2015 Tour de France Route

[pastronef]

13.7km of ITT! Farcical! They will try and justify it with a longer TTT, which is pathetic. They have messed this up big time, which is amazing considering how long they have been planning it.

Team Sky is better start training for that TTT... NOW!

 

[webvan]

13.7km of ITT! Farcical! They will try and justify it with a longer TTT, which is pathetic. They have messed this up big time, which is amazing considering how long they have been planning it.

You don't say, how much more ridiculous can it get ?! It was bad enough that we'd gone from 4 then to 3 then to 2 then to 1 ITT, now there is none to speak of !!! Hinault would have punched his way out of this back in the day!

 

[Hugo87]

Damn not a decent ITT.

Now climbers don't need to attack to recover time losses from ITT's specialists.

 

[sir fly]

Would the ASO bother to make a hoax?

 

[Bavarianrider]

If this route is true i won't watch or discuss a single ASO event thill they announce the 2016 route. You can take this to the bank!

Still hope it's not true, though.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Would the ASO bother to make a hoax?

Don't think so, the only people bothered about the details of the route are a small group of hardcore cycling fans. Tiny group.

Some July fans might tune in during the presentation tomorrow and if they recognize a couple of stars and the Alpe they will be happy.

 

[sir fly]

Don't think so, the only people bothered about the details of the route are a small group of hardcore cycling fans. Tiny group.

Some July fans might tune in during the presentation tomorrow and if they recognize a couple of stars and the Alpe they will be happy.

Yeah... You're right.
Unfortunately.

 

[janraaskalt]

If this route is true i won't watch or discuss a single ASO event thill they announce the 2016 route. You can take this to the bank!

Let's make this statement more permanent by quoting.

 

[MatParker117]

If this route proves correct how many backflips of delight is Quintana doing right now? Also I wonder if the ASO is considering scrapping Intermediate sprints in order to **** Sagan over.

 

[sir fly]

If this route proves correct how many backflips of delight is Quintana doing right now? Also I wonder if the ASO is considering scrapping Intermediate sprints in order to **** Sagan over.

Contador shouldn't be disappointed either.
Also, it should increase Nibali's enthusiasm.

 

[rghysens]

I believe they do Gap - Col Bayard - Col de Parquetout - Col d'Ornon - Bourg d'Oisan - Lautaret - Galibier - SJDM. That's exactly 185k like in their programm of today.

Parquetout would be climbed on the easy side, with a steep downhill using a road which is barely 2.5m wide at places. I don't think so.
And the stage length aren't always correct at the presentation.

 

[deValtos]

Contador shouldn't be disappointed either.
Also, it should increase Nibali's enthusiasm.

I think it's neutral for these two. Obviously it'll reduce any potential time loss to Froome but they also lose potential to take big time on Quintana/Pinot/Bardet. Maybe not a big deal in 2014 but in 2015 we don't know how much those 3 will have improved their climbing ...

Looking down the contenders list the other guy this route hits hard is Tejay, not that he had much if any chance to win anhows but I expect he'll be ****ed when he sees this tomorrow.

Tony Martin & Tom Dumo won't be smiling either ... though I admit the prologue will be interesting as everyone will be now going 110% for that yellow jersey.

 

[Kwibus]

Let's make this statement more permanent by quoting.

He made more bold statements in the past... He's not very reliable

 

[perico]

A closer look and this route would really favor El Pistolero, even moreso than Nairo, who could lose time on the shorter, steeper climbs in the north, as was the case in the Vuelta last year. As good as Bardet and Pinot may be, I'm not so positive either has Bertie quaking in his boots at this point.

 

[ferryman]

A closer look and this route would really favor El Pistolero, even moreso than Nairo, who could lose time on the shorter, steeper climbs in the north, as was the case in the Vuelta last year. As good as Bardet and Pinot may be, I'm not so positive either has Bertie quaking in his boots at this point.

If this ridiculous route is confirmed tomorrow, the first week becomes incredibly important. I can see week long training camps set up by some teams rather than the usual day reconns...

And beyond for the TTT..

