Race Design Thread

[rghysens]

Tour touristique de France, stage 16: Saint Gaudens - Gavarnie (181km)

The 16th stage, although only 181 km long, will be this tour's queen stage. It might be less imaginative than some people hoped, but the climbs of the central pyrenees can be linked one after each other to form a stage with barely any rest. if i would look only for sportive value, I would have changed the climb to Gavarnie with Luz Ardiden.

The first 25km of this stage will be flat or slightly climbing false flat, but no moment any cyclist will be able to fool himself, because today's battlefield is looming at the horizon. At Mauleon-Barousse the first climb of the day awaits the peloton. The Port de Balès is a new climb in the tour history, but it has had a big impact on the race. The first easy stretches soon make way for steeper slopes in a forested area. The fast descent is immediately followed by the climb of the col du peyresourde from Saint-Aventin. The climb isn't too long and after the descent to the lake of Génos, the third climb of the day kicks off. The col d'Azet is the shortest climb of the day, only 7.5 km, but at 8.3% it is quite steep. The descent to Vieille Aure is followed by five flat kilometres, a welcome rest a bit past the halfway point.

After a few deep breaths the contenders should be ready for the next climb. The Hourquette d'Ancizan is a new climb in the tour parcours, but it has some very steep pitches in the beginning. The long descent to Sainte-Marie de Campan is nothing but a run-up to the main climb of the day: the col du Tourmalet. The descent to Luz Saint-Sauveur is followed by a long false flat to Gavarnie, the hub for visits to the cirque de Gavarnie, one of the most spectacular views in the Pyrenees.

 

[roundabout]

Time to revive this thread. My version of the Bayern-Rundfahrt.

Stage 1: Passau-Sankt Englmar, 137km

http://www.tracks4bikers.com/tracks/show/86878

The first, the shortest and arguably the most difficult stage

Stage 2: Cham-Bamberg, 198km

http://www.tracks4bikers.com/tracks/show/86879

The easiest stage

Stage 3: Bamberg-Adelsdorf, 28.7km

http://www.tracks4bikers.com/tracks/show/86881

The traditional overly long ITT

Stage 4: Erlangen-Nüremberg, 189km

http://www.tracks4bikers.com/tracks/show/86872

Too many climbs to list, but only 2 in the last 35km and just a very small climb of the Brunner Berg in the last 15

Stage 5: Nüremberg-Würzburg, 189km

http://www.tracks4bikers.com/tracks/show/86874

Nikolausberg, Dallenberg, Heuchelhof and the climb to the University buildings Am Hubland in the final 20km

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Library post

Fictional Stage Races (Southern Europe)

Euskal Herriko Itzulian Luzea (Libertine Seguros) Stage 1 Stage 2a Stage 2b Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Stage 7 Stage 8 Stage 9 Stage 10 Stage 11

Giro della Liguria (Eshnar) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Stage 7 Stage 8

Giro di Lombardia-Corsa a Etapa (lemon cheese cake) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

L'Aquila-Gran Sasso Tour (togo95) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6

Milano-Sanremo Tour (rghysens) Stages 1 & 2

Tour des Alpes-Maritimes (Another Dutch Guy) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Tour du Pays-Basque Français (Libertine Seguros) First Version Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Second Version Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4a Stage 4b

Tour of Cyprus (WKA311): Prologue Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

Tour of Greece (Arnout): Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Stage 7

Tour of Three Islands (togo95): Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Stage 7 Stage 8 Stage 9 Stage 10 Stage 11 Stage 12 Stage 13 Stage 14 Stage 15 Stage 16 Stage 17 Stage 18 Stage 19 Stage 20 Stage 21

Volta a Região Norte (BigMac) Prologue Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Volta dels Pirineus Orientals (Libertine Seguros) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5

Vuelta a Cantabria (Libertine Seguros) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5

Vuelta Profissional a Navarra (Libertine Seguros) Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5

More will be added here as they are posted. All library posts are linked from the original post in the thread.

