Chasing The Tour | Stage 12

July 14, 2012

Today was another day of celebration for the Brits with David Millar taking his 4th all-time Tour victory on the 45th anniversary of Tom Simpson's death. It's the weekend and I'm not going to talk much about today's stage except for a few random things that popped up today:

• Sky have gone on a PR offensive after a backlash because of Bradley Wiggins’ remarks last week regarding doping speculation. I highly suggest you have a read of what he has to say in his blog at the Guardian. Wiggins can be quite articulate when he wants to be and he massaged this one very nicely. It does strike me however that his argument for never doping is simply a risk versus reward decision. It has nothing to do with being a moral argument for a fair playing field, it being against the rules (and illegal), or for the health consequences. But that’s a whole other topic. Good on him for putting himself out there.

• Ritchie Port and Mick Rodgers reportedly had Aussies on the roadside booing at them for working against Evans. Not cool folks. Here’s what Mick had to say on twitter about it:

Perhaps the Aussie’s booing @richie_porte and myself yesterday would like to pay our wages from now on! #getoverit

— Michael Rogers (@mickrogers) July 13, 2012

• Matt Goss gained 10 points on Sagan in the intermediate sprint today at Marcilloles but was relegated to 7th and penalised 30 points for impeding Sagan’s sprint. After finishing three places ahead of Sagan in the intermediate sprint Goss had looked to have reduced his deficit to 22 points but instead sees that gap stretch out now to 56 points

Have a great weekend, stay warm back in Australia, and ride safe!

Stage 12 Photo Gallery

: The breakaway bunch of eleven had a maximum lead of 12:50 and SKY wasn’t in a hurry to bring them back.

: SKY leading the peloton behind the breakaway group through the vinyards just before the Col du Granier (KOM number 2)

: David Millar waits until the last possible moment to ousprint Jean-Christophe Peraud. I would have expected a TT specialist like Millar to have hit him far sooner

: David Millar takes his 4th TdF win. His first win was at his first appearance at the race in 2000. Also stage 13 in 2002 and the penultimate stage of 2003.

: Goss gets relegated to 7th and receives no points for 6th place.

: Sagan protests that Goss changed his line and disrupted his sprint

: An exhausted David Millar collapses at the finish line

: David Miller taking a glimpse at the replay of his sprint on the jumbotron whilst being surrounded by media in Annonay Davezieux

: Koen De Kort (Argos Shimano) giving a post race interview with Dutch television crew.

: The anti-doping sheet that the Chaperones use to track down their assigned riders

: Goss told cyclingnews, “You guys be the judge,” he said. “Look, I definitely moved, but I don’t think I stopped his sprint at all. It was a bit of a combination – he had come into my wheel as I was moving left and most of the movement came from him trying to miss the wheel and then over-exaggerating. But I don’t have to worry about it. The decision’s been made.” “I lost a lot of points,” Goss said. “It’s disappointing because there was a lot of hard work from the guys for me today, they rode a lot on the front. We got points in the intermediate but not in the end, and that’s why it’s disappointing.”

: If you want to chase the Tour, be prepared for a lot of driving!

Stage 13 Preview

Race Results Summary

Tour de France (2012) - Stage 12

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay Davézieux (226km)

13 Jul 2012

View the full race results

Stage

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	MILLAR, David	GBR	GRS	5:42:46
2	PERAUD, Jean-Christophe	FRA	AG2R LA MONDIALE	0
3	MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN, Egoi	ESP	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	5
4	GAUTIER, Cyril	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR
5	KISERLOVSKI, Robert	CRO	ASTANA
6	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	+7:53
7	GOSS, Matthew Harley	AUS	ORICA-GREENEDGE
8	HINAULT, Sébastien	FRA	AG2R LA MONDIALE	+7:54
9	EVANS, Cadel	AUS	BMC RACING
10	PAOLINI, Luca	ITA	KATUSHA

General Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	WIGGINS, Bradley	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	54:34:33
2	FROOME, Chris	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	+2:05
3	NIBALI, Vincenzo	ITA	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	+2:23
4	EVANS, Cadel	AUS	BMC RACING	+3:19
5	VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen	BEL	LOTTO BELISOL	+4:48
6	ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar	ESP	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	+6:15
7	VAN GARDEREN, Tejay	USA	BMC RACING	+6:57
8	BRAJKOVIC, Janez	SLO	ASTANA	+7:30
9	ROLLAND, Pierre	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR	+8:31
10	PINOT, Thibaut	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	+8:51

