 19″
Peter Sagan ( Svk – CAN – 051 ) [Green] 402 points
Rafal Majka ( Pol – TCS – 034 ) [Polka Dot] 89 points
Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 127 ) 3 [White]

Team: AG2R La Mondiale ( ALM – 081-089 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: Michael Rogers ( Aus – TCS – 038 )
Combative: Cyril Gautier ( Fra – EUC – 154 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1 Vincenzo Nibali ( Ita – AST – 041 )
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte ( Esp – MOV – 011 ) + 04′ 37″
3 Thibaut Pinot ( Fra – FDJ – 127 ) + 05′ 06″
4 Jean-Christophe Péraud ( Fra – ALM – 081 ) + 06′ 08″
5 Romain Bardet ( Fra – ALM – 082 ) + 06′ 40″
6 Tejay Van Garderen ( US – BMC – 141 ) + 09′ 25″
7 Leopold Konig ( Cze – TNE – 201 ) + 09′ 32″
8 Laurens Ten Dam ( Ned – BEL – 067 ) + 11′ 12″
9 Michal Kwiatkowski ( Pol – OPQ – 074 ) + 11′ 28″
10 Bauke Mollema ( Ned – BEL – 061 ) + 11′ 33″

The Rest of the Top 30:
[Read more →]

Position: 13.4N 51.4W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [285°] near 18 mph [30 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1012 mb.

Currently about 675 miles [1090 km] East of the Lesser Antilles.

Further development is not expected.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

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