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Hardest MTF in Tour de France 2011
- Thread starter Swede1
- Start date
- Sep 27, 2009
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- Jun 16, 2009
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Can't go past the Galibier. The final climb is the least hardest based on gradient of all the climbs on the day but after 2.5 weeks of racing plus the very hard climb which are before the galibier, it will be carnage.
- Jul 28, 2010
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They have profiles for these you know, they should tell you what you need to know! 
Plateau de Beille and Alpe are both at 7.9%
PdB is 2 km longer, never goes below 7% till the top, but never goes above 10%
Alpe is 2 km shorter, last 3 km is just 5%, but has many sections of over 11%
Coupling that with the fact that Alpe is in the 3rd week after the Telegraphe/Tourmalet combo, I'll go with Alpe (barely).
Plateau de Beille and Alpe are both at 7.9%
PdB is 2 km longer, never goes below 7% till the top, but never goes above 10%
Alpe is 2 km shorter, last 3 km is just 5%, but has many sections of over 11%
Coupling that with the fact that Alpe is in the 3rd week after the Telegraphe/Tourmalet combo, I'll go with Alpe (barely).
Could the altitude of Galibier make it harder? Although Alpe d'Huez comes the next day so the riders will be more fatigued.
- Jun 17, 2010
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Either:
1) Galibier Serre-Chevalier (HC Angel, HC Izoard, HC Galibier), or
2) Alpe d'Huez (cat-1 Telegraphe, HC Galibier, HC Alpe).
Voted Galibier Serre-Chevalier just on basis this one has almost 1000m more climbing (about 4013m vs. 3083m). I didn't consider length of climbs, gradients, placment of the climbs, or the fact guys should be more tired by stage 19. More voters have picked the Alpe stage 19 at this point... just wondering what would make the Alpe stage tougher than the other.
1) Galibier Serre-Chevalier (HC Angel, HC Izoard, HC Galibier), or
2) Alpe d'Huez (cat-1 Telegraphe, HC Galibier, HC Alpe).
Voted Galibier Serre-Chevalier just on basis this one has almost 1000m more climbing (about 4013m vs. 3083m). I didn't consider length of climbs, gradients, placment of the climbs, or the fact guys should be more tired by stage 19. More voters have picked the Alpe stage 19 at this point... just wondering what would make the Alpe stage tougher than the other.
- Jun 16, 2009
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As a stage definetly the one to the galibier.
The entree is the Col Agnel - 23.7km @ 6.5% and the last 8.7km of the climb average 10.4%. It reaches an altitude of 2,744m.
The main course is the Col d'Izorard - 14.1km @ 7.3% at an altitiude of 2,360m with the last 7km of the climb averaging at 9%.
The dessert is the Col du Galibier - 23km @5.1 at an altitude of 2,645m. The first 17km of the climb don't go above 6.5% but with the other two climbs earlier in the stage, that won't matter as the legs will be burning and oxygen debt will be coming apparent. The last km is at 9% and is the steepest part of the climb. The damage from the past climbs and the high altitude of the galibier will totally split the race apart.
Massive time gaps will be apparent here and this is where the tour will be won and lost.
The entree is the Col Agnel - 23.7km @ 6.5% and the last 8.7km of the climb average 10.4%. It reaches an altitude of 2,744m.
The main course is the Col d'Izorard - 14.1km @ 7.3% at an altitiude of 2,360m with the last 7km of the climb averaging at 9%.
The dessert is the Col du Galibier - 23km @5.1 at an altitude of 2,645m. The first 17km of the climb don't go above 6.5% but with the other two climbs earlier in the stage, that won't matter as the legs will be burning and oxygen debt will be coming apparent. The last km is at 9% and is the steepest part of the climb. The damage from the past climbs and the high altitude of the galibier will totally split the race apart.
Massive time gaps will be apparent here and this is where the tour will be won and lost.
- Jun 17, 2010
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thanks for the info ACF. The letour.fr website had an interesting factor (below) I had also not considered that could make the racing more interesting and/or less predictable.
