July 3, 2016

Kiryienka on Cusp of Fulcrum After TDF Stage 2

Vasil Kiryienka

All 198 riders came home on a wet and winding Stage 2 of the 2016 Tour de France. Gorka Izagirre of Movistar Team and Vasil Kiryienka of Team Sky moved into 99th and 100th places, respectively, for general classification and hold les Cuspides.

Kiryienka is a perennial favorite for the Point d’Appui, riding out front in support of Sky team leader Chris Froome for most of the day and then falling back through the standings after his work is done. Along with winning the Point d’Appui in the 2012 Tour de France, Kiryienka finished two stages of the 2014 Tour on les Cuspides and in 2013 finished the Vuelta a España on les Cuspides. He was on pace to do well in the 2013 edition of le Tour before missing a time cutoff.

Kiryienka would be the odds-on favorite to win this year’s Point d’Appuit barring similar disaster, but Markel Irizar of Trek-Segafredo is only five spots off the middle and Paolo Trialongo of Astana Pro is only six away.

Gorka Izagirre and his brother, Jon, ride in support of GC contender Nairo Quintana. During the 2015 Tour de France, their team placed first in the team competition. Jon held the Point d’Appui after Stage 2 of the 2013 Paris-Nice race. Gorka finished 5th overall in this year’s Tour of Dubai, so he has some fire power that might lead him higher in this year’s standings.

Peter Sagan of Tinkoff won Stage 2 and also took on the mantle of the yellow jersey, the first time he has been race leader and the first time since 2013 that he won a stage of the Tour de France. Sam Bennett of Bora-Argon 18, injured during a fall in Stage 1, dropped into the Lanterne Rouge but survived the time cut-off.

The rolling terrain of the 183-kilometer stage between the start at Saint-Lô and strongly uphill finish at Cherbourg played well to the puncheurs, among them Sagan.

The two riders on les Cuspides after Stage 1 — Simon Geschk of Team Giant-Alpecin and Emanuel Buchmann of Bora-Argon 18 — both finished well on Stage 2 and moved up in the standings.

July 2, 2016

2016 Tour de France Underway; No Fulcrum on Stage 1

Despite a horrific-looking crash during the lead-in to the sprint finish of Stage 1 of the 2016 Tour de France, all 198 riders were counted as finishing. The even number means that no Point d’Appui could be awarded on Stage 1.

On les Cuspides were Emanuel Buchmann of Bora-Argon 18 in 99th place and Simon Geschke of Team Giant-Alpecin in 100th place.

Former winners of the Point d’Appui racing this year include:

2005 winner Andriy Grivko of Astana Pro Team, who finished 41st today.
2006 winner Paolo Tiralongo of Astana Pro Team, who finished 89th today.
2011 winner Markel Irizar of Trek-Segafredo, who finished 34th today.
2012 winner Vasil Kiryienka of Team Sky, who finished 84th today.

The 188 kilometer first stage was relatively level with a couple of Category 4 climbs and one intermediate sprint. An early break of five riders allowed the peloton to proceed without too much worry save that part of the course had mild cross winds.

Nevertheless, two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador took a hard fall after he and Brent Bookwalter of BMC miscalculated a turn at too high a speed and touched wheels coming out of a roundabout. Both Bookwalter and Contador tumbled into a median, and then Luke Row of Sky somersaulted over them. All three suffered skin abrasions but no broken bones apparently.

The crash near the bunch finish occurred when Michael Morkov of Katusha drifted just a bit too wide to the right of the narrow chute. He appeared to clip the foot of a barrier standard although he said afterward he thought perhaps he had clipped a spectator standing outside the barrier. Either way, he was sent sprawling, first to his left into other riders and then back into the barrier where he was whipped around to the pavement. Sam Bennett of Bora-Argon 18, Edvald Boasson Hagen of Dimension Data and Geraint Thomas of Sky also went down in the careening of riders trying to avoid Morkov. All limped home but whether they are up to starting Stage 2 remains a question mark. Morkov has held the Point d’Appui on a couple of occasions in earlier Tours de France.

Marc Cavendish of Dimension Data won Stage 1, steaming past Marcel Kittell and Peter Sagan in the final 100 meters. It is the first time that Cavendish has earned the Maillot Jaune during his distinguished career. Timo Roosen of Team LottoNl-Jumbo is the Lanterne Rouge.

