2x Alpe d'Huez?

[rgmerk]

the top dog doesn't have to do/change anything, it is up to the wannabe's to try new things, tougher routes, to try and take over the top dog's number 1 position.
good luck Giro & Vuelta

The three GTs aren't competitors.

The Tour's real competition is other sports.

 

[craig1985]

So being the 100th edition, will they consider the Ventoux?

 

[SirLes]

So being the 100th edition, will they consider the Ventoux?

3 times in one stage! All three routes.

I like it.

 

[OlavEH]

For me it isn't too important whether the Tour finishes in Paris or not. A final stage with two climbs of Alpe d'Huez sounds great, but a Grand Finale like that doesn't automatically make a great Tour.

I'wouldn't be too suprised if the ASO includes such a last stage and hypes it like hell, while the rest of the Tour is pure crap. Would rather see them include more unknown and tough climbs like Mont Le Chat or some of the rarely used climbs in the Pyreenes close to he Spanish border (Errozate, Bagargui, Erroymendi etc).

A new queen stage to Pla d'Adet similar to the stage in 2005 would also be very interesting. The same for a new stage including Joux Plane, but this time with a finish at Avoriaz.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

2 x Alpe d'Huez would just cheapen their product. An Alpe d'Huez climb should be special and cherished, not a warm up for going up again in a couple of hours time. Less is more, so just once please.

More than ever, on this Tour, I want the traditions to remain. The original cities, a MTF on Alpe d'Huez, the other mythical climbs and a final tear up down Champs Elysees please.

 

[El Pistolero]

2 x Alpe d'Huez would just cheapen their product. An Alpe d'Huez climb should be special and cherished, not a warm up for going up again in a couple of hours time. Less is more, so just once please.

More than ever, on this Tour, I want the traditions to remain. The original cities, a MTF on Alpe d'Huez, the other mythical climbs and a final tear up down Champs Elysees please.

and 12 completely flat stages.

I'm glad they're thinking about ditching the Champs-Élysées stage. Useless piece of crap stage.

 

[just some guy]

and 12 completely flat stages.

I'm glad they're thinking about ditching the Champs-Élysées stage. Useless piece of crap stage.

Meh it is a nice way to end the tour for the champion ending on a MTF - get your yellow, pee in a cup, blood goes in here - heli or bus ride with team team dinner twitter the next day.

Image it is cold and snowy

 

[El Pistolero]

Meh it is a nice way to end the tour for the champion ending on a MTF - get your yellow, pee in a cup, blood goes in here - heli or bus ride with team team dinner twitter the next day.

Image it is cold and snowy

Doesn't have to be a mountain finish for me, a hilly stage, or mountainous stage without a MTF, a time trial, etc

As long as it isn't a crappy flat stage. We have enough of those already.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Doesn't have to be a mountain finish for me, a hilly stage, or mountainous stage without a MTF, a time trial, etc

As long as it isn't a crappy flat stage. We have enough of those already.

Get rid of an earlier flat stage, putting in your hilly/MTF/ITT stage and keep Champs Elysees. Job done.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The ASO are always trying new things... Aubisque, Tourmalet and Galibier MTFs; Ventoux on the penultimate day.

But those aren't really "new", are they? They're just changing how they use the same old same old. There are so many great climbs all over the country going completely unused, and yet they still continue to use the same ones every year. Maybe for 2014 or something they could try a route which has no Galibier, no Alpe d'Huez, no Madeleine (that's one I don't mind being overused actually), no Tourmalet, no Aubisque, no Peyresourde, no Aspin, no Super-Besse, no Izoard, no Croix de Fer. You could still have a truly epic Tour route.

I'm sure they'll try and shoehorn all of them in, however. With about a 60km flat run-in to Pau or Gap.

 

[Quixote]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-2013-finale-with-two-climbs-up-alpe-dhuez

So what do you all think of this proposal, and more importantly, how would you like to have your opinion in a news story on Cyclingnews? We are looking to write a story on fan reaction to this proposal.

Whatever you are willing to have made public under your user name in that story, please write it in this thread.

