Tour 2014 Route Rumours

[Pentacycle]

I cannot find any results on Froome doing P-R on CQRanking (and they normally include DNFs) so I am not sure from where Arredondo has this information...

He might be confused with Gent Wevelgem

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

no, that day will be one of the most dangerous and tense stage of the last few years
i just imagine the madness on this forum IF froome looses contact from the front group or has a flat... whoah

will be even more madness than last years wind stage which was awesome

 

[Arredondo]

I cannot find any results on Froome doing P-R on CQRanking (and they normally include DNFs) so I am not sure from where Arredondo has this information...

look at this picture;

And the startlist of PR 2008, Froome had number 235

http://ftp.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/apr08/roubaix08/?id=startlist

He abandonded, but no site had seen that

 

[movingtarget]

ah, my bad then I didn't know that

Neither did I which gives him some experience on the cobbles unlike some of his opposition.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

those diadora shoes he has on are horrible

 

[karlboss]

Thinking out loud. Under "normal" circumstances no Fuente De, no crosswinds, GC contenders wait for and make and lose time only in MTFs and TTs.

Favourites going in Froome, Nibali, Contador, Valverde is there anyone else worth mentioning? Assuming that the others are on their best form from the last 2 years I'd say.
Route includes the one time trial at 54km. I'll run with Froome, 2:00, Nibali, 30sec, Contador/Valverde.
MTF 1 stage 8 1.8km at 10.3% seconds only. Valverde, Nibali, Contador, Froome.
MTF 2 stage 10 5.9km at 8.5% Froome 30 seconds
MTF 3 stage 13 18.2km at 7.3% Froome 1.00 to 1:30
MTF 4 stage 14 12.6km at 6.9% Froome 30 seconds
MTF 5 stage 17 10.2km at 8.3% Froome 1:30
MTF 6 stage 18 13.6km at 7.8% 1:30
So total is about 7 minutes. Of course it wouldn't be 7 minutes as if Froome has 2 minutes after stage 13 I suspect he'd attempt to cruise and only take seconds here and there until the TT.
I know I have over simplified, but have I over or underestimated? If someone was to beat Froome, do you think it is more likely to be one of the three mentioned or Oscar Pereiro, who is Oscar Pereiro in 2014? Rui Costa perhaps?

 

[roundabout]

Time schedules are out

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/fr/parcours-general.html

Nice and punchy 4th cat at 5.5 km to go on stage 7

Hard to predict stage to Oyonnax

Underwhelming stage to Saint-Etienne. The last climb is long (over 10km) but not steep at all. Would need a Cannondale special to make the stage interesting.

Obvious sprint stages

1, 3, 4, 6, 15, 19, 21

Maybe sprint

7, 11, 12

 

[coimbrawu]

PCS has reveal profiles for all stages:
stage 1:

final kms:

stage 2:

stage 3:

 

[coimbrawu]

stage 4:

stage 5: we all know it for cobble sections

stage 6:

stage 7:

final kms:

 

[coimbrawu]

stage 8:

final kms:

stage 9:

stage 10:

 

[coimbrawu]

stage 11:

final kms:

stage 12:

stage 13:

 

[coimbrawu]

stage 14:

stage 15:

stage 16:

stage 17 Pla d'Adet MTF
stage 18 Hautacam MTF

stage 19:

 

[coimbrawu]

finally
stage 20 ITT

a decent profile for a 54km ITT

 

[gooner]

Thanks for that.

Yes, that TT looks a promising and testing one.

Overall, I like this route.

 

[penzos]

Although a long one, the tt shouldn't provide huge gaps on the given profile and probably twisty and narrow roads. Very nice.
And overall a very nice route. Offers plenty of opportunities.

 

[observer]

cool! looks like a great route. It's got some downhill finishes, chances for the breakaway, some hilly stuff, some stages where the leaders might have to chase hard and some interesting TTs.

looks good.

 

[l.Harm]

Best route in years?! Less opportunities for sprinters than usual. Or making life difficult for them with bumps at the end.

 

[Cimber]

Nice looking TT. Especially if you mix in some rain.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Best route in years, but the riders must deliver.
May the concept continue.

 

[barmaher]

I was already impressed with the route, but I had hoped for a tiny bit more into Oyonnax (harder beginning) and Saint-Etienne (harder finale).

But I am nitpicking; it is a great route. Realistically, if they had improved the stage to Hautacam, I would be over the moon.

As said above, up to the riders.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Very happy with that route, best one in years. Also not a totally flat TT is good too although only 1 little hill.

Stage 2 in Yorkshire will be brutal with some great little climbs, having the Jenkin Road climb with just 5km's to go could force some nice little gaps with the last 80k's full of tests.

 

[veji11]

Very solid route.. Would have replaced one MTF or two with downhill arrivals (well at least we get one in Bagnère de Luchon, as opposed to none in some other GTs...), but overall a very good route that could prove very taxing to controle. The 3 days in the Vosges are awesome and the stages in Nancy, Oyonnax, St Etienne and even Bergerac should have enjoy the good ole classic breakaway versus Peloton suspens.

 

[Afrank]

Yep, it's a good route. So far with the Giro going the way it has I pray the riders make full use of it.

 

[Netserk]

Yep most of it is good, though it still has a flat stage as the first, only one ITT and most mountain stages (read: the last two MTFs) are crap.

 

[BigMac]

Yes good route. The stage to Risoul is the most promising in terms of GC. It will be Galibier 2011 Déjà vu except it will not be Andy Schleck attacking.