Tour de France 2013

[The Hitch]

There were Pyrenees in 2009?

 

[scullster46]

I'm still holding out hope for a Puy de Dome finish to celebrate the 100th tour. I seem to remember an article saying that they have the infrastructure to make a mtf there possible. Really all i want is something different, the tour hasn't been very original lately.

 

[rghysens]

Could be 2009-like in terms of route direction. Pyrenees and then a transfer somewhere else.

Although I would prefer to see a stage to Carpentras over the Ventoux somewhere in the first week before the Pyrenees.

why not: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=718061&postcount=305

 

[roundabout]

I'm still holding out hope for a Puy de Dome finish to celebrate the 100th tour. I seem to remember an article saying that they have the infrastructure to make a mtf there possible. Really all i want is something different, the tour hasn't been very original lately.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway_of_Puy_de_Dôme

Unfortunately it seems that there will be even less room

why not: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=718061&postcount=305

Indeed. That's precisely the kind of stage I was thinking of.

 

[McLovin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_railway_of_Puy_de_Dôme

Unfortunately it seems that there will be even less room

I'm telling you, it's not more road on Galibier than what I see in that picture.

 

[roundabout]

The more I look at the pictures the more I agree with you.

http://www.survoldefrance.fr/photos/highdef/0/399.jpg

 

[scullster46]

They don't necessarily have to have the podium ceremonies and stuff at the top if their isn't enough room. They did that for the tt at USPCC this year, and had the podium ceremonies at the start. Although the USPCC isn't the tour de france...

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Yea they could have the ceremonies where the buses are park on that pic or not

 

[craig1985]

Riders using trains to gain advantage...

Get a flat tyre? Change it yourself. Problem with the bike? Fix it yourself. Require any assistance for your bike problem? Time penalty for every second of assistance that you receive.

Heard Vino is going to plan to ride the 2013 TDF and will still crush all.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Yea they could have the ceremonies where the buses are park on that pic or not

Or at or near the top, if they really want to. There's enough space for a Ventoux or Galibier type of stage finish. Prudhomme has always said it was a priority, so maybe there's local opposition?

 

[craig1985]

Weren't they building a railroad up to the summit of the Puy? IIRC it is actually illegal to ride up there ATM.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Weren't they building a railroad up to the summit of the Puy? IIRC it is actually illegal to ride up there ATM.

We're talking about 2013, though. The railroad won't be a problem when it's finished. The road will be smaller than before, but still big enough for the Tour.

Also, if the road is not open to the public, they could still open it up specifically for the Tour. It's only a problem if you make it a problem.

 

[McLovin]

So today the first big day. Anyone knows what hour? At noon as usual?

 

[Lupetto]

1st STAGE
Saturday 29th june
Porto-vecchio > Bastia : 200 km

The start of the 100th edition of the Tour de France will take place on the port of Porto-Vecchio. The peloton will head to the south of the island to the outskirts of Bonifacio and after passing through Porto-Vecchio again, it will go north on the east coast road which leads to Bastia.
This stage will be on flat ground without any major difficulties. Before they embark on the final stretch, the riders may have time to glance at the Roman remains of Mariana. The finish line will be marked out on the lagoon road, along the Lake Biguglia Nature Reserve.

2nd stage
Sunday 30th june
Bastia > Ajaccio : 155 km

The magnificent Place Saint-Nicolas, one of the biggest squares in Europe, will be the setting for the start of the 2nd stage. The riders will then pass in front of Furiani Stadium, the Mecca of Corsican football, and head south again. Things will start to get more complicated after Corte, on the steep roads in the centre of the island. The Cols de Bellagranajo (723 m), de la Serra (807 m) and de Vizzavona (1,163 m) will have to be climbed in particular, without forgetting the ascent of the steep slope of Monte Salario, ten kilometres from the finish. It will be judged on the headland of La Parata, with the majestic scenery of the Îles Sanguinaires as a backdrop.


