General News Thread

[Eshnar]

The Trentino stages are on the website
https://girodeltrentinomelinda.com/en/
It will have live broadcast this year

Quite a good route, although I'm a bit sad that the Pustertal stage will be a one climb mtf.
However I have to say that I'm impressed they put the stages in the completely right order. Firstly an ITT so we already have some time gaps. Secondly a short uphill finish where time gaps are almost guaranteed because its the only mtf of the race. Thirdly a hard mountain stage with a downhill finish. And finally another downhill finish but with the final climb being 35 kilometers away from the finish and after the descent the last 17 kilometers are a bit up and down. I'm really looking forward to it.

The first stage is a TTT, not a ITT.
Either than that, I agree, it's the right order

 

[Velolover2]

Dauphiné 2016 gets the most brutal prologue I've ever seen.

 

[StephenC2020]

Re:

Dauphiné 2016 gets the most brutal prologue I've ever seen.

I can not wait for this!

 

[Squire]

Damn, that's really savage!

 

[TheYouyou7]

Great stage but it's the only good stage, all other moutain stages are total crap imo

 

[togo95]

Great stage but it's the only good stage, all other moutain stages are total crap imo

Oh really? Stages 3, 4, 6 and 7 are all very nice I think.

 

[StephenC2020]

Great stage but it's the only good stage, all other moutain stages are total crap imo

Oh really? Stages 3, 4, 6 and 7 are all very nice I think.

Ya, I was also thinking the entire route is quite nice.

 

[Eshnar]

As a route altogether, it sucks. Ridiculously unbalanced. There are a few nice individual stages though, so I guess for a preparation stage race it's ok.

 

[yaco]

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

Ridiculous three TTs? Have you started watching cycling last year right? Race organizers are really ruining GTs...
Anyway we're not talking about the Giro here.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

3 Time trials is the perfect amount: 2013 and 2014 had 3, just one was a TTT. I'd much rather have a prologue than a TTT. 1 Prolougue, 1 long flat one and an MTT is good. In the Giro there is a medium-long hilly one though. That's the problem. There aren't that many sprint stages either. 7 is what you expect with a start in Holland. 2012 also had 7, as did 2013, and 2014, and 2015. Some of those flat stages didn't finish in a sprint because a break took it, and I expect the same here. 2010 was one the best routes and had 7 flat stages. Only 2011 was a real exception, but that was a crazy year. There is lack of high mountain stages, but when they go there they go there. The Dolomites stage is one of the best of recent times, maybe best since 2011, The Sant Anna di Vinadio is very high and loads of metres of climbing and stage 19 goes over Agnello. Stage 16 is basically a mountain stage, in all but name. Fai della Paganella is a very hard climb. Stage 13 is fantastic, and the stage to Sestola is very good too. They have sterrato too, and stage 4 looks fun. Not a fan of stage 6, though. I agree it could do with some harder mountain stages, and change the order. Drop a sprint stage for a hard mountains stage or beef up the Andalo stage and lengthen and flatten the second ITT and you have a great route, IMO

 

[Red Rick]

Where can I find the Dauphine profiles?

Edit, found it. It's ridiculous. Dauphine should go back to the time when it was a race with a prologue, mid-long tt, and actual high mountains. Nowadays the Dauphine is just a bunch of random mountain finshies, most of which are cat 2. It's a coincidence the Madeleine is in there, and even then it's just there to make the stage tougher.

Not to mention the prologue. I hate it for a few different reasons. The most important is that this is the Dauphine. THE preparation race for the Tour and after 1 12-minute effort you know who is the best climber.

 

[dacooley]

Re:

Where can I find the Dauphine profiles

http://www.letour.fr/criterium-du-dauphine/2016/fr/parcours-general.html

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

Definitely. The first ITT would have been enough, the second one probably already too much and the third one just gives ITT specialists a ridiculous advantage for the gc

 

[pastronef]

Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

Dauphine already had uphill prologues in Morzine-Avoriaz, Megeve, Grenoble

 

[escartin]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

Dauphine already had uphill prologues in Morzine-Avoriaz, Megeve, Grenoble

yeah, I was going to say, when I did my Erasmus year in Grenoble, the prologue was up to the Bastille which certainly isn't a stroll in the park, must be up with this year's for steepness.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

Definitely. The first ITT would have been enough, the second one probably already too much and the third one just gives ITT specialists a ridiculous advantage for the gc

How does it favour ITT specialists? The 1st one is a standard flat TT over 9 k's so no real time gaps, the 3rd one is a straight up MTT so doesn't really suit an ITT specialist so only the 2nd one works for the stronger ITT GC riders. Seems like a perfect mix to me

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

Definitely. The first ITT would have been enough, the second one probably already too much and the third one just gives ITT specialists a ridiculous advantage for the gc

How does it favour ITT specialists? The 1st one is a standard flat TT over 9 k's so no real time gaps, the 3rd one is a straight up MTT so doesn't really suit an ITT specialist so only the 2nd one works for the stronger ITT GC riders. Seems like a perfect mix to me

The rolleyes smiley generally indicates sarcasm...

 

[del1962]

is there a link to dauphine route

 

[pastronef]

Re:

is there a link to dauphine route

http://www.letour.fr/criterium-du-dauphine/

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

Ridiculous three TTs? Have you started watching cycling last year right? Race organizers are really ruining GTs...
Anyway we're not talking about the Giro here.

I have a different opinion - One TT is enough in any Grand Tour - Ultimately a GT should be won in the mountains.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

Definitely. The first ITT would have been enough, the second one probably already too much and the third one just gives ITT specialists a ridiculous advantage for the gc

How does it favour ITT specialists? The 1st one is a standard flat TT over 9 k's so no real time gaps, the 3rd one is a straight up MTT so doesn't really suit an ITT specialist so only the 2nd one works for the stronger ITT GC riders. Seems like a perfect mix to me

The mountain TT doesn't happen often in GT's, though I like hilly TT's - You look at the profile of the Giro and it's an unusually flat course - One TT is enough in a GT.

 

[Eshnar]

Re: Re:

First rule on this forum is that race organisers must design the perfect course - Which of course is impossible - Prologue is like you'd expect to find in Pais Vasco.

You have to admit that it is indeed really unbalanced.
However, nevertheless I still like this route, not because I think its well designed, but because I think I wont get enough of Froome vs. Contador on uphill finishes anyway. If they both are in 2014 shape it might be a superb race.

Yeah but it happens - Giro 2016 for a Giro is very sprint friendly, has not enough mountain stages and has a ridicoulus three TT's.

Ridiculous three TTs? Have you started watching cycling last year right? Race organizers are really ruining GTs...
Anyway we're not talking about the Giro here.

I have a different opinion - One TT is enough in any Grand Tour - Ultimately a GT should be won in the mountains.

GTs have always been won in the mountains in the last 30 years, regardless on the number of TTs (which doesn't tell much, it's the overall length that matters). Point is, a GT should be won by the most complete rider, not by a 50 kg mountain goat.