General News Thread

[Max Rockatansky]

It's fantastic, when you scroll down, stage after stage and tell yourself: yeeaaahh this looks good and there is no Arrate this time aaaaand here it is.

 

[Netserk]

They do it twice, first time the same side that was in the 2016 ITT.

If they are going to do Arrate twice, I'd prefer something like this:

Instead of going down to Eibar, you can descend down to Etxebarria and go over Urkaregi (San Miguel).

 

[johnymax]

AGR will be raced in a closed circuit.

Amstel Gold Race to go ahead on closed circuit

17km loop and no spectators for Dutch race

www.cyclingnews.com

I was going to ask, how does the new route difficulty compare to the old one, but I'm going to rephrase the question. Does anybody beside MvdP, WvA or AlafPolak stand a chance?

 

[johnymax]

Also the route for the 2021 Tour de Suisse is known. Two ITTs, one of which is a MTT up and over OberalpPass :

The route of the Tour de Suisse 2021 - 6. – 13. June 2021

The Tour de Suisse 2021 promises a fast time trial and spectacular sprint finishes in the first half, followed by a series of the most demanding mountain stages in recent times, including a mountain time trial and climbs over the triple peaks of Furka-Grimsel-Susten. The Tour de Suisse is set to...

www.tourdesuisse.ch

 

[Devil's Elbow]

AGR will be raced in a closed circuit.

Amstel Gold Race to go ahead on closed circuit

17km loop and no spectators for Dutch race

www.cyclingnews.com

I was going to ask, how does the new route difficulty compare to the old one, but I'm going to rephrase the question. Does anybody beside MvdP, WvA or AlafPolak stand a chance?

Clearly easier, it's the WC circuit of 2012 with a different final lap. That race featured a thirty-man sprint for third just behind Gilbert. So I wouldn't be surprised to see someone else take it in a sprint due to positioning or the big names cooking themselves in a failed attack, if it does come to a sprint that is.

 

[roundabout]

Clearly easier, it's the WC circuit of 2012 with a different final lap. That race featured a thirty-man sprint for third just behind Gilbert. So I wouldn't be surprised to see someone else take it in a sprint due to positioning or the big names cooking themselves in a failed attack, if it does come to a sprint that is.

I don't believe the 2012 Worlds circuit had the Geulhemmerberg

Edit: but then again I am not sure if a circuit with Geulhemmerberg can fit the 17km length as I think the one without it is 16km

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I don't believe the 2012 Worlds circuit had the Geulhemmerberg

Edit: but then again I am not sure if a circuit with Geulhemmerberg can fit the 17km length as I think the one without it is 16km

The lap does include Geulhemmerberg, I'm apparently just bad at remembering routes in my own country. Still think it's easier than normal though, especially with the race also being almost 50k shorter than both that WC and the 2019 race (267.4 and 265.7 respectively versus 218.6).

 

[Netserk]

It's idiotic enough that they are reducing the race to a Dutch Bretagne Classic, but why on Earth reduce the length of it?

 

[BlueRoads]

It's idiotic enough that they are reducing the race to a Dutch Bretagne Classic, but why on Earth reduce the length of it?

So the riders don't get dizzy.

 

[Bonimenier]

It's idiotic enough that they are reducing the race to a Dutch Bretagne Classic, but why on Earth reduce the length of it?

I suppose to be able to let both the men and the women race.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So the riders don't get dizzy.

Couldn't they just ride the circuit in reverse a couple of times?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Also the route for the 2021 Tour de Suisse is known. Two ITTs, one of which is a MTT up and over OberalpPass :

The route of the Tour de Suisse 2021 - 6. – 13. June 2021

The Tour de Suisse 2021 promises a fast time trial and spectacular sprint finishes in the first half, followed by a series of the most demanding mountain stages in recent times, including a mountain time trial and climbs over the triple peaks of Furka-Grimsel-Susten. The Tour de Suisse is set to...

www.tourdesuisse.ch

Yeah, the final 2 stages are pretty hard and interesting.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

So the riders don't get dizzy.

it's still gonna be more difficult than the worlds with the geulhemmerweg. That's not an easy climb.

 

[tobydawq]

Yeah, the final 2 stages are pretty hard and interesting.

Only 8 stages?

I guess there will be some whining and bitching from the monotonous "safety" crowd over a TT that goes up and down a mountain but it seems quite intriguing.

 

[yaco]

Two ITT's in an eight stage race - Could have fitted into one stage which covers the length of the two ITT's.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The Bemelerberg must die.

 

[tobydawq]

The Bemelerberg must die.

How do climbs die?

 

[RedheadDane]

How do climbs die?

Very big bulldozer!

 

[Netserk]

I suppose to be able to let both the men and the women race.

Fair enough. Another reason not to have the dumb circuit race.

 

[janraaskalt]

Fair enough. Another reason not to have the dumb circuit race.

It was either no race or this closed circuit race.

 

[BlueRoads]

Very big bulldozer!

Or just Ganna.

 

[Sciatic]

Two ITT's in an eight stage race - Could have fitted into one stage which covers the length of the two ITT's.

They must have thought Cancellara was making a comeback this year.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

How do climbs die?

Very big bulldozer!

Well they seemed to chop the trees surrounding the climb two years ago, so they're half way there!

 

[Mayomaniac]

The Baby Giro will feature a Campo Moro MTF, the stage will start in Sondrio and feature 2 laps on a circuit around the vineyards in that area before the final ascent. Fans of Women's cycling will know the climb from the 2018 Giro Rosa, where the 2nd half was used as a MTT and AvV destroyed all life on earth. Apparently there won't be a Mortirolo stage this year, so fingers crossed that they'll test the Fauniera/Granfondo Fausto Coppi stage in the U23 Giro before using it in th real one.
Source: https://www.tuttobiciweb.it/article/2021/03/11/1615370565/2021-giro-d-italia-under-23-sopralluogo-mortirolo-marco-selleri-gigi-negri-campo-moro-bagioli-lanzada
The climb:

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So the route for the 2021 Mont Ventoux Challenge has been revealed, and it's the toughest one yet. It's shorther than the first two editions, but with two ascents of the Ventoux it has more elevation gain. It has obviously been modeled after the 11th stage of this year's Tour, which also features the Ventoux double.

The organisers has also announced plans for a women's race to be held alongside the men's in 2022. Now that La Course has moved away from the mountain stages they had in 2017 and 18, it'll be great to have a similar one-day race on their calendar too.