2023 Tour de France route rumors

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Apr 8, 2023
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According to the official rules book (on the website at Rules book here! )
"Time bonuses are awarded at the end of every road stage and, therefore, not in the individual time trials. The first three riders receive 10, 6 and 4 seconds, respectively. Bonus seconds will also be available at Bonus Points located at the top of mountain passes or other climbs at strategic points on the course. There are 6 Bonus Points (stages 1, 2, 5, 12, 14 and 17). These bonuses come with 8, 5 and 2 seconds for the top three riders"
Also the daily Combative award is 2,000 Euros - not to be sniffed at!
 
Apr 5, 2023
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According to the official rules book (on the website at Rules book here! )
"Time bonuses are awarded at the end of every road stage and, therefore, not in the individual time trials. The first three riders receive 10, 6 and 4 seconds, respectively. Bonus seconds will also be available at Bonus Points located at the top of mountain passes or other climbs at strategic points on the course. There are 6 Bonus Points (stages 1, 2, 5, 12, 14 and 17). These bonuses come with 8, 5 and 2 seconds for the top three riders"
Also the daily Combative award is 2,000 Euros - not to be sniffed at!
Thank you. I think bonus points will make the GC race more interesting but bad luck for escapee.
 
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Apr 8, 2023
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I think someone wanted to shake the GC up early as one rider can get 36 bonus seconds in the first two stages. Mind you, MvdP might get them and then it does n't change a lot, GC wise.
 
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Mar 10, 2009
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I have a hard time imagining that MvdP will outperform Pogačar and Vingegaard on those Basque climbs. Maybe if Tadej is not yet on top form, and if Jonas is racing conservatively.
If Pogačar isn´t on top form, Vignegaard won´t be racing conservatively. I can see Jumbo push the pace in the opening stage to test Pog, and there won´t be many that will be alle to follow Vignegaard on that final climb. 1km @ nearly 14% maybe even to hard for Alaphilippe.
 
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Apr 8, 2023
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I have a hard time imagining that MvdP will outperform Pogačar and Vingegaard on those Basque climbs. Maybe if Tadej is not yet on top form, and if Jonas is racing conservatively.
A scenario I could see is Jumbo following Pogacar to see what shape he's in. Pogacar easing himself into the race seems also likely, but ... Pogacar can be like certain dogs and cars, and has a hair trigger when someone attacks so we'll see. Team UAE, having spent millions on Pogacar's team, would probably like to see them be of some use beyond being water carriers.
 
Jul 18, 2020
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I have a hard time imagining that MvdP will outperform Pogačar and Vingegaard on those Basque climbs. Maybe if Tadej is not yet on top form, and if Jonas is racing conservatively.
MVdP don't need to drop pogacar and vingegaard on cote de pike. He can beat the two in the final sprint.
 
Jul 18, 2020
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If Pogačar isn´t on top form, Vignegaard won´t be racing conservatively. I can see Jumbo push the pace in the opening stage to test Pog, and there won´t be many that will be alle to follow Vignegaard on that final climb. 1km @ nearly 14% maybe even to hard for Alaphilippe.
It's not the perfect stage for Vingegaard. The first perfect stage to vingegaard do something is on the stage of tourmalet. Jumbo make everything to put van aert in the breakaway, then later in the stage jumbo starts to make the hard race on col d' aspin, and in the first 10 km of tourmalet. Then vingegaard attacks in the final 7 km of tourmalet, and if he will be able to make a good gap to pogacar, then van aert waits for Vingegaard in the top of tourmalet. Van aert helps vingegaard in the descent of tourmalet, in the valley and in the first kms of cambasque until vingegaard makes the last kms of the climb alone.

This could be a good strategy for jumbo. Tourmalet is a 50 min climb. Perfect for Vingegaard.
 
Jun 30, 2022
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It's not the perfect stage for Vingegaard. The first perfect stage to vingegaard do something is on the stage of tourmalet. Jumbo make everything to put van aert in the breakaway, then later in the stage jumbo starts to make the hard race on col d' aspin, and in the first 10 km of tourmalet. Then vingegaard attacks in the final 7 km of tourmalet, and if he will be able to make a good gap to pogacar, then van aert waits for Vingegaard in the top of tourmalet. Van aert helps vingegaard in the descent of tourmalet, in the valley and in the first kms of cambasque until vingegaard makes the last kms of the climb alone.

This could be a good strategy for jumbo. Tourmalet is a 50 min climb. Perfect for Vingegaard.
Why would Vingegaard go onto a long-range attack when he doesn‘t need to? Who was the last to do that, Merckx?
 
Jul 18, 2020
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Why would Vingegaard go onto a long-range attack when he doesn‘t need to? Who was the last to do that, Merckx?
If he wants to try to test pogacar in the first days of the tour, it would be the better option. That's what they where talking about.
I also don't think he needs to make long range attacks. I think he just needs to follow pogacar wheels until col de la loze stage.Then, on col de la loze he can win the tour.
 
Oct 15, 2017
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If Pogačar isn´t on top form, Vignegaard won´t be racing conservatively. I can see Jumbo push the pace in the opening stage to test Pog, and there won´t be many that will be alle to follow Vignegaard on that final climb. 1km @ nearly 14% maybe even to hard for Alaphilippe.
They are not gonna "test" Pog on the first stage.

If he gets dropped he might as well leave the race immediately.
 
Mar 20, 2022
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Some people are dreaming. Not in a million years, WVA will go to the break or pass Aspin before the main peloton.