Rate the 100th TDF route

[Eshnar]

Going from 101 km of TT to 90 km really isn't cutting the opportunities for the TT specialist in half.

90 kms TTT included. Which isn't for specialists at all.

 

[Ferminal]

Going from 101 km of TT to 90 km really isn't cutting the opportunities for the TT specialist in half.

Besides, with the 2012 tour being made for the TTers, the climbers should be given more opportunities than than the TTers in this tour. Of course I'm biased towards the climbers and MTF's in races .

The second ITT isn't for a specialist. Someone like Nibali would go very close to beating a Wiggins there. So it's only really 33km or whatever the MSM ITT is.

I like climbers too but for once I just ask for a GT route which balances the two discplines in one race, not over a ten year horizon.

 

[Afrank]

90 kms TTT included. Which isn't for specialists at all.

Sometimes, sometimes the TT specialists have teams that can do a really good TTT, Sky for example.

 

[El Pistolero]

You told me you don't like the Giro..was that just to troll?

No I hate the Giro, right before my exams!

I hate the lack of classic riders at the Giro and the course is often not balanced enough as well.

 

[Eshnar]

Sometimes, sometimes the TT specialists have teams that can do a really good TTT, Sky for example.

that holds true for the climbers too. I mean, for a guy like Purito its waaaay better a TTT than an ITT against Froome or AC.

 

[staubsauger]

Why didn't Prudhomme bring back Puy de Dome as a mtt one for the 100th edition!? Oh yeah ... because he's not Angelo Zomegnan

 

[cineteq]

I mean, for a guy like Purito its waaaay better a TTT than an ITT against Froome or AC.

Please elaborate. What's your reasoning?

 

[Afrank]

Please elaborate. What's your reasoning?

At the TTT at the Giro this year Katusha placed 2nd only 5 seconds back from Garmin. If it had been an ITT Purito probably wouldn't have been able to beat some of the other GC contenders and would probably have lost some time to them. So the TTT played more in his favor than a ITT would have.

I'm fairly certain this is what Eshnar means.

 

[Ferminal]

Schlecks must get annoyed having Cancellara tow them through the TT miles, much prefer to do it alone.

 

[cineteq]

At the TTT at the Giro this year Katusha placed 2nd only 5 seconds back from Garmin. If it had been an ITT Purito probably wouldn't have been able to beat some of the other GC contenders and would probably have lost some time to them. So the TTT played more in his favor than a ITT would have.

I'm fairly certain this is what Eshnar means.

We all saw that. He helps the team perform better, but it's not because of, just, him that Katusha does well.

 

[Leonardus]

Why didn't Prudhomme bring back Puy de Dome as a mtt one for the 100th edition!? Oh yeah ... because he's not Angelo Zomegnan

No, because it's impossible. They built a cog railway to the top and used the road for it. The mountain is now closed for all traffic, also cyclists. Shame, would be great if they could have included it for the 100th.

 

[Eshnar]

We all saw that. He helps the team perform better, but it's not because of, just, him that Katusha does well.

that's exactly my point... A TTT is less favorable to a TTer, because he doesn't have any edge against pure climbers with a strong team.

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Don't understand all the hate toward the 2013 course. Sure it is not a perfect course but I think some need to put things in perspective instead of just hating on ASO. When I read some of the comments, I think some here just bash ASO for fun. I mean how can you blame ASO for making a flat stage up to the Ventoux, there are no mountains in the vicinity, it is geographical fact. Short of building a mountain, there is nothing ASO can do about it (actually they did all they could do by adding length to the stage to make it harder but that only prompts people to blame them for putting useless flat at the beginning of the stage). Also, the Tour is much bigger than any other race and can not go to some places (because of logistics) that races like the Giro can go (after all the 2012 Vuelta with its legion of MTF was hosted by ASO so you can not blame them for not trying to include mountains). Also they need big cities that apply to host stages for each stage and while they get a number of applications it still greatly reduces their options (they always finish in Pau after 50kms of flat not for fun but because it is the only city big enough in the region to host the finish of the stage), they don't make crappy stages on purpose.
That being said, and even though the course is well balanced (not many ITTs but in modern cycling it is much easier to create gaps in ITT than on MTF for the TDF GC contenders), I don't agree with every choice they made (for example : Corsica will be much harder than most expect because it is very narrow roads and up and down but it could have been even better). Some stages I really look forward to (Paris at Sunset, Le Grand Bornand, Mont Saint-Michel (at least for the scenery), Ventoux, Ax 3 Domaines and I don't mind Semnoz too much (those short mountain stages have been the most entertaining these last year, and let's not fool ourselves, have the advantage for TVs that ETA are much more precise (because they spend so 'little' time in the saddle)).

 

[bicifan]

I like cycling.

We're two now.

 

[will10]

The hatred of the Ventoux stage is hilarious.

Every single Ventoux MTF has had a profile like that. There are no other major climbs to include in the area.

 

[Ferminal]

The hatred of the Ventoux stage is hilarious.

Every single Ventoux MTF has had a profile like that. There are no other major climbs to include in the area.

I guess they want something like this:

 

[Netserk]

I guess they want something like this:

I would prefer it without the first ascent, as I don't think it is a good idea to ascend/descend the same side of a mountain.

But I don't really have anything against that stage. Not every mountain has others close to it, and I am happy that they compensated that with adding extra length.

 

[Linkinito]

The hatred of the Ventoux stage is hilarious.

Every single Ventoux MTF has had a profile like that. There are no other major climbs to include in the area.

http://tracks4bikers.com/tracks/report/116747
Fictional stage between Sisteron and Mont Ventoux (MTF) with three nice climbs before.

Profile:

The climbs:
Montagne de Lure - km 33 (24 km @ 5.0% - 1C)
Col de Lagarde d'Apt - km 106 (11 km @ 7.1% - 1C)
Côte du Col des Abeilles - km 158 (8.5 km @ 6.6 % - 2C)
Mont Ventoux - km 196 (20.8 km @ 7.5 % - HC)

Mont Ventoux isn't alone
(I'm living near it)

 

[The Hitch]

Please elaborate. What's your reasoning?

lol are you for real?

yes, why on earth would Purito prefer to draw lots as to who loses how much time rather than be guaranteed to lose 2 minutes. Doesn't make any sense does it

 

[The Hitch]

No, because it's impossible. They built a cog railway to the top and used the road for it. The mountain is now closed for all traffic, also cyclists. Shame, would be great if they could have included it for the 100th.

he said tt though, not road stage. Surely if Giro can manage kronplatz, the "greatest show on earth" can find a way to include this.

 

[Kellys Big Sprocket]

Rate this Tour with an 11............................. i.e painful

 

[greenedge]

I voted 9 if only because of the fact Wiggins thinks it is too tough and therefore shall not contest the GC here. The rote offers variety (though not enough in the first week) and the riders shall hopefully take advantage of that.

 

[Netserk]

This route is only a MTT up the Alpe and a prologue instead of the TTT away from being designed by Bert.

I would wish the route offered something to challenge him like a long flat ITT or a very long multi-mountain stage

 

[pedaling squares]

The only thing that matters is how they race it. We've drooled over too many saw-toothed Giro stages that turned out to be processions over the mountains won by attrition instead of by daring attack. An exciting ride will overcome a boring route; a boring ride cannot save an exciting route.

 

[Rui Quinta]

TTT on 4th stage can be a big problem. In 2011 it was on 2nd stage and several teams had injured riders, so we can imagine how will be next year.

A small TTT on first stage can be cool, but not later, I guess.