Tour 2014 Route Rumours

[JRanton]

Apparently he was very bored.

I think it was more over confidence and also the fact that they were annoyed at the criticism of them riding like robots and their counter attacking ''catenaccio'' tactics on MTF's earlier in the season. Of course when Quintana rides like that (Semnoz, Burgos yesterday) it is described as a wonderful and beautiful thing.

 

[JRanton]

Let's keep this thread relevant to the 2014 route.

Apologies.

 

[l.Harm]

That is not ideal.

Assuming this is close, however, there wouldn't be too many sprinting stages. It looks to me like we would get 7 mountain stages (including PDBF), two hilly stages (three if you count stage 1, which we should), one cobbled, three time trials.

So only 7 potential sprints. And surely they will put some difficulty into these days.

It has been said before, but I will say it again. Stage 2 is a thing of beauty. Ripe for carnage.

So I am optimistic about the Tour.

What is special about the second stage?

 

[Linkinito]

What is special about the second stage?

It's a little Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

The very end of the profile might be false (final 5 km).

 

[BigMac]

It's a little Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

The very end of the profile might be false (final 5 km).

According to VeloViwer the last hill of the stage has a section with 33.3%? Awesome.

street view

 

[murali]

Will the tour again be an unbalanced piece of s**t?

I just hope they go for a mountain stage for the penultimate stage, instead of another stupid TT (unless it has a cat 1+ climb).

 

[Bexon30]

I'm talking about Stage 4 and onwards, from July 8 to July 25. Because we already know the first three stages.

Basically, it seems that the shape of the route will close to the 2012 one.

Fourth stage may start from Le Touquet, and might be a time trial. It's also pretty sure a stage will feature some cobbled sections à la Paris-Roubaix. Lille should also get a stage start.
The next stages should go east to commemorate the first World War, having started 100 years ago. Rumours talk about finishes and starts in Belgium (Ypres), in the plain of Bouvines, and also Verdun.

The end of the first week should take place in the Vosgian mountains with another MTF at La Planche des Belles Filles. There will be probably only one stage in the Vosges, and it could go through the Ballon d'Alsace before the stage finish at La Planche. The city of Arbois, expressed his interest for a stage start.

Also, it's pretty sure that the rest days will be on tuesdays, as July 14 is a monday and there wasn't a rest day on July 14 during many years. The race could go towards Saint-Étienne, as another Time Trial could take place.

Then there would come the Alps stages, and three MTFs are rumored (but I think only two will make it): Plateau des Glières, Chamrousse, and Risoul. Risoul is nearly 100% sure and it will be probably a stage starting from Grenoble. Another MTF rumored was La Rosière but it's highly unlikely considering its position. Then a transition stage between Tallard and Nîmes was also talked about. The route should go towards the area of Toulouse before the first stage in the Pyrénées.

The Pyrénées have four things that are nearly confirmed:
- Stage finish at Saint-Lary-Soulan or Pla d'Adet
- Comeback of Pau
- Tourmalet on the route (probably Hautacam)
- No stage finish in Ariège (so no Ax-3-Domaines or Plateau de Beille)

Then a stage going to Bordeaux is rumored, the usual TT 24 hours before the finish in Paris. However, some people are believing there could be an ITT in Paris on the very last day, as it would mark the 25 years of the 1989 ITT that permitted LeMond to win the Tour for 8 seconds over Fignon.

So here's what we can have. There's not so much information on the route right now and we'll get more in the following weeks until the reveal on October 23rd. Some stages are purely guesses.

Saturday, July 5 - Stage 1: Leeds - Harrogate
Sunday, July 6 - Stage 2: York - Sheffield
Monday, July 7 - Stage 3: Cambridge - London
Tuesday, July 8 - Stage 4: Le Touquet - ? (TT?)
Wednesday, July 9 - Stage 5: Lille - ?
Thursday, July 10 - Stage 6: ? - ?
Friday, July 11 - Stage 7: ? - Verdun
Saturday, July 12 - Stage 8: ? - ?
Sunday, July 13 - Stage 9: ? - La Planche des Belles Filles (MTF)
Monday, July 14 - Stage 10: Arbois - ?
Tuesday, July 15 - Rest day
Wednesday, July 16 - Stage 11: Saint-Étienne - Saint-Étienne (ITT)
Thursday, July 17 - Stage 12: ? - Plateau des Glières (MTF)
Friday, July 18 - Stage 13: ? - Grenoble/Chamrousse? (MTF?)
Saturday, July 19 - Stage 14: Grenoble - Risoul (MTF)
Sunday, July 20 - Stage 15: Tallard - Nîmes
Monday, July 21 - Rest day
Tuesday, July 22 - Stage 16: ? - Toulouse
Wednesday, July 23 - Stage 17: ? - Pla d'Adet (MTF)
Thursday, July 24 - Stage 18: ? - ?
Friday, July 25 - Stage 19: Pau - Hautacam (MTF)
Saturday, July 26 - Stage 20: ? - Bordeaux (ITT)
Sunday, July 27 - Stage 21: ? - Paris Champs-Élysées (ITT here if not on S20?)

