Martin is not happy with Alpe d'huez descend.

[Le breton]

maybe the local roads-maintainance people are late with the resurfacing because of the bad weather they had during all spring. now it should be better so they can do it in time for the tour (there's still 1 month to the stage 18)

Many local people are incensed that the TdF is using that road over an area which is still pretty wild and has interesting wildlife including protected species.
The road has been used for several years by the cyclosportive "LA VAUJANY" with over 1000 participants which even include a very large number of English, Dutch and Belgian riders, not particularly known on average for their descending skills.
In the downhill part between AdH and Sarenne there used to be sorts of shallow fords, several of them, which forced you to almost come to a stop (20 km/h max). I understand the road has been smoothed out. Anyway, you can look at the Vaujany pictures (Sportcommunication), next edition on june 30.

Best spot around for seeing marmots.

For the col de Sarenne, the road is pretty poor, a good way to keep down the number of tourists.

Apparently it's being improved for the TdF.

Local people believe that the skiing industry people want to extend the skiing domain over that area which should be protected, together with its wildlife.

The local Club Med is on that road, as you leave AdH.

Anyway, the col with the largest number of serious accidents I know of is the Colombière (towards Cluses), yet there is nothing apparently wrong with that road.

Hopefully few spectators will go to Sarenne watch the race.

 

[ElChingon]

Well had Fabian was still going to le Tour maybe Martin could of gotten him to neutralize the stage

Seriously now, since Fabian isn't going he can organize the neutralization much better now.

 

[screaming fist]

Why not just put up a bunch of safety nets at the more dangerous points?

By the way, on his webiste Martin also complains about how the Embrun TT doesn't fit his characteristics...

 

[Ferminal]

I thought he was a Bavarianclimber?

 

[IndianCyclist]

There are something known as brakes for that purpose.
Anyway i took the last option.
Here is where Wiggins would have lost 10 min and lost the Tour.
Generally riders lose time on the climbs and make it up in the descents. With Wiggins it is the reverse.

 

[hiero2]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/martin-criticises-alpe-dhuez-descent

“The road is old, narrow, the surface bad, no barriers, if a rider makes a mistake he will face a free fall of 30 meters. To send us there is irresponsible. And I cannot imagine that anything about the road will change before the Tour.”

30 meter free fall is pretty bad but i can't help it but be excited for some crazy descending

That picture looks awesome.

Shucks. It's a road. If the riders don't like it - too bad. This is where the cycling skills get tested.

Now - if it is raining or snowing on this road - making it unpredictable - I would agree. But otherwise - my response is htfu.

 

[Jukebox]

http://vimeo.com/50323127

Now whe know why Wiggins is not competing.

Whats wrong with this descent? Just look at the road and break in time.

Yikes, that guy in the video is a terrible descender.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

That road does look like it needs to be resurfaced, but provided it is (and presumably it would be), yes, Tony Martin does need to build a bridge using his crocodile tears and get over it...

(edit: changed kangaroo to crocodile)

 

[Kazistuta]

Went there two years ago, and back then the road was a mess even going upwards! Lots of small rocks, big holes and entire passages of road washed away from rain water. That wasn't safe at all, though 30m free fall doesn't ring a bell.

If the roads (as assumed) will be fixed, the view is spectacular, and with the supposed descending skills of pro riders it shouldn't be a problem. But as it was two years ago I actually understand Tony Martins view.

 

[spalco]

I voted for the third option, but I'm tending towards the first one. The groups won't be large at that point and at least visibility seems to be excellent. Even if it's not a wide road and even if the road surface isn't great, I don't think that's actually a dangerous descent for that reason alone. I would be much more concerned if it went through a forest or something with blind corners etc.

 

[Pippo_San]

http://vimeo.com/50323127

Now whe know why Wiggins is not competing.

Whats wrong with this descent? Just look at the road and break in time.

And that should be a hard descent?
That goes under the very standard alpine descent.

Holy crap. These guys better grow some balls, don't they?

 

[spalco]

Sincere lol at the sheepherd coming up the road in that video. How awesome would it be if that happened in the Tour?

 

[Boeing]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/martin-criticises-alpe-dhuez-descent



30 meter free fall is pretty bad but i can't help it but be excited for some crazy descending

That picture looks awesome.

Picture is awesome. Maybe some DH kid will gap the road again.

Is that Tom Ritchey and his wife doing some recon?