August 12, 2015

The 2015 Tour de France Placement Vortex

The 2015 Placement Vortex shows the placement of each rider in relation to Les Cuspides, Paul Martens and Peirre-Luc Perichon, who finished at the center of the pack.

The heavier black lines denote riders who eventually abandoned the race, leaving only 160 riders to finish, hence the slow narrowing of the field from left to right. Track the yellow line of Christopher Froome at top or the red lantern line of Sébastien Chavanel at bottom.

Compared to the 2013 Placement Vortex, this year’s vortex shows a much wilder change in placement across the tour. In 2013, placement changed dramatically during two days in the Pyrenees and on several stages in the Alps. This year, dramatic shifts in placement occurred on a daily basis for riders below the top 20.

The cobblestones of Belgium threw the placements into “jackstraws” immediately, but things leveled out briefly during the relatively flat stages across Normandy. The team time trial also shifted placement considerably, which was only exacerbated by the enormous changes wrought again by the Pyrenees.

Riders settled in some small measure while passing through the Rhone Valley, but then were taxed again going into the Alps.

The final ride into Paris would have been without change because officials called placement early due to rain. However, Bryan Coquard of Team Europcar finished second on the stage, earning a time bonus that moved him one spot up in the standings.

Nine more riders abandoned the race this year than in 2013.

Download a PDF of the 2015 Tour de France Placement Vortex courtesy of Point d’Appui.

July 27, 2015

2015 Tour de France Ends Without Fulcrum; Martens, Perichon on Cusps

An even number of riders finished the 2015 Tour de France on the streets of Paris, so a Point d’Appui can’t be awarded this year. Because of the rain and a likely heightened danger if the entire peloton charged the oily cobbles of the Champs, race officials declared all riders to have the same time for the day, meaning that the two riders on the cusp of the fulcrum after Stage 20 retained their position.

Paul Martens of Team LottoNL-Jumbo and Pierre-Luc Perichon of Bretagne-Séché Environnement are Les Cuspides for the 2015 Tour.

The leader of the race, Christopher Froome of Sky, and the last rider in, Sébastien Chavanel of FDJ, remained in their respective positions as well. Sylvain Chavanel of IAM Cycling, possibly riding his last tour, had the time closest to the median of all racers.

Twelve riders held the Point d’Appui during the course of the race, an average number for the Tour.

The stage-by-stage general classification:

Stage 1 – No fulcrum.
Stage 2 – No fulcrum.
Stage 3 – No fulcrum.
Stage 4 – Adriano Malori of Movistar.
Stage 5 – Armindo Fonseca of Bretagne-Séché Environnement.
Stage 6 – No fulcrum.
Stage 7 – No fulcrum.
Stage 8 – Haimar Zubeldia of Trek Factory Racing.
Stage 9 – Serge Pauwels of MTN-Qhubeka
Stage 10 – Daniele Bennati of Tinkoff-Saxo, who took a hard fall the next day and had to abandon.
Stage 11 – Rohan Dennis of BMC.
Stage 12 – Wouter Poels of Team Sky.
Stage 13 – Wouter Poels of Team Sky.
Stage 14 – No fulcrum.
Stage 15 – Angelo Tulik of Team Europcar.
Stage 16 – Paul Voss of Bora-Argon 18.
Stage 17 – Brice Feillu of Bretagne-Séché Environnement.
Stage 18 – Perrig Quemeneur of Team Europcar.
Stage 19 – No fulcrum.
Stage 20 – No fulcrum.
Stage 21 – No fulcrum.

July 25, 2015

Tour Remains in Les Cuspides Headed for Paris

There were no abandons on Stage 20, so the 2015 Tour de France remains on Les Cuspides, without a Point d’Appui for the final run into Paris. Paul Martens of Team LottoNL-Jumbo and Pierre-Luc Perichon of Bretagne-Séché Environnement are the two riders on the cusp of the fulcrum, finishing 60th and 61st respectively.

The top and bottom ends of the peloton remain unchanged. Onward to Paris!

July 23, 2015

Quemeneur Climbs into Point d’Appui on Stage 18

Perrig Quemeneur

Another stage and another new Point d’Appui in the 2015 Tour de France. Perrig Quemeneur of Team Europcar has reached the fulcrum on the wending path of Stage 18.

