Race Design Thread

[Gigs_98]

Besides the fact that this stage is extremely hard but also great (I love that idea), you forgot to to categorize the mtf and to name the 2nd and 3rd climb.

 

[roundabout]

Boo.

Climbing the Mortirolo in the TdS is about as bad as going to Sölden.

Boo.

 

[May0maniac]

Boo.

Climbing the Mortirolo in the TdS is about as bad as going to Sölden.

Boo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXag4HcSfdc
The stage still starts and finishes on Swiss soil and I like it, but I can understand that some people dislike it.
The race will still feature another high mountain stage with multiple hard climbs.

 

[Brullnux]

I like it too. The TDS often expands from its borders, and this is a better use than Sölden

 

[52520Andrew]

Stage 20

Before I get onto my Queen stage here, I thought I would mention some things. I will not be going into the Basque region of France this year sadly. I really wanted to and I do not like leaving it out but I just did not have the right stage for the region and I wanted to make something really good if I went there. I also missed out on the Vosges and I skipped out on a good cobbles stage as well. There is also some really really great terrain in the Alps and Pyrenees that I am missing out on as well. Even after 4 days in the Massif Central, there is still plenty I had to leave out. I want to get a few other races out of the way after I finish this tour(although there will be a break as classes are about to get really busy until mid December) but once I do, I will probably make another tour and focus on areas that I have not been to(including the Basque region) as there is just so much out there that it is impossible to hit it all in 21 stages. I have a couple races to post before I even get near that point though so this is mainly stuff for the distant future.

I should also give you guys some background information on the circle of death or the famous combination of probably the four most recognizable passes in the Pyrenees. I think we all know these climbs but just in case, I am talking about the Col d'Aubisque, the Col du Tourmalet, the Col d'Aspin, and the Col de Peyresourde. The climbs were first introduced in 1910 on a stage from Bagneres de Luchon to Bayonne. It was 326 km long which considering the current UCI rules about needing approval for a stage longer than 240km tells you just how long that is. Gustve Garrigou was the only rider who was able to go up the Col du Tourmalet without dismounting his bike and pushing. The stage is also famous for the outburst of Octave Lapize. He was the second rider to cross the Aubisque and as he did so, he shouted at the race organizers gathered at the top of the pass “Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins.” With that, the legend of the Circle of Death was born.

The stage made many more appearances, another one being the famous 1926 stage that is considered by many to be the toughest stage ever in the Tour de France. It took 17 hours for the first rider, Lucien Buysse, to come in and 25 more minutes before even the second rider finished. The yellow jersey, Gustaff Van Slembrouck, finished in 20th place and and admitted later to getting a ride to the finish. The defending champion, Ottavio Bottecchia, failed to even finish the stage. To further hammer home the difficulty of these stages at the time, the climbs were not even paved for obvious reasons.

A lot has changed since these stages concerning these climbs. For starters, they are now paved. Teams have also gotten a lot better since those days and play a major role in the Tour. The start of these stages has also moved to Pau to make the stage shorter and to eliminate a lot of the flat in the stages. These stages have not been quite as decisive as they used to be however. In 2012 for instance, the stage went to the break with no major GC developments outside of Cadel falling off big time in the stage. It was a fun stage but it certainly was not the most feared stage in that tour. My thought process with this stage is to add that fear factor back into the Circle of Death although maybe not to the degree it was in 1910. So without further ado, here is the stage.

Stage 20: Pau - Superbagneres 214km

You may notice that the stage is pretty much exactly the same as the typical circle of death stage with one notable exception. Instead of doing the usual finish in Bagneres de Luchon, we are going to turn to the south and climb up to Superbagneres. Now Superbagneres is a climb that has been used 6 times by the tour and had been a very fun climb in the past playing a large part in the overall GC in the 1986 and 1989 tours among other fun stages. The climb has not been used since however even though the tour has gone through the area many different times. This is a real shame as the climb is near so many different famous passes. Peyresourde, Port de Bales, Portillon, and the Mente is not far although there would be a bit of flat. There are a ton of different combinations that can be used with this climb. It is sad to see it being ignored like this after some really nice stages have finished on it.

