Tour de France 2013

[Sylvester]

The route presentation is in three months. It is still long way to go. As of now it looks like that after three stages in Corsica, TTT in Nice, two flat stages Le Tour might climb Ventoux in stage 7. However, it is not clear whether it will be MTF or stage with decent. If they climb Ventoux via traditional Bedoin then snooze-fest is guaranteed because closest towns (Orange, Carpetnras or Avignon) are 40km+ after the top of Ventoux…

Really?

 

[McLovin]

closest towns (Orange, Carpetnras or Avignon) are 40km+ after the top of Ventoux…

Stay calm, they will put the finish in Marseille, with a 'boucle' around the city,

 

[Magnus]

Start using some of the mountains you never use, or haven't used in years.

This year they have introduced Planches des Belles Filles, Mur de Peguere and Gd Colombier.

 

[Magnus]

I don't think ASO use enough of the Vosges mountains. There are plenty of tough climbs in that region such as the Ballon d'Alsace or the Grand ballon. They could have MTF's on either of those and have an entertaining stage on climbs that haven't been used for a while.

Plenty of tough climbs?

You could do something like

St Die des Vosges -> Col de Sainte Marie -> Col du Pré de Raves -> Anoud -> Xonrupt Longemer -> Col de la Schlucht -> Munster -> Col du Platzerwasel -> Markstein -> Kruth -> Moosch -> Grand Ballon -> Willer sur Than -> Col du Hundsruck -> Ballon d'Alsace

That is 225 km and 5200 height meters. It could be a cool stage but it uses more or less all the tough climbs in the Vosges (save for Ballon de Servance and Col des Chevreres). It's not like the alps where you could make more than 10 tough mountain stages without reusing terrain. (Edit: of course there's also Petit Ballon but it would probably take some work to get the roads in condition suitable for the TdF)

 

[Ferminal]

Not looking great, PdB rumoured

 

[auscyclefan94]

Plenty of tough climbs?

You could do something like

St Die des Vosges -> Col de Sainte Marie -> Col du Pré de Raves -> Anoud -> Xonrupt Longemer -> Col de la Schlucht -> Munster -> Col du Platzerwasel -> Markstein -> Kruth -> Moosch -> Grand Ballon -> Willer sur Than -> Col du Hundsruck -> Ballon d'Alsace

That is 225 km and 5200 height meters. It could be a cool stage but it uses more or less all the tough climbs in the Vosges (save for Ballon de Servance and Col des Chevreres). It's not like the alps where you could make more than 10 tough mountain stages without reusing terrain. (Edit: of course there's also Petit Ballon but it would probably take some work to get the roads in condition suitable for the TdF)

You have supported my point, thanks.

This year they have introduced Planches des Belles Filles, Mur de Peguere and Gd Colombier.

The last two climbs you have listed were not used very well and the first climb eliminated a lot of riders, but it wasn't overly difficult to create some time real time gaps considering that a group of 4 came to the finish together and people like Taaramae, Roche and even Cancellara did relatively well.

 

[bangnz]

Was chatting with some riding mates and we all thought how different the tour would be without team radios or power metres and what better time than the 100th edition.. Pure Chaos

 

[LaFlorecita]

Was chatting with some riding mates and we all thought how different the tour would be without team radios or power metres and what better time than the 100th edition.. Pure Chaos

+1000000000 I hate calculated riding.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I hope that the Tour does a route that will be surprising and create a spectacle. Take away the mundane crap. Maybe an ITT in Paris?

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

I hope that the Tour does a route that will be surprising and create a spectacle. Take away the mundane crap. Maybe an ITT in Paris?

Do you think they will ever repeat the ITT down to the Champs-Élysées. I don't think so for fear of tarnishing the 1989 finish.

 

[trevim]

+1000000000 I hate calculated riding.

I wouldn't go that far but I get your point. It's nice to see a team riding within their limits showing control on the peloton. But that thing of riding looking at the watts should be forbidden, that's not cycling as far as I'm concerned.

 

[sensations]

If the really do the Mont Ventoux TWICE I hope it'll be something like this: Avignon-Carpentras-La Roque-Alric-Col De La Chaine-Malaucène-Ventoux-Sault-Ventoux-Malaucène.

That's 4000m climbing, 170km, a slightly hilly run-in after Carpentras with Roque-Alric and Chaine and the two difficult sides of the Ventoux. Malaucène's quite tiny with only 3000 inhabitants, or even Vaison-la-Romaine at a stretch but ANYTHING to make sure we don't finish in Carpentras, Orange or Aix-en-Provence or something equally dreary.

In an ideal world they'd just do the Signal De Lure/Ventoux doublewhammy but as if that's going to happen.

