Stage Profiles Tour de France 2013

[Zvezdarac]

Really unpromising profiles for the breakaway riders.
Looks like easy ride for GC contenders between time trials and mountains.

 

[SafeBet]

It's amazing how horrible the TdF route looks year after year.

 

[Zvezdarac]

It's amazing how horrible the TdF route looks year after year.

They're, obviously, betting on the field to make the race.
TDF is heads and shoulders above the rest GTs field - wise.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

In that case they should have noted that the Tour tends to be raced more conservatively too, and that the only time we've had real excitement in the Tour of late has been when the teams completely failed to take any opportunities to gain time for two and a half weeks so had to take big risks at the end, and banking on two and a half weeks of boredom is not a good approach. They've mixed the parcours up quite a bit more so that it isn't completely and utterly backloaded like 2011, which is a good thing, however it looks like most of the stages will be relatively easy to control, and they should have learnt that easily controlled racing doesn't really give the field much chance to make the race.

I didn't think this route was that horrible at first, but the more I look at it, the worse I feel about it. Kinda like the 2013 Giro in reverse; I didn't like that route at first, eventually came to rather like it (the pre-shortenings version) even if I still disliked a few things about it (Galibier, two Stelvios in two years, awful first and last stages).

 

[Linkinito]

It's amazing how horrible the TdF route looks year after year.

Let's just hope our "ASO Project" that we've done on Velowire.com these last months will give them inspiration for the next years. Probably won't have any influence on the 2014 route, but maybe for 2015 and onwards.
By the way, if any people are interested... Some statistics for every climb in the Tour.

Difficulty is:
(H/D*100)*4 + H²/D + D/1000 + (T-1000)/100
Where:
H = ascent in metres;
D = length of climb in meters;
T = top of mountain in meters

 

[masking_agent]

It's amazing how horrible the TdF route looks year after year.

i agree. Another tour de "snore"

 

[karlboss]

In that case they should have noted that the Tour tends to be raced more conservatively too, and that the only time we've had real excitement in the Tour of late has been when the teams completely failed to take any opportunities to gain time for two and a half weeks so had to take big risks at the end, and banking on two and a half weeks of boredom is not a good approach. They've mixed the parcours up quite a bit more so that it isn't completely and utterly backloaded like 2011, which is a good thing, however it looks like most of the stages will be relatively easy to control, and they should have learnt that easily controlled racing doesn't really give the field much chance to make the race.

I didn't think this route was that horrible at first, but the more I look at it, the worse I feel about it. Kinda like the 2013 Giro in reverse; I didn't like that route at first, eventually came to rather like it (the pre-shortenings version) even if I still disliked a few things about it (Galibier, two Stelvios in two years, awful first and last stages).

Can you flick ASO one of the race design tours please? I dare say any of them will be better.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Can you flick ASO one of the race design tours please? I dare say any of them will be better.

Yes, I nominate Libertine Seguros for Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana race director!

 

[Afrank]

I didn't think this route was that horrible at first, but the more I look at it, the worse I feel about it. Kinda like the 2013 Giro in reverse; I didn't like that route at first, eventually came to rather like it (the pre-shortenings version) even if I still disliked a few things about it (Galibier, two Stelvios in two years, awful first and last stages).

Looking through the profiles I'm having the same reaction. My first reaction to when it was first presented was it was a decent route but also slightly disappointing. It didn't look great by any means, but much better than last year. But the more I look at the profiles the worse it looks. It still looks better than last year, but still pretty bad. Also the more I look at it the more it looks like we will see a lot of bunches contesting the finishes and GC guys racing conservatively on the earlier parts of the stage.

 

[the sceptic]

Its almost like its designed for the sky train

After they take yellow on stage 4 they will probably just keep it for the rest of the race.

 

[Afrank]

Yes, I nominate Libertine Seguros for Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana race director!

I second that.

 

[TANK91]

I've been saying since the route was announced that I've no idea why people don't think it's suited to Wiggins. On 2012 form, the Alpe d'Huez stage is the only one I could see him losing a decent chunk of time on and he'd probably make it back in the 2 ITT's and the TTT. Of course, he isn't in that form and Froome is the leader but for people to call this a mountainous route is laughable.

I think you forgot Ventoux, no way Wiggins limits his losse's to less than a min imo, Froome will go mental in this TDF just you watch.

 

[JRanton]

I think you forgot Ventoux, no way Wiggins limits his losse's to less than a min imo, Froome will go mental in this TDF just you watch.

Ventoux stage is actually not that bad at all for Wiggins in 2012 shape. He's good at single climb stages, especially with 220km of flat beforehand.

 

[TANK91]

In that case they should have noted that the Tour tends to be raced more conservatively too, and that the only time we've had real excitement in the Tour of late has been when the teams completely failed to take any opportunities to gain time for two and a half weeks so had to take big risks at the end, and banking on two and a half weeks of boredom is not a good approach. They've mixed the parcours up quite a bit more so that it isn't completely and utterly backloaded like 2011, which is a good thing, however it looks like most of the stages will be relatively easy to control, and they should have learnt that easily controlled racing doesn't really give the field much chance to make the race.

I didn't think this route was that horrible at first, but the more I look at it, the worse I feel about it. Kinda like the 2013 Giro in reverse; I didn't like that route at first, eventually came to rather like it (the pre-shortenings version) even if I still disliked a few things about it (Galibier, two Stelvios in two years, awful first and last stages).

I also liked the Giro route at first but with 8000m + worth of climbing taken out i think TDF will trump the Giro. Froome v Contador, sounds a lot better than Nibali v no 1. At least we should have a good GC battle and Froome going crazy uphill will be fun. The Giro was poor the TDF will be good i think i like the stage 16 profile two.

