Favourite TdF stages

[sienna]

I'll start with this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WUztWV7_tQ

 

[Anderis]

I only watch TdF since 2008, but I have quite a few which I enjoyed:
- the 2010 cobbled stage
- all late mountain stages of 2011
- 2013 Bagneres de Bigorre stage and the crosswinds stage
- the 2014 cobbled stage
perhaps some more but I can't recall them quickly.

 

[Escarabajo]

2011 stage to Galibier. Andy Schleck won that stage. The day that Cadel decided to finally take matters into his own hands.

2006 stage to Morzine. Got to love that one. If it wasn't for the later outcome....!

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Froome on La Pierre Saint Martin, back in 2015. Porte destroyed the whole field apart from Froome... and then Froome went nuts. Insane performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLR6YHwwT2o

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Another one I loved. Contador's attack on the way to Gap (2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pOmzJFOmWk

18:30

 

[Tim Booth]

1997 Stage 17 Tour de France - Fribourg to Colmar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l0BMHfQ8-E
Neil Stephens gave Australia a rare moment of Tour de France glory when the also-rans were given their head yesterday as the race left Switzerland. Stephens, the workhorse for several Tour thoroughbreds, came galloping home three seconds clear of 11 riders for Australia's first stage victory in six years.

 

[Nirvana]

Sestriere '92, i would pay to have another Chiappucci (and a 260 kms mountain marathon back in the race).

 

[Gigs_98]

Thinking about this topic kinda makes you realize just how long it has been since a truly legendary tour stage. There have been a few thermonuclear froome performances which were surely very memorable but a stage where nothing happens before the final climb just isn't comparable with what mountain stages used to offer in the tour and still regularly do in the giro. I'd say you have to go back all the way to 2011 to find truly great mountain stages and stage 18 and 19 of that race most likely were the best tour stages since I've become a cycling fan. Aside from that, the 2014 cobbles stage was pretty incredible. Also a little shoutout to the 2016 ventoux stage. Certainly not the best tour stage but don't know if I will ever laugh as hard during a cycling race again as when Chris Froome ran up the Mont Ventoux.

 

[Simurgh]

1. Tourmalet 2010
2. Alpe d'Huez 2011
3. Saint Amand-Montrond 2013 (crosswinds)
4. Le Grand Bornand 2009
5. Alpe d'Huez 2015

Also quite fond of Peyragudes 2017, Carcassonne 2018, Semnoz 2013 (time for that climb to return!), Ax-3 annihilation 2013 was also quite fun to watch, because my eyes couldn't believe what they saw!

 

[ThePirate81]

1 Grenoble-Les Deux Alpes 1998
https://youtu.be/PPGWF2gHCSY
2 Ypres-Arenberg Porte du Hainaut 2014
3 Pontarlier-Verbier 2009

 

[Valv.Piti]

In recent memory, Grand Bornand in 2009, Pierre Saint Martin in 2015, cobbles 2014, Galibier 2011 and I honestly dont remember that much from the last 2-3 years. That have honestly been pretty horrid.

I liked the 2007 Tour a lot: Tignes, and all of the Pyrenean stages, especially the one to Aubisque. And a big shoutout to the first year I really began to follow cycling, 2005, and the stage to Courchevel that Valverde won against Armstrong. Both the stages in the Pyrenees were also very good despite them being won by the break - a lot of action on the penultimate climb and altho the overall was decided, it was some very nice stages featuring Jan, Basso and Armstrong.

The first stage I really remember was Alpe d Huez 2003 (which was very good in its own right), but the stage to Luz Ardiden was money. Great, great stage that I actually have rewatched a couple of times. If you have to go with a TT, I'd pick that time trial in Cap Decouverte where Ullich absolutely destroyed the opposition, including Lance. All from 2003.

 

[Squire]

Morzine 2006 is the only correct answer, really. The one in 2000 where Pantani attacked early and Armstrong cracked under the Kelme onslaught was fantastic, too. Many of the 2003 stages deserve a mention, same with Aubisque 2007. A personal favourite is of course Peyragudes 2012. Galibier 2011 was pretty epic as well.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

1. Tourmalet 2010
2. Alpe d'Huez 2011
3. Saint Amand-Montrond 2013 (crosswinds)
4. Le Grand Bornand 2009
5. Alpe d'Huez 2015

Also quite fond of Peyragudes 2017, Carcassonne 2018, Semnoz 2013 (time for that climb to return!), Ax-3 annihilation 2013 was also quite fun to watch, because my eyes couldn't believe what they saw!

Peyragudes 2017? That might be my number one most disappointing stage, not only in the tour de france but overall. That was a 200 km mountain stage without a significant attack before 500 meters to go.

Aside from that I like your choices though. Completely forgot about the 2013 crosswind stage.

Edit: And just because it hasn't been mentioned yet, the 10 minutes of cotador constantly attacking Rasmussen on the Peyresourde in 2007 might only have been 10 minutes, but I'd say there's a good argument there hasn't been a more incredible climbing battle ever since.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Morzine 2006 is the only correct answer, really. The one in 2000 where Pantani attacked early and Armstrong cracked under the Kelme onslaught was fantastic, too. Many of the 2003 stages deserve a mention, same with Aubisque 2007. A personal favourite is of course Peyragudes 2012. Galibier 2011 was pretty epic as well.