Thanks.

Susan

From the comfort of my recliner, I would vote yes for this. The only thing that would be better is if all stages were on L'Alpe d'Huez including the TT.

 

[El Pistolero]

Get rid of an earlier flat stage, putting in your hilly/MTF/ITT stage and keep Champs Elysees. Job done.

Nah, I want something special. Like in '89.

 

[el_angliru]

I think I have a suggestion for a wonderful final stage if ASO wants a big spectacle: They could let the stage begin at the foot of L'Alpe d'Huez, then go over the top and via Col de Sarenne back to the D1091 highway. Then turn left towards Lautaret and left once again to climb the Galibier from the south.

After Galibier (and the Télégraphe, which isn't any hindrance from this side) they should continue north towards St-Jean de Maurienne and take the spectacular and breathtaking route over Col de Chaussy and continue north towards the Madeleine (this road needs some fixing though). Then they will reach the southern slope of the Madeleine approximately 3 km from the summit (at 1800 meters?). Instead of going north over the Madeline, they should instead descend south and climb the Glandon from the very tough North slope. After Glandon it's all downhill and flat into Bourg d'Oisans when they have an easy task of climbing L'Alpe for the 2nd time!

But I actually prefer Champs Elysées for a final stage. Having said that, though, I must admit that I also miss some of the rarer climbs like Col du Granon, Val Thorens, Port de Larrau, Le Mont du Chat etc. Val Thorens in particular seems very suited for a difficult mountain stage. There is an abundance of magnificent climbs around Val Thorens. It's actually possible to design a stage from Briançon over Galibier, Criox-de-Fer, Madeleine, and finally up to Val Thorens. It wouldn't be very sensible, though, and I'm not sure either that it would be a great stage. But the possibilities seems unlimited with Val Thorens as the final climb. I don't know why ASO have ignored this climb since 1994? I know they've talked about using it again, but I don't know why it hasn't happened.

 

[McLovin]

Maybe for 2014 or something they could try a route which has no Galibier, no Alpe d'Huez, no Madeleine (that's one I don't mind being overused actually), no Tourmalet, no Aubisque, no Peyresourde, no Aspin, no Super-Besse, no Izoard, no Croix de Fer. You could still have a truly epic Tour route.

They did this for the 2012 Alpes. Except Madeleine, but that it's not overused, and like you said, that one I don't mind.

 

[ferryman]

]I think I have a suggestion for a wonderful final stage if ASO wants a big spectacle: They could let the stage begin at the foot of L'Alpe d'Huez, then go over the top and via Col de Sarenne back to the D1091 highway. Then turn left towards Lautaret and left once again to climb the Galibier from the south.

After Galibier (and the Télégraphe, which isn't any hindrance from this side) they should continue north towards St-Jean de Maurienne and take the spectacular and breathtaking route over Col de Chaussy and continue north towards the Madeleine (this road needs some fixing though). Then they will reach the southern slope of the Madeleine approximately 3 km from the summit (at 1800 meters?). Instead of going north over the Madeline, they should instead descend south and climb the Glandon from the very tough North slope. After Glandon it's all downhill and flat into Bourg d'Oisans when they have an easy task of climbing L'Alpe for the 2nd time! [/B]

I wasn't sold on the idea until now Great work sir, get that letter into ASO now

 

[Libertine Seguros]

They did this for the 2012 Alpes. Except Madeleine, but that it's not overused, and like you said, that one I don't mind.

Yes, unfortunately they forgot to actually use any of the climbs they don't normally use, and instead didn't bother with any. And then gave us the same old predictable shtick in the Pyrénées.

