Tour de France 2013

[Eshnar]

Great news for the Pyrenees:

http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2012/10/22/1470839-pas-de-tourmalet-pour-la-100e.html

Personally I'm getting a bit worried about the final two stages though, can't see them turning out well... although maybe that is a good thing given there should be 4 proper mountain stages already to that point.

Overall I think it's a very promising route, the best in years. Hopefully all the info is true and no bad surprises on Wednesday.

My French is just slightly above 0.
Can you translate? I'd surely misunderstand something.

EDIT: I mean, I understand it says that we won't get the Tourmalet, but does it say where the stage will end, after the Hourquette d'Ancizan?

 

[airstream]

My French is just slightly above 0.
Can you translate? I'd surely misunderstand something.

If I understand anything, Tourmalet won't be included in the Tour for the 18th time. So, there are ax-3 and transitional mountain stage to bagneres-de-luchon

 

[Ferminal]

My French is just slightly above 0.
Can you translate? I'd surely misunderstand something.

Just use Google

Day 1: Pailheres-Bonascre (and maybe something earlier)
Day 2: Peyresourde-Azet-Ancizan (Aspet & Mente earlier)

The descent into Bagneres is not ideal for staying away, but I think it's possible for someone motivated to do a lot of damage on that trio. Probably a pity there wasn't an ITT before to provide bigger gaps going into it.

 

[airstream]

MTF at Ancizan?

 

[Ferminal]

No

 

[Capablanca and me]

1 Sa. 29 June 2013 Porto-Vecchio Bastia 200 km
2 Su. 30 June 2013 Bastia Ajaccio 155 km
3 Mo. 1 July 2013 Ajaccio Calvi 145 km
4 Tu. 2 July 2013 Nice Nice ~20 km - team time trial
5 We. 3 July 2013 Cagnes-sur-Mer Marseille
6 Th. 4 July 2013 Aix-en-Provence Montpellier
7 Fr. 5 July 2013 Montpellier Albi
8 Sa. 6 July 2013 Castres Ax-3 Domaines
9 Su. 7 July 2013 Saint-Girons Bagnères-de-Bigorre
R1 Tu. 8 July 2013 rest day in Loire-Atlantique
10 Tu. 9 July 2013 Saint-Gildas-des-Bois Saint-Malo
11 We. 10 July 2013 Avranches Mont Saint-Michel individual time trial
12 Th. 11 July 2013 Fougères Tours
13 Fr. 12 July 2013 Tours Saint-Amand-Montrond
14 Sa. 13 July 2013 Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule Lyon
15 Su. 14 July 2013 Lyon (Givors) Mont-Ventoux
R2 Mo. 15 July 2013 rest day in the Vaucluse (Orange & Avignon)
16 Tu. 16 July 2013 Vaison-la-Romaine Gap
17 We. 17 July 2013 Embrun Chorges individual time trial
18 Th. 18 July 2013 Gap Alpe d'Huez (double climb)
19 Fr. 19 July 2013 Bourg d'Oisans Le Grand Bornand
20 Sa. 20 July 2013 Annecy Annecy
21 Su. 21 July 2013 Versailles Parijs Champs-Elysées finish at night!

 

[airstream]

Well done...In short, the biggest schtick of parcours is a finish at night.

 

[Eshnar]

No

ok this seems legit.

btw,
LOL @ the 100th Tour without both Tourmalet and Galibier.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Just use Google

Day 1: Pailheres-Bonascre (and maybe something earlier)
Day 2: Peyresourde-Azet-Ancizan (Aspet & Mente earlier)

The descent into Bagneres is not ideal for staying away, but I think it's possible for someone motivated to do a lot of damage on that trio.

The second one screams "breakaway stage" because of the false flat after the Ancizan descent, but I'll take it. It's far better than what was initially planned (no Azet, and Aspin instead of Ancizan)

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Overall I think it's a very promising route, the best in years. Hopefully all the info is true and no bad surprises on Wednesday.

True. By TDF standards it's a very good route. But unlike some I also like the 2013 Giro route better than previous years.

