Best GT route in the XXI century.

[the3verB]

I go with the Tour 2007 with 3 good stages in the Alpes + 3 enormous stages in the Pyrennees + 2 long ITTs (55 kms+ 57kms). For me, almost perfecty balanced.

Vuelta 2005 was also very good, like Giro 2006.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I go with the Tour 2007 with 3 good stages in the Alpes + 3 enormous stages in the Pyrennees + 2 long ITTs (55 kms+ 57kms). For me, almost perfecty balanced.

Vuelta 2005 was also very good, like Giro 2006.

whatever you say.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

 

[Shark attack]

Giro 2010 no doubt

 

[movingtarget]

Giro 2010 no doubt

Yep it has to be one of the best.

 

[Thomsena]

Don't we have 20 route threads already?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Giro 2010 was good, but it could have been so much less epic if it hadn't been for the L'Aquila stage and the weather being convenient for it.

Disappointed not to see Giro 2008 on the list - that was a very good route which had several intermediate stages but no true high mountain stages all the way until the penultimate weekend; but unlike the anemic 2011 Tour, there were plenty of opportunities for GC action before then, with the 7th stage into Pescocostanzo being one of my favourite stage designs in years. And when the mountain stages came, what mountain stages they were! There were a couple of teething problems, sure - I would rather the 20th stage have finished on Aprica rather than descending into Tirano, and the Fedaia stage was a little bit too short, but you can't argue with a Manghen-Pampeago double, a Fedaia MTF, Kronplatz's debut and a Gavia-Mortirolo double.

You had a Tirreno-Adriatico style stage in Sicily on stage 2 and in the south on stage 5, a superb medium mountain stage on stage 7 with both a GC battle and a stage win battle and time being taken on one of the best designed finishes in years, an entertaining Worlds preview stage on stage 18 (from Mendrisio Worlds course to Varese Worlds course), and a superb penultimate mountain day into Monte Pora.

On the minus side, you had a pretty weak second week, including two straight completely pan flat sprinters' stages without even the tiniest of pimples of an uphill, and it was lacking in considerable time trial mileage.

I don't know if it was the best route out there, but it's one that definitely merits a bit of discussion.

 

[Eshnar]

I'm so surprised (and disappointed) Giro 2005 got only 2 votes (one is mine)

 

[Afrank]

Wasn't there another thread exactly like this not long ago?

 

[Bavarianrider]

My favourite: Tour 2007

Runners Up

Tour 2001, Tour 2002, Tour 2003, Tour 2006, (no particular order

Second group

Giro 2000, Giro 2001, Giro 2003, Giro 2005 Giro 2006, Vuelta 2000, Vuelta 2001, Vuelta 2003, Vuelta 2004, (no particular order)

 

[guncha]

TDF 07 to me - enough GC stages in high mountains, two long ITT, great example for perfectly balanced route.

TDF 11 should be in the list because mountain stages were well designed. For me it is not a problem that first high mountain stage is in the second week only. TDF 12 could have been improved by making Super Besse as 2nd cat MTF (like in 2008) as well as adding ITT before first Pyrenees stage.

I disagree Giro 10 had such great route - riders made great racing, some medium mountain stages provided more than they should. It is silly to have just 23km of flat ITT of which 15km are put on the last day - to me it is as big flaw as too few mountain stages like in TDF 12. In this context 40km of ITT seems a lot.
40 -50km ITT in the middle of the race could have made different racing as Evans would have been ahead of his rivals before crucial mountain stages, his morale would have been different etc. Don't forget that Evans lost 3m 27sec to Basso, including 1m 17sec in TTT - had they switched ITT and TTT Evans would have made at least podium. Climber Basso against all rounder Evans = more drama; what can be more epic?