The hill climbing allowed Quemeneur to rise in the GC standings to the center of the peloton, displacing Brice Feillu, who fell back on the stage.

Chris Froome continues to lead the race. Sébastien Chavanel continues as the Lanterne Rouge for the second stage in a row.

Louis Meintjes of MTN-Qhubeka and Mark Renshaw of Etixx-Quick-Step had to abandon the race on Stage 8. We’re left with 161 riders.

July 22, 2015

Feillu Dons Grey Jersey After Abandons on Stage 17

Six abandons on the very difficult Stage 17 of the 2015 Tour de France, including that of American T.J van Garderen, left 163 riders to come home. At the center of the peloton, in 82nd place, is Brice Feillu of Bretagne-Séché Environnement, the new holder of the Point d’Appui.

Chris Froome of Sky retains the yellow jersey. The Lanterne Rouge, however, passes from Sam Bennett, who also abandoned, to Sébastien Chavanel of FDJ.fr.

In addition to Van Garderen and Bennett, other racers who had to withdraw included Jerome Coppel of IAM Cycling, Nathan Haas of Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team, Laurent Didier of Trek Factory Racing, and Michal Kwiatkowski of Etixx – Quick-Step.

July 20, 2015

Voss Gains Point d’Appui as Peloton Reaches Second Rest Day

Paul Voss

The peloton of the 2015 Tour de France is down to 169 riders, and Paul Voss of Bora-Argon 18 found the fulcrum at the end of Stage 16, while the previous holder, Angelo Tulik of Team Europcar, dropped three spots but is still within striking distance.

The German Voss, who is keeping a journal during the Tour, wrote: “So far I’m not totally satisfied with my performance. I’ve tried several times to be in the breakaway but sometimes it was missing luck or timing.” However, he is looking forward to the Alps and the attacks in the mountains. He began riding in a bike club at age 13 and has been improving each year. He won the Cinturó De L’empordà in 2011 and finished 4th in the 2010 Giro d’Italia. He also finished 50th in last year’s Tour de France.

Voss’s teammate, Sam Bennett, continues to hold the Lanterne Rouge, and Christopher Froome of Team Sky continues in the yellow jersey, more than 3 minutes ahead of his next rival.

On spot behind Voss, Damiano Caruso of BMC Racing Team holds the median time among the racers.

July 20, 2015

Tulik Takes Mantle of Point d’Appui on Stage 15

angelo-tulik

The split in the peloton threw the rider’s placements into the jackstraws again with many riders sliding back while others gained jumps in their placement, and Angelo Tulik of Team Europcar wound up as the Point d’Appui after the end of Stage 15 of the Tour de France.

The 25-year-old Tulik began bicycling when he was 9 years old. In 2014, he won the Roue Tourangelle and seems on track to become a strong competitor in the Spring Classics. Right now he is 12th in the young rider classification.

Christopher Froome of Team Sky retains the yellow jersey, and Sam Bennett of Bora-Argon 18 continues as the Lanterne Rouge, just over 16 minutes behind the penultimate rider of the Tour.

Sebastian Langeveld, the Dutch rider for Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team, had to abandon the race due to illness on Stage 15.

July 18, 2015

DQ of Sepulveda Puts Tour Back in Les Cuspides

One hundred and seventy-two riders remain in the 2015 Tour de France after Stage 14, leaving the race without a fulcrum. Simon Yates of Orica GreenEdge, who got into the break (if indeed it was Simon and not his twin, Adam) and Reto Hollenstein of IAM Cycling held Les Cuspides at the end of the stage. Wouter Poels, who held the Point D’Appui on Stages 12 and 13, dropped five places.

Steve Morabito of FDJ.fr and Ramon Sinkeldam of Team Giant-Alpecin were unable to finish the day, and Eduardo Sepulveda of Bretagne-Séché Environnement was disqualified for hitching a ride for about a hundred meters in an AG2R team car after his bicycle had mechanical problems on the final climb up to Mende.

Chris Froome of Sky gained another second over his rivals in the GC competition, and Sam Bennett of Bora-Argon 18 retains the Lanterne Rouge.

Point d'Appui

Stage Races