3rd STAGE
Monday 1st July
Ajaccio > Calvi : 145 km

The third act of the “Grand Départ” (Official Race Start) in Corsica will unfold on the Place Moit, beside the beach and the Mediterranean Sea.
The peloton will then go along the west coast of the island and head north on the winding roads which cross, in particular, the magnificent creeks of Piana, a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. Like the day before, hilly landscapes will also be featured on the route, with the Col de San Bastiano (415 m) at kilometre fifteen, and then further on, the Cols de Lava (498 m), de Palmarella (374 m) and de Marsolino (443 m). The finish of the stage will take place on the road from Calenzana to Calvi.

 

[Ferminal]

I started tracing out the profiles, but there's not really much point.

Stage 1: Dead flat the entire way
Stage 2: A couple of easy climbs (Cat 2s or 3s) then Vizzavona 40km before the finish.
Stage 3: First two climbs are nothing, third is a false flat and the final climb will leave the punchuers with 15km to survive.

Realistically we could have three fairly large bunch sprints.

 

[roundabout]

I started tracing out the profiles, but there's not really much point.

Stage 1: Dead flat the entire way
Stage 2: A couple of easy climbs (Cat 2s or 3s) then Vizzavona 40km before the finish.
Stage 3: First two climbs are nothing, third is a false flat and the final climb will leave the punchuers with 15km to survive.

Realistically we could have three fairly large bunch sprints.

There's the Côte du Salario now on stage 2 to foil the sprinters. Although I am a bit uncertain as to where exactly the finish will be and what route they will take in the final 20 km.

 

[Ferminal]

There's the Côte du Salario now on stage 2 to foil the sprinters. Although I am a bit uncertain as to where exactly the finish will be and what route they will take in the final 20 km.

Oh, I didn't read that far

I'm not quite sure what this means on stage 3:

The finish of the stage will take place on the road from Calenzana to Calvi.

I'm not sure if this means the main road into Calvi or if they head to Calenzana and taking a left. If it's the latter they would have another little climb to negotiate before the finish.

 

[roundabout]

I am leaning to something like this in the final 20k on the stage to Ajaccio/La Parata

Although I'd prefer something like this instead even if it seems very unlikely from the description

 

[Ferminal]

Although I'd prefer something like this instead even if it seems very unlikely from the description

I was looking at that in the opposite direction, either way would be a very hard finish.

Edit, ah i see they have to go your way to finish at La Parata.

 

[roundabout]

Another good thing is that the stage to Calvi doesn't seem to finish in Calvi and is 10km shorter than rumored so the final climb (Marsolino) is closer to the end (maybe about 10km from the finish now).

I expected a bit more but it's a flat stage, a stage where sprinters would have to work for it and a stage where sprinters won't have a lot of chances (similar to the stage Lastras won in the Vuelta this year IMO)

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Oh, I didn't read that far

I'm not quite sure what this means on stage 3:

The finish of the stage will take place on the road from Calenzana to Calvi.

I'm not sure if this means the main road into Calvi or if they head to Calenzana and taking a left. If it's the latter they would have another little climb to negotiate before the finish.

The map seems to indicate the latter, but may not be accurate, of course. The climb is called Bocca di Neraghia; a 4th category climb followed by a plateau of about 1 kilometer and then a gradual descent, I guess.

 

[roundabout]

http://www.velochrono.fr/actu/2011/en-corse-le-tour-aura-un-gout-de-giro/

So Salario is a wall of 6-700 meters at 13% (20% max) and Marsolino is 3.5km @ 8% with 1400 meters over 10% with 13km to the finish.

Looks ok.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

http://www.velochrono.fr/actu/2011/en-corse-le-tour-aura-un-gout-de-giro/

More than 4000 meters of altitude gain in the third stage? Not sure if I believe that.

 

[gustienordic]

If this keeps up, the 2013 Tour route will start to look like the 2011 Giro route! I'm anticipating lots of climbing...

 

[McLovin]

If this keeps up, the 2013 Tour route will start to look like the 2011 Giro route! I'm anticipating lots of climbing...

I hope not a lot of Tourmalet with 50k to go.