98th Tour de France presentation

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ttrider

BANNED
Apr 23, 2010
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I like the route, however the lack of 2 proper tts is a real shame
How can you complain to much when we have Los Ardiden, Pla de beret, Galibier and Alpe D huez summit finishes! Awesome
Also there are hills in the pirst week such as Mur de Bretagne and classics style stages

As someone else mentioned its a flat 30km itt on stage 6 away from being the best route in years
 
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Marcus135

Oct 6, 2010
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Every year they make the course better and better for the climbers... As entertaining as it is means there is only like 3 people that can win the race overall and less and less chance of a surprise :(
 
M

Moondance

Jul 2, 2009
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Jan the Man said:
The route is unbalanced; by that I don't necessarily mean too few ITT km i mean it's just horribly unbalanced as per ususal.

Personally, I don't mind if there is only one long TT, but that one should be long and flat one to suit the TTs rather than up and down middle hilly TT which suit GC men more.

I would rather have had two shorter TTs if anything i.e. a hilly one of 25km and a pancake flat one of 35km.

I think it is better to have some mountain stages throughout the three weeks rather than backloading it. Yes I can see that it is good that there is two or three very hard stages as a culmination but all 5 of the tough stages come in the last 9 days of racing. The first 11 other than the stage to Saint Flour are a let down.

As for the massif central, they could be used much more effectively. They are a horrible mountain range in mid summer.

The Giro may well have fewer TT kms but it generally has a lot of interesting and hilly/classic type stages in the first week. There is genearlly at least one mountain stage in the first week and they look for new places/finishes to go.

The Giro offers an opportunity and caters for all types of riders.

The tour are happy that it is a massive event, even if that precludes it from riding some of the more historic climbs of the Tour (Puy de Dome).

The Tour clearly remains the most prestigious cycling race, but it is no longer the toughest the most exciting or the most balanced. That accolade rests firmly with the Giro.
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Yes, I totally agree that the Giro is a far better parcours than the Tour, and will certainly be better again this year. I would love a big classic style stage in week one of the Tour, and an MTF. The Tour tried the classic stage last year on Stage 3 and people in the end weren't altogether pleased with that either. An MTF to round off week one would be amazing as well, but the Tour clearly doesn't like to go that way. I can cry about it year after year, or I can accept it and move on. I will hate on them if they take steps back and praise them when they take steps forwards, even if the steps are small. I think these are steps forward, so I praise.

BTW, not every one of those week one finishes is an easy flat run in. Stage 1 isn't, stage 4 isn't, and stage 5 travels along the Breton coast (crosswinds :D) for a long time.
 
Jamsque

Jamsque

Mar 11, 2009
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auscyclefan94 said:
points system changed dramatically.

20 points for winning intermediate sprints.
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What the eff? Is this true? No bonus seconds, but more than half as many points as a stage win?

***.

As for the overall route: The Tour is Won on the Alpe. Assuming Clentador is suspended/not invited and team Schlux doesn't stink it up in the TTT, the course looks tailor made for Andy.
 
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issoisso

Mar 18, 2009
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auscyclefan94 said:
I don't no what to think. I will need to see the giro route to make an asessment.


I am catholic and it certainly isn't!:D
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With the amount of protesting you do, that's very surprising ;)
 
auscyclefan94

auscyclefan94

Jun 16, 2009
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Jamsque said:
What the eff? Is this true? No bonus seconds, but more than half as many points as a stage win?

***.

As for the overall route: The Tour is Won on the Alpe. Assuming Clentador is suspended/not invited and team Schlux doesn't stink it up in the TTT, the course looks tailor made for Andy.
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Yep, Christian "I am a moron" Prudhomme said it earlier. Lots of points avalable but only one in each stage.
 
K

kuat2770

Feb 8, 2010
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The stage to the galibier looks brutal. The climb/descent to Pinerolo wasnt that where DiLuca won in 2009 Giro? SuperBesse is also quite good, but they need to have more small climbs to finishes like SuperBesse, Mur de Bretagne etc. And a long flat TT into a headwind (or a 60km 1000m+ climbing but no straight road tt)...
 
Jamsque

Jamsque

Mar 11, 2009
5,841
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auscyclefan94 said:
Yep, Christian "I am a moron" Prudhomme said it earlier. Lots of points avalable but only one in each stage.
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Christian 'I don't want Cav to win the Green Jersey he so assuredly deserves' Prudhomme. :mad:

Seriously though it looks like an all-right route. I like the return of the TTT, and I like keeping it short enough that riders on weaker teams will stay in contention. I think there could stand to be another ITT in the race maybe, but it's not essential. Some good tough mountains stages and 4 MTFs.
 
auscyclefan94

auscyclefan94

Jun 16, 2009
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I think I need to go for a walk around the block and it is nearly ****ing 10pm! TTT may = spectacle but also = closed race

Super besse, mur de breatagne should be good and Cap Frehel also looks good.

Prudhomme must of really wanted Contador to win when he designed this.
 
M

Moondance

Jul 2, 2009
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Jamsque said:
Christian 'I don't want Cav to win the Green Jersey he so assuredly deserves' Prudhomme. :mad:

Seriously though it looks like an all-right route. I like the return of the TTT, and I like keeping it short enough that riders on weaker teams will stay in contention. I think there could stand to be another ITT in the race maybe, but it's not essential. Some good tough mountains stages and 4 MTFs.
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Why? The Tour still massively favors sprinters winning the points jersey. Remember, its a points jersey and not a sprinters jersey. Cav will just need his HTC slaves to keep it in check until the intermediate sprint on a flat stage and win that sprint too? How hard is that?
 
auscyclefan94

auscyclefan94

Jun 16, 2009
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issoisso said:
Way to completely kill off any chances of a break on flat stages, ASO.
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I agree. Is someone going to give ACF94 a hugh because i think I need it. just imagine how poor cadel is feeling in front of those cameras!:(
 
S

stefrees

Mar 12, 2009
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Interesting that no one on here seems to think of it as a good route as a lot of journalists/ commentators/ bloggers on Twitter think it's a good route. The history in the alps is also interesting
 
M

Moondance

Jul 2, 2009
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auscyclefan94 said:
I agree. Is someone going to give ACF94 a hugh because i think I need it. just imagine how poor cadel is feeling in front of those cameras!:(
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This is what girlfriends are for.
 
M

Moondance

Jul 2, 2009
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Marcus135 said:
*Hugs ACF94*
No prober breaks on flats
No proper time trials
dont know what they were thinking...
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:confused:

Grenoble must be feeling cheated. Here they are thinking they'll get to host a 41km ITT.
 
auscyclefan94

auscyclefan94

Jun 16, 2009
19,654
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Marcus135 said:
*Hugs ACF94*
No prober breaks on flats
No proper time trials
dont know what they were thinking...
Click to expand...
*Hugs Marcus135*
Moondance said:
This is what girlfriends are for.
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She hates cycling and is really starting to hate me for liking and watching it!:D
 
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