Could the Chamrousse stage use the Granier/col de Coq or Cucheron also? Seems like most of the Chamrousse climb from St-Martin-d'Uriage has been resurfaced very recently. It's a good climb but not steep. I would love the Mont du Chat from Le-Bourget-du-Lac to be included as a mtf if at all possible. It'd be carnage all the way up!! With huge time gaps.

 

[Linkinito]

Could the Chamrousse stage use the Granier/col de Coq or Cucheron also? Seems like most of the Chamrousse climb from St-Martin-d'Uriage has been resurfaced very recently. It's a good climb but not steep. I would love the Mont du Chat from Le-Bourget-du-Lac to be included as a mtf if at all possible. It'd be carnage all the way up!! With huge time gaps.

It's only a matter of time until ASO rediscovers the Mont du Chat. They're going around these last years (Grand Colombier, Semnoz, Revard, Glières rumored).
Anyway, in today's news, Gérardmer is strongly foreseen for a stage finish on July 12.

 

[barmaher]

It's only a matter of time until ASO rediscovers the Mont du Chat. They're going around these last years (Grand Colombier, Semnoz, Revard, Glières rumored).
Anyway, in today's news, Gérardmer is strongly foreseen for a stage finish on July 12.

That is encouraging. So it is likely that there will be a stage in the Vosges. Gerardmer is near the top of the Col de La Shlucht. Long and not too steep, but lots of possibilities for this stage.

With 2/3 hilly stages, a cobbled stage (or two)), a and La Planche des Belles Filles in the first 9 days, I don't think the route looks unbalanced as it currently shapes up.

 

[bunnyhop]

It's a little Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

The very end of the profile might be false (final 5 km).

rain please!

and Nibbles+Sagan carnage

 

[airstream]

Something promts me whatever route would be offer it will balanced for Froome. The more MTFs - the better. The more TT's - omg...

 

[barmaher]

A few hilly stages in the Vosges, Yorkshire, etc. would be our best bet.

One can dream of the train being derailed on a profile like this.

/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_

 

[airstream]

Lol. What train? Has the Tour learnt anyone?

 

[barmaher]

I saw a train a few times on the Tour. Admittedly, when it disappeared, it didn't seem to bother Froome.

 

[Linkinito]

I saw a train a few times on the Tour. Admittedly, when it disappeared, it didn't seem to bother Froome.

Cause in stage 9, the train changed its color from blue and black to green and dark blue.

 

[Arredondo]

I really hope they will gonna tackle the Iseran or Izoard again. I'm getting a little bit fat up with Tourmalet or Alpe d'Huez. Semnoz this year was fantastic (of course because of the GC standings)

 

[Linkinito]

I really hope they will gonna tackle the Iseran or Izoard again. I'm getting a little bit fat up with Tourmalet or Alpe d'Huez. Semnoz this year was fantastic (of course because of the GC standings)

Izoard is 99% sure (stage finish in Risoul). Tourmalet however is 100% sure (Prudhomme promised it would be back in 2014 after seeing the Pyrénées being flooded in June).

Anyway, there's tons of news regarding hotel bookings:
- Reims on the 10th
- Nancy on the 11th
- Epinal, Colmar on the 12th
- Belfort on the 13th
- Besançon on the 14th and 15th
- Mâcon, Bourg-en-Bresse on the 16th
- Saint-Etienne on the 17th
- Grenoble on the 18th
- Gap, Sisteron on the 19th
- Carcassonne on the 20th and 21st
- Luchon on the 22nd
- Pau on the 23rd and 24th
- Périgueux on the 25th and 26th.

 

[Linkinito]

I updated the first post. This is pretty much how the 2014 will look like. The stages are mostly pure guesses (but are based on hotel bookings and candidate cities), but you can expect something like this.

 

[Eshnar]

According to Tuttosport there will be a MTF to Sestriere, after Iseran, Galibier and Montgenevre

 

[Ferminal]

That would be epic, but doesn't seem very ASO. A 220km stage from B-SM, too hard. Or maybe it would be half Iseran like 2007 Doesn't seem compatible with the existing rumours either.

 

[roundabout]

A homage to Armstrong. Nice

Edit: there was a rumor of the finish in Rosiere which would have been compatible with the Sestriere stage, but I think that's off the table

 

[Poursuivant]

Isnt there usually a man who runs a site or blog who correctly predicts every year what the stages will be? I think he goes off the cities that are staging the stages.

 

[McLovin]

There are at least 2. velopeloton, owned by a guy who lives in Pyrenees, near Lourdes, and velowire, owned by a guy named Thomas (I think he is from Paris). They usually post the final route a few days, sometimes weeks before the official presentation. Sometimes letour.fr post the route a week before the presentation (see 2012 route)

 

[airstream]

The stage to honor a 15 year anniversary of Lance's win? Hell, it's genial!

 

[Poursuivant]

There are at least 2. velopeloton, owned by a guy who lives in Pyrenees, near Lourdes, and velowire, owned by a guy named Thomas (I think he is from Paris). They usually post the final route a few days, sometimes weeks before the official presentation. Sometimes letour.fr post the route a week before the presentation (see 2012 route)

Thought so, thanks