The climb itself is very inconsistent starting off slow for the most part before finishing with a punch in the last few kilometers which should make an entertaining end as riders battle for seconds. There are several sections where the gradient gets past 10% but also many sections where it essentially becomes false flat. This makes it really hard for the riders to get a good rhythm on it as they will have to keep changing gears. The climb averages 6.3% over 18.5 km so it should be a fun final showdown.

The action could very easily start from before the climb however as we take the Aubisque and the Tourmalet to really wear those legs down and get rid of the domestiques. I don't think I have to get into the history of these climbs, especially the Tourmalet with the same story we hear every year about it's introduction to the route. The Aspin and Peyresourde should really wear down any survivors of the first two climbs as well and the Peyresourde in particular could be the climb to launch a long range attack with a sprint point in Bagneres de Luchon to try to add to the temptation. I should also mention that this is stage 20 and there is nothing holding the guys back right now, if the riders are in contention and want to win the tour, this is it. This is my queen stage for the tour and this is the final test before the riders celebrate in Paris tomorrow but it should be one heck of a final test. The riders will be able to see the Eiffel Tower from the top of Superbagneres.

Superbagneres

Obviously transferring over to Paris from here is going to be a long one. To help with this, I am making the Paris stage an evening stage similar to that of the 2013 tour which was pretty fun. This still really isn't ideal but at the same time it is the Paris stage and we have long transfers to Paris all the time. If it really came down to it, I could transfer further south on the second rest day and eliminate one of the stages before this to add a flat one to get us in the right direction. I don't care for doing that type of thing though as a flat stage on the last Saturday of the race is just no fun and I already have 120km of ITT to counteract the mountains. Next up is gonna be the Paris stage and the finish of a difficult tour.

 

[jsem94]

Niiice.

 

[bp92]

Wow, a lot of great stages while I was gone...
-Awesome Vuelta ending (stages 19-21) from Libertine.
-Nice Pyrenees stages in Andrew's Tour.
-Loved the DACH Rundfahrt stage 19. Great final 3-climb combo.
-Interesting idea with Steven's Silk Road race (I was totally off apparently ). I guess you might have a bit of trouble around the middle of the race (going through the former Soviet republics and western China) with finding sizable settlements where to host stage departures/finishes, but then again I guess you did manage to do that.

I'll probably post a couple one-day race ideas soon (not now though, not enough time), then maybe post a Tour to complete the GT treble at a later date (after the queued up Tours are done with).

 

[Steven Roots]

Not that i really care, but i think italian and austrian passes are a different problem.
I can live with austrian ones are their own tour is of a lower level, and are unlikely to see great competition on it.
The italians ones, on the other hand, should have enough racing to not need the TdS.

@Bp92 : Lets say that, just like in the past, yurts are probably going to be needed. Thats realism for you.
I tried to make it as believable/interesting as possible, but i am no magician considering how far away cities are from each other in this part of the world.


STAGE 2 : Gaziantep - Malatya, 239km.

Gaziantep was for a long time known as Antep, Gazi being there to remind everyone of the role of city (Antep the war hero) during the turkish war of independence against the french (1919-1923).
Yes, Middle East is happy place of peace since more than a century now.

Being at the southeastern part of Anatolia, the city changed hands countless times between byzantines, turkic sultanates, mamluks and the Ottomans, although we dont exactly know which one is responsible for the pistachio baklavas, which come from here.

The byzantine fortress

That being said, after this perfectly healthy meal to fuel the riders, its time to see where we're going.
And thats eastwards, obviously. We're also going to the north, in Eastern Anatolia, to the city of Malatya, which is also the capital of the dried apricot. Which is much better for the body.

Its a relatively new city in this position, however, the site has been populated for a very long time. Hittites and romans were not even the first ones here, as the city of Arslantepe existed probably since 6000 years ago. Thats before the Bronze Age.

It is one the rare major ones of the country to not see its population grow over the last years. The fact that we're going away from the sea, from the westerly neighbours might be a factor in that.

