Virtual Tour de France – Stage 8 – Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz – 189.0km
This year one of my bike goals is to complete a “virtual Tour de France”. That is, to complete the same number of kilometres as the 2010 TdF riders did (3,641.9km) before the 2011 TdF completes on the 25th of July. These posts track my progress as I “complete each stage”.
The Course: The first 130km of this stage is downhill or flat, but the last 50km is an introduction to the high mountains in this years tour. There are two category one climbs, the Col de la Ramaz (just over 14km @ 6.8%) and the final climb up to Morzine-Avoriaz (just under 14km @ 6.1%).
The Race: Andy Schleck threw down the gauntlet to Alberto Contador today and showed he would be a contender, dropping everyone except Samuel Sanchez. Cadel Evans fell and fractured a bone that affected him big time later in the tour, but he did enough to take the yellow jersey. Lance Armstrong came in 13 minutes slower than the stage winner, showing he probably wasn’t going to be a contender in his last tour.
vTdF Status: 1,569.4km completed, target completion date for this stage was March 30th, so 10 days ahead of schedule.
Andrew's Blog 
March 20, 2011 at 11:40 am |
Wow, you’re awesome! 50 km in high mountains, I think I could never do that! 😯
March 20, 2011 at 2:31 pm |
Good to know you have done Movin’ in March with me! 🙂 You are about the only one!
March 20, 2011 at 11:50 pm |
Great job Andrew!
March 21, 2011 at 8:46 am |
Very Cool! I am getting closer and closer to getting a bike. Need better weather. Maybe that’s just me making excuses?
March 22, 2011 at 5:01 pm |
HEAVENS! Congratulations, Andrew! (Last I read you had just completed Stage 7, which just shows you how woefully behind I am with everything.)
*Officially handing my yellow jersey to you now.*
I haven’t even STARTED Stage 8 yet with all the drama going on in my life. Something has to change, because not getting on the bike just sucks.
Very impressed with your stellar performance, though! Again, congratulations!