Sprint Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Points
1	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	254
2	GOSS, Matthew Harley	AUS	ORICA-GREENEDGE	198
3	GREIPEL, André	GER	LOTTO BELISOL	181
4	CAVENDISH, Mark	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	129
5	EVANS, Cadel	AUS	BMC RACING	100
6	WIGGINS, Bradley	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	96
7	BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald	NOR	SKY PROCYCLING	95
8	FROOME, Chris	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	82
9	HAEDO, Juan José	ARG	STB	68
10	PINOT, Thibaut	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	67

Mountains Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Points
1	KESSIAKOFF, Fredrik Carl Wilhelm	SWE	ASTANA	66
2	ROLLAND, Pierre	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR	55
3	SÖRENSEN, Chris Anker	DEN	STB	39
4	KISERLOVSKI, Robert	CRO	ASTANA	37
5	SCARPONI, Michele	ITA	LAMPRE - ISD	33
6	FROOME, Chris	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	32
7	PINOT, Thibaut	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	32
8	VELITS, Peter	SVK	OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP	29
9	VOECKLER, Thomas	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR	28
10	KERN, Christophe	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR	20

Young Rider Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	VAN GARDEREN, Tejay	USA	BMC RACING	54:41:30
2	PINOT, Thibaut	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	+1:54
3	TAARAMAE, Rein	EST	COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	+27:55
4	VALLS FERRI, Rafael	ESP	VACANSOLEIL-DCM	+35:36
5	KRUIJSWIJK, Steven	NED	RABOBANK	+42:28
6	NERZ, Dominik	GER	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	+49:26
7	GAUTIER, Cyril	FRA	TEAM EUROPCAR	+54:13
8	MALACARNE, Davide	ITA	TEAM EUROPCAR	+56:57
9	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	+58:03
10	IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI, Gorka	ESP	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	+1:00:58

SMcF

Re: the photographers photo … it looks like TDF 2012 is sponsored by Canon!
- http://twitter.com/hmoffatt Hamish Moffatt
  
  Where are the Nikon lovers?
Anonymous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner's_dilemma - I think thats a good game theory approach to how doping works.
Kurisu

1. It’s great to see the French doing well once again in their own race. Perhaps after Voeckler and Europcar’s great run last year I had too high expectations, but man that first weak was bleak for them, wasn’t it? Apart from Chavanel in the prologue. I’d liked to have seen Peraud win, but Congrats to Millar too – no denying he deserved it.

2. Did Gossy have gear trouble just before the line in the intermediate sprint? He seemed to sit back and look down at his drivetrain AGAIN…

3. Someone need to tell Wiggo how to receive things on the podium – i.e. NOT snatch them out of the hands of the podium girls. Looks like a kid saying “That’s MINE – give it to me!” …sigh…he’s got as much class as David Beckham.
Robert Merkel

CT, I think Wiggo makes clear his views on the morality of doping by reference to his earlier comments and the anecdote about wanting to dumping his Cofidis kit in the bin.

What he’s trying to address in his column is the assumption that all the incentives are for him to dope; he’s pointing out the massive downsides were he to dope and get caught.

I don’t actually agree with all of his analysis, but good on him and Sky for putting it out there.
Robert Merkel

CT, I think Wiggo makes clear his views on the morality of doping by reference to his earlier comments and the anecdote about wanting to dumping his Cofidis kit in the bin.

What he’s trying to address in his column is the assumption that all the incentives are for him to dope; he’s pointing out the massive downsides were he to dope and get caught.

I don’t actually agree with all of his analysis, but good on him and Sky for putting it out there.
- jules
  
  i find this topic interesting – particularly as it relates to nationalities and culture. i was born in australia, but my father was born in italy. i have always keenly observed cultural differences, probably from a better perspective than some. i have concluded that there is a difference between anglo-saxon and european culture, as measured against ethics.
  
  in my view, the british rule-of-law is superior to european versions. this has given anglo-saxon cultures more confidence in following the rules. by contrast, other cultures have less faith that they will be rewarded for their honesty and are more likely to cheat. wiggins alludes to this in his column. it’s unfair to blame this on individuals though – we are all products of our respective cultures.
Aussie Bazza

I love this sarcastic comment someone wrote under Wiggo’s blog:

The real strength of Bradley Wiggins is that he can write, upload, and publish thiswhile riding at the head of the peloton in Stage 12. Now that’s skill. Not even a typo!