This stage should be pretty easy to introduce, its long, there is a 5th category climb after the midway point with the Erkenek Pass (22km, 3.1%).
Anyway, its there for the fun, as its too far from the finish to be a major factor, and we should have a sprint finish.
I dont like that kind of stage as nothing spectacular should take place, but due to the constraints of the route, we're bound to have some. I could have spiced up the last 10km, but decided against it as the schedule will be much harder in the next days.
And sprinters deserve their share too, even though they're overrewarded.

 

[52520Andrew]

Stage 21: Versailles - Paris Champs Elysees 95.8km

Time for the traditional Paris stage to wrap the tour up. We start next to the beautiful palace at Versailles. The stage is obviously flat with the exception of a single climb up the Cote de l'Observatoire. Then it is off to meander around Paris as we go next to famous buildings like the Eiffel Tower and the Musse de l'Armee. After that it is off to do 8 circuits for the finish with the sprint point for the stage will be on the third circuit. The stage is short but it has been a long tour for the riders so I am sure they will be happy about that, especially with the long transfer as well. We will also be coming in during the evening which should make it fun.

Versailles, the starting point for the stage today

Champs Elysees

I will post a tour wrap up and a library for my stages here in the next couple of days but this concludes my tour. It is not perfect but it was a lot of fun putting together and sharing with you all. I look forward to making more races in the future although probably not until the winter time.

 

[May0maniac]

Stage 6: Pontresina - Disentis/Mustér, 151km

The stage starts in Pontresina, a village that is mostly known to winter sport fans, it has a long tradition in hosting X-country skiing events, the half-marathon in the Engadin Skimarathon also finishes here, but also in Alpine Skiing, together with St. Moritz it was the co-host of the 2003 FIS Alpine WC.
After 12km the first climb of the day starts, the Julierpass.
After the long descent, that also features a few sections of false flat, we have the next climb, the Lenzerheidepass, the first 7km of the climb are about 8% steep, the rest is just false flat.

The following descent will bring the riders to the town Chur, you could say many things about Chur and its long histroy, it is the oldest Swiss town and the birthplace of HR Giger.
After Chur we have 7km of false flat, then 2 cosecutive short climbs, Trin, 4.1km at 7.3%, and Flims, 5.3km at 5.1%. After the following gentle descent we have 13km of false flat, then the last categorised climb of the day, Schlans, 4.7km at 7.6%, starts.
Right after the descent we have 4.1km at 4%, then we have 3.2km of false flat and the final 3.8km are about 3% steep.
The stage finishes in Disentis/Mustér, a small village that most people will only know as a skiing and summer tourism resort or because of the Disentis Abbey, a old Benedictine monastery that was founded in the early 8th century.
This one should go to the breakaway, otherwise someone like Sagan or Albasini would be a a likely winner (I know, they both have won many stages on Swiss soil, so it's not exactly a bolt prediction.
Pontresina:

Disentis/Mustér:

 

[Gigs_98]

DACH Rundfahrt stage 20: Sion - Grimselpass (216 km)

difficulty: *****

As you see I didnt have a lot of time for this thread in the last few days, but now I will finally try to bring this to an end with the final serious stage.
Stage 19 was already extremely hard with a numerous hard climbs and a downhill finish in Martigny. But while the passes used in stage 19 weren't very high, today I use the most famous and classical passes of Switzerland.

However the stage still starts at "only" 500 meters in Sion. The city is famous for two old ruins on big rocks, which look extremely strange but are something very special and scenic

Right after the start there is already a very difficult climb, up to the village Nax. Here I also could have used more famous and more difficult ascents, like to Crans Montana or Anzère, but this stage is already hard enough, as it is, and more climbs maybe would have minimized the action on stage 19. The climb is pretty steep and almost 10 km's long so its a very hard start and the riders will have a hard to time to find rhythm. Moreover this hard start will guarantee a very strong break (although that should be clear anyway on the last mountain stage).

Right after the descent there is another short 3rd category climb. It will make the stage harder but not change a lot. The same probably counts for the climb to Eischoll, because the break should already be formed and its way too early for the gc guys to attack.