Unfortunately I didn't watch the stage to Morzine in 2000 (it was pretty much the same as 2006, If I remember correctly, if not the exact same), but that was pretty epic yes. There was really never any question about the victory still, well, there weren't really apart from 2003. But still some pretty great stages from that era, at least much better than the ones we are seeing today. Can also mention the stage to Saint Lary Soulan in 2001 - Ullrich attacking 3 mountains out, crashing, Armstrong waiting and just humiliating him on the last climb in the scorching heat as easily as ever, standing in the pedals and attacking the whole way up like he did earlier to Alpe d Huez. The strongest Armstrong ever IMO and the rider I'd pick to go up against any peak GT-rider. Jalabart was pretty close to win that stage.

Giggs: I mentioned all the Pyreneen stages in 2007. They were good/great.

 

[armchairclimber]

2014 stage 2, because I went past my in-laws'house, and provided some proper racing, with his Nibs winning.
The 1989 finale ... an extraordinary finish to a real battle royale. Probably the stage that tipped me from casual cycling fan onto the journey towards obsessive.

 

[Valv.Piti]

A slightly homer pick would also be the stage to La Touissuire in 2006. Haven't seen it mentioned - Rasmussen won in pretty incredible fashion, Landis cracked in the bottom of the last climb and nobody knew what the *** was going on. Sastre, Klöden, Pereiro, everyone could win. Obviously, the stage the day after over Joux Plane to Morzine is the one everyone remembers, but it was a good stage overall with a great and unpredictable finishing climb where everyone suddenly began to smell blood.

 

[Squire]

Re:

A slightly homer pick would also be the stage to La Touissuire in 2006. Haven't seen it mentioned - Rasmussen won in pretty incredible fashion, Landis cracked in the bottom of the last climb and nobody knew what the **** was going on. Sastre, Klöden, Pereiro, everyone could win. Obviously, the stage the day after over Joux Plane to Morzine is the one everyone remembers, but it was a good stage overall with a great and unpredictable finishing climb where everyone suddenly began to smell blood.

I loved how cocky Rasmussen was after that stage, having been forced to do teamwork earlier in the race: "Today I did it my way." Also, Klöden was a beast that day.

 

[tobydawq]

The cobbled stage in 14 probably provided the most intense two hours I have seen in the Tour. So I'll pick that.

The combination of stages 10/11 from 2016 will also forever stand out for me. On stage 10, Sagan was up against almost all the best classics riders in a fantastic breakaway he had instigated himself on the only HC climb of the day. Later, he single-handedly halved the group by using a few hundred meters in the cross-winds with 25 kms to the finish. It took three ORICA riders to neutralise him and ensure that he didn't win the sprint where Matthews instead won his first Tour stages. The next day you would think he would have been tired. Instead, he killed it again in the cross-winds, going away with Froome, Thomas and Bodnar in the most memorable flat non-cobbled stage of the century and redeeming the loss of the day before. And those two stages was followed by the absurdity of Froome running on the Ventoux.

The stage 18/19 combination in 2011 with finishes on Galibier and Alpe d'Huez was also golden.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

My memory is quite worthless, i shouldn't be playing this game. I remember a Chiappucci raid when i was a kid of 10 or 11 years old, . The ITT between Lemond and Fignon, is also something i'll never forget.

The first attack in 2009 by contador. Don't remember the stage, but first Vandenbrouck made an attack. And then a minute later, Contador went, blew past JVDB, and the issue of "who is the leader" at Astana was settled. I wasn't exactly a big Armstrong fan. Just the fact that then and there Contador pulled the rug from under Armstrong, made it one of my favorite stages.

 

[Koronin]

I started watching in 2003. A few of my favorites. 2003 Alpe d'Huez is probably the first one I remember seeing.
For my own reasons 2005 Courchevel is my favorite stage. That was the stage Valverde beat Armstrong and also the day I picked Valverde as my favorite rider. Before that I wasn't ready to pick a favorite and was learning the sport. Of course on the topic of Valverde the 2015 Alpe d'Huez stage is also among my favorites as that is the stage he secured his podium and was crying tears of joy when he realized it.

Have to the Landis 2006 stage on here.
I remember at least 1-2 stages from 2010 that had Contador and Schleck battling, but don't remember which stages those were.

 

[kingjr]

Re:

The first attack in 2009 by contador. Don't remember the stage, but first Vandenbrouck made an attack. And then a minute later, Contador went, blew past JVDB, and the issue of "who is the leader" at Astana was settled. I wasn't exactly a big Armstrong fan. Just the fact that then and there Contador pulled the rug from under Armstrong, made it one of my favorite stages.

Arcalis

 

[zlev11]

2014 cobbles stage was the most fun ive ever had watching sports

 

[Alexandre B.]

I really enjoyed the breakaway action in the Station des Rousses stage from 2017.

Tour de France 2003.
La Toussuire 2006.
Tignes 2007.
Briançon 2007.
Galibier 2011.
Alpe d'Huez 2011.
La Toussuire 2012 with Cadel Evans attacking from afar (!).
Bagnères-de-Bigorre 2013.
Arenberg-Porte du Hainaut 2014.
Alpe d'Huez 2015.
As a Bardet fan, Le Bettex 2016.
Chambéry 2017.
Laruns 2018.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Vittel 2017

 

[guncha]

Have been watching TDF since 1999. Alpe d'huez 2001 is the best cycling show I have ever seen (on par with Hautacam 2000).

Other stages I love:
Cap Découverte ITT 2003
Luz Adriden 2003
Morzine 2006
Tignes 2007
Alpe d'Huez 2008
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne 2010
Galibier-Serre Chevalier 2011
Ax 3 Domaines 2013
La Pierre Saint-Martin 2015