Not saying I agree / disagree – just thought it was funny :)
Abdu

Sagan’s a whiny beatch…rubbin’s racing boy.

All the hype about him is just one big man crush it seems.

He needs to man the f*ck up and quit squealing.
- JBS
  
  It wasn’t the prettiest move by Goss, but Sagan needs to HTFU he’s in the big boys now.
  
  The whole dangerous move rule is too subjective, if Goss’s move is out of line, then someone should be relegated every single sprint. I’d prefer them to re-write it such that all moves are legal, but if you cause a crash the book gets thrown at you, out of the Tour, massive fine etc (or alternatively Jens gets to teach you the real meaning of pain).
- Mr Bailey
  
  OMG look out Peter! An anonymous commenter on a blog thinks you’re soft.
  
  All the hype? 5 stages at the ToC and 2 at the TdF – isn’t that good enough?
  
  Who are you to criticise?
- http://profile.yahoo.com/ZZR76LFXAXS6S2M57M4MR3ES6Q Richard
  
  whatever abdu. have you ever gone down in a full-blown sprint in a race? it’s not nice.
  - Abdu
    
    I’m a fan same as you guys, gives me the right to criticise. Sagan never went down, never looked like it, the barriers were 10m away.
    
    Sagan has lots of man love going on it seems, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Your legally entitled to it, just like I’m entitled to highlight what a whiny little princess Sagan looks like.
ed

With regards to people booing Rogers & Porte – same thing happened to Jens in the 2004 Tour when he was chasing down Jan after he launched a bold attack. If you google Overcoming (the doco on Team CSC during the 2004 Tour)you can probaly find a clip. Some people have no idea.
- norm
  
  And I think I remember Sami Sanchez say once when he was in a position to chase down Contador that he would never do that to a fellow Spaniard.
  Fans naturally won’t be happy with Rogers and Porte chasing down Cadel, but that’s they’re job.
- Brian
  
  I suspect its just a poor taste joke. Rogers is right though – who wants to have the micky taken out of them when they have flogged their body over hill and dale for 5 hours?
http://profiles.google.com/aglogan Andy Logan

Personally I would disagree with what your saying Wade re Wiggins. He makes it quite clear in his references to his former quotes on the subject of doping that he is against it. I think what is clear from the article is not only is he still against doping from his original standpoint but it means so much more than that as well.

Its the same way as you and I would not do certain things in their job just to move up the ladder.
Mdoreian

Is it just me or is having the yellow jersey dragged round the course at 4th wheel boring to others as well? The Badger wouldn’t have done that, he’d attack at every chance, throw punches, let them know whose boss. It may be smarter and good team work and all the rest, but it leaves me flat. I reckon Froome would clean Wiggo up given the chance. I prefer racing more from the heart than the head.
- Boz
  
  Agree. One of the most boring Tours in years for me. Hopefully a few fireworks next week, but kinda doubt it.
  - Brian
    
    Last year didn’t have much in it until the stages to Gap and Pinerolo – then it got exciting (unless of course you were a Voeckler fan). This year I think has been better than last year up until the point Evans cracked. There are too many large time gaps for the rest of this tour to be too engrossing.
- Bones
  
  Extremely boring, love him or hate him Contador adds flair, missing Andy as well. Not because I like them but they would have made an interesting mix. Seriously is this all Wiggo is going to do, win the TT’s and then ride with the peleton around France?
Cipo

Was contemplating an early night tonight but apparently strong winds forecast along the coast for the last 30 odd km’s. Might be interesting to see what a team of strong, classics guys on the flat (BMC) can do in the wind compared to a team of climbers like Sky. Obviously won’t make up three minutes but might animate things a bit.
Niccibphotography

Wow! These are great photos. I would absolutely love to do this one day – chase the tour and take photos.
Raymosley

Must be a lot of Aussie readers here, intentional or not Sagan had full right to have a whine at goss. Further more given the sanctions vs cav over the years especially that one with Thor on the barriers where he was dq to last place then I think goss got off lightly.