 

[guncha]

The second one screams "breakaway stage" because of the false flat after the Ancizan descent, but I'll take it. It's far better than what was initially planned (no Azet, and Aspin instead of Ancizan)

It semi-GC stage with four 1st cat. climbs and last climb being 30km from finish; reminds me Madelaine stage of TDF 2010. Of course it doesn't guarantee action but it gives some hope... unlike Colombier and Foix this year.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

It semi-GC stage with four 1st cat. climbs and last climb being 30km from finish; reminds me Madelaine stage of TDF 2010. Of course it doesn't guarantee action but it gives some hope... unlike Colombier and Foix this year.

Sure, it's possible. I expect GC-relevant attacks, but I think they'll be reeled back in. Going by this season I'm confident that Sky can handle it, seeing as it's only the second mountain stage.

 

[roundabout]

Just use Google

Day 1: Pailheres-Bonascre (and maybe something earlier)
Day 2: Peyresourde-Azet-Ancizan (Aspet & Mente earlier)

The descent into Bagneres is not ideal for staying away, but I think it's possible for someone motivated to do a lot of damage on that trio. Probably a pity there wasn't an ITT before to provide bigger gaps going into it.

I think Ancizan is a bit tricky downhill. It's certainly a narrow road and at least initially somewhat technical.

 

[Ferminal]

I think Ancizan is a bit tricky downhill. It's certainly a narrow road and at least initially somewhat technical.

Took another look and you're right. Plus a bonus rise shortly around 6-7% for 1000m near the start. So really it's only 20km of false flat downhill on the wide road, after the initial descent.

Knowing the finish was always going to be in Bagneres, I still think it's the best possible run. With the exception of +Bales, which would obviously make it too hard for Amaury.

 

[Eshnar]

Took another look and you're right. Plus a bonus rise shortly around 6-7% for 1000m near the start. So really it's only 20km of false flat downhill on the wide road, after the initial descent.

Knowing the finish was always going to be in Bagneres, I still think it's the best possible run. With the exception of +Bales, which would obviously make it too hard for Amaury.

true that.

edit maybe the best possible route would be coming from west and climbing Tourmalet.

 

[barmaher]

I think it is one of those days that the Tour won't be won, but it may be lost.

I really enjoyed the day into Porrentruy this year, and not just because of Pinot. This stage has a similar potential in my book, except the climbs are tougher, and the descent a bit longer, but less flat at the end and probably more technical.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I kinda like it.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

true that.

edit maybe the best possible route would be coming from west and climbing Tourmalet.

Tourmalet can't be linked to Soulor or Aubisque without having long false flat sections in between. I like the rumored route much better.

 

[Eshnar]

Tourmalet can't be linked to Soulor or Aubisque without having long false flat sections in between. I like the rumored route much better.

I was actually thinking of a Monte Grappa 2010 like stage. With Tourmalet alone.

 

[Descender]

MTF at Ancizan?

Shut the **** up.

 

[Descender]

I'm pretty excited by these rumours.

Good combination of MTFs + descent finishes, placing the descent finishes as the last stage of both Pyrenees and Alps.

Two ITTs is great, although the first one comes a bit too late.

The stage into Bagneres de Bigorre is probably the best thing that can be done realistically. About time they gave us Peyresourde + Azet + Ancizan, they link very nicely to one another.

Let's hope the LGB stage isn't the dull 2004 one.

 

[Eshnar]

Good combination of MTFs + descent finishes, placing the descent finishes as the last stage of both Pyrenees and Alps.

The stage to Bagneres is not a descent finish. Not with 20 kms of false flat in the end.

 

[Descender]

The stage to Bagneres is not a descent finish. Not with 20 kms of false flat in the end.

Yes well you know what I meant.

 

[Dedelou]

The stage to Bagneres is not a descent finish. Not with 20 kms of false flat in the end.

The actual false flat is only 11 kms. From Sainte Marie de Campan to Bag. de Big.

 

[Eshnar]

The actual false flat is only 11 kms. From Sainte Marie de Campan to Bag. de Big.

At the intersection with Aspin the descent is basically finished. There are a couple of steep stretches but overall it's a false flat already.