Rate the TdF 2017 route

[Valv.Piti]

I will honestly be surprised if a semi big contender isn't crashing on the way to La Planche, it will be frantic.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

I will honestly be surprised if a semi big contender isn't crashing on the way to La Planche, it will be frantic.

A mechanical or something at the foot of the climb. Rings a bell?

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Let's hope the race is boring as **** and the organizers never design such a joke of a route again.

I doubt the racing will be boring. It's sometimes the hardest courses that have the most boring racing simply because many riders are thinking of the stage win and recovery. I think this is an open invitation for teams to be aggressive and this is not the course Sky would want. This might turn out to be an interesting race and a close one.

That is why I wrote "hope"

FWIW, I think this race can be easily controlled by MoviSky.

Some of the stages with climbs but finish on descents are not stages that Sky likes usually. I think there is the possibility of some chaos being caused or that is what i hope for ! Froome likes his MTFs and time trials to pick up time but he may have to work harder on this course. But he was still smart enough last year to make some time on a descent and in crosswinds while other GC riders were daydreaming.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

Let's hope the race is boring as **** and the organizers never design such a joke of a route again.

I doubt the racing will be boring. It's sometimes the hardest courses that have the most boring racing simply because many riders are thinking of the stage win and recovery. I think this is an open invitation for teams to be aggressive and this is not the course Sky would want. This might turn out to be an interesting race and a close one.

Exactly my thoughts - Some of the stages may be challenging to control - Sagan could have a picnic if some of the alleged sprint stages are not as flat as expected.

 

[spiritualride]

I don't know if there has been a tdf with so few opportunities for GC riders to battle. I see a very high chance that things like crashes and crosswind splits could decide the race.

Sky will be incredibly strong... The route will not cause them attrition, so Froome will be very protected. But the easy route means Froome has little opportunity to make up a deficit from a crash or puncture.

 

[wolvie15]

I find the recent Tours dispointing. Too many boring sprint stages. We all know how they will work. An early break will get 4-5 minutes until we it the 50 km mark. Then, the peloon will toy with them, catch them around 10 km . Then a blazing speed for the last 5 km with the sprinters working for 200 mters. and tha's it.

Too many mountain stages where the last mountain is way too far from the finish line. Usually, these ones finish with remnants of a break taking the stage.

2 TT . That are really, really great. They make a difference. In the Giso, this is how Dumoulin won it.

And 3 or 4 summit finish. Sometimes, like with teh mur de Bretagne, it is only a very steep but very short finish. Sometimes, it is a boorish stage until we hit the foot of the last mountain.

And 2 or 3 really intense mountain stages. In the case of he Giro, we had to wait for he last 2 stages before the last TT for any significant action.

And only 36 km of TT altogether. Are you kidding me ?

 

[MADRAZO]

Re:

Sagan might have competition for the green jersey this year.

I guess Sagan is hoping Cavendish gets reasonably ready so that Kittel wont end up winning 6-7 or even more stages. I suppose Greipel always wins one, but without Cavendish Kittel will be huge favourite to win most of the 8 or 9 masssprints, so he could indeed be a very hard challenge for Cavendish this year.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

They might have to change the route on stage 13.

https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/871358162359787520

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

They might have to change the route on stage 13.

https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/871358162359787520

Great news, the stage will now probably be even shorter, or said differently even more explosive

The sentence above may or may not contain irony

 

[mikii4567]

Well, a good replacement would be going straight to Foix, climbing Port de Lers and then doing Péguère, which isn't great but would be okay-ish, but:
a) if the landslide is on the descent of Agnès, it's likely to also be on the descent of Lers, since they share about 4/5 of it;
b) it's ASO, they wouldn't do that.

Personally, I want it to include Crouzette, but:
a) that road is narrow, and it's ASO, they wouldn't include it if it's narrow;
b) if Agnès is out, then there would only be two cat. 1 climbs on the route;
c) unless they go for a loop around Saint-Girons, it would, at most, be 80 kilometres long...

 

[johnlocke95]

Re: Re:

They might have to change the route on stage 13.

https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/871358162359787520

Great news, the stage will now probably be even shorter, or said differently even more explosive

The sentence above may or may not contain irony

Or they could make a "real" Pyrenees stage out of this with reasonable length. I mean come on, 1 1/2 stages in the Pyrenees and 2 real stages in the Alps is a joke. I don't know what Prudhomme is trying to archive here, but the TDF is supposed to be the hardest race in the world. They are trying to destroy what this race is about.

Perhaps it might be true that there will be more intense GC battles on those more limited occasions, but the TDF should have more than 3 decisive stages.

