2023 Tour de France route rumors

[Krzysztof_O]

Some people are dreaming. Not in a million years, WVA will go to the break or pass Aspin before the main peloton.

Did you watch Hautacam or Granon stages? it's possible. However, if UAE is strong enough they can prevent it from happening.

 

[Nick2413]

Some people are dreaming. Not in a million years, WVA will go to the break or pass Aspin before the main peloton.

Is this really that different to Ventoux 2 years ago? Pog dropped and Van Aert in front, even if he didn’t drop back.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Two years ago on Ventoux, Tour was already finished so UAE (they were weak too) didn't care about WVA.
Last year, UAE was really weak. People seem to forget that half of the team didn't finish the Tour. Pogacar was a lot of times, completly alone so UAE couldn't respond to WVA's attacks.
This year, they really have a strong team (at least on paper). WVA will not get more than 2 minutes before the start of Aspin and Soler/Majka/Yates can bring back WVA very easily even on Aspin.
I'm not saying Vingegaard will not attack in this stage. I'm just saying if he wants to attack on Toumalet, he needs to drop Pogi and do a 50 km solo.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I honestly just can't believe people who think Pog won't be Pog as usual this TdF.

I could see Pogacar being a little weaker than usual, but there is no way he is going to crack on stage 1. Just like there is no way we get major GC action on Tourmalet. The Tourmalet is about as likely to see me climbing it on a unicycle as it is to see Pogacar and Vingegaard going all guns blazing this Tour.

 

[Red Rick]

I could see Pogacar being a little weaker than usual, but there is no way he is going to crack on stage 1. Just like there is no way we get major GC action on Tourmalet. The Tourmalet is about as likely to see me climbing it on a unicycle as it is to see Pogacar and Vingegaard going all guns blazing this Tour.

I'm sorry I cannot just not quote this for future reference.

 

[Andy schleck]

I could see Pogacar being a little weaker than usual, but there is no way he is going to crack on stage 1. Just like there is no way we get major GC action on Tourmalet. The Tourmalet is about as likely to see me climbing it on a unicycle as it is to see Pogacar and Vingegaard going all guns blazing this Tour.

I believe something big will happen on tourmalet.....it's a very well designed stage.

 

[ZamlinusYoutubeious]

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.

This reminds me of Tyson's words

"Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth"​

 

[Jan the Man]

Pogacar is an aggressive rider- if he has the legs he attacks to test legs on stage 1. Given the injury and lack of racing one assumes the prep has been sub-optimal and he will come in undercooked, but the legs will do the talking...

 

[Rob5091]

"undercooked"? Mmm ... maybe the official tapa is what is needed?! Of course called the "Tour-tilla"

https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...s-official-tapa-to-kick-things-off-in-bilbao/

 

[SafeBet]

Maybe this has been asked before but is Cauterets-Cambasque the same finish as the 1995 Cauterets (Crete du Lys), the stage when Casartelli died?

And if so, is this the first time the Tour finishes there since 1995? I know the Vuelta finished there in 2003.

 

[Rob5091]

From the official website -
https://www.letour.fr/en/heritage/stage-6/town/cauterets-cambasque

Although the Tour de France has already visited Cauterets four times between 1953 and 2015, it has only stopped once at the Cambasque plateau, in 1989. It was then a very promising young Spanish rider, Miguel Indurain, who won the stage. He finished 17th overall that year. It was the first stage victory of the Navarrese in the Tour: eleven others followed and five Yellow Jerseys in Paris. Another Spaniard inaugurated the prize list in the Pyrenean resort, known for its famous Pont d'Espagne: Jesus Lorono also won the mountain classification in 1953. Four years later, he won the Vuelta. In 1995, Richard Virenque won near Crêtes du Lys, but his victory was overshadowed by the death of Italian Fabio Casartelli on the 15e stage of that edition, who fell on the descent of the Col de Portet d'Aspet.In 2015, Rafal Majka won in Cauterets-Vallée de Saint-Savin. Cauterets was also on the route of the 2003 Vuelta.

 

[topcat]

In the 1989 tdf stage 9, Indurain attacked with 100 km to go, whizzed by the breakaway and won solo. He was not the boring rider that some ppl on the forum say he was. He was a loyal dom even when better than his team leader and his racing style was largely dictated by the course design and his strengths. He’s also a true gentleman. Great people are humble.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1671460307498041346

View: https://twitter.com/GroupamaFDJ/status/1671460307498041346

FDJ’s lineup confirmed to have no Demare.

 

[Mayomaniac]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1671460307498041346

View: https://twitter.com/GroupamaFDJ/status/1671460307498041346

FDJ’s lineup confirmed to have no Demare.

Lol, no Demare and they still don't bring someone like Storer, who is potentially one of their best climbing domestiques and was good in the TdS, besides having a bad day on the La Punt stage. I'd bring him over Pacher.

 

[Samamba]

Lol, no Demare and they still don't bring someone like Storer, who is potentially one of their best climbing domestiques and was good in the TdS, besides having a bad day on the La Punt stage. I'd bring him over Pacher.

So basically Storer is also leaving.
Ridiculous selection. You choose to have Van den Berg and Le Gac over Demare and Scotson just to be completely useless in 8 stages. Good stuff.

 

[Mayomaniac]

So basically Storer is also leaving.
Ridiculous selection. You choose to have Van den Berg and Le Gac over Demare and Scotson just to be completely useless in 8 stages. Good stuff.

Yeah, it's a total clownshow and one can't really blame Pinot (or his fans) for it.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I find it strange that Kung is there. I thought he would be going all in for the WC ITT and was gonna skip the Tour?

 

[DNP-Old]

David Gaudu downfall connaisseur checking in.

 

[staubsauger]

Yeah, it's a total clownshow and one can't really blame Pinot (or his fans) for it.

Frankly this looks like a FDJ team that goes stage hunting like back in the zeroes, once Gaudu falters in the mountains Iban Mayo style.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Frankly this looks like a FDJ team that goes stage hunting like back in the zeroes, once Gaudu falters in the mountains Iban Mayo style.

The difference is that 2004 Mayo actually bossed the Dauphine...

 

[staubsauger]

The difference is that 2004 Mayo actually bossed the Dauphine...

So Gaudu wins the Tour de France?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So Gaudu wins the Tour de France?

Madiot might have called around asking other teams to slow down, but I doubt it will have any effect.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1671529828963549187

View: https://twitter.com/IntermarcheCW/status/1671529828963549187

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1671529828963549187

View: https://twitter.com/IntermarcheCW/status/1671529828963549187

Would’ve loved to see Rune in some of the potentially breakaway hilly stages in this Tour, this is a shame.

 

[DNP-Old]

Meeus gets the nod ahead of Bennett, interesting. If you’re looking straight up Meeus vs. Bennett it is obvious as to who is more deserving. However, I don’t think Meeus has had a season that warrants a spot in the TDF either. Then again, another helper for Hindley wouldn’t change a lick either, with BORA having to do 0 of the work.