 

[TANK91]

Ventoux stage is actually not that bad at all for Wiggins in 2012 shape. He's good at single climb stages, especially with 220km of flat beforehand.

Yes but it is a long climb, Froome can beat Wiggins even when he pulls Wiggins for 8 kms up the climb. Can you honestly see Wiggins after Porte pulls off dragging Froome and beating Froome. I think Froome will bury Wiggins on this stage he may have too.

 

[asdfgh101]

Don't count Cav out on stage 2. He could (but almost certainly won't) win 10 of the 20 individual stages as well as being part of the winning TTT.

 

[JRanton]

Don't count Cav out on stage 2. He could (but almost certainly won't) win 10 of the 20 individual stages as well as being part of the winning TTT.

And Tony can win the two TT's so OPQS could have 13 stage wins.

 

[TANK91]

Its almost like its designed for the sky train

After they take yellow on stage 4 they will probably just keep it for the rest of the race.

Yes and add more climbs will make it worse lol Froome is the best you know. I think something will be seriously wrong if Sky dont get the jersey after stage 4 and keep it all the way to paris. I hope they dont though although i defo want Froome to win the TDF.

 

[Old&slow]

Great work on the post with all the profiles.

I just love the route. Especially after a pretty mundane and boring Giro with only 5 sprint stages. Here we have a possibility of 9 bunch sprints. Absolutely fabulous.

I just wonder how many will end up in bunch sprints. If Cav dominates again will the rest of the sprinter teams just give up like they did in stage 12 last year and refuse to pull back breaks? That stage 12 last year was arguably the worst and most disappointing grand tour stage I have ever seen. Where every sprinter team simply gave up and refused to work. It really pointed out how much HTC is missed. Hopefully OPQ can get to that level in next few years signing Renshaw and a few others.

It looks like a fabulous route. Very excited to see so many sprints.

 

[JRanton]

Yes and add more climbs will make it worse lol Froome is the best you know. I think something will be seriously wrong if Sky dont get the jersey after stage 4 and keep it all the way to paris. I hope they dont though although i defo want Froome to win the TDF.

I don't know the exact OPQS team but they can put together a monster team for the TTT.

Let's say: Martin, Kwiatkowski, Chavanel, Terpstra, Velits, Cavendish, Steegmans, Stybar, Vandewalle

Against: Wiggins, Froome, Porte, EBH, Thomas, Kiryienka, Stannard, Lopez, Eisel.

Imo, there will only be 5-10 seconds difference.

 

[whittashau]

Great work on the post with all the profiles.

I just love the route. Especially after a pretty mundane and boring Giro with only 5 sprint stages. Here we have a possibility of 9 bunch sprints. Absolutely fabulous.

I just wonder how many will end up in bunch sprints. If Cav dominates again will the rest of the sprinter teams just give up like they did in stage 12 last year and refuse to pull back breaks? That stage 12 last year was arguably the worst and most disappointing grand tour stage I have ever seen. Where every sprinter team simply gave up and refused to work. It really pointed out how much HTC is missed. Hopefully OPQ can get to that level in next few years signing Renshaw and a few others.

It looks like a fabulous route. Very excited to see so many sprints.

Yeah, unpredictability, boo. Conformity, order, and preordained results are where it's at.

 

[Old&slow]

Yeah, unpredictability, boo. Conformity, order, and preordained results are where it's at.

I agree it is pretty exciting having 5 riders soft pedal to an undeserved victory because a few sprinter teams are to scared of losing a sprint to do any work to pull back the break. When we could have seen a boring sprint full of danger, teamwork, great bike handling, daring, skill and the best riders in the race fighting it out for a well deserved victory. I can see why you would hate that who would want to see the most exciting thing in cycling when they could see 5 riders the peleton cares nothing about soft pedal in for anti-climatic ho-hum victory.

In all seriousness breakaways succeeding are only slightly more boring than the modern "yawn" uphill finishes made for the TV ADHD cycling fans where one the winner is mainly predetermined by their genes ( and maybe a little medication) with very little emphasis on rider skill, teamwork, strategy or bike handling.

 

[the sceptic]

How dare anyone try to win a bike race. I think all teams should work together to ensure Cav wins 10 stages in the tour.

 

[BroDeal]

Yeah, unpredictability, boo. Conformity, order, and preordained results are where it's at.

Welcome to TdF routes from 2009+. The routes from the previous years were not much better but the level of suckdom has definitely increased since Prudhomme was put in charge.

As if the musical chairs game of placing the same dozen cols in nearly every edition were not bad enough, they are so bereft of ideas that the only thing they can think of is using the same mountain twice in the same Tour.

 

[whittashau]

I agree it is pretty exciting having 5 riders soft pedal to an undeserved victory because a few sprinter teams are to scared of losing a sprint to do any work to pull back the break. When we could have seen a boring sprint full of danger, teamwork, great bike handling, daring, skill and the best riders in the race fighting it out for a well deserved victory. I can see why you would hate that who would see the most exciting thing in cycling when they could see 5 riders the peleton cares nothing about soft pedal in for anti-climatic ho-hum victory.

How can working twice as hard as the members of the peloton with 4 other guys all day be an undeserved victory? And since when does danger equal excitement? Unless you believe that Nascar is the greatest sport in the world. I have no problem with a few sprint stages, but surely you can see the benefit of a stage where any kind of rider can win? Not stages where being almost as fast as Cav is the only deciding factor on whether a rider can win or not.

And the most exciting thing in cycling are MTFs surely because those are the stages that are most viewed.