Even though stage 19 is shorter, if attacks go early and often as suggested on the letour.fr site, this alone might make stage 19 to Alpe tougher.
Even though stage 19 is shorter, if attacks go early and often as suggested on the letour.fr site, this alone might make stage 19 to Alpe tougher.
Galibier (Lautaret) 200.5km: preceeded by Agnello and Izoard, not many completely flat sections across the entire stage, altitude gain ~4500m
>
Luz Ardiden 211km: preceeded by Tourmalet East and Ancizan with no flat sections at all in the last 80km, altitude gain ~3500-4000m
>
Alpe D'Huez 109.5km: preceeded by Galibier (Telegraphe), the hardest climb in the race, but it's a long descent and short stage, altitude gain ~3000m
>
Plateau de Beille 168.5km: preceeded by numerous smaller climbs, but plenty of time for rest before the finish, altitude gain ~4000m
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All four are good stages I think, and none too easy. I find it hard to split Luz Ardiden/Galibier (Lautaret) as the toughest, and Alpe D'Huez and Plateau de Beille as the easiest. Luz Ardiden is the weakest final climb, so that is probably enough to make Stage 18 the number one.
>
Luz Ardiden 211km: preceeded by Tourmalet East and Ancizan with no flat sections at all in the last 80km, altitude gain ~3500-4000m
>
Alpe D'Huez 109.5km: preceeded by Galibier (Telegraphe), the hardest climb in the race, but it's a long descent and short stage, altitude gain ~3000m
>
Plateau de Beille 168.5km: preceeded by numerous smaller climbs, but plenty of time for rest before the finish, altitude gain ~4000m
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All four are good stages I think, and none too easy. I find it hard to split Luz Ardiden/Galibier (Lautaret) as the toughest, and Alpe D'Huez and Plateau de Beille as the easiest. Luz Ardiden is the weakest final climb, so that is probably enough to make Stage 18 the number one.
- Jun 22, 2009
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yeah. I think they'll be pretty good. Stage 17 although not a MTF I think will be ok to.
I can still see Alpe D'Huez being very decisive.
Luz Ardiden will be a good stage I'm sure.
And Galiber, although the finish not so hard the altitude and succesive tough climbs could be epic.
Plateau de beille is steep enough to make a difference also. Maybe not to much variation, but almost until the last 2km we have lots ok km with 8 and 9 %
- Apr 9, 2011
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Ferminal said:
Lepoard will/must have Voigt or Fabian in the break on stage 17 or the schlecks could lose minutes. Watch the fight to get on the wheel of Samuel
- Jun 22, 2009
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just some guy said:
samu hasn't done anything on a descent in years, even when it would benefit him he didn't go. I find him overrated in this aspect.
it will depend on the GC at the time I guess. Not sure any of the men duking it out for high places will take risks there.
Best hope is for someone to go on the steep ramps and take risks to stay out front. It has ramps exceeding 15%.
- Apr 9, 2011
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- Jun 16, 2009
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Timmy-loves-Rabo said:
the pramatino isn't overly steep going up the climb as it is only 6.7km @ 6%. A breakaway will win that stage.
Interesting question.
The Luz-Ardiden stage has a nice succesion of mountains, but Luz-Ardiden itself isn't the most difficult mountain (although it's not easy either). Reminds me a bit of the stage to Hautacam in 2008. If someone is willing to use his team on the Tourmalet, 1 or 2 'favorites' could be eliminated already in this stage.
Plateau de Beille is probably the hardest mountain they finish on, but the rest of the stage isn't that special, too much space between the mountains. For the GC-men this is going to be an 'easy' stage untill the final mountain.
Now, the Galibier. Certainly the most difficult to predict stage. Barely above 5% until the last 5 kilometers. But you have to take into consideration the great height they are riding on (finish at 2645 meter), and the fact that they were well above 2000 meters twice in the stage already (and on really difficult mountains). Will those factors be enough to offset the low gradients, or do we have to wait untill the last couple of kilometers in this stage to see any action (and small differences therefore)? I really can't tell, but with the Tour, it's usually the best not to expect too much.
