2023 Tour de France route rumors

[Will4563]

Too many flat stages, the stages are too short, the mountains are not really that hard and cramped into a small area.

 

[ashhutch1997]

Might have to up my giro route rating to a 9 after seeing this....

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Very disappointing compared to what the rumours looked like not too long ago, basically the opposite of the Giro. To have the same amount of TT as the women's race is laughable.

 

[DNP-Old]

These mountain stages of 140 - 170 kilometer are so ludicrous. Exciting, short mountain stages aren't made by short mountain stages, they are made by having a monster stage the day prior. Instead of doing 160 + 160 like they are now, they should be 220 + 100.

They finally get Le Markstein right, only to mess it up the day before.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Squiggly line across the middle is a strange definition of 'tour'.

 

[OlavEH]

I think the route looks okay. The first 6 stages are really good for being the first six stages. Puy de Dome stage and Grand Colombier stage are good MTFs, and preferable to using more "classic" MTFs in the Alps. And the last mountain stage in Vosges has a combo of climbs I've called for for several years.

The Alps stages are also okay, but some minor adjustments could have made these somewhat better. The main issue is lack of longer mountain stages, too many flat stages and lack of at least one propre 220+ km medium mountain stage.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Too many flat stages, the stages are too short, the mountains are not really that hard and cramped into a small area.

The Courchevel stage is hard, though. Only positive surprise for me. Though it's still badly designed.

 

[Andy schleck]

Except the ITT that is very short, i like the route. I don't understand the criticism. It's a better route than the giro. It will not be boring in the first 2 weeks like the giro. But it's always a habit critizice the route of the tour france.

 

[sir fly]

Not an easy route. Climbers' course.
Basque challenges, Pyrenees more than just a protocol visit.
Puy de Dome, the weekend triptych, uphill tt followed by Loze and Vosges at the end make a relentless route.
Plenty of undulating terrain between the aforementioned strengthens the impression it's gonna be a full three-week test.

 

[OlavEH]

They finally get Le Markstein right, only to mess it up the day before.

How do they mess it up the day before?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

St 1 includes Col de Pike: I'm disappointed that they have told us its name.

I understand that's a reference, but calling it Col de Pike is kind of as silly and out of place as Côte de Buttertubs in 2014.

Women's route is a disgrace, I thought they wanted to build on a (very good) restart of 2022 but they actually went backwards and made it worse.

It's an ASO race, they gave the women a race, they were too busy patting themselves on the back for the mighty progress that women's cycling has made because they're oblivious to the existence of races they don't themselves organise to notice. This is like when they put La Course in Pau on the ITT course a few years back - after a couple of great high mountain editions, they scaled it back and gave us a one-day race on the kind of course that is already overrepresented on the women's calendar. Now, after a race with multiple multi-col stages, they've decided, with races like Burgos and the Scandinavia Tour offering flat and slightly punchy stages before a single mountain that sets the GC, they've moved the TDFF back into the same congested parcours trend with six stages of the kind that are over-represented, followed by a single large scale mountain. Give them points for the ITT, that would balance things out somewhat and there aren't enough decent length time trials on the women's calendar.

Actually, find it somewhat hilarious that the amount of ITT mileage they consider the right length to balance a single mountaintop finish on the women's parcours is the same amount they consider enough to balance all of the mountain stages of the men's race put together.

Hmm, don´t like that the last climb of the stage always seems to be the hardest..

I understand that attitude in terms of the 'youtube cycling' style that has become popular, with so many more races broadcast but wanting to make sure all the action takes place in the broadcast space that race has, but it does seem bizarre for the Tour to fall into this pattern at the same time as it steps up to start-to-finish broadcasting of every stage, which you'd think would offer more opportunity to create ambush stages and attack from deep opportunities. For some climbs like Puy de Dôme there's no choice in the matter and that's fine, but a little more variety in mountain stages wouldn't go amiss in recent years. The final stage to Le Markstein is a great step though. When I knew they were ending up in the Vosges, I thought they were going to clone the 2020 final TT again. This stage seems more like the Sierra de Madrid stages at the end of the Vuelta in recent years, but with better climbs.

