2015 Tour de France Route

[fauniera]

Maybe it's for the location of the points sprint that they want there?

Maybe. The points sprint is of course the most important factor in the design of a mountain stage. Sounds totally like ASO.

 

[veji11]

I didn't know where to post this and I don't think it requires a new thread.



Considering that there is no long TT and the favourites will wait for the final kms of the climbs, the fact that there are bonus seconds at the top can make the climbs absolute borefests.

This is an utter nightmare. This makes this Tour a sub par vuelta, not even a decent vuelta. I like to criticize the vuelta, but at least what they do gives their race an identity. having the tour mimick the Vuelta sucks...

 

[PirazziAttacksVino]

That will be Quintana out of a leadership role then, when Valverde takes yellow on the Huy.

Nah, Unzue is not that stupid. Quintana will be free to ride for himself unless Pity proves to be stronger and very consistent in the mountains, which is less likely than Valverde finishing the race as lantern rouge.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

They need 30 km to cover the 3 km between La Chambre and St. Etienne de Cuines. Which means they will do an extra loop in the valley, maybe to Saint Jean de Maurienne and back. The stage would have been around 110 km long without that loop (followed by another 110 km stage), so maybe they felt the need to find a few km somewhere. Or Saint Jean de Maurienne wanted to be on television twice that day.

They could climb to Longchamps and descend if they needed the extra k's...Wouldn't break up the climbs so much. If the intermediate sprint is the problem they could just place it at the bottom anyways. It's like they're *trying* to ruin stages with great potential by weakening them like that. See also: Pra-Loup with no Champs/Cayolle, PDB skipping Latrappe/Agnes or even Menté at the beginning, Pierre St. Martin with no Aubisque and Marie Blanque (or if they insist on looping west, no Bagargui which they've done before).

 

[fauniera]

They could climb to Longchamps and descend if they needed the extra k's...

No they couldn't, because that would turn the stage into something really good. No way, not with ASO!

It's like they're *trying* to ruin stages with great potential by weakening them like that. See also: Pra-Loup with no Champs/Cayolle, PDB skipping Latrappe/Agnes or even Menté at the beginning, Pierre St. Martin with no Aubisque and Marie Blanque (or if they insist on looping west, no Bagargui which they've done before).

Absolutely. It's so depressing.

 

[TANK91]

Tony Martin should be ashemed of himself. ***.

What did he do?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

PDB skipping Latrappe/Agnes or even Menté at the beginning,

The last Beille stage had those climbs and was a total bore. Epic attacks by Vandendert and Samu at the end. I nearly fell asleep.

There's too much flat between Lers and Beille regardless. This softer stage will at least ensure a higher pace up the MTF.

 

[DFA123]

Nah, Unzue is not that stupid. Quintana will be free to ride for himself unless Pity proves to be stronger and very consistent in the mountains, which is less likely than Valverde finishing the race as lantern rouge.

It's a pretty good route for Valverde though. No really tough mountain stages, but with lots of tough finishes and time bonuses on offer. I wouldn't be surprised if he went better than Quintana.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

The last Beille stage had those climbs and was a total bore. Epic attacks by Vandendert and Samu at the end. I nearly fell asleep.

There's too much flat between Lers and Beille regardless. This softer stage will at least ensure a higher pace up the MTF.

Oh yeah I remember that one. What an absolute borefest. It's true about the flat. The first route suggested based on the distance included the Pas de Souloumbrie after Port and before Beille which eliminates the flat. I actually liked that idea.

Anyways, all the more evidence that it depends on how it's raced. It's got potential, but it needs to be realized. On the other hand Fuente Dé was supposed to be crap...And Saint-Amand Montrond was a flat stage for a mass sprint...Heh.

 

[Netserk]

Plateau de Beille shouldn't be used when the pyrenees are first. Will then always be the last of the pyrenees stages and block the stage before. It was perfect in 2007 as the first mountain stage in the last week and with Pailhères before it.