 

[Eshnar]

Here's my version of the Giro Di Lombardia.
I was disappointed by last year's route so I decided to show RCS how to do it properly.
The start and the finish are the same (from Milano to Lecco), but there's more climbing, and more concentrated into the last part. It's some kind of merge between last year route and the stage to Piani Resinelli of next Giro.
First climb is the Colma Di Sormano (no point in doing the Muro so early ), then the Ghisallo and a first passage through Lecco. After that, the real race starts; the Valcava, topping at 100 kms to go (roughly) could be used to force a selection, then the route is the very same of next Giro, with Forcella Di Bura and Culmine Di San Pietro, which should be the perfect spot for the decisive attack. After the descent (in Lecco again), it's not finished yet: just 10 kms flat (not 20+ like the real route) to bring the riders to the final bump of Villa vergano. The last kms are the same as last year.

I know this is a pure climbers' route... but hey, the Lombardia should be like this.

 

[Eshnar]

I was getting bored today so I designed something.
Here it comes the Giro Della Liguria, a fictional one week long stage race along Ligurian roads. 8 stages, with 1 ITT, two sprints, two high mountain stages (one MTF and a descent finish) and three hilly. All the stages are very short except the queen stage. It's a race that would be a perfect training for GC guys, to be held in April.
Here's the route:
1 Genova - Portofino 36 kms ITT
2 Rapallo - La Spezia 101 kms
3 La Spezia - S.Stefano D'Aveto 152 kms
4 S.Stefano D'Aveto - Ronco Scrivia 112 kms
5 Ronco Scrivia - Monte Beigua 144 kms MTF
6 Varazze - Sanremo 118 kms
7 Sanremo - S.Bernardo Di Conio 237 kms
8 Imperia - Genova 133 kms
Profiles are coming...

 

[Eshnar]

STAGE 1 Genova - Portofino 36 kms ITT

Demanding ITT along the coast, except for the Ruta climb, which will bring the riders to the most famous village of Portofino.

 

[Eshnar]

STAGE 2 Rapallo - La Spezia 101 kms

short, hilly stage through the Cinque Terre. The final climb ends with a tunnel, so the software shows a wall that doesn't exist

 

[Eshnar]

STAGE 3 La Spezia - S.Stefano D'Aveto 152 kms

Another hilly stage, leaving the coast for a couple of days.

 

[Eshnar]

STAGE 4 S.Stefano D'Aveto - Ronco Scrivia 112 kms

First bunch sprint, with the easy Passo Della Scoffera at 32 kms to go.

 

[Eshnar]

STAGE 5 Ronco Scrivia - Monte Beigua 144 kms

Hard MTF, with the tough Piani di Praglia and Passo Del Faiallo in the first kms.
The final climb is Monte Beigua, a climb that I already posted here a while ago but... just to refresh:

One of the two key stages, but it is just a joke compared to the queen

 

[Eshnar]

Stage 6 Varazze - Sanremo 118 kms
Last chance for the sprinters, short route with Cipressa and Poggio.

 

[Eshnar]

STAGE 7 Sanremo - S.Bernardo Di Conio 237 kms
Everyone knows that in Italy we have mountains everywhere. In fact, the only region which hasn't Alps or Appennines is Sardinia (not that it's flat btw). Well, Liguria is the only region which has both. I already exploited the Appennines, now it's Alps' turn!
Long stage with 5000+m of climbing in the last 165 kms (the first 72 are flat along the coast):

After two warmup climbs, the fun starts with the monster of this Giro, one of those (many) great and unknown climbs hidden somewhere in Italy: Colle Del Garezzo. Here's the profile of both sides:

the climb measures 19.5 kms at 7%, with the last 7 kms on sterrato. The descent is perhaps harder, but it's all tarmac so I'd rather have the sterrato going up. It's 18 kms at 7.2%, with a few really steep kms, as you can see.
After this giant the fun is not ended yet though, becaus the last HC of the Giro is Passo Di Teglia (this is another reason to climb the "easy" side of Garezzo, so I can do this awesome combo). It is much more known than the former, so we got a nice profile.

After this, only a short descent to the finishing line.

 

[Eshnar]

STAGE 8 Imperia - Genova 133 kms

Final showdown, with the demanding climb to Forte Begato before the finish in the heart of Genova, where it all started.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Possibly the most brutal single stage in a one-week race ever seen...

 

[Eshnar]

Possibly the most brutal single stage in a one-week race ever seen...

It would be a respectable queen stage in GTs too

 

[togo95]

Fleche Wallone

Charleroi - Huy; 231 km

With around 27 hills in it one could argue that it'd be just new AGR, but it has still Mur de Huy at the end (ridden 3 times). And this variant wouldn't end in a 50 man sprint up the Mur.
Route goes 5 times through Huy (including last visit just before finish).