Shortly after the next descent there is the first and last intermediate sprint of the stage, located in Brig. Around there the street will also start to ascend although the next climb doesnt really start yet, but all in all the next 30 k's are only false flat, so they will hurt the domestics who set the pace. Then the serious stuff starts with the Nufenpass, not only the first HC climb of the day but also the hardest one and the highest point of the day. The street is very steep and doesnt give you a rest for almost 14 kilometers. which are steeper than 8%. There still wont be any attacks here, simply because the remaining way is too long, but this could be a crucial point for the team tactics, because this pass can be used to isolate another team leader.

After a long descent the next and most famous climb of the day starts. The St. Gotthard Pass, one of my favorite passes in Europe. That has two reasons: a) this pass is incredibly scenic. There are lots of serpentines on the way up to the top, most of these are even cobbled and the mountains around are extremely nice. b) you can link it perfectly to many other famous passes, as you can see in this stage, and the area its located in is generally the best one for race designing in Switzerland. This is the last of the 7 HC climbs in the DACH Rundfahrt and if someone has a really big disadvantage this is the first possibility he has to attack. At least the climb is brutal, although the simple numbers aren't anything special for a HC pass, but the cobbles should make it harder than it seems. And ofc if it rains it would make it even harder, although the descent is on very well tarmac.

The fact that after the top there are only 12 kilometers before the next climb starts also shouldnt harm the action. This next climb is the Furkapass, another very famous climb in this area. Although it is almost as steep and long as the Gotthardpass, this one is only 1st category imo, because it isnt cobbled. However this is still a very difficult climb, and I don't see any reason why there shouldnt be attacks here. I know there is another ascent to come but that one isnt even almost as hard as the Furkapass, and on the last 5 kilometers a rider will hardly gain a minute on another one who is still with him after the penultimate climb. That means that if someone wants to completely turn around the whole tour he has to go for a long range attack, maybe even from the Gotthardpass, but at least from the Furkapass. The Furkapass is also known for its scenery. The most famous picture of the street is probably a picture where you can see the transition from the Furkpass descent to the Grimselpass ascent. And the fact that the Rhoneglacier is directly beside the street is definitely also worth mentioning.

Last but not least, the Grimselpass. I'm not the biggest fan of mtf's but in this case it just fit. The climb isnt difficult so the riders don't have anything to hold back before, and the descent on the other side would have been very long and flat, which makes long range attacks more unlikely (Just saying because some of you surely had the idea of a downhill finish in Grindelwald, after the Große Scheidegg). This last climb is still pretty steep (about as steep as the last two) but very short. Interestingly there are no trees beside the street and the street goes up in serpentines so the riders will have a good idea of how big their advantage will be, which could make the race more or less interesting, it completely depends on the situation.

So this was it. There is another stage to come but thats only a flat stage for the sprinters, tdf like. You can definitely gain a lot of time on this stage, but you probably have to do a long range attack. An attack on the start of the final climb can also cause some time gaps but you will hardly get more than a minute there (even a half minute on such a climb is very hard to get).

 

[Tonton]

Andrew, you kill me (you'll see why in the near future). Creative course. Very nice Tour!

If no one beats me to it (posting the next TdF design), I'll post my Tour de France tonight (Eastern US time), usually a quiet time on the forums, and I hope to get the complete course in.

The Silk Road idea is brilliant.

 

[May0maniac]

Ok Gigs, now you have used a few important climbs that I'm also using on stage 7.

 

[Steven Roots]

-I'm getting confused with the swiss routes.
So many mountains everywhere...

The finish on the Grimselpass stage is really great, just like Martigny's, but i dont know, though, if a start in Sion is appropriate with that amount of consecutive flat.
Later in the stage, like in Martigny, i feel its ok, but here...they come too big too early i feel.
Still, those last 100km are dynamite.


-Liked your tour Andrew, some areas were very well used.
Good idea with Arreau and Ancizan-Aspin at the end (even though the map on the post isnt the right one).
Not sure about the Arreau-Pau transfer, but i'm not the UCI.