 

[Bobby G]

http://www.skybet.com/cycling/tour-de-france/event/14202237

Contador 2/1
Wiggins 5/2
Froome 7/2

 

[Frosty]

Have heard in a few places that the Spandelles near Lourdes could be used in the tour in the coming few years. Maybe Aso would go for a stage like this with Hautacam at the end?

http://www.grassyknolltv.com/2012/route-du-sud/profile-3.jpg

Col de Spandelles

http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Col-de-Spandelles&qryMountainID=6440

Not sure about the descent into Lourdes. I did it 10 years ago and cant remember how technical it was as i spent most of the time dodging pot-holes. It has been resurfaced since.

 

[doperhopper]

and they should add one 400km+ stage (on fixies?) as a tribute to the early warriors who did it on poor dusty roads

 

[sensations]

More wishful thinking rather than a concrete rumour but an ITT on the penultimate day or so from Annemasse or Genève to the Salève/La Croisette would just about do the trick for me.

Roughly 20km. First 11 km flat. Last 9km with and average gradient of 9%, including a 3 km section with an average of 12%.

 

[WindLessBreeze]

Prud'Homme! The Tour ain't hard enough

US bashing once more: You forgot to mention Lance among the great champions, and to mention TJ as one of the greatest new talents......But of course, WE will not dignify responses to mediocre folks.........Since 1985, when Hinault won, France hasn't seen a champ..............Chapeau

 

[Magnus]

You have supported my point, thanks.

If your point was that they should ride the suggested stage every year then yes. They have had a stage in the Vosges two times the last four years. If they had a stage in the Vosges every year I'm pretty sure people would complain about the reuse of terrain like they do about the reuse of the circle of death (Aspin, Peyresourde, Tourmalet, Aubisque).

 

[Bavarianrider]

They should include this as a stage.
This would be the real deal And no one of you climbing lovers could complain anymore

 

[King Of The Wolds]

They'd moan that the Stelvio and Gavia are too far from the finish, thus wasting 2 legendary climbs.

 

[will10]

No MTF ffs

 

[Libertine Seguros]

They'd moan that the Stelvio and Gavia are too far from the finish, thus wasting 2 legendary climbs.

Stilfser Joch = Passo di Stelvio.

 

[Ferminal]

They'd moan that the Stelvio and Gavia are too far from the finish, thus wasting 2 legendary climbs.

Easy side of Gavia.

 

[Ferminal]

Anyway, back to topic at hand:

http://www.tv2.no/sport/sykkel/tdf/slik-blir-neste-aars-tour-de-franceloeype-3837552.html

Not sure if they are just rehashing old rumours or not.

Aside from overrating Corsica, they suggest a stage to Nantes, wonder what they can do in the second week to keep the race ticking over.

And also brings up the old Huez-from-the-back rumour. Galibier -> Sarenne -> 10km of flat to Huez, can see it now.

 

[Capablanca and me]

Hello cyclingfans!!

just rumors
"Based on local info & hotel bookings"

Etape 1 : Porto Vecchio - Bastia
Etape 2 : Bastia - Ajaccio
Etape 3 : Ajaccio - Calvi
Etape 4 : CLM par équipe Nice
Etape 5 : Cagnes sur Mer - Fréjus (Valloné par l'arrière pays)
Etape 6 : Aix en Provence - Montpellier (par la Camargue)
Etape 7 : Béziers - Toulouse
Etape 8 : Toulouse - Plateau de Beille (Agnès-Lers-Plateau de Beille)
Etape 9 : St Gaudens - St Lary Soulan (Menté-Portillon-Peyresourde-Azet)
REPOS
Etape 10 : Pau - Bordeaux
Etape 11 : Saintes - Nantes
Etape 12 : Bressuire - Tours
Etape 13 : Vierzon - Bourges (CLM individuel vallonné)
Etape 14 : Vichy - St Etienne (Col du Béal - Col de la Croix de l'Homme Mort)
Etape 15 : St Etienne - Montélimar (Col du Grand Bois-Col du Pranlet-Col de la Fayolle-Col du Benas)
REPOS
Etape 16 : Bédoin - Le Mont Ventoux (CLM individuel)
Etape 17 : Sisteron - Gap (Le Collet - Col de Pontis - St Apollinaire - Côte de la Rochette)
Etape 18 : Gap - L'Alpe d'Huez (Col d'Izoard - Col du Lautaret - L'Alpe d'Huez)
Etape 19 : Grenoble - Annecy (Col de Portes-Col du Cucheron-Col du Granier-Le Revard-Crêt de Chatillon)
Etape 20 : Annemasse - Morzine (Col de Sassel-Col de l'Avenaz-Col de la Ramaz-Col de Joux Plane)
Etape 21 : Montargis - Paris

http://www.velowire.com/article/536...3-in-corsica--all-details-here-.html#comments

http://forums.cyclingweekly.co.uk/showthread.php?12461-Le-Tour-de-France-2013