 

[Red Rick]

I think it's reason enough to redesign the whole Tour de France, and crowdsource the design work to people who have no affiliation to the ASO or UCI

 

[gregrowlerson]

Looking at the course again, it's a little frustrating, because there are many stages that on their own, are quite good stages. I have been annoyed about the lack of ITT km's, but those 2 ITT's themselves are very good stages, so what is missing is just an additional longer flat one, somewhere in the middle of the three weeks. And with that addition, there should/could be an additional stage in the Pyrenees (still only have 2 stages in the Alps so that the route is not backended, and besides, I like these 2 stages....we will see plenty of attacking on the Galibier, don't worry), or make stage 12 a proper queen stage (add 30 kms to it and another HC or Cat 1 climb).

The first week is fantastic really. We have a short ITT, a couple of stages for the puncheurs (3 and 8), a genuine tough MTF (5) and a much tougher still final climb before a descent finish (9). That's 5 stages that can realistically affect the GC. If you think back to years past (like 2004), you would be lucky to have 2 stages impact on GC in the first 9 stages.

The third week is pretty good too, apart from the stage after the final rest day....

That's where my beef is with this course. The penultimate weekend. What a waste. Could have they had the Pyrenees here? Still wouldn't be greatly backloaded with stages 5 and 9, plus throwing in a 40km ITT around stage 10 or 11...

 

[tomorrow]

Re:

Looking at the course again, it's a little frustrating, because there are many stages that on their own, are quite good stages. I have been annoyed about the lack of ITT km's, but those 2 ITT's themselves are very good stages, so what is missing is just an additional longer flat one, somewhere in the middle of the three weeks. And with that addition, there should/could be an additional stage in the Pyrenees (still only have 2 stages in the Alps so that the route is not backended, and besides, I like these 2 stages....we will see plenty of attacking on the Galibier, don't worry), or make stage 12 a proper queen stage (add 30 kms to it and another HC or Cat 1 climb).

The first week is fantastic really. We have a short ITT, a couple of stages for the puncheurs (3 and 8), a genuine tough MTF (5) and a much tougher still final climb before a descent finish (9). That's 5 stages that can realistically affect the GC. If you think back to years past (like 2004), you would be lucky to have 2 stages impact on GC in the first 9 stages.

The third week is pretty good too, apart from the stage after the final rest day....

That's where my beef is with this course. The penultimate weekend. What a waste. Could have they had the Pyrenees here? Still wouldn't be greatly backloaded with stages 5 and 9, plus throwing in a 40km ITT around stage 10 or 11...

Are you sure stage 8 is for punchers? I mean the classic punchers like Gilbert or Sagan. I am not sure even Gilbert will be in the mix, if the cat 1 climb is taken very peacefully. Imho the stage is more suited to climbers, who are good in ardennes and lombardia. For me, stage to Rodez is better suited to punchers.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

First days should be very rainy. Poor Richie.

 

[deValtos]

First days should be very rainy. Poor Richie.

Ah really? That will be interesting.

Anyone know if we are in for some windy stages or is it too far off to tell?

 

[rghysens]

First days should be very rainy. Poor Richie.

Ah really? That will be interesting.

Anyone know if we are in for some windy stages or is it too far off to tell?

Predictions for the Ardennes sunday and monday are 3-4 beaufort (average windspeed about 25km/h) western wind, combined with some drops of rain and a maximum temperature of 16-17°C.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Rain on stage 1 = someone with nothing to lose could steal it.

 

[masking_agent]

Re:

I don't know if there has been a tdf with so few opportunities for GC riders to battle. I see a very high chance that things like crashes and crosswind splits could decide the race.

Sky will be incredibly strong... The route will not cause them attrition, so Froome will be very protected. But the easy route means Froome has little opportunity to make up a deficit from a crash or puncture.

I agree. It will mostly be a snooze fest for July. I hope Phil and Paul can keep the viewers amused during those long flat boring stages.. heh heh

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'm okay with some of the flat stages, as sprints can be pretty entertaining.

As far as the GC battle goes, it seems like the organizers have made certain that each stage will be decided by seconds. Most of the leaders and primary support will motor along until the last few km's of the mountain stages, where attrition will decide the day. A few seconds here, a few seconds there. The primary concern being the race isn't really over until the next to last stage, even if it creates 15 boring stages where little happens.

This seems to be the puzzle the organizers can't solve. How to make the race interesting, while still making it close at in the last few days. They've given up on the former, to have the latter.

 

[deValtos]

I heard a rumour that the parcors for the 2045 TDF was going to be 19 pan flat stages before another pan flat run up to Alpe D'heuz on stage 20 followed by the Champs Elysee.

Gunna be good.

Might still be better than this year actually.

Edit: Oh I forgot to mention one of the sprint stages would be only 86km long.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Perfect. Better access for fans too.