Tour 2012: Route Rumours / Our wishes

[washoezephyr1]

Hopefully a prologue in Liege will be long enough to create a selection. I'd like a first week TTT that would be 40K and feature sharp rolling hills with technical turns and require precise team work over pure brut power, rode on standard road bikes, (should be long enough to change the GC). The formal TT should be 55K loop over rolling terrain. The Pyranees should have 2 MTF, one with the classic 5 pass route. The Alpes should feature climbs that haven't been used in years, with 2 MTF's over 200K. Hoping for a safer event next year.

 

[Zoncolan]

2014 might start in Qatar, just heard on TV. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2014-tour-de-france-could-start-in-qatar

 

[jsem94]

2014 might start in Qatar, just heard on TV. Anyone has a link for the same story?

It's on CN.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Prologue on trainers in space

 

[Aguirre]

- prologue, 6 km

-TTT, of 30 km

- A hilly stage in Mezieres à la Criterium International

- Cobbles, a la Tour de Flandes ( a bit)

- To avoid classical mountains

- Bring Vosgues, maybe stage finish at Ballon d'alsace, after other cols

-Also another stage in Jura, downhill

- Alps; 2 stages, one downhill arriving gto Chambery (with Mont revard and others) + ITT Uphill (25 km) suggestions; Courchevel, Chamrousse, Morzine Avoriaz

- 1 hard Stage in "Macizo Central", 230 km, downhill

- 2 stages in Pyrinnees: 1) Bales, Peyresourde, Val Louron, Sant Lary Soulan...
- Basque stage, Soudet, Larrau, Bagargui, Burdinkurutzeta (there are others) arriving to Saint Jean de Pie de Port

ITT, flat 60 km

 

[guncha]

No bonus seconds - it is the race about best time overall and not about seconds which were not earned.
No uphill ITT - usually there are less mountain stages because of that. It is more fun to watch 5 hour stage.
30km TTT + 50km ITT or 25km ITT + 45km ITT
Something like Mur de Bretagne in first week.
MTF in Vosges (preferably Champ de Feu - 11km and 7% )
La Toussuire in Alpes should be ok. Maybe downhill finish after Mont Revard the day before.
No Alpe d'Huez in 2012.
Transitional stage in Massif Central.
Pla d'Adet and La Pierre Saint Martin in Pyrenees should be ok. Stage with downhill could also be in Pyrenees.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

- prologue, 6 km

-TTT, of 30 km

- A hilly stage in Mezieres à la Criterium International

- Cobbles, a la Tour de Flandes ( a bit)

- To avoid classical mountains

- Bring Vosgues, maybe stage finish at Ballon d'alsace, after other cols

-Also another stage in Jura, downhill

- Alps; 2 stages, one downhill arriving gto Chambery (with Mont revard and others) + ITT Uphill (25 km) suggestions; Courchevel, Chamrousse, Morzine Avoriaz

- 1 hard Stage in "Macizo Central", 230 km, downhill

- 2 stages in Pyrinnees: 1) Bales, Peyresourde, Val Louron, Sant Lary Soulan...
- Basque stage, Soudet, Larrau, Bagargui, Burdinkurutzeta (there are others) arriving to Saint Jean de Pie de Port

ITT, flat 60 km

This is a rumor, not a wish list, correct?

 

[SiAp1984]

bring back one of the most epic stages ever: the 1987 ITT up Ventoux...

+1! I would love to see such a stage.

For some reason, I like the Peyresourdes. And I'd love to see Hautacam back in the race. Oh, and this year, Sestriere was wasted imho. MTF there, please.

Two ITTs should be mandatory in every GT. If they choose not to have a mountain time trial, they should try to include one real loong (and rather flat) monster (~100 km) and one shorter (but not under 35) hilly ITT.

Cobbles are great, but I think wind-influenced stages near the coast are even more exciting- with (maybe) fewer crashes...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sestrières isn't a very good MTF unless you do Finestre first. Pra Martino after Sestrières puts some hurt in the legs worked very well for the Giro, and it worked well for the Tour too.

I want a southern Alpine stage Embrun-Barcelonnette over Allos, Champs and looping back over Cayolle with a descent finish. Followed by a start in Jausiers over the Col de la Bonette, followed by Col St. Martin (16,5km, 6,2%), Col de Turini (15,3km, 7,2%) and then a finish either on the easier Col des Braus (10,4km, 6,2% or 11,3km, 5,7% depending on which side, both are options) or a descent finish in L'Escarène/Sospel (depending on which side you chose), or even heading all the way down to Menton. You could even put an MTF on Mont Agel if you descended in to Monaco.

Follow that with a 50km hilly ITT down the Côte d'Azur.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Do some classic finishes: Via Roma, Mur de Huy, Roubaix Velodrome (only possible on ITT), Paris Tours finish (although it's a new one this year), ...

 

[Bala Verde]

2 stages on one day, i.e. a 50-70k flat sprint stage followed by an ITT. So they don't waste 2 perfectly good racing days; A Long TTT so it actually matters for GC. Some tough, but shorter mountain stages, so riders could potentially ride more agressively; This year's "ardennes-classics" finishes were quite exciting, so they are keepers; at least one stage with lots of wind and therefore a high probability for echelons. A finish on a long and somewhat technical descent to allow descenders to gain time; some unvisited/new mountains; type 'strade bianche' stage; sprint stages with massive headwinds/cross winds on broad roads or a sprint stage crit-style, with several laps on a technical (read: not dangerous) or hilly course.

