Bring Back the Double ITT?

[auscyclefan94]

I want to see the tt on the final stage rather than the sprint.

Agreed - Imagne if today's time trial finished in Paris. Having a great backdrop to a close finish would be awesome. I wouldn't be surprised if they do that in 2013 for the 100th edition.

75km TTT
70km Flat TT
55 km hilly TT
15km MTT

- You would have to have 10 MTF's to balance that ITT km's out

 

[hoolaparara]

There should be 3 Time Trial type stages.

The first or second stage should be a short (<10) prologue ITT or TTT to set gaps and orders.

There should be a pan flat one before the first mountains to set a gap for the climbers to chase and a second hillier one during or after the second set of mountains.

One should be long (40+k) the other should be medium length (15-30k).

So for example, you could have a 45k flat one on the friday of the first week, then in the second week have a MTT up Alpe D'Huez. In another race, you have a 25k flat TT before the first mountains and then on the last saturday you have a 40k TT hillier than the Grenoble one this year.

And you really need the flat TT before the climbs because bad-TTers really underestimate the amount of time they actually need.

 

[greenedge]

I would like a short punchy prologue or a mountain ITT then a longish TTT and then an ITT at the end of the race similar to this year's length. It still came out well this year.

 

[dlwssonic]

75km TTT
70km Flat TT
55 km hilly TT
15km MTT

Is this so that martin can finally make the coveted top 40 position in GC.

 

[greenedge]

De Gendt did surprisingly well in the last 2 days after having recovered froom broken fingers. Could he evolve into a GT hope or maybe a one week stage racer like Tony Martin??? He has good attacking flair as well.

 

[SilentAssassin]

i like it when they do a mountain itt and a flat itt in the same year. doesn't happen often

mountain tt really shows up the best climbers. there is no attacks. there is no wheel sucking. best climber wins

flat tt shows up a riders power and endurance. there is nowhere to hide, no where to rest

Mountain time trial would be better, something with a steep grade. This would be the true test.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

yeah i am pretty bored with the paris finish.
in a sprint i mean. obviouly the itt in paris .

 

[Roninho]

As long as the extra ITT is in place for a flat stage and no mountain stages get dropped. A GT should include ITT's, no doubt about it, but i don't really like watching ITT's (both on tv as live), even if it is a climbing TT.

 

[Catty69]

I hate to pick on another newbie, but are you privvy to some impending geological events which will radically change the topography of France?

Actually been a member here longer the you. I have ridden around and followed previous tour de Frances, I have been racing for the last 20 years so yeah just because u don't post much I'm a newbie.

 

[abbaskip]

75km TTT
70km Flat TT
55 km hilly TT
15km MTT

No way should there be a 75km TTT. That means you get none of the guys who are great riders in small teams. I'm against the TTT as anything except for what it was this year. A small thing that made no difference, and more just for show.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Agreed - Imagne if today's time trial finished in Paris. Having a great backdrop to a close finish would be awesome. I wouldn't be surprised if they do that in 2013 for the 100th edition.


- You would have to have 10 MTF's to balance that ITT km's out

No you don't

 

[Aguirre]

first week, 8-10 km prologue or 25 TTT

second week, mountain ITT, kind of Grenoble-Chamrousse 25-30 ITT

third week, 60 km ITT, flatwindy, around Bordeaux

 

[sultanofhyd]

The lack of a 2nd ITT made the climbers more conservative, which has not been good for the race. We saw no action in the first 2 mountain stages, because the climbers (this case: Schlecks) became confident enough that the alps would be enough...

if they put an early 40/50km ITT in the climbers have no choice but to start attacking from the 1st mountain stage

Contador would own the other climbers in the first TT and the tour is over, just like this year's Giro.

 

[Kwibus]

A Tour de TT! Why not?

Just for your information. Bavarianrider wants Tony Martin to win the Tour. That's why he wants 400+km of TT

 

[MrRoboto]

I'm guessing ASO is happy with Evans winning, and won't be too reluctant about bringing back more TT kms.

 

[Cobblestoned]

ESP guys just said, that there will be a Mountain-TT next year.

 

[Bavarianrider]

There will be a MTT next year. It was confirmed by Pechaux

Given the fact that there will also be a prologue i fear there's very little chance we'll see 2 long TT.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Just for your information. Bavarianrider wants Tony Martin to win the Tour. That's why he wants 400+km of TT

No i want a balanced route like back in the day. Obviously you are not good at math too

 

[Apollonius]

You all really are a bunch of dunder heads.

The best combination is a Mountain TT and a flat TT.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'd like to see one of these:

a) a 8 km prologue, a 35 km hilly ITT and a 50 km flat ITT
b) a 20 km "prologue", a 15 km MTT and a 50 km flat ITT

Oh and no TTT and bring back the bonifications please!

 

[greenedge]

Contador finally comes out and says he needs a stronger team to do the Giro-TDF double. However Porte should leave, he wanted to last year and it's time for the next step up.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Contador finally comes out and says he needs a stronger team to do the Giro-TDF double. However Porte should leave, he wanted to last year and it's time for the next step up.

1. AC was just not strong enough. Team was irrelevant to the result.
2. POrte seems really close to McGee and has become good friends with Alberto. I think he will stay.

 

[guncha]

My preferences:
12 - 15km TTT as stage 1. TTT should be there but it should not make too large gaps.
25km TTT day before first high mountain stage
40km-50km ITT day before the race finish.

No mountain ITT - it is more fun to watch 5 hour mountain stage over multiple 1st or H.C. clinbs. Usually TDF puts less high mountain road stages if mountain ITT is on the menu.

If they have prologue ITT then just one long ITT because two ITT + prologue gives too much advantage to TT specialists.

 

[Bumeington]

1. AC was just not strong enough. Team was irrelevant to the result.
2. POrte seems really close to McGee and has become good friends with Alberto. I think he will stay.

Whilst point 1 is true, maybe AC thinks with a much stronger team he could have won the giro without going as hard, then would be fresher at the tour?

 

[Angliru]

Imagine a GT proper with two ITTs proper. The Schlecks would not have made the podium. Grand Tours are won by a master of all disciplines. They were given everything this year, a token TTT and sub-50K ITT at the end of a mountainous block of stages. Cadel Evens is a true Grand Tour rider in the traditional sense. What a great ride.

However, it begs the question, has the TdF change forever in a reduction of the influence of the ITT?

Bring back the ITT!

How do you define or even come to the conclusion of what a "true Grand Tour rider" is? Grand tours have been won by climbing specialists that could barely time trial, by time trial specialists that could hold their own in the mountains. There so many different factors that have come into play in the final outcome and occasionally surprises do happen. That shouldn't minimize the accomplishment of the eventual winner. If one comes out on top after the grueling 3 weeks of a grand tour they deserve the accolades.