2013 Paris Nice

[serfla]

No way will Johnny be fit to ride unfortunately.

Yes, I've forgotten about the incident.
Let's hope there will be some brave opportunists

 

[Eshnar]

You don't think someone, far in the GC not interested for the itt, could try his luck in last 20 - 30 kilometers, after the intermediate sprint? Or that a group of riders could survive exactly because the stage follows uphill finish and precedes itt, so the favorites will probably take it easier?
Tailor made for Hoogerland, if he's going to ride.

That stage will go to the breakaway I'm sure. No one will chase them.

 

[serfla]

I've just taken a closer look at the areas where non-published stages are passing through.
Stage 1 typical sprinters'.
2 - sprinters' course, but possible spiced finish since it ends at the very foot of Massif Central... Something like short ascent or a sequence of them before the finish.
3 - Massif Central
4, 5, 6 - published.

Not bad at all.
Something for every type of rider.

 

[Eshnar]

3 - Massif Central

with a very suspicious loop in the end...

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

stage two has one of those suspicious loops as well, hopefully it will include a climb, like suspicious loops at the foot of the central massif ought to, so that the finale will be intresting.

If stage 2 has a punchy finale, and stage 3 is a massif-centrale stage with the possibility to be selective for the GC, then this parcour will actually be awesome. If stage 2 and 3 are boring stages where nothing will happen, I'd be disappointed with this parcour.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The Nice stage is awful in so many ways that I almost can't believe it. If we're going to persist with that, at least give us the nice Nice loop stage we had in 2008-9-10. It's like the ASO is going out of its way to make its stage races suck. The best stage is the first hillyish one with a small climb 9km from the finish. Hopefully we get some echelon action or something in the first half of the race. But seriously, that penultimate stage. It's like they saw how much I criticised the Biot stage in 2011 (and what a waste of a weekend stage it was) and decided to prove me wrong by proving that, actually, they can make a more underwhelming stage.

 

[Eshnar]

stage two has one of those suspicious loops as well, hopefully it will include a climb, like suspicious loops at the foot of the central massif ought to, so that the finale will be intresting.

If stage 2 has a punchy finale, and stage 3 is a massif-centrale stage with the possibility to be selective for the GC, then this parcour will actually be awesome. If stage 2 and 3 are boring stages where nothing will happen, I'd be disappointed with this parcour.

Like the usual suspicious loops at the foot of Pyrenees we get in the TDF?

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Like the usual suspicious loops at the foot of Pyrenees we get in the TDF?

You make me sad

mostly because you're likely to be right

Now let me look at the profile of TA to cheer up a little bit.

EDIT: it didn't work

 

[will10]

The Nice stage is awful. Obviously they don't want to use Eze with the TT to come but that is not the only climb in the area.

 

[Parrulo]

this route is even worse then i was expecting. . . . we knew montagne de lure would be feature and so would the col d'Eze MTT but i was expecting at least 1 more proper hilly/selective stage

i miss the traditional last stage ending in nice with the col d' eze circuit

it looks like the only exciting things left for PN this year is seeing who took the biggest step to become a top rider after a great season last year btw Costa, TdG, TJVG and henao (if he is riding ofc) and if Gesink has trully left all his bed luck behind and will look like his old or should i say young self.

i for one think he is on the right path

 

[serfla]

I'm thinking positively.
And I'm not an opponent of the ASO and fan of RCS by default.
It's true that Italians recently have put some attractive routes on the paper, but from various reasons (cancelations, defensive racing, etc.) what has been on the paper often hasn't conveyed to the road.
Dislike towards ASO I see like emotional rather than rational stance.
This time I think it's pity that T-A field doesn't ride P-N.

Edit:

i miss the traditional last stage ending in nice with the col d' eze circuit

Well, the finishing uphill itt is tradition. Take a look further back in the history.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

i'm thinking positively.
And i'm not an opponent of the aso and fan of rcs by default.
It's true that italians recently have put some attractive routes on the paper, but from various reasons (cancelations, defensive racing, etc.) what has been on the paper often hasn't conveyed to the road.
Dislike towards aso i see like emotional rather than rational stance.
This time i think it's pity that t-a field doesn't ride p-n.

Edit:

Well, the finishing uphill itt is tradition. Take a look further back in the history.

+ 1

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Certainly there is a touch of romanticism attached to expectations and so there is a bit of an emotional attachment causing anger at ASO sometimes.

But after it produced some of the best racing of 2008, 2009 and 2010, I think crapping on the routes of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 editions of the race is fully rational and justified.

 

[hfer07]

Paurcours ain't bad at all- nothing special but at least those stages bordering the 200k are good indeed. Plus this year is going to be more competitive because of the absent of the big stars.

 

[Eshnar]

I'm thinking positively.
And I'm not an opponent of the ASO and fan of RCS by default.
It's true that Italians recently have put some attractive routes on the paper,

Wait. I only gave a 6/10 rating to the Giro route. I'm judging the routes. Don't give a fu** about who designes them.

 

[serfla]

Wait. I only gave a 6/10 rating to the Giro route. I'm judging the routes. Don't give a fu** about who designes them.

It wasn't directed to you.
It's something that underpins the opinion of wide cycling audience, I have impression. Just go through the history of this forum and I'm sure you'll notice the same.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I can only imagine there is a reason why more and more big guys decide to ride T-A.

 

[serfla]

I can only imagine there is a reason why more and more big guys decide to ride T-A.

Yes, there is. Better weather and M-SR.

 

[Netserk]

Yes, there is. Better weather and M-SR.

Wasn't there also better weather and M-SR 5-10 years ago?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yea, or maybe the top guys just like the race better because of a lot of reasons INCLUDING the route.

 

[McLovin]

Wasn't there also better weather and M-SR 5-10 years ago?

Maybe I am wrong, but wasn't TA a Tour of Quatar back then?

 

[theyoungest]

I can only imagine there is a reason why more and more big guys decide to ride T-A.

Less controls?

Kidding aside, Paris-Nice is known for its nervousness, echelons, crashes, and bad weather. David Millar described it as an addictive kind of hell on earth, or something like that.

 

[Netserk]

Less controls?

Kidding aside, Paris-Nice is known for its nervousness, echelons, crashes, and bad weather. David Millar described it as an addictive kind of hell on earth, or something like that.

That was also the case a couple of years ago, when P-N was the most popular race.

The only thing that has recently changed is the routes.

 

[Miburo]

I still remember the last time montagne de lure was done.

Now that was a great ride

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I still remember the last time montagne de lure was done.

Now that was a great ride

and now it will be TJVG and Talansky going up the incline.

Will Valverde ride P-N?