14 DAY TRIAL // The Alps and the Pyrenees are the mountains that offer the most iconic of climbs for Le Tour de France, and after two full weeks of racing, the peloton finally arrives at the range which separates the country from Italy and Switzerland.
The thirteenth stage might be very unlucky for those who prefer flat terrain, because it has one Category One climb and one Hors Categorie ascent, which means it is one of the toughest that the competition has to offer.
Add to the gradients the fact that most riders already feel the effects of the kilometers that they have already gone through and the fact that many teams are also under pressure to deliver a significant result in order to please their sponsors.
Both elements are well simulated in Pro Cycling Manager 2014, and they tend to be reflected in the daily form of the various cyclists on my team.
I want to try and stay well inside the peloton and protected until the final climb, which takes the riders to Chamrousse, and to then try and follow the favorites when they decide that it is time to attack each other.
Someone is bound to crack under pressure, and that means Frank Schleck might gain one or two positions on the General Classification of Le Tour.
Unfortunately, there was no way to resist the favorites, who took off very quickly and gained a solid advantage, and I was even unable to respond to attacks from the likes of Richie Porte.
My guys did a good job when it came to limiting the impact of the attacks that took place in the front lines, but the thirteenth stage marked another drop for Frank Schleck, who is now in fourteenth place and will probably loose even more in the coming day.
At the top, Alberto Contador has done a great job of using his own support riders, and after forcing a selection, he found the energy to attack once more and gain time on both Froome and Quintana.
His nearest rival at the moment is Joaquin Rodriguez, but the rider from Katusha is nearly four minutes behind and he’s unlikely to be able to gain it back in the remaining stages.
Of course, one bad day is all that’s necessary for Contador to lose Le Tour, and tomorrow could supply the perfect stage for that.
The only problem is that someone else needs to attack in order to take time from the Spanish rider.
