Rate the 100th TDF route

[DominicDecoco]

Gave it a 7. Should perhaps give it a 6 due to a bit underwhelming overall hardness of the route based on the hype ASO has created themselves.

But overall it's just fine and much better than this years edition.

People giving 1 or 2 either have a wierd rating scale system or no realistic idea of how to organise and create such a circus that is Tour De France. Or perhaps just voting out of unsatisfaction.

 

[cineteq]

People giving 1 or 2 either have a wierd rating scale system or no realistic idea of how to organise and create such a circus that is Tour De France.

+1 Another reason I gave it a 10.

 

[Eshnar]

And that makes it a bad thing?

it makes it nothing special.
I see the loop around Bagneres is way less than I thought. Good.

 

[DominicDecoco]

it makes it nothing special.

Care to tell me how that particular stage should change to be more than 'nothing special'?

 

[OlavEH]

Stage 3 is potentially ok.

The stage to Lyon should have a couple of climbs in Lyon itself.

It could be better, but I don't really agree that it's completely lacking in classic like stages

Stage 3 is only 145 km. It's too short to be called a classic like stage. Maybe it's tough enough to get tid of the weaker sprinters, but it's still a fairly easy stage.

 

[Eshnar]

Care to tell me how that particular stage should change to be more than 'nothing special'?

Leaving the double pass as it is?
I'd add at least 40 kms more and climb another mountain.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Leaving the double pass as it is?
I'd add at least 40 kms more and climb another mountain.

Why not put 4 km of swimming and 40 km of running in there as well while we are at it?

 

[asdfgh101]

http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/1700/etape_par_etape.html

This is a mountain stage.

 

[Eshnar]

Why not put 4 km of swimming and 40 km of running in there as well while we are at it?

Because this is not Triathlon.

 

[roundabout]

Stage 3 is only 145 km. It's too short to be called a classic like stage. Maybe it's tough enough to get tid of the weaker sprinters, but it's still a fairly easy stage.

I am bored, so here's a first quick idea to classic up a stage

Stage 2 finish

http://tracks4bikers.com/tracks/show/116296

 

[jens_attacks]

http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/1700/etape_par_etape.html

This is a mountain stage.

they don't make them like it should

 

[Asturiano]

Froome said this Tour wasn't too hard. I think he thinks Vuelta 2012 was harder by far.

 

[airstream]

Hm, in the book Tyler described that stage as the hardest he rode. There's nothing special at the profile.

I'm hugely dissappointed in the Pyrenees. ASO had to do MTF on really classic long ascent, PdB, Tourmalet or Hautaca. This idiotic traditionally uneventful Ax-3 is a ridicule. The rest part is ok.

 

[Magnus]

Hm, in the book Tyler described that stage as the hardest he rode. There's nothing special at the profile.

I'm hugely dissappointed in the Pyrenees. ASO had to do MTF on really classic long ascent, PdB, Tourmalet or Hautaca. This idiotic traditionally uneventful Ax-3 is a ridicule. The rest part is ok.

Traditionally uneventful?

They've done it what, three times?

Just because Schleck and Contador was practicing track stands there in 2010 doesn't mean it will happen again.

 

[The Hitch]

So its the special 100th edition which we have been talking about since about 2008 right?

So where is the Pyranees stage? A mountain and a hill after 150k of flat is not a Pyranees stage
Where is the big Alpes stage? I mean 3 or 4 hc and cat 1 climbs, not 2 alpes after a pointless 100.

Where is there a hilly stage? WHere is there a hc downhill stage? where are cobbles?

Are there any stages we can see a classics specialist win here?

where is a long tt?

 

[Magnus]

So its the special 100th edition which we have been talking about since about 2008 right?

Hyperbole much?

 

[Afrank]

Haven't been able to check out the full route in detail yet. Just looking at a quick description of it, it looks like a balanced route. Better than this year but it doesn't live up to the hype. Would have preferred less TT km,and would have liked a technical prologue or a hill top finish to start it off. Having not looked over the full route I'd rate it between a 4 and a 5.

 

[airstream]

Traditionally uneventful?

They've done it what, three times?

Just because Schleck and Contador was practicing track stands there in 2010 doesn't mean it will happen again.

05 and 03 ascencions gave nothing

 

[roundabout]

My only concern about stage 8 is that it may be too early.

With 3 HC finishes and 2 other mountain stages to come against 1 shortish TT unfavorable to climbers there may be little reason to make the stage hard. I fear that people interested in attacking will be those who had a nightmare in the TTT or were unfortunate to lose time in a crash.

 

[gustienordic]

Things the TDF route is missing: Cobbles, hilly finishes.
Things it has: an alright collection of mountains (but not much unique) other than the Annecy climb.

 

[Escarabajo]

http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/1700/etape_par_etape.html

This is a mountain stage.

But that was the only good one in that year. Go figure.

 

[gustienordic]

THIS is a mountain stage. The Tour should learn from the Giro

 

[Magnus]

http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/1700/etape_par_etape.html

This is a mountain stage.

And stage 19 this year isn't?

 

[Unkown]

I gave it a 4, only real good thing about this Tour is there is a MTT, complete joke of a route for the 100th edition though.

 

[Descender]

Meh.

The ITTs are too short.

The Semnoz stage has to be one of the most underwhelming decisive stages in the history of the TdF.

The LGB stage is front-loaded.

Etc, etc...