STAGE 3 : Horasan - Agri, 271km.

Thats much longer than two days ago, heh ?

Horasan, small town of Eastern Anatolia, or Western Armenia, as i dont want to upset anyone, you name how you like it, will receive the stage start today.
Named after the region in Persia by settlers coming from there, it litterally means "where the sun comes from".

And we'll go to Agri. Agri is a relatively recent city, founded by armenians over 150 years ago under the name Karaköse (Supposedly meaning black church in turkish).

The Ishak Pasha palace, next to the Mount Ararat, close to Dogubayazit.

Agri.

Unfortunately, the armenian population had some problems around WWI, and now turks and kurds are populating the city.
The name changed in 1946, its now named in turkish after the Mount Ararat, which can be translated to "the mountain of fire".

Mount Ararat.

It perfectly fits with whats on the schedule for the day, as we'll have a first marathon through the Armenian Highlands.
270 km, thats very long, and the first goal of the stage is to tire everyone. To make things even better, it will take place over an altitude of 1.500m.

The first part is relatively flat, even though we already have a first climb (3rd cat.) through the town of Sarikamish.
But after we reached Kars, it gets tougher. City contested between Imperial Russia and Ottoman Empire at the end of the 19th century, with a strong armenian presence.

Holy Apostles Church. More than 1000 years old.

This is not Russia, but you can see their remnants.

The Castle of Kars.

Its located right at the bottom of the Hanlar Pass, going eastwards.

Not exactly very difficult, but there will be not much rest after that, as the climb to Yaglica follows. Officially, slightly easier, but much more irregular, on a poor surface, which could cause some trouble after already 160km of racing.

After that, we're right on the road to Agri, with the climb to Akçay on the menu.
By far the hardest of the day. Its almost 20km long and horribly irregular. The road is clearly not as good as in France or Italy.

Even though the finish line is still far from here, it will cause trouble as the peloton should already be tired (we're over 200km in the stage) and the steepness, even it is brief, is bound to create gaps.
The short climb to Saribulak will be the last of the day, 45km from the finish line.



The stage is not very different from a classical Pescheux stage to Pau out of the Pyrenees, with a similar distance between the last ascent (Aubisque or Marie-Blanque) and the finish.
The 1992 stage Saint-Sebastien-Pau can be a good reference. We can expect a breakaway to win the stage and to be a serious threat to the leader, with a small fight among favourites if someone is struggling, with a big group of 30 to 40 riders in Agri.

(Akçay gradients, km by km : 3 - 2.5 - 8 - 7 - 9.5 - 12 - 14 - 6.5 - 5.5 - 0 - 3 - 8 - 8.5 - 4.5 - 8 - 9 - 4 - 7 - 1.5)

 

[w52]

Clássica do Douro: Porto-Alijó (228.3km)

After my Volta a Portugal, i will now post a different race here. It wil bel a one day race, with the Douro River as inspiration and background. As you may know Douro region is recognized by Porto wine and it's beautifull landscape, where the picturesque wineyards have a great role. Also, the Douro Vinhateiro region, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, since 2001.

Lets talk about the race now. The route is long and tricky, 228.3km between Porto and Alijó in a pure up and down that will make riders to reach their red line zone. Here is the profile and map:

Riders will start the race in Porto city, in the most important avenue of the city Aliados, and the first 20 km will be flat and easy to the competitor that will enjoy the views to Douro in the roadsnearby the river margin. But the hell starts since the turn in Crestuma Dam. In km 35.2 is the first of 9 categorized climbs a short 3rd category that will serve as an appetizer.
The next 120km will be a roller coaster with lots of climbs, being 5 of them categorized (4 3rd categories and 1 2nd), and after more less 160km the riders legs will start to hurt and we still have a lot to come. In km 157, riders will arrive to Peso da Régua an ex libris of the Douro Vinhateiro Region, a small but gorgeous village with a lot of tradition and touristic interest

After Peso da Régua cyclists will have the final part of the race, and face the final trio of climbs. Galafura and Donelo are 2nd category climbs, short but steep in narrow roads through the wineyards like you can see in this aerial image of a piece of the climb to the village of Galafura (no streetview )

After Donelo's descent, in km 213,5 the already exausted cyclists reach the historic village of Pinhão and will start the last climb of the day to Favaios, the only 1st category climb and also the longest one. The climb itself is not very difficult the paving is good and the road is wide, but after more than 210km of up and down, it will hurt a lot, the latest riders however can enjoy the beautifull landscape that this climb offers.

