Marginalizing the Col du Tourmalet [article] - Why minimize this epic TDF climb???

[byu123]

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/95000/inside-the-tour---marginalizing-the-tourmalet

"This year’s Tour de France is laid out so strangely that even though two of the toughest Pyrenean climbs, the Aspin and Tourmalet, are included in Sunday’s stage 9 they will be virtually marginalized. That’s because from the top of the Tourmalet — the most difficult climb in the Tour’s first two weeks — to the finish in Tarbes is a yawningly long 70 kilometers. So any contenders who make a move on the hors-catégorie mountain and gain even as much as three minutes are sure to be caught — unless something extraordinary occurs." [More . . . .]

Almost makes a stage with a climb over the Tourmalet a yawner in terms of significance for GC.

 

[auscyclefan94]

This stage is shyte. The may have made this a more easier day for rest but it more boring for the viewer. The could do a stage into La Mongie. More intersting but still short. It would be like a mountain stage drag race

 

[ad9898]

The reason the tour organisers have done this is fairly simple, they want the excitement of the tour pushed into the third week, the only way they can do this is by keeping the GC contenders close together. Although I too love mountain top finishes, they can creat big time gaps that are too difficult to close as the tour progresses.

What the stages like today do is wear the racers down, so although we may not see any GC attacks, it's all part of the wearing down process.

The organisers wanted a massive showdown on Mont Ventoux, by then no more energy will need to be saved for the days ahead, it will be all the contenders giving everything they've got.

The route so far is achieving this.

 

[Polka Dot Punter]

Nonsense. The TTT has killed all expectation of a show down on Mount Ventoux. Does anyone seriously expect anyone but Lance or Contador to win? Not many would, and that's because of the TTT. That's not necessarily a criticism of the TTT, but if the goal was to save the excitement for the last week then they've failed miserably IMO.

 

[ad9898]

Nonsense. The TTT has killed all expectation of a show down on Mount Ventoux. Does anyone seriously expect anyone but Lance or Contador to win? Not many would, and that's because of the TTT. That's not necessarily a criticism of the TTT, but if the goal was to save the excitement for the last week then they've failed miserably IMO.

While I agree as regards to the TTT, we shouldn't forget that most of the GC contenders are within 3 mins of the lead, it is likely to stay like this for the next week. Undoubtedly we will see some attacks tried by Evans, Sastre and the Schleck brothers if the opportunity arises.

As far as Contador and Armstrong go, it only takes one bad day, or even a not so good day and three mins can go pretty quickly. For what it's worth I think Armstrong will beat Contador unless the Spaniard has more than 30 secs going into the ITT. Armstrong has targeted his form for the last week, he will grow in strength has the tour progresses.

 

[Frosty]

The top of the Tourmalet has nothing there apart from a restaurant and so would be impossible to house all the finishing stuff at the Tour. The tour did finish at La Mongie (1800 metres) in 2004. Does seem a bit of a waste. Hopefully having the Aspin just before and the rest day tomorrow will encourage people to put a harder effort in and try to blow it to pieces. Run-in does seem far too long though. I cant imagine Astana worrying too much about having to do a TT versus Andy Schleck over the last 50km.

 

[Animal]

As I posted before, they could put the finish line at the summit, and then have a neutralized descent to the finishing area where all the "stuff" is.

Depending on the direction, the finish area could be in La Mongie or Bareges.

 

[Mellow Velo]

and why have almost two identical mountained, but ineffectual stages?
Both boring and repetitive.
The Giro rules supreme.

 

[Baggins27]

I agree that this stage is a tad disappointing. Even if they had 30k after the Tourmalet, it would still have been a bit exciting. 70k just means it's all a bit pointless unless a massive group get away, which is highly unlikely.


They are obviously lining it up for the last week. From the Tuesday through to Ventoux on the Friday, it's brutal stuff.

 

[Anonymous]

The reason the tour organisers have done this is fairly simple, they want the excitement of the tour pushed into the third week, the only way they can do this is by keeping the GC contenders close together. Although I too love mountain top finishes, they can creat big time gaps that are too difficult to close as the tour progresses.

What the stages like today do is wear the racers down, so although we may not see any GC attacks, it's all part of the wearing down process.

The organisers wanted a massive showdown on Mont Ventoux, by then no more energy will need to be saved for the days ahead, it will be all the contenders giving everything they've got.

The route so far is achieving this.

Look at the Giro, it was exciting from start to finish and they had a far harder course. This is a weak tour.

