Ancient cycling law that prevents riding routes beforehand

[hughmoore]

Following on from the gearing thread, Ive noticed during every major GT, you see comments, we havent ridden the climb before, rode the TT Course.

I dont live in Europe so, not sure why this is happening.

I realise weather can be an issue, but arnt these routes anouced 6 months in advance?





Hugh

 

[DirtyWorks]

Part of the promoters job is to accurately classify the climbs. The race bible is supposed to be accurate and after a while everyone knows what a 10KM cat 3 climb 60KM into a stage (as an example) will do to a peloton.

Remember that the race calendar is long and full. A couple of days to scout a route can be very disruptive.

Other routes aren't seen as critical. And they aren't unless there's some kind of act of god to inject some chaos.

 

[rgmerk]

Yeah, but you'd think - for a team leader for a GT, whose entire season is structured around success at one event - that it'd be worthwhile scouting at least the TT course and the key MTF stage finish if you'd never ridden it before, particularly when it's one as unusual as Angliru.

 

[spalco]

I guess traffic is a problem. I don't know how much you can gain from looking at a route if you can't ride it full speed because of other vehicles on the road and cross traffic, especially when it's in a urban area.

I agree that if I were a pro I would definitely look at the TT regardless, just to get comfortable with the surroundings, but I guess others see it as a waste of time.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Many teams and riders do pre-ride the most important stages. It is an individual decision on how best to prepare for a race.

Susan

 

[Barracuda]

Many teams and riders do pre-ride the most important stages. It is an individual decision on how best to prepare for a race.

Susan

Clearly deciding not to scout the course worked for the Schlecks this year

I agree with Hugh ..... preperation is key ...... even numpties like me pre ride the casual rides like the TDU Challenge etc.

 

[analo69]

The Schlecks scouted the tour crucial stages this year. Watched it in a documentary on Danish TV. It had clips of them scouting in May or something like that.

Documentary (1h) is here, but it might be georestricted. Scouting around 54 min mark. http://www.dr.dk/Sporten/dokumentar/andyschleck/

He is actually scouting the descents.

The documentary is mostly in English with Danish subtitles. It focuses on the preparation to the tour by Andy Schleck.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

The Schlecks scouted the tour crucial stages this year. Watched it in a documentary on Danish TV. It had clips of them scouting in May or something like that.

Documentary (1h) is here, but it might be georestricted. Scouting around 54 min mark. http://www.dr.dk/Sporten/dokumentar/andyschleck/

He is actually scouting the descents.

The documentary is mostly in English with Danish subtitles. It focuses on the preparation to the tour by Andy Schleck.

But he didnt scout out the time trial, at all. And thats where he lost the race.

 

[hrotha]

But he didnt scout out the time trial, at all. And thats where he lost the race.

No, that's where he lost the most time, but that loss of time was to be expected (Evans was so good Andy would have needed to be, what, top-3? Top-5? Not going to happen). Andy lost the race the same way he lost it last year - by thinking he could win it with a single attack and letting all other opportunities slip by.

 

[Thomsena]

But he didnt scout out the time trial, at all. And thats where he lost the race.

Sure? I know he didn't want to train on the TT bike during the season but can't remember if they were that stupid not to scout the last 30 km of the Tour. Seems unlikely not to.

 

[spalco]

That's what they said during the race, that the first time he saw the TT course was while sitting in the team car following Cancellara...

 

[Angliru]

Sure? I know he didn't want to train on the TT bike during the season but can't remember if they were that stupid not to scout the last 30 km of the Tour. Seems unlikely not to.

He had the choice of riding the Tour de Swiss or the Dauphine, which had a ITT on the same course as the upcoming Tour ITT. He or he and his team decided he should ride the Tour de Swiss.

 

[theyoungest]

Following on from the gearing thread, Ive noticed during every major GT, you see comments, we havent ridden the climb before, rode the TT Course.

I dont live in Europe so, not sure why this is happening.

I realise weather can be an issue, but arnt these routes anouced 6 months in advance?

It's the Vuelta. Not important enough, for most teams. Most Tour contenders have done at least some form of recon.

 

[Tank Engine]

It's the Vuelta. Not important enough, for most teams. Most Tour contenders have done at least some form of recon.

Would have thought it was important for Geox. From what he said, Cobo didn't seem to know the Pena Cabarga and he's from Cantabria Still, hasn't done him much harm.