 

[webvan]

That first (and only unfortunately) TT has Wiggins written all over it, DB's going to force him to come back ;-)

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

A closer look and this route would really favor El Pistolero, even moreso than Nairo, who could lose time on the shorter, steeper climbs in the north, as was the case in the Vuelta last year. As good as Bardet and Pinot may be, I'm not so positive either has Bertie quaking in his boots at this point.

Stages 19 and 20 favor Quintana and he "always" seems to be at his best in the third week of a GT, regardless, but I wonder how many minutes he'll be behind at that point.

The 2013 route suited him much better, IMO.

 

[Miburo]

A closer look and this route would really favor El Pistolero, even moreso than Nairo, who could lose time on the shorter, steeper climbs in the north, as was the case in the Vuelta last year. As good as Bardet and Pinot may be, I'm not so positive either has Bertie quaking in his boots at this point.

No ****, Contador is more worried about the insects in his house than these guys

 

[Netbalp]

No ****, Contador is more worried about the insects in his house than these guys

Earlier you used to like to draw a pit between Contador and Froome, now you do absolutely the same with Nibali...Do illusions inspire that much?

 

[OlavEH]

One of the most stupid rumours so far, I found in Norwegian newspapers this morning. Johan Kaggestad, cycling expert on TV2 i Norway, claimed that the hoped and believed for a stage finish at Cime de la Bonette next year, meaning the highest MTD i Tour history. Can't understand where he's found this info. It's sounds like his own imagination....

Is there actually room at the top of Bonette for MTF?

 

[Netbalp]

One of the most stupid rumours so far, I found in Norwegian newspapers this morning. Johan Kaggestad, cycling expert on TV2 i Norway, claimed that the hoped and believed for a stage finish at Cime de la Bonette next year, meaning the highest MTD i Tour history. Can't understand where he's found this info. It's sounds like his own imagination....

Is there actually room at the top of Bonette for MTF?

it's an old august rumor. this would've found lots of provisional confirmations if that was true.

 

[skidmark]

All the ITT specialists would ride the Giro and only ride the fist tdf week to support their team leader in the TTT. If this is the real route, oh boy...

Well that's it, right? Like, what incentive do TT specialists have to come to the Tour at all? To bag 1 stage instead of chances in 3? To wear the Maillot Jaune for a maximum of 2 days until you get to the Mur de Huy? I mean, sure there are tons of riders who don't have a specialty and go for the breakaway win all the time in the Tour, so maybe the TT guys should be happy with that, in that sense. But really what ASO is doing is giving a strong disincentive to TT riders to try to make it past stage 9.

 

[Eshnar]

found it in a couple of forums out there...

Col St. Michel - Allos - Pra Loup

Bayard - Ornon - Glandon - Montvernier

Chaussy - Croix de Fer - Mollard - Toussuire

Telegraphe - Galibier - Alpe d'Huez

And there are rumours about time bonuses to be back.

 

[OlavEH]

I think it's far too short. Even if it's raced really hard from the start (which it won't be) it'll just come down to a last 5km battle.

Usually I would agree, but if they to Chaussy, almost 2/3 of Madeleine, Glandon and Molland before La Toussiere, it's by far the best stage which is rumoured next year. This would mean barely a km of flat, only up and down the whole stage. 5000 altitude meters in 138 km is tough, really tough.

I'm more disappointed by the other mountain stages. As far as rumoured both the stages to Pierre St.Martin and Beille have too few climbs and are too easy. And the 110 km stage to Alpe d'Huez is ridiculous. Huez should not be used in conjunction with Galibier.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

found it in a couple of forums out there...

Col St. Michel - Allos - Pra Loup

Bayard - Ornon - Glandon - Montvernier

Chaussy - Croix de Fer - Mollard - Toussuire

Telegraphe - Galibier - Alpe d'Huez

And there are rumours about time bonuses to be back.

Too bad about no Champs due to the supposedly dangerous descent, (though that's only the W side, no? - why no Cayolle instead of Allos then?) but good to have a second descent finish in (Montvernier). I was worried about that one as Thomas V. didn't list it yesterday.