Stage Profiles Tour de France 2013

[Dazed and Confused]

After looking at the Giro - am totally disappointed with TdF route. Hardly any challenging finishes for the climbers. Way too many flat stages...Where will the successful attacks come from?

This one should surely suit the Sky Train...my only takeaway from this one for Evans. Going by his build-up before the Giro, he did exceptionally well to finish 3rd. Now when he has a look at this year's TdF route surely he should be more confident. The route is really less challenging than Giro. He should be confident to give Sky a big fight...whether or not he will succeed is different case though.

Skyborg all the way

where do you see Evans having an impact on the race? He will gain nothing from sprinting to the line and he ain't going to outclimb Froome and Contador methinks. That leaves taking time in the (T)TT events. Good luck with that.

 

[Cimber]

I dont know if its old news, but the last stage to Paris will start and 17.45 and will finish around 22:00. I like that. It has to do with both the long transfer from the 2nd last stage, which is in the alps, and then it will also ensure more spectator and viewers imo.

 

[Bavarianrider]

GC could be quiet close until the the Alpe d Huez stage.

 

[barmaher]

I think people underestimate a few of the GC stages.

For instance, the second stage in the Pyrenees has a lot to like about it. If the finish were 5km closer to the final climb, it would be a perfect stage. As it is, I think there can be a lot of excitment. For instance, it is a much tougher profile than the stage to Porrentruy last year (at a similar stage in the race) and only 12 riders managed to finish within a minute of the yellow jersey then. I also think the stage into Le Grand Bornard is a nice stage.

These two stages have 3000m+ and 4,500m+ of climbing, and have descent finishes (albeit not perfect in the Pyrenees stage).

Maybe we might see poor racing. But if we do, I blame the riders rather than the course.

 

[ILovecycling]

I dont know if its old news, but the last stage to Paris will start and 17.45 and will finish around 22:00. I like that. It has to do with both the long transfer from the 2nd last stage, which is in the alps, and then it will also ensure more spectator and viewers imo.

I like this.It will be very spectacular,and from Versailles,wow

 

[barmaher]

Yeah, I like it, too.

I will enjoy watching the last 30km on the Champs Elysess with a beverage when the kids are down.

 

[whittashau]

I still think this TDF route would have suited Nibali really well even if he wasn't in perfect form.

 

[RownhamHill]

I thought it would be easier to see the suck when all stages are visible at once.

That middle week does look absolutely rubbish.

I always get the impression with the tour that it's just about one stage short of being pretty good. This year a third tough stage in the pyrenees (on what is now the rest day) I think would go a long way to making this a good route, and last year there was that awful transitional stage with two massive mountains early doors, and then loads of flat that just went to a break. I always thought if you'd turned that stage profile around it would have been a decent route.

Oh well.

 

[Afrank]

I thought it would be easier to see the suck when all stages are visible at once.

Thanks for grouping them all together, and your right. Much easier to see the suck.

Looking at them all together makes me wonder even more how they thought this would be good race. I guess we have to just hope the riders deliver to make it good. Although that looks unlikely in this age of waiting until the final couple Km's and sky-trains.

 

[airstream]

Pf. Ease it up. You won't see Sky train during final 5-7-10 km's. Froome will own these climbs himself.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I dont know if its old news, but the last stage to Paris will start and 17.45 and will finish around 22:00. I like that. It has to do with both the long transfer from the 2nd last stage, which is in the alps, and then it will also ensure more spectator and viewers imo.

I don't like it. I don't see why it would attract more viewers and for photographers and journalists it will be hell due to deadlines and bad lighting

 

[Afrank]

Pf. Ease it up. You won't see Sky train during final 5-7-10 km's. Froome will own these climbs himself.

I hope not (hope not to see sky train up entire climb), if Froome does end up soloing away as much as 10 Km from the finish, that would be great! And would make him more than worthy of winning the race.

 

[the sceptic]

Cant see Froome doing any soloing. Whats the point when the sky train can drop everyone and Porte can deliver him and Wiggins with 1 km to go.

 

[airstream]

Cant see Froome doing any soloing. Whats the point when the sky train can drop everyone and Porte can deliver him and Wiggins with 1 km to go.

