2x Alpe d'Huez?

[AussieGoddess]

I actually like finishing in Paris.

I totally agree with TSF - I think its a really important part that everyone can celebrate finishing the race, and that the fans can celebrate with all of the riders.

I do think a TT in Paris is a fantastic idea.

Finishing on Alpe D'huez is so wrong. For the cyclists, for the fans, for the organizers ....

 

[ElChingon]

I actually like finishing in Paris.

I totally agree with TSF - I think its a really important part that everyone can celebrate finishing the race, and that the fans can celebrate with all of the riders.

I do think a TT in Paris is a fantastic idea.

Finishing on Alpe D'huez is so wrong. For the cyclists, for the fans, for the organizers ....

What about starting on the Chumps, either a flat sprint stage or a Prologue up and down the Chumps? It would be interesting to see if the cobbles at the start of the Tour would hinder some GC contenders but definitely some sprinting fun.

But twice up the Alpe is overkill, there are so many climbs why do the same one twice? Might as well call it the le Tour d'Alpe

 

[Anonymous]

If they want to liven up the final stage, then do more of paris.. send them up and down the champs but also send them around the cobbled climbs of montemarte

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

how long would a stage that went up d huez let us say 6 times be?

 

[El Pistolero]

Send them through the Banlieus of Paris, that'll spicen things up.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I like the recent tradition of highlighting one particular mountain in each TDF, by ascending it twice, but I do not agree with racing up it twice on the same stage.

The only climb that it may be worthwhile doing that on is Venteoux, because there are no other major climbs in the area and the biggest problem with that stage is that inevitably it is like a 'Vuelta' mountain stage.

Highlighting the Alpe in the 100th edition makes sense; after all, it is the most famous climb, and a centenary race should pay homage to its history (we have the other TDF's to then explore little used or non used climbs). Just no D'uez for 2014 and 2015 okay? Then it's overkill.

What they have done with the Perysourde next year is good; using it twice, but this will come after four editions of not having it at all.

Hopefully the first significant mountain stage comes early in 2013; say by the 7th or 8th stage. As we have only heard about the first 4 stages and this rumour about the final stage, it's a bit early to be judging the parcours yet. I expect it to be an excellent one. Probably will include Hautacam, Ju-Plaix, Plad 'adet, etc.

 

[skidmark]

I dunno, I think the Tour is a different beast than any other bike race, in the sense that it's about pomp and spectacle much more than it is about having an amazing parcours, which is why there's always this love/hate thing about it with year-round cycling fans... I'd love to see the world's best riders on the world's best course, but those things never really match up.

For what the Tour is, it makes perfect sense to finish on the Alpe for the 100th anniversary - the spectacle of the Tour is all about celebrating the country and the history of the race, and the Alpe is - deservingly or not - the most iconic climb there. Sure, I'd love it if they used the opportunity every year to find new and interesting climbs more than they do, but that's a separate criticism. For the 100th Tour anniversary, I'll forgive them that somewhat unimaginative choice. Ventoux didn't turn out to be the way most of us had hoped, but that was largely due to the fact that the guys in 1st and 2nd couldn't shake each other, so they were more looking out for their teammates who happened to be competing for the final podium spot. C'est la vie, but it was still exciting to think at the start of the day that anything could happen.

Agreed that the 'celebrating making it to Paris' is an important part of the Tour, and has become history in the last 40 years or so since they've been finishing on the Champs, but going further back, I think that having a huge MTF to finish the Tour does much more to honour Henri Desgrange's original vision of the Tour as the ultimate individual test of endurance. From everything I've read about that guy, Lapize was right in calling him and the other organizers 'assassins', but the Tour was his vision and he'd hate the fact that the final stage has been more about sipping champagne and riding easy for all but 50km. I'm into the idea of using the Alpe.

 

[Maxiton]

I like the idea of not always finishing on the Champs Elysées, but frankly this whole "do the same legendary climb twice" shtick is getting old, especially considering there are huge numbers of climbs as good as if not better than anything they ever use, going completely unused - Mont du Chat, Larrau, Burdincurutcheta, Orgambidesca, Errozate, Arnostegi and so on.

The Tour is incredibly repetitive, always uses the same climbs. Sure, moving the finish away from Champs d'Elysées is novel, but using Alpe d'Huez just reeks of predictability. "We want to do something special in the mountains!" "OK, Alpe d'Huez again then. All OK with that?" It all reeks of being a bit "safe". "We're moving away from Paris!" "OK, but we don't want to do anything too crazy. Make sure we use somewhere that people who don't know anything about cycling have heard of" "OK, that means Alpe d'Huez or Ventoux I guess".

After the waste of an opportunity that the Corsica stages are, a TTT when they get back onto the mainland and now this idea, this route looks like being absolutely awful. I bet next they'll come up with the revolutionary idea of ignoring the western and eastern Pyrénées entirely and instead making a big deal out of the incredibly unexpected announcement that they'll be climbing the Tourmalet.

