TDF Presentation "Live"

[Big_Blue_Dave]

Not to forget the finish in Mende with the Cote de la Croix-Neuve in the last 5km that could create some small but significant time gaps as well. Last seen in the 2005 Tour which resulted in a very good stage.

 

[ak-zaaf]

11km of cobbles in the last 30km of an early stage.

They're making sure Canc gets a yellow jersey every year now.

 

[issoisso]

After carefully considering the route, I've come to the following conclusion:

7 months till the Giro starts, 10 days till the route is presented

 

[ak-zaaf]

After carefully considering the route, I've come to the following conclusion:

7 months till the Giro starts, 10 days till the route is presented

After LBL the fun part of the season is over anyway =/

 

[issoisso]

After LBL the fun part of the season is over anyway =/

You can't possibly be serious. Sure, the Tour tends to be one of the most boring races around, but there are so many exciting races after Liége.

 

[The_Z_man]

Thankfully no TT but some of the mountain stages are neutralised, the stage to Pau is a tough route but too much distance between final climb and finish. What a waste.

I think you mean TTT.

I agree with you about the climbs being neutralized. The ASO has yet to see that, while there's more money in finishing in bigger towns, the racing is better with mountain top finishes. When everyone knows that the groups will come back together on the descent, there's no reason to blow yourself out on the climb.

An ITT early, or at least in the middle, would shake things up a bit. Too bad they left it out.

 

[ak-zaaf]

You can't possibly be serious. Sure, the Tour tends to be one of the most boring races around, but there are so many exciting races after Liége.

Of course I'm over-exaggerating.

But still, the Giro is almost always great, but I like the classics more than GT's. The tour is the race we love to hate, the Vuelta will always be just the Vuelta.
The Worlds and Lombardy make a great end of the season, but for me April is the highlight of the year.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Cobbles?
Where someone will push Bertie to the deck and he gets Mayo'd, by you know who.

Avoriaz in, but Floyd's graveyard out, in favour of the very favoured St jean du Maurienne. They must be getting bored with the Tour, by now.

Much ado about the Tourmalet, or nothing.
A desperately dull route, once more.
Complacency rules the ASO.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Cobbles?
Where someone will push Bertie to the deck and he gets Mayo'd, by you know who.

Avoriaz in, but Floyd's graveyard out, in favour of the very favoured St jean du Maurienne. They must be getting bored with the Tour, by now.

Much ado about the Tourmalet, or nothing.
A desperately dull route, once more.
Complacency rules the ASO.

Official ASO reaction: FU, you'll watch anyway.

 

[aarnold517]

what are the climbs like in the Jura? any chance for any GC contenders to attack there, or will they be more suited for breakaways and opportunists like gilbert (if he rides)?

 

[il_fiammingo]

11km of cobbles in the last 30km of an early stage.

They're making sure Canc gets a yellow jersey every year now.

The 2.5km 4 star sector of Haveluy at 10km from the finish!!

I'll be there!

 

[Bala Verde]

If the last week is indeed very difficult - haven't checked the parcours into great detail - then we might see the type of calculated Vuelta riding when they hit the three consecutive mountain top finishes.

We know that no one wants to lose, and certainly not the TdF

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I rather like the single long ITT and just a prolouge.
Great to see no ttt too, there goes LA's hopes

The mountains are meh tho. and therefore overall a very big MEH on a whole still... better then this year imo.

Should be a good route for Andy S. Some big climbs, few km's of TTing and a strong team+capable DS to take him through the first week.

Gesink, Sastre and Schleck might be amongst the happiest. Strong climbers, can't lose too mucg time in the time trials. Should be a close tour actually.

 

[Anonymous]

Cobbles?
Where someone will push Bertie to the deck
.

Is that ten characters yet...

 

[Cartesian Centaur]

After carefully considering the route, I've come to the following conclusion:

7 months till the Giro starts, 10 days till the route is presented

Someone after my own heart, I see. I know I'll watch the Tour, and I'll get excited and involved once it's on, but the Giro is the one I really care about.

 

[Ferminal]

Wouldn't this stage be a beast if you just chopped 50kms off it?

 

[halamala]

No bonuses

For this 2010 edition, no bonuses will be awarded in intermediate sprints and stage finishes. Official time remains the absolute reference.

Not good

 

[Bala Verde]

People were having fun!

Someone forgot to tell Schleck that it was a rather formal event, not a gathering at a local bike club for a beer. Being severely underdressed, Armstrong and Contador couldn't resist poking fun at him.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Wouldn't this stage be a beast if you just chopped 50kms off it?

indeed. Silly by the organisers... such a waste...

I'd have loved to see something different... like a short stage starting at the bottom of the tourmalet and ending at the summit of the Aubisque... an epic 75km stage

 

[jonjungel]

Someone forgot to tell Schleck that it was a rather formal event, not a gathering at a local bike club for a beer. Being severely underdressed, Armstrong and Contador couldn't resist poking fun at him.

My impression of both Schlecks, is that they're pretty laid back wrt. just about everything except cycling. This one fits right in..

 

[ggusta]

My impression of both Schlecks, is that they're pretty laid back wrt. just about everything except cycling. This one fits right in..

I think we need a contest to write what is going on in each of their minds in that photo.

 

[tubularglue]

arenberg forest ? you gotta be shiyttin' me

 

[ak-zaaf]

LA: What? Where's the TTT I paid for?
AC: Cobbles? So just like Avila! Perfect!
AS: Wow, This stick-figure I've just drawn looks just like Rasmussen

 

[Anonymous]

People were having fun!

Someone forgot to tell Schleck that it was a rather formal event, not a gathering at a local bike club for a beer. Being severely underdressed, Armstrong and Contador couldn't resist poking fun at him.

well armstrong was going to dinner with the french president, schleck i beleive is what is known as "hip" or "cool"...

what AC is up to i dont know.. he just looks odd...

 

[Escarabajo]

Stage 3 [/b]: Wanze - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut. 4 easy pavé sections totalling 13.3kms. Past experience shows us this tends to cause crashes and kill the GC excitement because people lose time for no reason that later renders them completely out of the GC.
...

Having the cobbles is like having a TTT. The same weak teams that usually loose time in the TTT are the ones that loose time in the cobbles. Of course I am from Colombia so I am bias about it. Same thing goes for the spanish climbers.