14 DAY TRIAL // This is the penultimate stage where the sprinters who are still involved in the race can make an impact, which probably means that the big favorites will use it as an almost rest day, taking it easy and only reacting if something truly incredible happens around them.
One of the beauties of cycling is that it is very unpredictable even when it seems clear what is supposed to happen during a stage.
The flattest of sprinter stages could feature wind, which can create splits in the peloton and can see a rider lose as much as 10 minutes when compared to his rivals.
Falls can take place almost at any time, and even the best protected rider can be a victim, which means that his performance could be seriously affected or that he might be forced out of the race altogether.
When it comes to the mountains, small things, like a lack of proper alimentation or a moment when the attention wanders, can have great effects if the participants allow another cyclist to create a gap and then ride to victory.
Going from Tallard to Nimes might seem like a pointless exercise for some, but it is actually a big part of cycling as a sport, because it showcases the work that’s required from the rider even in those stages that do not seem to be important.
With Contador unwilling to give his team orders to chase down the day’s escape, seven riders managed to build a lead of more than eight minutes, and finally one of them, Vachon, took the stage, with the favorites arriving a few minutes later.
An old rule of thumb in cycling says that a group needs to have at least one minute of time advantage on the peloton for every ten kilometers left to race, on the flat, in order to have a chance at victory.
The cool thing about the team at Cyanide, who has created Pro Cycling Manager as a series, is that they are all big fans of the sport.
That means they have implemented that rule and made it easier for a fan to judge at a glance how the race is going at any point.
I knew that the escapees would contest the win among themselves with about 70 km to go, when they had an advantage of about 9 minutes, and I did not even consider contributing to the chase in any way.