 

[Anonymous]

I think I have a suggestion for a wonderful final stage if ASO wants a big spectacle: They could let the stage begin at the foot of L'Alpe d'Huez, then go over the top and via Col de Sarenne back to the D1091 highway. Then turn left towards Lautaret and left once again to climb the Galibier from the south.
.

works for me..

in playing I came up with this.. yes, its a bit long, and brutal. maybe...
(no idea what the climb names are apart from the second HC, my alpine geography is pants)

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/61221076
stage could easy be cut off at the top ofthe 2nd hc @ 165km (Col du mont Cenis from the hard side.. last km is gravel)

 

[Fus087]

I think I have a suggestion for a wonderful final stage if ASO wants a big spectacle: They could let the stage begin at the foot of L'Alpe d'Huez, then go over the top and via Col de Sarenne back to the D1091 highway. Then turn left towards Lautaret and left once again to climb the Galibier from the south.

After Galibier (and the Télégraphe, which isn't any hindrance from this side) they should continue north towards St-Jean de Maurienne and take the spectacular and breathtaking route over Col de Chaussy and continue north towards the Madeleine (this road needs some fixing though). Then they will reach the southern slope of the Madeleine approximately 3 km from the summit (at 1800 meters?). Instead of going north over the Madeline, they should instead descend south and climb the Glandon from the very tough North slope. After Glandon it's all downhill and flat into Bourg d'Oisans when they have an easy task of climbing L'Alpe for the 2nd time!

I traced that route (as well as I could). 222 km, here's the profile:

Looks great.

 

[el_angliru]

I traced that route (as well as I could). 222 km, here's the profile:

Great work. Thanks!

 

[OlavEH]

But those aren't really "new", are they? They're just changing how they use the same old same old. There are so many great climbs all over the country going completely unused, and yet they still continue to use the same ones every year. Maybe for 2014 or something they could try a route which has no Galibier, no Alpe d'Huez, no Madeleine (that's one I don't mind being overused actually), no Tourmalet, no Aubisque, no Peyresourde, no Aspin, no Super-Besse, no Izoard, no Croix de Fer. You could still have a truly epic Tour route.

I'm sure they'll try and shoehorn all of them in, however. With about a 60km flat run-in to Pau or Gap.

Too bad this would never happen. It would be really interesting to se a Tour without the usual climbs in the Pyrenees like Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde, and without the Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and Glandon/Croix de Fer in the Alps.

There is certainly enough mountains to create a fantastic Tour without these climbs.

The old saying goes: if there is a will, there is a way. The problem is that in the ASO there is absolutely no will to try something new and different expect minor changes which really doesn't add much if you look at the bigger picture.

 

[jordan5000]

I think its a great idea.



Put it on Bastille day.

That's no good, a Frenchman won't win!

 

[kuoirad]

...until you get to the international trackstand championship that is the competition for the lanterne rouge.

Awesome. Just awesome.

 

[gregrowlerson]

One interesting aspect that I am not sure if it has been raised yet, is to do with the fact that the race may actually be in the Alps on the final Sunday, and if this is the case then does that mean that we have Saturday and possibly Friday in the Alps too? Does it mean that we have an even more backended TDF then 2011?

Here are some things that I thought of to still make this a decent centenary tour:

Stage 20 is still an ITT, but a varying one; possibly an epic 60 km trek that climbs the Galibier and finishers in Briacon.

Stage 19 is a multiple mountain Queen stage, perhaps highlighted by the Columbierre and Ju-Plaix.

At approximately stage 14 we have Venteoux, with a difference. ITT of 42 kms, 21 flat and 21 uphill.

After the proposed stage 4 TTT there can be a couple of relatively flat stages before we head into the Pyrenees. Stage 7 is possibly a non epic sort of entry to the high mountains. Then we have finishers on Hautacam (Tourmalet beforehand) and Plad a'det (2nd Queen stage). In another stage in the middle part of the TDF we can have a finish to Mende.

* The other possibility is that the final stage on the Alpe is the 2nd journey to the Alps of the race.

 

[Dancing On The Pedals]

I traced that route (as well as I could). 222 km, here's the profile:

Looks great.

That on paper looks like an insane stage, I love it. I'm still not sold on the idea of it being the final stage. I would however settle for seeing a profile like that in the Tour though!

 

[McLovin]

Montee du Villard Reymond, a mirror climb to Alpe d'Huez. 13 at 7.5. It could make the last one harder, without a double climb of same mountain.