Let the descent be. As it is we all have our recorders set for like 15 mins of climbing the whole race. Lets see some skills

I've always wanted a climb and descent like this as a TTT.

 

[airstream]

They rider will be very careful there. I don't expect early attacks on that stage. No kamikaze will want to try to ride entire Alpe-d'Huez alone. That would be a blazing capitulation

 

[uphillstruggle]

Went there two years ago, and back then the road was a mess even going upwards! Lots of small rocks, big holes and entire passages of road washed away from rain water. That wasn't safe at all, though 30m free fall doesn't ring a bell.

If the roads (as assumed) will be fixed, the view is spectacular, and with the supposed descending skills of pro riders it shouldn't be a problem. But as it was two years ago I actually understand Tony Martins view.

Yeah I did the Vaujunay sportive last year and the descent is poorly surfaced - I and many others were descending very slowly. There are some steep technical corners on the descent that while not too dangerous on their own would be dangerous with the poor surface and ridden at high speeds. If they fix the road surface there will be no issues IMO.

The descent is not one where you can pull some one back but rather one where you can be distanced or at least maintain a gap. With any luck they will have resurfaced the road and there will be some guys willing to take a few risks as it could make for a fun stage.

 

[Boardslide]

I think Tony has voiced concern not necessarily for the GC, front riders but more for the groupetto riders having to take more risks in order to keep within time limit. Cyclingfans visited here on the weekend

“@cyclingfans: T. Martin is concerned, w/good reason, re: planned TDF Alpe d'Huez descent (also used at Dauphine Sat.): http://twitter.com/cyclingfans/status/344201774850273280/photo/1”.

There are a few other comments there that might be of interest.

 

[theyoungest]

As long as the GC riders don't mind, I don't see the problem.

 

[Bavarianrider]

While you don't have to agree with Tony, you should realize that he is not speaking for his own case. Most likely Tony will not have to race down that downhill but can gowith a rather modest pace. So he's not concerned about himself, but about those who have to to go down full peed.
Anyone who has a piece of brain must realize that downhills like that are simply crazy and will lead to a catastrophy sooner or later.
Just for a comaprison. In alpine skiing there's so much safety measurements going on and everyone is supporting them. Nobody would accept a downhill slope without any safety measurements at all, any more.
Yet in cycling they go down roads like that almost at the same speeds as downhill skiers. It#s simply crazy, no one can deny that.

 

[Inquitus]

Well looking at the drop offs, all it takes is one mistake and you are into a world of hurt, serious injury, and perhaps death. I don't think its an unreasonable concern for him to have.

 

[R0BL4MBT0N]

Top section of the road is scary as *@$# even under almost constant breaking.
The surface is very rough and can throw your grip at just the wrong time. The hairpins are very tight and have no help from the camber. If I had to race down this I'd throw a fit tbh. If I was part of the grupetto, I'd go full on the penultimate ascent just to avoid having to go down taking risks. In the wet I imagine it would be lethal.

 

[William H]

I don't really care. The whole going up the Alpe twice is a silly gimmick.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

I think Tony has voiced concern not necessarily for the GC, front riders but more for the groupetto riders having to take more risks in order to keep within time limit.

That's the main problem here.

Grupetto riders often take far more risks on descents then the front of the race - to gain back time in order to make the time cut. Robert Förster described that pretty well in one of his GT diaries some years ago.

And while the GC guys on the front have cleared roads for the descent (advance cars, police motobikes, TV crews take care of it), the grupetto often faces fans getting back in their cars, starting to drive on the road (in reverse sense!), being generally less attentive etc. - in such a situation Patrik Sinkewitz had his bad crash in 2007.

But hey...

As long as the GC riders don't mind, I don't see the problem.

Yeah, great attitude.

 

[Miburo]

The main question is:

Are the new generation of Pro Cyclists afraid to descents? I mean-Schlecks-Wiggo-Sky & those in between-now Martin..... WTF is going on?

Clean cycling, new era.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I don't really care. The whole going up the Alpe twice is a silly gimmick.

+10 characters

 

[jens_attacks]

yes the route itself is absolutely stupid
one alpe d'huez ascent would have been more than enough. and no, no one will attack succesfully on that descent. teams like sky will bring you back on the flat or before the first hairpin on alpe. because you can't take more than a minute there, only if you are an absolute kamikaze.

aubisque is also not for the faint-hearted and they do it a lot of times

i don't think the riders will take any risks and rightfully so. if alberto will beat chris in le tour it won't because of this descent