8 flat stages? Wow..

I know that looks baaaaaad on paper, but this is actually an area I would preach caution. I have been pretty unimpressed with ASO's marquee stages in recent years (far too many relying on the name value of the summit and often feeling like they have a great supporting cast just missing a true queen stage) but their flat stage game in recent years has actually been really good, they have produced a lot of interesting designs for flat stages that give good potential for action. Sometimes that's reliant on the weather which may or may not play ball, but they have sought out exposed areas, placed little hills and bergs and obstacles close to the finish, put in tricky run-ins and rouleur challenges. I mean, they could be absolute snoozefests and often are, but I've actually been pretty happy with what ASO have had to offer in the flat stages lately - but we obviously won't get to judge these until they release the full profiles several months from now.

And crucially, none of them are on the penultimate weekend.

 

[Netserk]

I mean, I agree that the whining about the Tour route is annoying - has there ever been a route the forum has liked? - but 22km TT is more ridiculous than a route without a MTF would be imo.

Plenty of times. Everyone praised the 2015 Giro route when it was presented. Likewise for the new Amstel finish in 2017.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Plenty of times. Everyone praised the 2015 Giro route when it was presented. Likewise for the new Amstel finish in 2017.

Even this year's Giro route was largely liked even if not truly loved. And that's hardly a perfect design either.

 

[DNP-Old]

How do they mess it up the day before?

Have you seen the Poligny stage? The contenders will be sleepwalking through it, either due to a breakaway that late in the race or a sprint.

 

[OlavEH]

Have you seen the Poligny stage? The contenders will be sleepwalking through it, either due to a breakaway that late in the race or a sprint.

Ah, so you wanted a stage the would wear down the GC contenders before the Le Markstein stage?

 

[DNP-Old]

Ah, so you wanted a stage the would wear down the GC contenders before the Le Markstein stage?

Precisely.

 

[spalco]

Plenty of times. Everyone praised the 2015 Giro route when it was presented. Likewise for the new Amstel finish in 2017.

I meant the Tour de France specifically.

 

[jimmy_8888888]

Only one good thing; Puy de Dome is back. Also, unofficial sprint world championship is back in Bordeaux.

 

[sir fly]

And in regard to the ladies' route looks like they're still exploring the peculiarities of female capabilities.
Tourmalet followed by the tt is an improvement from this year's mountain double climax, but still favours a very narrow circle of contenders.
Though the way to the weekend makes compensation in stage opportunities.

 

[Netserk]

I meant the Tour de France specifically.

Well, no recent route has been without major flaws. But I think the 2014 route was praised (in relative terms)?

 

[vladimir]

I don't really understand why people are surprised. This is very much like the latest rumours. There was always a possibility that there would be just one ITT, and given the area I am not surprised by the short length. I will definately start planning a trip to the Saint Gervais, Combloux, Megeve area tonight, so just like in 2016 we can have three stages almost on the doorstep of our holiday home

 

[Netserk]

I mean, I too would like to praise the gems that there are, but they are covered in dog vomit. That doesn't make for a nice overall impression.

 

[DNP-Old]

Jumbo-Visma zucht en baalt, Tadej Pogacar: "Tour zal in 3e week ontploffen" | sporza

Wordt het weer Jonas Vingegaard versus Tadej Pogacar en dus Jumbo-Visma versus UAE in de Tour van 2023? Beide kampen beseffen dat de slotweek van de Tour een zware dobber is.

sporza.be

Plugge: We can play the same game with Roglic. Giro out of the question, then?

 

[sir fly]

Except the ITT that is very short, i like the route. I don't understand the criticism. It's a better route than the giro. It will not be boring in the first 2 weeks like the giro. But it's always a habit critizice the route of the tour france.

Although shortish, the tt fulfills modern standard in sense of lasting.

 

[Will4563]

I tried making a better version of some stages:
Grand Colombier: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41310229
Morzine: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41310159
Courchevel: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41310206
Bourg en Bresse: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41310330