Here are the main ascents:

Bois i Eveque - 47 km from start (183 km to go) - 1,1 km; 6,2% (162 m.a.s.l.)
Rouvroy - 53 km (177) - 1,1 km; 7,4% (169)
Roupiamont - 67 (163) - 1,5 km; 5,4% (241)
Mur de Huy - 77 (153) - 1,3 km; 9.4% (212)
Fontaines - 94 (136) - 2,2 km; 6,3% (221)
Bois du Comte - 104 (126) - 4,3 km; 4% (236) [2,2km; 5,7%]
Terril du Hore - 114 (116) - 1,1 km; 8% (160)
Flémalle - 117 (113) - 1,3 km; 6% (190)
Flémalle (Rue Houlbouse) - 122 (108) - 0,8 km; 10,4% (154)
En Cowa - 127 (103) - 1,7 km; 5,3% (183)
Fagnes - 139 (91) - 0,7 km; 9,5% (156)
Stockay - 144 (86) - 3 km; 4% (203) [0,5 km; 12%]
Thier-Pirka - 152 (78) - 1,4 km; 8% (190)
Bois de Champia - 157 (73) - 1,2 km; 6% (192)
Mont Saint Etienne - 163 (67) - 0,5 km; 10,4% (134)
Bois du Chaumont - 167 (64) - 1,2 km; 8,5% (181)
Bois de Grand Henim - 177 (54) - 4,4 km; 3,9% (241)
Bois d'Oneu - 184 (46) - 0,8 km; 7% (266)
Bellegrade - 192 (38) - 1,3 km; 8,9% (240)
Mont Coroy - 196 (35) - 0,9 km; 11,5% (209)
Mur de Huy - 200 (31) - 1,3 km; 9.4% (212)
Les Maitres du Feu - 206 (25) - 0,7 km; 6,9% (118)
Bois Saint Lambert - 208 (23) - 0,5 km; 13,8% (164)
Bois de Huy - 211 (20) - 1,1 km; 7,6% (162)
Bois Mélart - 220 (11) - 2,4 km; 6,2% (221)
Mont Coroy - 227 (4) - 0,9 km; 11,5% (209)
Mur de Huy - 231 (0) - 1,3 km; 9.4% (212)

Another interesting hills aside from Mur are e.g. Bois du Chaumont (64 km to go), Bellegrade (38) and Mont Coroy (35 and 4). 17 out of these 27 hills are in the last 100 km.
Finish line is not exactly at the top of the Mur, it's like 300 metres after.

Last 15 km:

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I've not got round to finishing my United Arab Emirates Tour, and will finish that off before moving onto further projects.

I've also, on a completely different note, thought about whether it would be a nice thing to do, or if it would be overly sentimental, to combine all of Craig's contributions into one library post linked from the OP with a little note; Craig obviously enjoyed the thread and had a creative spark for it - at the time of writing, aside from myself nobody has posted in here as much as he did, with no fewer than 125 posts; the thread has been more of a success than I initially expected, and alongside other regular contributors like Eshnar, Lupetto, roundabout and togo95, Craig's enthusiasm for it has been a major part of that.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Stage 4: Ajman - Fujairah, 160km

Climbs:
Old Sheikh Khalifa Road (cat.3) 7,7km @ 1,8%
Jabal Fujayrah (cat.2) 3,1km @ 5,9%
Jabal Fujayrah (cat.2) 3,1km @ 5,9%

We start the first road stage likely to cause some GC movement in Ajman, the smallest of the Emirates - in fact it's little more than a city-state with a couple of small outside holdings, and that city's name translates as 'small city', lying between Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. The first half of the stage is more or less a slow, gradual rise from sea level to 320m above sea level, before a couple of steeper sections (not steep, but at least 'noticeably uphill') lead to the first GPM of the day, on the old Sheikh Khalifa Road (above the new partially tunnelled one, blasted through the mountainside) before descending to the city of Fujairah, capital of the eponymous Emirate, the only one of the constituent Emirates to be based on the country's East coast rather than on the flatter lands of the Persian Gulf.