A finish on a cyclocross course.... (J/K)

 

[thehog]

2 stages on one day, i.e. a 50-70k flat sprint stage followed by an ITT. So they don't waste 2 perfectly good racing days; A Long TTT so it actually matters for GC. Some tough, but shorter mountain stages, so riders could potentially ride more agressively; This year's "ardennes-classics" finishes were quite exciting, so they are keepers; at least one stage with lots of wind and therefore a high probability for echelons. A finish on a long and somewhat technical descent to allow descenders to gain time; some unvisited/new mountains; type 'strade bianche' stage; sprint stages with massive headwinds/cross winds on broad roads or a sprint stage crit-style, with several laps on a technical (read: not dangerous) or hilly course.

A finish on a cyclocross course.... (J/K)

Can't remember which race it was now but it was in France and they did a TTT up a 10km climb with the time taken for the top 3 across the line. It was great. Plenty of tactics involved getting the sprinters up the hill in the early part.

 

[Publicus]

Actually I would love them to bring back time bonuses

Agreed. It would encourage more racing IMO.

 

[Fus087]

Can't remember which race it was now but it was in France and they did a TTT up a 10km climb with the time taken for the top 3 across the line. It was great. Plenty of tactics involved getting the sprinters up the hill in the early part.

It was the 2004 Tour Méditerranéen, up the Mont Faron.

 

[jobiwan]

This site is putting all the pieces together on the 2012 route, but it's still just based on all the rumors.

Link

 

[Aguirre]

I predict Pyrinnees: stage in Foix (some climbs, like Agnes) downhill

Then, Bales-Peyresourde-Val Louron/Azet-S. Lary-Pla d'adet (200 km) super tough

another stage arriving to Jaca (Spain) with maybe Marie Blanque and Somport

then Pamplona-Arette (Pierre Saint Martin), with some small colls, then Burdinkuruchta-Bagargui-Pierre Saint Martin

there are other tough unkown climbs for this combination

4 stages overall

 

[just some guy]

Andyand Fränk may not be happy with stage 3 TTT with Cobbles if Jobiwan link is correct, Samu either or Tommy V if fact most GC guys except Wiggins and Evans maybe.

if fact the only team that would be really Happy would be BMC and Sky if Wiggins rides be a great Stage if its 50-60 km as well.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

VDB felt very good on the cobbles last year, and he'll probably stay with lotto. So he won't be displeased...

 

[jobiwan]

Andyand Fränk may not be happy with stage 3 TTT with Cobbles if Jobiwan link is correct, Samu either or Tommy V if fact most GC guys except Wiggins and Evans maybe.

if fact the only team that would be really Happy would be BMC and Sky if Wiggins rides be a great Stage if its 50-60 km as well.

Well I doubt any of the favorites would be too happy about a cobbled TTT, but as they showed in the TTT this year and Andy in the cobbly stage last year, all it takes is sitting behind Spartacus and he'll tow you to a good time.

If the Cobbly TTT were true, Leopard would do well to get a couple of other cobbled guy, if not for a TTT then just for Canc's spring classic hopes.

 

[just some guy]

VDB felt very good on the cobbles last year, and he'll probably stay with lotto. So he won't be displeased...

True but what will Lotto have in the way of classic guys left? But I guess they will always have some or the country will turn against them.

 

[The Hitch]

This site is putting all the pieces together on the 2012 route, but it's still just based on all the rumors.

Link

That route looks awfully similar to 2010.

Prologue. Stage 3 cobbles.

3 Alpe stages - 2 decent ones.

The end could be identical. Decent mountain stage in Pyranees followed by Moutain stage to Pau where last mountain is 60k out followed by main MTF, followed by sprint to Bordeaux followed by single long tt followed by Paris proccession.

TTT cobbles would be an absolute disgrace btw.

Samu probably wont ride thankfully, so anyone with a "your only saying this because Samu would lose" line, save it. But riders will therefore be judged at how good their 5th rider is at going over cobbles.

I mean someone like Cancellara will be getting a time 5 minutes down on riders he is far better than on cobbles.

 

[just some guy]

Well I doubt any of the favorites would be too happy about a cobbled TTT, but as they showed in the TTT this year and Andy in the cobbly stage last year, all it takes is sitting behind Spartacus and he'll tow you to a good time.

If the Cobbly TTT were true, Leopard would do well to get a couple of other cobbled guy, if not for a TTT then just for Canc's spring classic hopes.

I sill think than Andy and Fränk minds do more damage than the stages sometimes - Of Course Fabian is one of the best but a TTT on Cobbles different story a team could lose the tour. EE will not be happy

 

[jobiwan]

I sill think than Andy and Fränk minds do more damage than the stages sometimes - Of Course Fabian is one of the best but a TTT on Cobbles different story a team could lose the tour. EE will not be happy

Yeah, I can't really see this being good at all for a lot of teams. Maybe this TTT would only have maybe one sector of cobbles, if any at all.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

True but what will Lotto have in the way of classic guys left? But I guess they will always have some or the country will turn against them.

They will have a lot. One of the (supposed) reasons for the split is Lotto wanted to focus on Belgian market, Omega Pharma on a more international market...

 

[Dead Star]

Do some classic finishes: Via Roma, Mur de Huy, Roubaix Velodrome (only possible on ITT), Paris Tours finish (although it's a new one this year), ...

Just read the Roubaix Velodrome ITT. Awesome idea. It'd be a good homage to the past with the velodrome finale and would be feasible if it's a TT. TTT would be even better