The Alpe is about as difficult a mountain as you'll find in the Tour. The great thing about this stage is that after only a couple of kilometers, you'll immediately get the first mountain. There will be some crazy racing on the Telegraphe to get into the break, and if the wrong people are in a break, you could have some teams setting up pace all the way to the top of the Galibier. I think the first 50km of this stage are going to be hell. Although the comparison ends there, the beginning of this stage reminds a bit of the stage to Pau last year (were Armstrong attacked), and some GC guys like Gesink and Sanchez had a really difficult time on the Aspin there, a lot of climbing early on will always hurt some guys.
After the Galibier it's a long easy descend to the Alpe, a lot of guys can come back in this part of the race. What's good about the Alpe D'Huez is that it got some really steep parts at the bottom, which usually means that all but a few domestiques are eliminated almost immediately. The last 10km is every man for himself, I think that combined with the hellish start of this stage, is going to make this the most difficult MTF of this Tour.
The Luz-Ardiden stage has a nice succesion of mountains, but Luz-Ardiden itself isn't the most difficult mountain (although it's not easy either). Reminds me a bit of the stage to Hautacam in 2008. If someone is willing to use his team on the Tourmalet, 1 or 2 'favorites' could be eliminated already in this stage.
Plateau de Beille is probably the hardest mountain they finish on, but the rest of the stage isn't that special, too much space between the mountains. For the GC-men this is going to be an 'easy' stage untill the final mountain.
Now, the Galibier. Certainly the most difficult to predict stage. Barely above 5% until the last 5 kilometers. But you have to take into consideration the great height they are riding on (finish at 2645 meter), and the fact that they were well above 2000 meters twice in the stage already (and on really difficult mountains). Will those factors be enough to offset the low gradients, or do we have to wait untill the last couple of kilometers in this stage to see any action (and small differences therefore)? I really can't tell, but with the Tour, it's usually the best not to expect too much.
The Alpe is about as difficult a mountain as you'll find in the Tour. The great thing about this stage is that after only a couple of kilometers, you'll immediately get the first mountain. There will be some crazy racing on the Telegraphe to get into the break, and if the wrong people are in a break, you could have some teams setting up pace all the way to the top of the Galibier. I think the first 50km of this stage are going to be hell. Although the comparison ends there, the beginning of this stage reminds a bit of the stage to Pau last year (were Armstrong attacked), and some GC guys like Gesink and Sanchez had a really difficult time on the Aspin there, a lot of climbing early on will always hurt some guys.
After the Galibier it's a long easy descend to the Alpe, a lot of guys can come back in this part of the race. What's good about the Alpe D'Huez is that it got some really steep parts at the bottom, which usually means that all but a few domestiques are eliminated almost immediately. The last 10km is every man for himself, I think that combined with the hellish start of this stage, is going to make this the most difficult MTF of this Tour.
- Jan 11, 2010
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The Galibier... not the hardest climb of the Tour in terms of gradients, but the stage is very hard, and it's the highest MTF ever in the Tour. One for the natural climbers who can handle the oxygen debt.
The diesel types like Gesink and Basso won't like the shortness of the Alpe d'Huez stage though.
The diesel types like Gesink and Basso won't like the shortness of the Alpe d'Huez stage though.
- Sep 8, 2009
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- Mar 11, 2009
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Potentially Luz Ardiden.
It's the only stage where the finishing climb starts straight off the descent of the preceding climb. Good reason for climbers to start the action around La Mongie.
Serre Chevalier is the "easier" side of the Galibier. Conceivably, someone could still be running a team train to some point on the Lauteret.
3 longish descents and 1 short one.
Of course the hardest stage will be the one of the four that they race the hardest.
It's the only stage where the finishing climb starts straight off the descent of the preceding climb. Good reason for climbers to start the action around La Mongie.
Serre Chevalier is the "easier" side of the Galibier. Conceivably, someone could still be running a team train to some point on the Lauteret.
3 longish descents and 1 short one.
Of course the hardest stage will be the one of the four that they race the hardest.
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