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M

McLovin

Jun 18, 2009
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Not to much introduction. It's pretty clear that some Tour routes in the last 15 years (at least) were made with dedication for a certain rider, or riders.
My guesses are:
1999 - very very light mountains and 120 km of ITT. Almost zero chances for Pantani. Piau and Sestrieres are some second hand climbs. This must have been for Ullrich. Maybe they need a new believable hero and a young guy like Ullrich corresponded. Didn't had internet at that time and in my country we had almost zero written press about cycling so don't know if Pantani was considered a clean rider or not. Or maybe from pity for Ullrich after Deux Alpes episode.

2004 -made for anybody but Armstrong - again, very light mountains, just 2 MTF and one is La Mongie. Ullrich showed some serious signs of super TT form in 2003 and maybe that's why they masked a MTF in a TT (never again since then). With Armstrong winning his sixth, all their national heroes (the three french fivers) would have been just some multiple Tour winners, with those winning 2 or three.

2012 - no comment. Can't see the reason but it must be one.

Any other thoughts?

LE. Didn't intended to open this in the Clinic (mistake) but maybe it's better.
 
M

McLovin

Jun 18, 2009
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Netserk said:
2011 designed so Andy had a chance against Contador.

2009 the Armstrong comeback route.
Click to expand...

Yeah, totally forgot about 2009. (can't see the reason anyway, maybe money?)
2011 I am not so sure.
 
Netserk

Netserk

Apr 30, 2011
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McLovin said:
Yeah, totally forgot about 2009. (can't see the reason anyway, maybe money?)
2011 I am not so sure.
Click to expand...

It was the perfect Andy route. Little ITT, a TTT, backloaded, 4 HC MTFs with the Galibier stage absolutely perfect for him. If it wasn't for his pathetic racing in the Pyrenees and a wet descent, he would have won it easily.
 
M

McLovin

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Netserk said:
It was the perfect Andy route. Little ITT, a TTT, backloaded, 4 HC MTFs with the Galibier stage absolutely perfect for him. If it wasn't for his pathetic racing in the Pyrenees and a wet descent, he would have won it easily.
Click to expand...

You're right, I forgot it was only one ITT.
But what it's the reason for this things? The show? The sympathies?
 
roundabout

roundabout

Jun 7, 2010
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It's almost impossible to drop a strong rival on a 5% climb as seen by a group of 6 riders being together in the last km of the Galibier.

So again, I ask you where under normal conditions would he have had a chance against Contador as other high mountain stages would have been to Contador's advantage according to you?
 
Netserk

Netserk

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roundabout said:
It's almost impossible to drop a strong rival on a 5% climb as seen by a group of 6 riders being together in the last km of the Galibier.

So again, I ask you where under normal conditions would he have had a chance against Contador as other high mountain stages would have been to Contador's advantage according to you?
Click to expand...

How many attacks were there at that point?
 
M

MrRoboto

May 19, 2011
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91-95 Progressively more mountains to make it harder for Indurain
99-05 they tried tried to make it harder for Armstrong but nothing helped
11 Clearly designed to give Andy the best possible chance to beat Contador.
 
Libertine Seguros

Libertine Seguros

Feb 20, 2010
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McLovin said:
Yeah, totally forgot about 2009. (can't see the reason anyway, maybe money?)
2011 I am not so sure.
Click to expand...

For media attention to the race and for public eye (increasing value of advertising to sponsors) they wanted Armstrong to be in the running as long as possible. Therefore before we had any idea of what his strength during comeback 2.0 would be, they unveiled a route with a TTT and an early ITT which clearly favoured him, plus the only MTF in the first two weeks was a fairly bland stage to Arcalis, an MTF at 5% so gaps were unlikely to be all that big. The rest of the Pyrenées were horribly neutered. If he fell away in the last week, so be it.
 
zlev11

zlev11

Jan 23, 2011
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roundabout said:
It's almost impossible to drop a strong rival on a 5% climb as seen by a group of 6 riders being together in the last km of the Galibier.

So again, I ask you where under normal conditions would he have had a chance against Contador as other high mountain stages would have been to Contador's advantage according to you?
Click to expand...

i think you need to learn a little bit more about cycling before engaging in these arguments. you're embarrassing yourself.

anyway
2012 was made 100% for Wiggins, to coincide with the Olympics
 
BigMac

BigMac

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zlev11 said:
i think you need to learn a little bit more about cycling before engaging in these arguments. you're embarrassing yourself.
[...]
Click to expand...

He is correct. Andy made the difference with an unorthodox attack on the Izoard, not the Galibier. If it all came together to the last climb, with a strong Contador, Andy might not have dropped him. The stage from Pinerolo to Serre Chevalier certainly can't be an example as to how the 2011 route was designed to favour the Schlecket.
 
Gung Ho Gun

Gung Ho Gun

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What about 2006, long ITT before they'd seen a mountain would normally put Ullrich in yellow (seeing how T Mobile smashed those itt's as a team I'm really curious how hard Jan would've went)
Although I think its mainly about keeping it exciting for as long as possible, not really meant for a specific rider - even 2012 suited Evans as much as Wiggins beforehand
 
S

SundayRider

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Gung Ho Gun said:
What about 2006, long ITT before they'd seen a mountain would normally put Ullrich in yellow (seeing how T Mobile smashed those itt's as a team I'm really curious how hard Jan would've went)
Although I think its mainly about keeping it exciting for as long as possible, not really meant for a specific rider - even 2012 suited Evans as much as Wiggins beforehand
Click to expand...

Difficult to keep it exciting till the end now due to certain riders being equally excellent at climbing and TTing, the riders who are specialists at one and average at the other have little to no chance.
 
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