I think they should celebrate the race's centenary by putting an informed fan in charge of determining the parcours, and I'll nominate Libertine Seguros. As for Alpe d'Huez twice as the final stage, I say no. Repeating the tired and true once isn't made exciting by repeating it twice instead. There are lots of climbs and climes they haven't even touched for the Tour. Let's see something truly new tried.

 

[Thorn Cycling]

2x Alpe d'Huez would make a rather interesting stage, in my opinion, lots of opportunity for a breakaway win and a reshuffling of the GC, but it's TDF tradition to have the last stage be more of a "parade" stage for the majority of the peleton. Maybe it might be interesting to do this one year, but not on the hundredth year, where it seems to me that tradition should be most important.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Circuit race around Alpe D'Huez.

 

[just some guy]

If they do decide to do it then they must have barriers and army the whole way up - keep the crowds away or there will be little or no racing, if the ASO wants the world looking at drunk muppets running up the road next to riders as the last image non-cycling fans see then go for it, I really think it is a dumb idea not so much for the actual stage but what a circus it would produce.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

giro should go up the zoncolan twice.

 

[Cycloid]

Can't see it happening myself. Good idea to get people talking, but thats all.
1. Crowd control over 2 ascents will not work.
2. It wont be a decisive stage because of the crowds - any room to pass someone in the lead bunch on the 2nd climb? It was unlikely this year.
3. It will be an anti-climax if the crowds aren't present to allow the spectacle it should be and is too far from Paris for all the dignitaries for the final presentations with no-one to cheer.

 

[CobbleStoner]

No, no, please no!
the magic of the final stage into Paris should not be messed with. where would they do the presentation ceremony? as beautiful as the mountains are, nothing compares to seeing the winner on stage with that familiar background that tells the world 'the TdF is over and I won'
I think it would be disrespectful to the riders also, the domestiques, neo-pros, and injured deserve that final easy ride into Paris after completing THE hardest sporting event in the world. long live the Arc de Triomphe in the tour!

 

[Dancing On The Pedals]

Send them through the Banlieus of Paris, that'll spicen things up.

I like

 

[guncha]

I don't like idea that Alpe is being climbed twice in a same stage - it won't make the stage better. For Bourg d'Oisans - Alpe I would have preferred Galibier+Croix de Fer+Alpe.
But I still want to see finish in Paris with a stage for sprinters. I have never liked ITT idea in the final day.

 

[bicing]

The Alpe twice, Champs Delysee sprint, a final ITT... regardless of what happens we can be sure that Libertine Serguros will get angry about it. I think even if Prudhomme copied a fantasy race created by Libertine, that Libertine would disapprove of the TdF.

 

[will10]

The Alpe twice, Champs Delysee sprint, a final ITT... regardless of what happens we can be sure that Libertine Serguros will get angry about it. I think even if Prudhomme copied a fantasy race created by Libertine, that Libertine would disapprove of the TdF.

You are so wide of the mark it's comical.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

A loop around the Sarenne would be a lovely route. I rode it in May and there are a few spots that might need tarmacing especially where the streams cross the road and its a bit narrow in the first few kms but if there has been a bit of a separation on the first ascent then the peleton would be fine. The top of the descent after the col would need a bit of work as well but as its a quite loose on some of the bends but after the first couple of kms its my favourite descent in the oisans region.

If they went through Villard Reculas then the ascent from Allemond is fine , good surface and plenty of room but as it levels off and traverses the hill it gets quite narrow, can't really see them doing that.

 

[Another_Dutch_Guy]

I agree. Just Checked Google Streetview, and it seems that - except the part between Huez and Villard Reculas - it is a very proper road. The part that I mentioned isn't really downhill and shouldn't be a problem either.

I really like tis option, because I don't think there is any other way to include a big climb so close before the Alpe.

 

[Richeypen]

Lets go the whole hog and just get them to ride up and down the Alpe 6 times a stage for three weeks.

 

[Escarabajo]

Don't like the idea Susan.

It seems like it would be chaotic. Why force something that is not necessary. Just work on better routes all around and be done with it.

 

[Havetts]

As has been said, 5 or 6 mountains in the Queen stage finishing on Alpe is fine too. I dont really like the 2x Alpe idea.

 

[9000ft]

I've always considered the final stage of the TDF as just a ceremonial with a little fun for the sprinters who survived at the end. It's an opportunity for every one to take it easy and wind down after a brutal three weeks.

 

[scullster46]

If they are gonna use the alpe, which I can understand because it is the most historic climb in the tour's history, they should really do something more different than just twice up it. The town itself is still only halfway up the mountain, so they should do something like go past the town and up one of the small mountain roads. They are unpaved and small, but if they committed to it now they could probably make the climbs suitable for the tour's entourage. Although not paving them would be better/more fitting. Make the rider's go up roads like they used to go up when the tour first started