Pinhão

Favaios climb

After the top of the climb to Favaios, only remain a short descent that will bring the survivors to he village of Alijó and to the end of this monstruous journey.

This one could be scheduled to the end of August or in the begining of September, in order to coincide with the grapes collect and the begining of the prodution of the new years Porto Wine.
Hope you enjoy it and sorry for my not so good english

 

[52520Andrew]

That is one heck of a first stage, well done

Some nice stages by everyone else as well really, like the past couple stages from Gigs, the Swiss Tour looks really good, that Silk Road race looks really intriguing as well.

Niiice.

-Nice Pyrenees stages in Andrew's Tour.

Thanks to both you guys

Andrew, you kill me (you'll see why in the near future). Creative course. Very nice Tour!

If no one beats me to it (posting the next TdF design), I'll post my Tour de France tonight (Eastern US time), usually a quiet time on the forums, and I hope to get the complete course in.

Sorry about that but thanks. Looking forward to seeing what you have cooked up, especially that Alpes Maritimes stage you hinted at.

-Liked your tour Andrew, some areas were very well used.
Good idea with Arreau and Ancizan-Aspin at the end (even though the map on the post isnt the right one).
Not sure about the Arreau-Pau transfer, but i'm not the UCI.

Thanks, good catch on the map being off on the Arreau stage. Got that one fixed. The transfer is not ideal but they transfer from Pau right from the other side of the Aspin this year and went to Pau from Pla Adet in 2014 so I think they should be able to make it work.

 

[Tonton]

I don't know if it's the Windows 10 upgrade and the programs that came with it, but all my files need to be re-sized to upload. I'll fix them and be back same time tomorrow to post my TdF.

 

[Tonton]

It has been a long time in the making (including the last-minute technical difficulties) and I hope you’ll enjoy it. I designed this Tour de France with several objectives and guidelines in mind:

1. A Tour that is innovative, using some of the untapped resources and esoteric climbs that France has to offer. Not the “same old same old” course. Most of the usual ASO climbs/finishes won’t be in it. And a real Jura stage.
2. A route that will remain within the French borders. That’s a personal challenge. I don’t mind incursions in other countries, but enough is enough: no disrespect for the international group of members here, but I think that Grand Départs elsewhere should be the exception, not the rule as it has pretty much become. Currently, 75% of the French public doesn’t get a chance to enjoy the Tour roadside. Some regions and mountain ranges keep being ignored. This time, 75% of the people will be within a reasonable driving distance from the route du Tour: put a picnic basket together, grab the kids, enjoy.
3. I want a course that will give a pure climber a chance to win. However, a very good climber and ITT specialist will have an excellent shot at victory. A downhill magician will have an edge. And for a gambler (Vino option), I see opportunities to blow the race wide open. Finally, I believe that this route will be very difficult for one team to control.
4. Not that anyone cares, but I used a lot of areas and climbs that I know and climbed, or if we didn’t take the bikes on a vacation, that we rode in the family car. It felt great to revisit the past as I designed this course, remember people and places that have a special place in my heart.
And I saved everything in folders on my computer, so hopefully I can post this entire GT in two hours, all in one shot, so the progression is easier to follow. On the flipside, I edited my narratives about 50 times, until I came up with this shorter version.

The rules: that’s many threads in one post, but it’s my Tour, so I get my ways…

For starters, no time bonuses: to me, that’s heresy.

