Tour 2012: Route Rumours / Our wishes

[webvan]

My money is on Schlecket hitting the town tonight and getting plastered...that's anotherTDF he won't win. He missed his chance in 2010 and 2011 with his "I'll attack in the last week" strategy, instead of the common sense "take time when you can"...oh well, serves him right, and can't say I'm sorry to see Bruyneel not having the strongest rider to further his "glory".

 

[Bavarianrider]

Because it was cold and he didn't like the rain???

Above all he forgot to eat.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Am I only one here who quite like this route? It doesn't look that bad, 3 mountain finishes, 3 other mountain stages, 2-3 hilly stages, maybe cobbles, two long ITTs. Well balanced route. And yes, I am Frandy's fan. Maybe they will have way lower chances to win next year than this year, but it really doesn't matter IMO. The route is given by ASO and the best rider always wins. That's all.

Best post in this thread!!

 

[auscyclefan94]

EFIC FAIL ASO!


Lots of TT km's!!!! YAY!!!! Doesn't look like Many MTF's. Also, Menchov won't get invited to the Tour unless Geox goes WT. With the amount of invites they don't have enough room for them.

 

[Tank Engine]

The La Toussoire stage should be interesting, short and very hard. Hope the Pau-Luchon stage is as Descender posted. There's hardly anything flat on there and it ends on a descent . Limoux - Foix looks like a waste of space. Hopefully, it will turn out that there are some reasonable hilly/medium mountain stages. Not convinced by the stage over the Grand Columbier. It'll probably play a similar role to the Massif Central stages this year in allowing GC outsiders a shot at the yellow jersey, especially with a very hard day straight after. Looks like it will be a tour with a lot of vignettes, but few chances of anything really epic.

 

[theyoungest]

Just like they did before this Giro, before this Vuelta indeed

Yeah, because Menchov utterly failed in the Vuelta

(or did you mistake him for Igor Antón)

 

[auscyclefan94]

Which stage are the MTF in the Pyrenees?

 

[roundabout]

Perhaps. But I'm inclined to think Pantani's monster attack on the Galibier on his way to Les Deux Alpes had something to do with it.

On a normal day there's no way he would have lost 9 minutes to Pantani attacking on Galibier.

And in 2012 there would be 5-6 helpers close enough to chase an attacker down Europcar-style.

 

[Cimber]

a prologue and 2 x ITT ! Bye bye Schlecklets

 

[auscyclefan94]

Good route for Cadel's bid for back to back! ACF likes! It will force the climbers to attack at every oportunity now. More mTF"s doesn't necessarily balance racing.

 

[roundabout]

Which stage are the MTF in the Pyrenees?

Are? There's 1. On the stage to Peyragudes.

 

[jens_attacks]

Perhaps. But I'm inclined to think Pantani's monster attack on the Galibier on his way to Les Deux Alpes had something to do with it.

no.even escartin put 7 minutes on him.also 4 minutes julich and boogerd.
it was more about ullrich horrible crack than pantani's magnificent attack

 

[cycladianpirate]

If (and it's a big IF), this is accurate, then I wholeheartedly welcome the lack of a TTT and the inclusion of a second ITT in the race. Having said that, why, in the name of sanity, do ASO continue to put an ITT as the penultimate stage?

Do these halfwits have no sense of drama?

 

[trevim]

The mountain stages might be OK depending on how the best climbers will play their cards there. I mean the biggest MTF gaps in 2009 where on Verbier with a "easy" mountain stage and an "easy" final climb.

What I find disgusting is that stupid thing of letting two weeks of virtually nothing to begin with. I don't like early MTF like Sierra Nevada or Montevergine this year but I mean by the end of the first week we could all use one.

I hope those early stages have some surprises at least to keeps from having the same guys battling it out with Cavendish every day. Battling, I mean, get the 2nd spot. On the bright side, the curse of the rainbow jersey may be cursed for the 3rd year in a row.

So about the usual favourites, this is how I see it:

Contador - I think he would prefer at least one harder MTF to gain some time on Wiggins, Menchov,.... But when on form none of those guys are likely to win a lot from him on a TT and he can be destructive even on the easier MTF.

Shlecks - They shouldn't try this one. Go to the Giro or California and get a GT win.

Sanchez - Same as above. I think he can have better results in the Vuelta or Giro. As for Nieve and Anton....stage wins is the best they can get I think.

Froome - I predict a Velits year.

Wiggins - He seems more focused and with this appealing route this may be his best chance of podium or even winning.

Basso - A triple at the Giro is far more reachable.

Menchov - I hope he gets that silent killer form from the 2009 Giro and contend for the overall.

Nibali - Tricky one.... He has some solid unespectacular TT results but with the easier MTF and some descents he can turn out well here.