As Fujairah is also the most mountainous Emirate (by far), this means that there are occasionally roads that go up into the mountains, and we're going to take one of these today, on a 25km circuit looping out of Fujairah itself into the mountains from which it takes its name and back again. The actual climbing phase is fairly small - the main body of the climb is just 3,1km at 5,9%, but with a maximum of 13% there are a few options, especially given that there are just 15km to go when the riders crest the summit for the second time. The run in to Fujairah is a short descent followed by some downhill false flat, before we pass the national bank and trade centres, turning left in order to finish in front of the Emiri Diwan.

Ajman:

Fujairah:

 

[Eshnar]

I've also, on a completely different note, thought about whether it would be a nice thing to do, or if it would be overly sentimental, to combine all of Craig's contributions into one library post linked from the OP with a little note;

It's a nice idea Libertine (though I noticed it a bit late)

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Bumping this, cos I've had some new ideas, so time to finish off some old ones, and trying not to leave anything too unfinished. So here we go with my apocalyptic vision of the future continued - the queen stage of the Tour of the UAE.

Stage 5: Dubai Marina - Al-Ain (Jebel Hafeet), 192km

Climbs:
Jebel Hafeet (cat.1) 14,3km @ 5,3%

Beginning at another of those big money festival spots, the Dubai Marina, this stage comes after a transfer back from the east coast to the Arabian Gulf, where the rest of the Emirates are, and takes us from Dubai into the largest and most populous Emirate, Abu Dhabi. Though the time spent by the coast is short, the wind will be the main enemy for most of the stage, with very flat and sandy racing through the desert making up 180km of the race; at a slow (very, very slow) uphill drag as well, climbing from sea level to 300m of altitude.

Where this stage is different, however, is at the end. After going through al-Ain, easily the largest city not to play host to its own Emirate in the country, the riders turn uphill towards the highest paved summit in the country, Jebel Hafeet. Note on the profile how the middle phase of climbing is continuously over 7% and large periods over 8% - the flattish beginning and end rather disguise the difficulty of the climb, so the GC could well be settled this day, like in Oman. The ITT and the stage to Fujairah should have opened up some small gaps to create intrigue on this climb and ensure some riders need to attack, so should be the focal point of the racing.

Dubai Marina:

Jebel Hafeet:

 

[Red Rick]

What programs do you use for this stuff, i was planning to make a Giro, a Toer and a Vuelta, as well as some weeklong races, as they were pretty boring this year

 

[Red Rick]

What programs do you use for this stuff, i was planning to make a Giro, a Toer and a Vuelta, as well as some weeklong races, as they were pretty boring this year

Please
10 char

 

[Eshnar]

What programs do you use for this stuff, i was planning to make a Giro, a Toer and a Vuelta, as well as some weeklong races, as they were pretty boring this year

I use Tracks4Bikers, the only problem is that it allows stages no longer than 200 kms.

 

[Gloin22]

Please
10 char

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I use Mapmyride, but there are plenty of others, like gpsies, bikeroutetoaster, Tracks4bikers and others - it's about trying a few of them out and seeing what works for you.

I probably ought to put links to the various sites in the first post of the thread actually, to help people join in. Though the thread has been pretty quiet of late since we've got into the swing of the proper season. It's more a thread for the off-season, and even I've been neglecting it of late even though I have a few bits and pieces to post up.

Anyway, since I'm here, I'll finish off my race through the desert, keeping Pat McQuaid happy with his globalising, and move on.

Stage 6: Al-Ain (University of the United Arab Emirates) - Abu Dhabi (Al-Bateen Palace), 178km

The final stage of the race is the only one entirely in the largest of the Emirates - comprising some 87% of the total area of the country, although much of that is uninhabited desert land - running from the University of the UAE campus just outside Al-Ain, into the nation's capital, along a very straight road which slowly descends from about 150m altitude to sea level, at all times exposed to likely crosswinds. This is the neverending straight line grind of Milan-San Remo married to echelon likelihood, so it's not as straightforward as the long, flat profile would suggest. The riders will mostly be using the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Truck Road, thus keeping the newer main highway parallel to it available for use. The race will finish with a few laps around the centre of Abu Dhabi, linking the Zalamat Garden, and the Presidential Palaces of Al-Bateen and Al-Mushrif, giving an air of the rich and glamorous that will no doubt please Pat McQuaid, if not the riders who have been sweltering away in 40º heat being battered by crosswinds for the last four and a half hours.

Al-Ain (University of the UAE):

Abu Dhabi: