2020 Tour de France route rumors

[SafeBet]

And at the opposite end of the spectrum there'd be people complaining about too many TTs.

And they'd be wrong.

This route is fine by Tour standards. I have come to accept the lack of TT mileage at this point. No endurance/recovery test has also been a trend for some years. I felt they might try something more suited to Alaphilippe but this really isn't the case.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think this is pretty decent, I like the Alps in particular in the last week.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

And they'd be wrong.

This route is fine by Tour standards. I have come to accept the lack of TT mileage at this point. No endurance/recovery test has also been a trend for some years. I felt they might try something more suited to Alaphilippe but this really isn't the case.

They went (almost) all-in for Pinot, which makes sense seeing as he was the best climber in the first two weeks of the past Tour. He could actually win a medium to high mountain heavy route with practically no TTs. He's also the only French rider that has a shot at winning a route that isn't light on climbs.

Interestingly, they seemingly only changed the ITT to a non-joke length late in the game. There was a solid rumor that they were actually considering a 16-25km PdBF ITT before.

I guess they didn't want to make it too obvious in the end (although they do pass Pinot's hometown at 9kms in...)

I would be happy if Pinot won. It would be great for the sport and for French cycling in particular. He's probably the most attractive GC rider at the moment.

 

[red_flanders]

Cool route. Glad they're doing something different, and I think it will lead to some exciting racing.

 

[OlavEH]

8/10 from me. Probably the best route in years. Early Mercantour stage, Aigoual via Lusette, Grand Colombier finish and Glieres stage are good/great. Especially Glieres has the potential to be an epic stage.

Withdraw two points for lack of ITT kms and rather mediocre Pyrenee stages.

 

[KZD]

Positive points

-Mountains from start to finish
-Less flat stages
-time-trial route
-No TTT

Negative points

-Lack of a flat time trial
-Lack of a super hard stage
-Lack of +200km stages

Overall I would give a 6.5/10. Not bad route but it could have been much better. Bernal, Roglic and Pinot are well suited to this route but Dumoulin also has a chance (if he rides it). I don't think Froome can win at 35 years of age with this route.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Even on this route, we get a flat stage on the penultimate weekend

 

[sir fly]

As Bernal said, It's gonna be "a good Tour to watch on TV."
Plenty of stages with "two races in one" potential and breathtaking landscapes.
Regarding the time trial, riders are very well aware of their strengths and weaknesses, thus I doubt it'll lock the race. It will, more likely, open it up in the Alps.
The stage to Grand Colombiere shall be pretty important for the racing in the Alps. More than the time trial in my opinion.

And speaking about Olympics/Tour importance, collision, etc. ... Well, the Tour was always going to be when it is, the Olympic schedule should've been more friendly.

 

[houtdffan]

love the mountain stages and the lack of the youtube cycling flat stages where only 2 minutes of the stage means anything.

However, the route would be much better if the first stage were a prologue and then a very long, flat ITT to better balance the route.

 

[dick the quick]

ASO not giving profiles is so tilting. It's like the purposefully try to be the worst GT of the year every year.

Some stage and climb profiles:

 

[dick the quick]

More profiles:

 

[Valv.Piti]

Even on this route, we get a flat stage on the penultimate weekend

So, thats your take? Been looking forward to that the whole day (lol). Even though I know its kinda hard with only like 5 stage profiles or so, wtf is up with the ASO?

 

[Red Rick]

Lot of mountain stages, but ASO has basically made entirely sure only 2 mountain stages reeaaally matter with final mountain stage being somewhat of a question mark

 

[OlavEH]

Wow, the Grand Colombier stage is great. Much better than I expected!

 

[houtdffan]

where are those additional profiles found? I cannot find them on the aso site

 

[dick the quick]

where are those additional profiles found? I cannot find them on the aso site

Polish website:
https://rowery.org/2019/10/15/trasa-tour-de-france-2020/

 

[Red Rick]

The pacing of mountain stages is so bad.

Mountain stages start at stage 2, but all 3/4 stages that matters are in the final week.

 

[houtdffan]

The pacing of mountain stages is so bad.

Mountain stages start at stage 2, but all 3/4 stages that matters are in the final week.

I'd disagree with that statement. If riders do not show up in form at the start, they are going to be 30 minutes behind going into the final week.

I like this route as it forces the riders to be at top form for the whole 3 weeks. However, as I said before, it needs a boat load of flat ITT kms. An 8 km prologue and a 60 km dead flat ITT midway through the race would balance the route far better than this climbing fest we currently have

 

[Red Rick]

I'd disagree with that statement. If riders do not show up in form at the start, they are going to be 30 minutes behind going into the final week.

I like this route as it forces the riders to be at top form for the whole 3 weeks. However, as I said before, it needs a boat load of flat ITT kms. An 8 km prologue and a 60 km dead flat ITT midway through the race would balance the route far better than this climbing fest we currently have

Oh comon it's not like you get dropped like a stone in the first week when you peak in the third. And it's not like GC dudes are gonna attack Col du Turini and you risk losing buckets of time there. There's literally no stage that's gonna get a full climb action until the Grand Colombier.

 

[houtdffan]

Polish website:
https://rowery.org/2019/10/15/trasa-tour-de-france-2020/

thanks!

 

[Mayomaniac]

The pacing of mountain stages is so bad.
Mountain stages start at stage 2, but all 3/4 stages that matters are in the final week.

Yes, stage 15 is a big deal and so are stage 17, 18 and 20.
I really like stage 18 in the context of the race, final alpine stage after the hardest mtf of the race, but I fear that we will get a bit of a waiting game until stage 15, unless someone like Roglic or Ala wants to go crazy in the medium mountains.

 

[houtdffan]

Oh comon it's not like you get dropped like a stone in the first week when you peak in the third. And it's not like GC dudes are gonna attack Col du Turini and you risk losing buckets of time there. There's literally no stage that's gonna get a full climb action until the Grand Colombier.

Lemond 1989 giro? I know its 30 years ago. Maybe Pierero in 2006 would be more recent

There are enough stages the first week that one could lose a couple of minutes here, couple there. Shouldn't be dropped on the Turini, but the final 2 climbs on stage 2 are enough to make a decent difference. Stages 4 and 6 are also places where one could lose a few minutes (could lose a lot of time if dropped on stage 6 as the final climb is shallow so the lead group should be able to gain significant time over one who was dropped).

Stage 8 is another day where big time can be lost if one does not have the form (though that stage should have been a replica of the 2007 stage)

 

[OlavEH]

The pacing of mountain stages is so bad.

Mountain stages start at stage 2, but all 3/4 stages that matters are in the final week.

There is definitely a chance to do something at Aigoual.....

And the Glieres stage is IMO perfectly placed. If you want to encourage longe range attacks, these kind of stage should be placed as the last big mountain stage.

 

[Kyllingen86]

How is that Grand Colombiere stage better than expected?

The first two mountaintops are over within 35 km making the middle section a true bore. Only the last 18 kilometers will matter concerning GC.

Also I am not sure the Orciéres-Merlette profile is correct. I read several places that it is supposed to be 11 km with an average gradient of 5,9%. That does not fit with the posted profile.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I like stage 6. Riders can definitely lose the Tour there.

Stage 8 is frustrating. Just make it longer! Stage 9 is poor, though given the overload of mountain stages, not a big deal.

Second week could be very boring with everyone waiting for stage 15 MTF. Stage 13 finish is nice, but the earlier climbing on that stage doesn't appear hard enough.

I like the profile of stage 16, but are the climbs hard enough. Might not matter anyway given the two climbs the next day.

Stage 8 and/or 17 should be 190 + kms.

Stage 18 is perfect, especially with final serious climb of 6km at 11%, some 30 km from the finish, means almost guaranteed excitement.

Stage 20....not as bad as I first thought.