No, I think the train can drop Valverde or Van Garderen, but not Contador and Purito. When there's a group of 4-5 best climbers, Froome will attack IMO

 

[Wigwan]

The stage to Bagnère de Bigore is taylor made for Voeckler.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I don't like it. I don't see why it would attract more viewers and for photographers and journalists it will be hell due to deadlines and bad lighting

Not just that, but it gives the fans an extra few hours to jostle for space and pass out due to staking out a spot at the front at 7am and not moving until the race has passed.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

For the true sporting connoisseur, it allows one to watch the cricket and the golf in peace, before a nice evening Cavendish win in lieu of pudding.

 

[ILovecycling]

No, I think the train can drop Valverde or Van Garderen, but not Contador and Purito. When there's a group of 4-5 best climbers, Froome will attack IMO

This.
on the other hand I think in some part of a race he will attack even when he has train of 2or3 people and he will not be waiting for last one.

 

[Viking]

The guys in the cars know where EVERYONE on the road is. They have a map of the route. They have a laptop PC. They know how fast the peloton proper can go at full chat. They know how fast a breakaway can go. And they tot up the numbers and tell their teams how long to sit in and when to start chasing in earnest.

Which is why no breakaway can succeed without either the peloton screws up or is complicit.

Which is why rider radios should be banned or communications should be strictly limited to clear-cut safety issues. The guys in the cars should not be in charge of who wins races.

I'm all in favor of scrapping the team radios. Just look at the fun we had in the Giro with Betancur and Navardauskas thinking they won stages 9 and 17 respectively! Neither wore a radio on those stages. They're so used to the radios that they probably ignored the guy on the moto giving time gaps. Anyway, I'd love to see the cyclists making the tactical decisions on the road. I'm sure the DSs would still do all of the calculations and give out orders, but without radios, so much more would be up to the riders to take action on their own.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Yeah, I like it, too.

I will enjoy watching the last 30km on the Champs Elysess with a beverage when the kids are down.

+1 I like the night time finish.

I don't think the route is that bad. Some decent mountain stages - im actually looking forward to Alpe D'huez twice. Apart from perhaps 1 or 2 flat stages in the middle its well balanced.

 

[The Hitch]

I'm all in favor of scrapping the team radios. Just look at the fun we had in the Giro with Betancur and Navardauskas thinking they won stages 9 and 17 respectively! Neither wore a radio on those stages. They're so used to the radios that they probably ignored the guy on the moto giving time gaps. Anyway, I'd love to see the cyclists making the tactical decisions on the road. I'm sure the DSs would still do all of the calculations and give out orders, but without radios, so much more would be up to the riders to take action on their own.

Riders celebrating stages they didn't win is pretty much the main argument against banning radios.

+1 I like the night time finish.

I don't think the route is that bad. Some decent mountain stages - im actually looking forward to Alpe D'huez twice. Apart from perhaps 1 or 2 flat stages in the middle its well balanced.

you are joking right? Its a route designed for people who know nothing about cycling and only intend to watch the half an hour post race highlights. THey have gone out of their way to make sure there is no action until the final few k on any stage apart from when the break wins by 10 minutes.

 

[karlboss]

So let's see how I go.
1. Cav.
2. Sagan.
3. Sagan
4. Sky
5. Cav
6. Cav.
7. Cav.
8. Wasted stage, this shouldn't be the first MTF. See stage 15.
9. please oh please something unexpected.
10. Cav.
11. ITT
12. Cav.
13. Cav.
14. Cav.
15. 21km...17 of the train, 4 of something.
16. Sagan
17. Interesting TT
18. Ok I'll give them this.
19. please oh please.
20. See stage 8 and 15. Penultimate nowhere near steep enough.
21. Cav.
So that's 9 for Cav, 3 for Sagan in stages which for the length of the day will be as exciting as each other. 3 TTs only one of which will matter, 3 run of the mill MTFs, 2 where I hope someone will take a risk, and 1 where someone will. Breakaway wins, maybe 2. Not flash Aso, not flash.

 

[Pricey_sky]

you are joking right? Its a route designed for people who know nothing about cycling and only intend to watch the half an hour post race highlights. THey have gone out of their way to make sure there is no action until the final few k on any stage apart from when the break wins by 10 minutes.

Like I said, its not bad. By no means anywhere near great but not a complete joke in my opinion, just a couple too many flat stages. Unfortunately money talks in most forms of life and this route encourages new viewers who watch highlights, last 20km's of stages ect which equals more £'s. Not saying I agree with this but that's the way the life has become.

 

[42x16ss]

The stage to Bagnère de Bigore is taylor made for Voeckler.

Or Luis Leon Sanchez

 

[airstream]

Why do you think Ax-3 to end with nothing? It's impossible.