 

[issoisso]

Actually, Preudhomme's said at the presentation that the reason the Pyrenees are like this this year is they're tired of being accused of making the routes too hard whenever someone gets caught doping, so from now on they're neutering one of the two mountainous regions every year.

This year it's all about the Alps.

Next year, being the 100th anniversary of the Pyrenees being used in the Tour, it'll be all about the Pyrenees.

 

[Buninyong Bunny]

Great way to permantly ruin the Tour! Now I want live coverage of the Giro in Australia

 

[Irish2009]

This stage should have finished on the Hautacam or Luz Ardinen both just after the Tourmalet. Then it would have been "intresting".

 

[The Colnago Kid]

That wasn't a race that was a parade

What a disappointment. Zero racing up the mighty Tourmalet. Instead we have the AG2R domestiques sitting on the front with Nicholas Roche on 2nd trombone playing the parade over the top.

 

[Cobber]

Actually, Preudhomme's said at the presentation that the reason the Pyrenees are like this this year is they're tired of being accused of making the routes too hard whenever someone gets caught doping, so from now on they're neutering one of the two mountainous regions every year.

Maybe the most ridiculous reasoning ever. "We are making the tour easier this year to discourage doping"... gimme a break....

 

[The Colnago Kid]

2009 TDF Stage 9 Col du Tourmalet highlights

This just in: video highlights of the Col du Tourmalet climb

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6U-zE_UJzQ

 

[Futuroscope]

Look at the Giro, it was exciting from start to finish and they had a far harder course. This is a weak tour.

yep, terrible planning from the organizers.

 

[Rosedale]

This stage should have finished on the Hautacam or Luz Ardinen both just after the Tourmalet. Then it would have been "intresting".

I agree. But the stage could have finished at the top of the Tourmalet. On the Andorra finish there was no room for team buses so riders had to ride down to the hotels. Why not today?

 

[Irish2009]

I agree. But the stage could have finished at the top of the Tourmalet. On the Andorra finish there was no room for team buses so riders had to ride down to the hotels. Why not today?

At 90km long the stage would have been brilliant

 

[issoisso]

I agree. But the stage could have finished at the top of the Tourmalet. On the Andorra finish there was no room for team buses so riders had to ride down to the hotels. Why not today?

Because there's absolutely no room at all at the top of the Tourmalet.

Some climbs have so little room that the team buses can't be there.
Others have even less, so they were used decades ago, but not now that there is no room for all the TV apparel (Puy de Dôme, Blockhaus).

Others, like the Tourmalet, have no room at all. A finish is impossible there. It's like a finish at the Mortirolo, at the Xorret de Catí or on the Gavia: a nice idea, but not viable

What they could do would be to climb the Tourmalet from the easier side, then descend to La Mongie and finish there.

 

[Anonymous]

i will say one thing in defence of this years stages, routing, finishes

wiggins

 

[whiteboytrash]

Actually, Preudhomme's said at the presentation that the reason the Pyrenees are like this this year is they're tired of being accused of making the routes too hard whenever someone gets caught doping, so from now on they're neutering one of the two mountainous regions every year.
.

You're kidding me. A doping controversy would be the most exciting thing in the Tour thus far......

 

[whiteboytrash]

i will say one thing in defence of this years stages, routing, finishes

wiggins

I have to agree with you here. If he can hang to the the TT then he could be wearing yellow up Ventoux............ (takes hand of John Thomas)

 

[richwagmn]

i will say one thing in defence of this years stages, routing, finishes

wiggins

Agree on Wiggins. Real bright spot of this tour.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

MellowVelo and I have been complaining about this route for weeks, months. It turned out worse than we expected. 77 riders finishing with the same time on a "mountain" stage.

As to Purdhomme's asinine "doping" comment, take a look at the Giro. They put in several stages that weren't brutal at all, but did have uphill finishes, to where GC contenders had to show their faces, and gave the crowd what they wanted to see. And this year's Giro had very few major climbs, and was "easy" compared to routes in the past. But it was way more competitive and exciting than this. Easier stages aren't going to keep people from doping. Track sprinters dope, so do amateurs on every level.

I say they should have done the opposite, and have many more climbs, many more uphill finishes. Just shorter stages. That would have encouraged a lot more attacks, given more opportunities, and no guarantee that someone like Contador would win the first mountain, and follow everyone on every climb after that. Plus, with the stages 100-150km, riders would get enough rest between stages.

If they wanted to keep the race closer, they would have made the TTT about 20km, half of what it was.