Tour De France - Stage 11 [Albertville - La Toussuire - Les Sybelles]

Team Sky have done an excellent job of controlling the race from the front since Stage 8

It’s another day, and another step closer to the yellow jersey for Bradley Wiggins after he fended off yet another set of challenges from general classification contenders to stay in the yellow Jersey, thanks mainly to his wingmen Edwald Bosson Hagen (seen above, leading Peloton) and Chris Froome. As expected, Italian Vincenzo Nibali (aided by none other than Super Sprinter Peter Sagaen) attacked and attacked hard, at one point having a lead of well over a minute upon the peloton, but he was reeled in well by Sky, who have done an admirable job since taking control of the race. 

With four mountain ascents - the Hors Categorie 25.3-kilometre Col de la Madeleine (2,000m and 6.2%), the HC 22.4-kilometre Col de la Croix de Fer (2,067m at 6.9%), the 5.7-kilometere Col du Mollard (1,638m at 6.8%) and the 18-kilometre slog to the finish at La Toussuire (1,705m at 6.1%) – today’s stage is probably the most punishing the tour has to offer.  With this being probably these most punishing stage that the mountain has to offer, this could go one of two ways; A breakway could open up a lead and win the race early (as has happened on Stages 8 and 10) or the main pack will remorselessly reel them in and the GC contenders will fight out the finish (Stage seven being a major example of that).

With today’s finish being at 6.1% the latter looks more likely to happen, so give another chance to Jurgen Van Den Broeck, who punctured at the bottom of the climb on Saturday’s summit finish and was at the head of affairs yesterday, although that seemed to be too little too late with the finish yesterday not allowing anyone to reel in the leading group, with Jens Voigt having made up the ground only to wilt late on. He’s no secret at 6/1 but is worth having onside today with Jelle Vandervert to help and the motivation for the Polkadot Jersey, if not the main title left.

Cadel Evans is sure to make appeal but I wouldn’t be a keen backer of him as his every move seems well covered and an uphill finish could see a long and prolonged battle with Froome and Wiggins. They will be happy to just stay in sight of him but better choices might be made today. Pierre Rolland won the Alpe D’Huez last year, is out of the GC race, and also managed to beat both Wiggins and Evans by 32 seconds yesterday.  The 14/1 with Ladbrokes could prove to be generous.

At the time of writing, the breakway group has about 50 seconds in hand on the chasers. I expect them to be caught but cannot leave out Dan Martin – a noted climber who’s promised to attack hard today on one of his last chances to win a stage – cannot be left out at 40/1 in play.

Advice

2 pts Jurgen Van Den Broeck, (7/1 general)

1 pt Pierre Rolland (14/1 Ladbrokes)

1 pt Dan Martin (40/1 general)