LaFlorecita said:Of course, but ASO don't want "just a couple easy segments". If there are cobbled segments, they are hard and plentiful. Hence if you're asking for cobbles every year, you're looking at a mini PR every year. And that seems like an overkill to me.
It's only a matter of time until at least one of the favorites crashes out on the cobbles. Once that happens we won't see them for a few years. Until then, ASO will continue to push the hype created by last year's stage (which is overrated in my opinion).
I think having a "weak" cobbled stage will also make the mini PR stages with heavier cobbled stages safer. It will expose more riders to cobbles. Especially GC riders who would otherwise never ride them. Also they can figure out the best time to place the cobbles that will reduce crashes. Eg I think having on the 3rd stage in the tour is to early as often all GC riders are still in the contest, ontop of the fact you have all stage hunters competing for position. Making it more frantic. But overall it's part of cycling. I would love to see riders who are more suited to one day races using cobbled, Ardennes and MSR style stages to gain time on the mountain goats or TTs and vice versa. Even if cobbled stage is weak you can still try something.