The boys need to savor the stage...

I had a strange dream in which I saw our favorite Tour Emeritus (or
ex-emeritus) falling off the back on the climb.

It's one scenario we haven't considered.

One thing in their favor is that Johan is a brilliant tactician and he
will concoct plans to cover every eventuality.

He knows himself, the team, LA and the mountain. If he asks Lance how
he feels and LA says 'pretty cooked, J, but I'm good mentally and
ready to fight', then the strategy will be one of extreme
conservation.

Wiggins, the Siamese twins, and everyone in that 87 second group will
be marked, including Nibali, only 1:53 back from Lance.

If you look at the GC after stage 19, it's not until you get to 15th
place (Sastre) that there really are no more threats to the top three
places if someone on Astana bonks. Astarloza, Karpets, Kreuziger,
Casar, Nocentini, Sastre, all worthy opponents, though not exactly
'threats' if the boys conserve.

Now, Graham thinks that if LA can hang out and no one gets frisky
until the ski station Chalet Reynard, he can risk the final surge to
the top where the trees fade away. If I'm not mistaking the route, I
believe it's 6km to the summit, or 3.5 miles. That's a long way.

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/3892/sroad.htm

Regardless, the watch word should be, conserve, let the Schleck(s)
drive and don't do anything. In the last 300 meters, someone could fly
and win the stage (it's pretty steep in the corner before the line,
which is right past the corner, as Pantani fans know).

Sorry for the long post...a parting thought. Transpose one letter and
Astana becomes 'A satan'...maybe the devil is in the details...?


From Chalet Reynard to the summit (6km)

We left the vegetation behind and are entering the desert of stones.
In the first bend after Chalet Reynard the huge vastness of this
strange landscape rolls before the eyes. In wintertime you can get no
further than this point. This is also where the forest road (forbidden
for motorized vehicles) out of Mont Serein joins with the southern
road. Three bends further we find the Source de la Grave , the highest
spring on the south-side. If you are climbing the Mont Ventoux on a
windless summerday, you will understand by now why they call this the
furnace . We find the memorial of Tom Simpson at 1.5 kilometers from
the top. The view to the south becomes truly gigantic. The whole of
the Provence lays at your feet! Meanwhile the road continues to climb
through the stone-fields towards the Col des Tempêtes (1829 m.) . You
might have been protected from the wind till now, but often it will
blow full-force in your face on the mountain pass. Just before the
true summit is a small orientation point next to a small bar. You were
looking for a table with a view? A last steep stretch to get to the
summit...
/quote. (nice pics on that site.