KOM: No double points, but a one-rank/category “promotion” to MTF or Hill Finish climbs.
4th Category Climbs: 3-2-1 points
3rd Category Climbs: 5-3-2-1 points
2nd Category Climbs: 10-7-5-3-2-1 points
1st Category Climbs: 20-15-10-7-5-3-2-1 points
HC Climbs: 30-25-20-15-10-7-5-3-2-1 points

Green Jersey:
Stages: 30-25-20-15-10-7-5-3-2-1 points. I don’t differentiate mountains, flat stages…I don’t have a problem with, say, Valverde winning the green jersey.
Intermediate Sprints: 3-2-1 points
Second Intermediate Sprint (if applicable): 5-3-2-1 points

So let’s get this Tour de France started, shall we?

 

[Tonton]

STAGE 1 – NICE-BARCELONNETTE



KOM: Col de la Couillole (Cat 1), Col des Champs (Cat 1), Col d’Allos (Cat 1).



This is a three-week bike race, not July at the Club Med: we start with areal stage, not a warm up. The first episode in this Tour is not a monster stage, yet it could create small time gaps, and it will definitely separate the wheat from the chaff. This is the opportunity for a top-form Nibbles to nibble 30 seconds, maybe a minute. This is also the opportunity for my first tribute, to the greatest of all time and I would argue of all sports: Eddy Merckx.



On stage 15 of one of the epic ‘75 TdF, The Cannibal wore his 96th and last yellow jersey. For my Tour design, the stage which starts in Nice is the beginning; for Merckx, it was the beginning…of the end. To make it a little easier vs. the ’75 stage, I skip Le Col Saint-Martin. And this time the stage doesn’t finish in Pra-Loup, but at the bottom of the Col d’Allos in Barcelonnette.

Three categorized climbs on the menu: the Col de la Couillole, then le Col des Champs, which has been used by the TdF only once, in ’75. Eddy Merckx was the first rider at the summit. And finally, the peloton will take on the Col d’Allos. There will be a risk/reward dilemma for the contenders: is it wise to take chances with so much racing left? I still think that for a rider such as the aforementioned Shark of Messina, attacking in the descent is too good of an opportunity to pass on. Only 300m or so from the bottom of the descent to the finish line, and we’ll have our first yellow jersey.

The stage is over, it is time to enjoy a French tradition, “l’heure de l’apéro”, like these folks in Barcelonnette. How about a Pastis with a 5/1 booze-to-water ratio? Aaaaaahhhhh: thirst-quenching.

 

[Tonton]

STAGE 2 – MONT COLOMBIS-ITT



KOM: Mont Colombis (HC).



I often visit French cycling forums, and amongst the many esoteric climbs that I read about as possible but ignored TdF finishes, one caught my attention. And (how convenient!) it just happens to be near Barcelonnette: le Mont Colombis.

The road is not that wide, but it will be perfect for our Sunday ITT. It is a nasty climb. The profiles that I found all start in Remollon:



Instead, from our starting point by the barrage de Serre-Ponçon, the riders will take turn right towards Les Mûriers, which makes the first 2K slightly steeper. By the end of the stage, the GC gaps between the main contenders may be a minute or so (1st to 5th).

Notes: I like this ITT better on stage 2 vs. stage 1: the DS won’t be able to manipulate their line-up. Several stages in my design will require big setup and logistics: nothing that hasn’t been done before, i.e. at the Vuelta.

 

[Tonton]

STAGE 3 – DIGNE-NIMES



KOM: Côte de Puimoisson (Cat 4).



The stage begins in Digne and the race heads south towards cycling fans in Toulon and Marseille. Two intermediate sprints will spice-up what could be a tricky stage. The second sprint will take place in the beautiful town of Tarascon. Danger: LE MISTRAL! Bordure alert as we cross the Rhône delta. Some top-10 favorites may get caught with their pants down: I hope Thibaut is not one of them. The stage finish is in Nîmes, Place des Arènes (via Rue de la République), with a backdrop that will make for great TV.

 

[Tonton]

STAGE 4 – AVIGNON-STATION DE LA CROIX DE BAUZON



KOM: Col de la Croix de Millet (Cat 3), Col de la Croix de Bauzon (Cat 2).

