2015 Tour de France time trials

[sir fly]

I consider the topic interesting and important since the options are still wide open, but don't want every now and then to divert the discussion in the Route thread so here you are.
Systematized options, easily to be surveyed.

2 votes, wishful and reasonable.

The thread could survive all the way to Paris, not just till the presentation, but the poll will close on the Wednesday.

Stress in your comment if you expect or wish a tt in Paris.

 

[Netserk]

TTT on stage 9
ITT later in the race, not in Paris.

 

[sir fly]

The more I'm thinking, one long individual seems to be the most logical answer.
I really doubt the team time trial will occur so late in the race, two individual would mean three in total, and that sounds just too much. An uphill is more a wishful option than a realistic chance.
A regular individual and an uphill are strong alternative to the sole individual.

It's going to be very interesting to see ASO's choce. It's not an irrelevant decision. It should set the stage and assign the roles for the mountain show.

 

[Sciocco]

I'd love to see a MTT, but I find it extremely unlikely. Due to that, I'd be happy with a TdF 2013 stage 17.

Also if they want to include three or four ITTs and no TTT that'd be great.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

TTT Vannes - Plumelec
MTT in the Alps - Col du Chaussy


or

TTT Vannes - Plumelec
ITT on third weekend (or Monday after)
MTT in the Alps - Col du Chaussy



The only one I'm sure of is the TTT.

 

[LaFlorecita]

What?! A TTT on stage 9?! Who the **** makes this **** up??

If that's true, ASO failed massively. A TTT after 8 flat stages teams of 6 vs teams of 9 riders

 

[HappyLoser]

Come on man, there will be 6 MTF later. And Mur de Huy which will give gaps about +0:20-0:30 between main favorites.

 

[nhowson]

Come on man, there will be 6 MTF later. And Mur de Huy which will give gaps about +0:20-0:30 between main favorites.

More like :05-:15 I think. In terms of TTs I'll be happy as long as they are done before that Alps and stage 20 is a MTF. I find it much better when climbers have to attack to bring time back rather than save themselves to do as well as they can in a TT.

 

[jens_attacks]

i want mountain time trial on toussuire or alpe d'huez
a 40 km team time trial
and a 60-65 km individual time trial
finally another 20-25 kms ITT in paris. that would be perfect

 

[nhowson]

i want mountain time trial on toussuire or alpe d'huez
a 40 km team time trial
and a 60-65 km individual time trial
finally another 20-25 kms ITT in paris. that would be perfect

Yes! Toussuire TT would be awesome and remembering the stage from 2012, the crowd would be nuts. I'm not sure where the TTT would go though, remembering that it has to be in the first week (not sure if anyone has ever actually tested this out though).

Also, OT, but would a cobbled TT ever happen?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

What?! A TTT on stage 9?! Who the **** makes this **** up??

If that's true, ASO failed massively. A TTT after 8 flat stages teams of 6 vs teams of 9 riders

Money talks.

It may not be fair, but it will bring the drama, no question. I think it will be more entertaining than an ITT. It's at least 25 kms long and crosswinds aren't unlikely. I wonder what they will do with the time gaps at the finish line, though...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Money talks.

It may not be fair, but it will bring the drama, no question. I think it will be more entertaining than an ITT. It's at least 25 kms long and crosswinds aren't unlikely. I wonder what they will do with the time gaps at the finish line, though...

pffff

 

[Walkman]

WTF?!

People wants to see TTT?

Just do two individual TT:s and bring back the greatness to the 2003 and 2007 Tour!

 

[Googol]

Also, OT, but would a cobbled TT ever happen?

Arenberg prologue would be nice. That would be short enough so that overtaking wouldn't be too a big issue.

 

[Echoes]

One thread is not enough?

How many more do you need? What a forum, sweet Jesus.

 

[sir fly]

The rumored Alpine stages are leaving realistic possibility for a (hilly/mountain) time trial. La Toussuire is ideal for the mtt. That would require an itt before the Pyrenees.

 

[l.Harm]

In general I'd like to see two ITT's. MTT can be exciting but I don't really see the point of them. You want ITT's to balance the route with al the mountain stages. In MTT's you generally see the same people at the front as in the mountains stages. I'd go for one panflat ITT and a more hilly one.


Once in a while a late ITT can be nice, but in general I prefer ITT's to create gaps for the mountain stages instead of the other way around. OTOH, an ITT in Paris is much more exciting than a boring sprint stage.

 

[sir fly]

In general I'd like to see two ITT's. MTT can be exciting but I don't really see the point of them. You want ITT's to balance the route with al the mountain stages. In MTT's you generally see the same people at the front as in the mountains stages. I'd go for one panflat ITT and a more hilly one.


Once in a while a late ITT can be nice, but in general I prefer ITT's to create gaps for the mountain stages instead of the other way around. OTOH, an ITT in Paris is much more exciting than a boring sprint stage.

Would be nice to see how Contador, Froome, Nibali and Quintana stand against each other in a mtt, since we know where they are in a regular itt. Most probably, it would still favor Froome and Contador, but notably less than on a flat/lumpy terrain. That should be the point of a mtt in already mountainous edition of a race if you have a couple of riders whose advantage in the time trials is obvious.
Now to connect a speculation from the Route thread with one here... How about Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - La Chambre - Col de la Madeleine mtt?
As we're already aware, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is heavily rumored and looks to be the headquarters of the Alpine campaign.
Would be spectacular, but maybe too hard.

 

[deValtos]

I hope we go back to two ITT's, it's been a while.

Plus a prologue, were they not recieved well because Giro,Tour,Veulta stopped doing this a few years ago ?

I think it's a great start to a GT as you can see each rider who is participating start one by one ... it's a perfect introduction to all the racers.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I hope we go back to two ITT's, it's been a while.

Plus a prologue, were they not recieved well because Giro,Tour,Veulta stopped doing this a few years ago ?

I think it's a great start to a GT as you can see each rider who is participating start one by one ... it's a perfect introduction to all the racers.

Agreed. On the other hand, the worst start to a GT is a TTT. If they really want to include TTT's in GT's, at least make them 60-70 km's.

 

[roundabout]

No, keep the TTTs short if included.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Yes! Toussuire TT would be awesome and remembering the stage from 2012, the crowd would be nuts. I'm not sure where the TTT would go though, remembering that it has to be in the first week (not sure if anyone has ever actually tested this out though).

Also, OT, but would a cobbled TT ever happen?

Probalbly not. But it would be great entertainment




I think knowing what the ASO usually do, it would most likely be a TTT and a long ITT.

 

[guncha]

flat 50km ITT + flat 25km TTT.
No uphill ITT because road stage will always be better.
Don't like time trials with 2nd cat climbs like in 2013 because of small time gaps.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

TTT Vannes - Plumelec
MTT in the Alps - Col du Chaussy


or

TTT Vannes - Plumelec
ITT on third weekend (or Monday after)
MTT in the Alps - Col du Chaussy



The only one I'm sure of is the TTT.

What a sight that'd be! All the way to Madeleine I assume, to make the differences noticeable?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

What a sight that'd be! All the way to Madeleine I assume, to make the differences noticeable?

Alas, the the local who tweeted that was full of it. No MTT, sadly. Not on La Toussuire or Alpe d'Huez, either. See the TDF rumors thread.