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Gallery: Astana samples the cobbles ahead of the 2014 Tour de France

Astana scopes out the stage 5 cobblestone sections included in the 2014 Tour de France route

June 9, 2014 BrakeThrough Media

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2014 — Inside the Astana bus, Lieuwe Westra and team guest consultant Peter Van Petegem discuss the parcours on their way to start the recon. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — As Vincenzo Nibali finished his prep on the bus, photographer Ilario Biondi stole the moment to capture some shots for an Italian newspaper report. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Astana ran traditional box-shape aluminum rims with Specialized Paris-Roubaix tubular tires on some of the bikes during the recon. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — An Astana team mechanic has one last check of tire pressure before the riders hit the cobbles. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Vincenzo Nibali had one last check of Tanel Kangert’s tire pressure before they rolled out of Roubaix for the recon of stage 5. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Dutchman Lieuwe Westra led the Astana squad’s Tour favorites, Jakob Fuglsang and Vincenzo Nibali. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Inside the Astana team car, the sport directors cross-check the planned stage 5 route against the Paris-Roubaix course map. The Tour stage will be run in the reverse direction of the famed cobbled classic. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Andriy Grivko put in an early surge through the first sectors of pavé with several press motos following close behind. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — The Astana squad rode through some of the iconic villages of Northern France normally seen in Paris-Roubaix. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — After two sectors of cobbles ridden, the team stopped for a quick assessment and a TV interview. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Astana kept the tempo high on the smooth roads between the cobbles. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Tanel Kangert led the team at a quick clip through the sector at Beuvry-la-Foret. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Vincenzo Nibali nears the end of the first sector at Gruson. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Tanel Kangert made the switch from aluminum box-shape rims to aero carbon wheels for the second half of the recon. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — The squad stopped midway through the recon for quick evaluations of technique and equipment choices, including tire pressure. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Another stop and re-grouping for the team as guest consultant Peter Van Petegem, a former winner of Paris-Roubaix, gives some tips about riding the cobbles to Lieuwe Westra. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Vincenzo Nibali and Jakob Fuglsang opened up the legs on the sector of cobbles at Hornaing. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — The Astana team simulated race pace to ensure their equipment choices were correct. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Vincenzo Nibali rode at the front of the group through the short forested section of Beauvry-la-Forêt. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Astana performed their stage 5 recon late in April when the sectors of pavé were still extremely dusty from the dry spring. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Tanel Kangert rides through the Arenberg Forest, the last sector of cobbles before the finish of stage 5 in this year’s Tour de France. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — As the recon finished outside the Arenberg Forest, sport director Stefano Zanini took down Jakob Fuglsang’s equipment configurations. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — Stage 5 recon finished at the entrance to the Arenberg, where riders got a quick pasta lunch from Astana physiotherapist Michele Pallini. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

2014 — On the way back to the team hotel in Belgium, Vincenzo Nibali and Stefano Zanini discuss the parcours. Photo: BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com

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