Stage 4 starts in Avignon by the famous bridge, “Le Pont d’Avignon”, celebrated in a kids’ song that all 4-year olds learn. Again, the aerial shots will be breathtaking: Avignon is a great tourist destination featuring marvels of architecture such as the Notre-Dame des Doms cathedral, the city walls, and of course the Pope Palace. Further up the road is a site that, to this day, wows me like no other: l’Aqueduc du Pont du Gard.



This is not a massive central stage but still. The mountains will come crescendo, so we won’t witness a first MTF that pretty much kills the suspense, i.e. Lance Froome or Chris Armstrong. The petals will fall from the rose until only one remains. For this stage, the course is something that I like, a one-two punch design that should promote attacks and require the dominant team to work. Hopefully, it will take its toll on week 3. The final climb will lead the riders to a first-time TdF stage finish, the small resort of the Station de la Croix de Bauzon.



Small gaps are to be expected at the top of the GC. I could imagine De Marchi winning this stage off the BOD.

 

[Tonton]

STAGE 5 – LE PUY-AURILLAC



KOM: Côte de Fix-Saint-Geneys (Cat 4), Col de Chanusclade (Cat 3), Puy Mary (Cat 2), Montée du Cardi (Cat 4).

I (almost) fainted when Libertine Seguros posted a Brioude-Aurillac stage not so long ago. I designed this stage as part of the loop that will bring the route back south towards the Pyrenees (while covering maximum ground). The stage will start in another culture-rich town: Le Puy-en-Velay.



The race will take us to the intermediate sprint, in the town of Brioude, famous for its massive XIth century Basilica of Saint-Julien.



One would expect the BOD to go the distance, little GC action, and an exciting finish with attacks in the short yet nasty Montée du Cardi with less than 10K to go. The closing miles and the finish in Aurillac, rich in castles and medieval history will provide TV with spectacular aerial views.

 

[Tonton]

STAGE 6 – FIGEAC-MAZAMET PIC DE NORE

KOM: Col de Font Bruno (Cat 3), Pic de Noré (Cat 1).



We’re heading south on stage 6, with another tough day and one-two punch combination. The race begins in the town of Figeac, which has kept many of its medieval features, including its colorful market square. After the first intermediate sprint, the peloton will head towards Albi. As riders go through town, we can expect TV helicopters to show us iconic places, while Phil and Paul butcher their names: le Pont Vieux (built in 1035AD and still in use today), le Palais de la Berbie, and of course the Sainte Cécile cathedral.



I would venture to predict that green jersey contenders won’t have any points left to fight for by the time the main field reaches Castres. The BOD will be minutes ahead, beginning the ascent of the Col de Font Bruno. Not a tough climb, but a long one. A long descent will follow, and the GC guys will get to the front, ready to settle the scores on the final climb.

The Pic de Noré via Roquefère is listed on Climbybike as 10.69K @ 7.8%. I couldn’t find a better profile online that this:



In any case, it’s a super-Murito climb that will suit the usual suspects. As a side note, le Pic de Noré was used as a training climb and fitness test for a local cheat and GT winner, like La Madone was and still is for other cheats. No tribute for this guy.

 

[Tonton]

STAGE 7 – CARCASSONNE-MONT LOUIS

KOM: Col de Boca Jalère (Cat 3), Col de la Llosa (Cat 2).



It is Friday and the peloton reaches the Pyrenees. The difficulty will escalate, go crescendo, starting with this not too difficult stage between Carcassonne and Mont-Louis.

What can I say or write about the city of Carcassonne that hasn’t been said before? I’ll sum it up in one exclamation: WOW!



Today’s stage is more than a good warm up for what’s to come: no major gaps to be expected, but there’s potential for a ’14 Nibali or Vinoforever-style attack. The final climb, the Col de la Llosa may not create gaps between the favorites, but from 10 to 20, we’ll see some drop and the picture will become a little clearer.



To the finish we go, downhill with a short but sharp descent to Mont-Louis. We are now in the Pyrénées, ready for a great week-end of racing.