 

[OlavEH]

The last Beille stage had those climbs and was a total bore. Epic attacks by Vandendert and Samu at the end. I nearly fell asleep.

There's too much flat between Lers and Beille regardless. This softer stage will at least ensure a higher pace up the MTF.

Higher pace up the MTF doesn't necessarily mean more gaps and more entertainment. I think there should be at least 2 long mountain stages each Tour, at least 200 km and 6 hours. One of the could be 220-230 km and 7 hours. You just make sure you don't put these as the first of 3-4 mountain stages in the Pyrenees or Alps. It should preferrable be the last mountain stage in each of the two areas.

 

[veji11]

The last Beille stage had those climbs and was a total bore. Epic attacks by Vandendert and Samu at the end. I nearly fell asleep.

Each moutain stage taken individually is ok. Putting Beille after 200ks of passes or as a lonely MTF doesn't mean the race will see any earlier action, because the way Beille is set up, there's going to be some flat before anyway.

The real issue is that there lack a big long hard draining mountain stage in each of the big massifs. A GT needs a couple of 200ks mountain stage. I think next year's Giro route is really solide for example (although I rue the excess MTFs of course) but the Cervinia stage for example with its length will offer something different. or stage 9 as a medium moutain/Hilly stage which will be as hard as a Giro di Lombardia. Those longish stages are lacking in this Tour de France.

 

[McLovin]

Heheey, there's the Tourmalet. Missed it already. There's been almost 3 months since last time it was in the Tour! I feel relieved. Anyone knows if it will be in 2016 Tour? Or even better, in next year's Vuelta?

 

[veji11]

Heheey, there's the Tourmalet. Missed it already. There's been almost 3 months since last time it was in the Tour! I feel relieved. Anyone knows if it will be in 2016 Tour? Or even better, in next year's Vuelta?

To be honest the Tourmalet is a great climb, I don't mind having it every year.

 

[May0maniac]

What did he do?

They did a little quiz with a few riders. When they asked who was the last french rider to win the Tour, his answer was Greg LeMond.

 

[jens_attacks]

They did a little quiz with a few riders. When they asked who was the last french rider to win the Tour, his answer was Greg LeMond.

why so surprised? he's a cop after all.

 

[McLovin]

And almost all the riders questioned said that Galibier is in Pyrenees same with Planche des Belles Filles. THis after you finish 6-7 Tours. How they manage to get back home after training?

 

[Tonton]

At first glance, I like the route, I don't mind the change, and I like the cobbles... from my armchair The riders will make the race, it's going to be wide open, with a possible big payday (podium) for second tier riders who go for broke and succeed, i.e. my French guys Pinot, Bardet, Rolland, Barguil. JCP.

AC will be the big favorite. Dawg is just about to chicken out, but the soap opera will be Movistar, Piti at the service of Quintana, spending the off-season beating a Nairo voodoo doll with a cobble

 

[Red Rick]

Small gaps, is baaaaad racing

What they need to do is give some random 2nd tier rider a 15 minute advantage

 

[jens_attacks]

when the tour was for the grown ups

we will never see something like that though

 

[hfer07]

Any Stage graphics released yet?

 

[HelgeBlendet]

So glad I checked the forum first before looking at the route. Now I'm not as dissapointed as I would have been.

3 stages should be fun, I guess.

 

[OlavEH]

when the tour was for the grown ups

we will never see something like that though

Agree! We should have one of those stages each year.

A Saises-Aravis-Colombiere-Joux Plane-Avoriaz stage

or Portet d'Aspet - Mente - Portillion - Peyresourde -Aspin - Tourmalet - Ardiden

 

[offbyone]

It is like they wanted pure climbers to win and then forgot to put the climbs in.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Holy crap. Javier Guillén couldn't put out a route this bad.

I mean, holy crap.

Wow.

At least 2009 had the Le-Grand-Bornand stage. This has... diseases.