Kreuziguer - Go for it. Specially if he gets his TT form back. I had the impression this year was just awfull in this department.

Scarponi - The Giro will be his goal again I guess or maybe a role trade with Damiano.

Damiano - I don't think this is his route.

Krujswik, Mollema, Gesink - Solid TT but I fail to see how any of them would be better than top10.

Martin - Top20 maybe. His climbing has been rather unespectacular since......Ventoux?

Garmins - Who's the one to get in the top10 this year? I'm personally rooting for...Talansky or Klier.

Evans - Solid chance of doing a double. But I would prefer to see him going to any other GT.

Rodriguez - Don't.

Kloden - I hope he gets his early season form for this one.

Leipheimer, Horner, Van den Broeck - I don't much care to be honest.


Oh and a bold prediction: Cavendish for the green jersey

 

[Descender]

The La Toussoire stage should be interesting, short and very hard. Hope the Pau-Luchon stage is as Descender posted. There's hardly anything flat on there and it ends on a descent . Limoux - Foix looks like a waste of space. Hopefully, it will turn out that there are some reasonable hilly/medium mountain stages. Not convinced by the stage over the Grand Columbier. It'll probably play a similar role to the Massif Central stages this year in allowing GC outsiders a shot at the yellow jersey, especially with a very hard day straight after. Looks like it will be a tour with a lot of vignettes, but few chances of anything really epic.

It doesn't necessarily have to be. That stage might go with Pailheres

+

Col de Port

+ the last 3kms of the Col de Perègue

then a descent to the finish. There's room for damage there.

 

[Descender]

no.even escartin put 7 minutes on him.also 4 minutes julich and boogerd.
it was more about ullrich horrible crack than pantani's magnificent attack

I know that, I'm not saying Ullrich didn't crack, that is obvious. All I'm saying is if Pantani hadn't attacked Ullrich might not have cracked. You have to shake the basket in order for some apples to fall off.

 

[hrotha]

no.even escartin put 7 minutes on him.also 4 minutes julich and boogerd.
it was more about ullrich horrible crack than pantani's magnificent attack

The point is that Pantani and Escartín put Ullrich at his physical and psychological level, and made him crack, by going all out early.

Ullrich's team wasn't too shabby, by the way, but Kelme had good domestiques and made use of them.

 

[roundabout]

Ullrich survived multiple days where there was racing from a long way out. Just because he cracked once doesn't mean that it should be a template for all future Tours to take.

 

[killswitch]

If (and it's a big IF), this is accurate, then I wholeheartedly welcome the lack of a TTT and the inclusion of a second ITT in the race. Having said that, why, in the name of sanity, do ASO continue to put an ITT as the penultimate stage?

This. After the ITT there should be something like a HC climb MTF and multiple mountain stage with a descent finish before the procession into Paris.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I know that, I'm not saying Ullrich didn't crack, that is obvious. All I'm saying is if Pantani hadn't attacked Ullrich might not have cracked. You have to shake the basket in order for some apples to fall off.

At the moment Pantani attacks, Ullrich was already done. Take a look at the video again, when Pantani attacks, you can see how Ullrich tries to accelerate but has simply no power at all in his legs. He constantly lost time from this point to the finish. of course the fact that he had a technical and didn't wear a rain jacket on the decent mad ethings even worse.

 

[trevim]

Ullrich survived multiple days where there was racing from a long way out. Just because he cracked once doesn't mean that it should be a template for all future Tours to take.

Couldn't agree more. It's so unfair to judge a guy on the day he cracked and don't remember he spent days and days with the elite groups.....

I just find amazing is how they don't crack more often on those mountains and even on the flats with brutal pace

 

[Descender]

Ullrich survived multiple days where there was racing from a long way out. Just because he cracked once doesn't mean that it should be a template for all future Tours to take.

As if that is the only instance where long-range attacks have resulted in epic stages or satisfactory outcomes...

 

[Descender]

Couldn't agree more. It's so unfair to judge a guy on the day he cracked and don't remember he spent days and days with the elite groups.....

I just find amazing is how they don't crack more often on those mountains and even on the flats with brutal pace

You know what's unfair? Judging posters out of personal subjective interpretations.

 

[woodenswan]

a prologue and 2 x ITT ! Bye bye Schlecklets

hehe exactly
so happy it will begin w a prologue and not a bloody ttt. those things annoy the hell out of me
on the other hand Vino shouting at Stangelj (was it him? im not sure) and striking his thighs in the 2010 giro was certainly a sight to remember

 

[roundabout]

As if that is the only instance where long-range attacks have resulted in epic stages or satisfactory outcomes...

You are free to list all the occasions...