2015 Tour de France Route

[OlavEH]

The 2012 Giro was NOT one of the better GTs of the last years. Everybody stood around looking at each other and waiting for Purito to outsprint them in the last 800 metres, and raced so defensively that they nearly gave the race to Thomas de Gendt because he didn't crack like an egg when they were racing like cowards for two and a half weeks, then had the temerity to actually try to win the race on the penultimate day.

I thought the battle between Hesjedal and Rodriguez was one of the more entertaining duels in the last years. And I've rarely seen more tired riders than especially Hesjedal at last two stages to Pampeago and Stelvio.

The 2012 Tour with a booooooring route and Wiggins in complete control the whole time was much worse. And the Giro and Tour in 2008. Sella with his insane breakaways and everybody else looking at Contador. Nothing happened until the last 3 kms on any of the mountain stages. 2008 Tour with the Schleck brohters handing Sastre the overall victory at Alpe d'Huez was also a borefest.

 

[OlavEH]

Champremier is the pass slightly below the mountain village of Druges. The climb can be from Fénis (harder) or Saint-Marcel (easier).

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Is that even possible? Looks like only one way up at the Michelin map.

 

[deValtos]

I thought the battle between Hesjedal and Rodriguez was one of the more entertaining duels in the last years.

Sorry but I don't think you're going to get much support for your endorsement of the 2012 Giro on here.

It was a terrible, terrible edition. Apart from stage 20 (stelvio) I don't think there was a single attack from a GC favourite the entire race if I remember it rightly.

edit: I mean how the race played out, not the route. Route was ok.

 

[OlavEH]

Sorry but I don't think you're going to get much support for your endorsement of the 2012 Giro on here.

It was a terrible, terrible edition. Apart from stage 20 (stelvio) I don't think there was a single attack from a GC favourite the entire race if I remember it rightly.

I've may have been exaggerating when I said that it was one of the best GTs the last years, but it was far from being be worst.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Is that even possible? Looks like only one way up at the Michelin map.

The pass at 1380m (that is Champremier) has two sides. It features in the Giro delle Valle d'Aosta quite often and is on google streetview. The descent of the Saint-Marcel side is not in great condition but is doable. No worse than the Mortirolo descent and less steep.

 

[BrentonOfTheNorth]

I've may have been exaggerating when I said that it was one of the best GTs the last years, but it was far from being be worst.

My memory is poor but the 2012 sticks out to me as an extremely dull GC race, more-so than any other of the last +10 years. Nobody even tried to win, except Ryder on the Stelvio stage. Most GTs will have more GC attacks in a single stage than we saw in the entire 2012 Giro.

 

[barmaher]

Just thinking back over the last 3 years, the Vuelta has usually been the best GT.

We haven't had a really good Giro since 2010.

 

[Eshnar]

Just thinking back over the last 3 years, the Vuelta has usually been the best GT.

We haven't had a really good Giro since 2010.

2011 was good...

 

[Netserk]

Yeah 2011 was quite good. Rujanito and Contador show, Gardeccia epicness, and in general a very good race, though the tragedy of Wouter Weylandt's death put a damper on the first week (and the rest of the race) to say the least.

 

[barmaher]

2011 was good...

Yeah, I lazily just thought "2011, Contador walked it" but looking at stages on wiki now and remembering them, it had some very good stages, but GC was wrapped up on Etna.

I suppose it was the opposite of 2012....

2012 had a close race for pink, but not very exciting stage
2011 had some very exciting stages, but we knew who would win by Stage 9.

And also the Wouter death, how did I forget that?

 

[Netserk]

I for one prefer races like Giro '11 and Tour '14 where the GC is decided after the first week, but with a nice route and good racing over races that are close but dull like Giro '12.

 

[barmaher]

Yeah, I am backing down fully now. I liked the Tour in 2014, too. Saved by a good course in many ways.

 

[OlavEH]

My memory is poor but the 2012 sticks out to me as an extremely dull GC race, more-so than any other of the last +10 years. Nobody even tried to win, except Ryder on the Stelvio stage. Most GTs will have more GC attacks in a single stage than we saw in the entire 2012 Giro.

Better than the Tour same year. Wiggins was in control the whole time and every attempt to attack Wiggins was neutralized by Froome. And in 2008 both the Giro and the Tour was really boring.

 

[staubsauger]

Cunego tried some attacks which didn't pay out that Giro.
Furthermore the 2012 Giro was boring as hell unless De Gendt and maybe Rabottini!

The Sella show alone in 2008 was better than the whole race in 2012.

And the 2012 Tour had at least a good fight for polka dot between Voeckler and Kessiakoff in the end while the Giro just had nothing.

 

[Poursuivant]

Good Old Paddy Power have their odds up for stage 10 already! Quintana 3/1, and Froome is 10/1, is the stage really that badly suited to him?

 

[jens_attacks]

i've read papy power and i was just about to write that airgas won't get invited. lol

 

[nhowson]

i've read papy power and i was just about to write that airgas won't get invited. lol

Not as good as Quintana and Froome being 4/1 and 5/1 for the Giro.

As for Stage 10, it very much suits Quintana, but not that much. At those odds you could probably bet on everyone except Quintana at 1/4 and that would be a good bet.

 

[42x16ss]

The Sella show alone in 2008 was better than the whole race in 2012.

Oh yeah, Sella and Ricco were attacking the motorbikes for fun until they got popped! The '08 Giro and the first half of the '08 TdF were hilarious

 

[ILovecycling]

Not as good as Quintana and Froome being 4/1 and 5/1 for the Giro.

As for Stage 10, it very much suits Quintana, but not that much. At those odds you could probably bet on everyone except Quintana at 1/4 and that would be a good bet.

yeah,those are stupid odds,its like they(bookies) have never seen quintana at GT

 

[LaFlorecita]

yeah,those are stupid odds,its like they(bookies) have never seen quintana at GT

Not sure you understood Poursuivant's post I think he is surprised Froome's odds are so much worse (ie less chance to win according to the bookmaker) than Quintana's.

 

[Red Rick]

That stage is horrible for Quintana. It's great for Froome, would bet at least my kitchen on Froome winnign it if I had a house. Then, if he crushed a tired Contador there, I could drown my disappointment in money

 

[LaFlorecita]

That stage is horrible for Quintana. It's great for Froome, would bet at least my kitchen on Froome winnign it if I had a house. Then, if he crushed a tired Contador there, I could drown my disappointment in money

The finish is perfect for Alberto if he is in okay shape

 

[Netserk]

The finish is perfect for Alberto if he is in okay shape

On that stage he will mostly just follow others, I think. With the Giro in his legs he will have to save himself and only go full gas when he can convert it to (meaningful) time gaps.

 

[LaFlorecita]

On that stage he will mostly just follow others, I think. With the Giro in his legs he will have to save himself and only go full gas when he can convert it to (meaningful) time gaps.

I think he will try to take time whenever he can, because he might get worse in the third week

 

[Netserk]

I think he will try to take time whenever he can, because he might get worse in the third week

If he tries (hard) to take time wherever he can, he will fade in the third week. And lose.

Much better to be near the others in GC and then use all his power in the Alpes to decide the race.