Tour de France 2016 route prediction

[Cannibal72]

The only HTF I would ever endorse would be a Muur HTF. But Roubaix and Fleche are both ASO properties, while the Flemish classics are - surprsingly enough - ran by Flanders Classics; I don't see ASO promotiing a rival, and I think Flanders Classics oppose ASO on the WorldTour thing.

 

[Miburo]

Re:

What are the chances of the ASO including Oude Kwaremont, Kapeelmuur etc. in the coming years now that they have had great success including the cobbles of Roubaix? I would really like to see the GC-riders sprint up the Paterberg...

Contador on the muur was pretty epic. He was even the best guy on it in the eneco tour.

But i hope they don't do it. It's asking for crashes man, you know how small the road is to the paterberg?

Maybe the muur, there are no small roads before that so you can do that

 

[Valv.Piti]

Rewatched the Finhaut-Emosson stage from 2014, those climbs are really brutal. Both HC? At least Forclaz should be. Can't wait for that particular stage, the finale brings memories from Le Grand Bornand.

 

[ingemann1996]

I'm new so I don't know how to opload a picture in a comment, sorry.. :/ Therefore I'll link you the picture instead

http://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=17&y=2016&k=etapper&e=all

Concerning the finish of stage 2 in this year's Tour, does any of you remember a finish during the last 1-2 years which is camparable to the one at the Tour? I can't figured out whether it will be the GC guys fighting for the win already on the second day or it's for the punchuers?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I'm new so I don't know how to opload a picture in a comment, sorry.. :/ Therefore I'll link you the picture instead

http://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=17&y=2016&k=etapper&e=all

Concerning the finish of stage 2 in this year's Tour, does any of you remember a finish during the last 1-2 years which is camparable to the one at the Tour? I can't figured out whether it will be the GC guys fighting for the win already on the second day or it's for the punchuers?

Good question. I think its hard enough for the GC-guys to fight, I would compare it to Mur de Bretagne in difficulty.

 

[Taxus4a]

Yes, I know it's hardly a "proper mountain stage" but remember we're talking the recent Vuelta editions here. In 2012 they had an MTF at Arrate on stage 3 as well but obviously that's not the opening weekend. The Tour has had a couple of puncheur stages on stage 1 in recent year (Plumelec 2008 and Mont des Alouettes 2011) as well as a well-designed hilly stage to produce some genuine gaps (Sheffield 2014) but no "serious mountain stages", then again unlike the Vuelta, the Tour hasn't started anywhere to make this feasible in recent years other than in 2009 (Monaco) where they deliberately made the race as non-decisive as possible to keep Lance in contention as long as possible.

Don't forget Corsica in the 2013 Tour. There were some decent climbs in stages 2 and 3 of that race but they could have done so much more with that terrain. Both stages had fairly large groups finishing together.

+

That stages where very good for Quintana. He got the mountain not very tired nor stresed, just too hard days on the flat for him. and he didnt crash, like Purito.

 

[rghysens]

Re: Re:

I'm new so I don't know how to opload a picture in a comment, sorry.. :/ Therefore I'll link you the picture instead

http://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=17&y=2016&k=etapper&e=all

Concerning the finish of stage 2 in this year's Tour, does any of you remember a finish during the last 1-2 years which is camparable to the one at the Tour? I can't figured out whether it will be the GC guys fighting for the win already on the second day or it's for the punchuers?

Good question. I think its hard enough for the GC-guys to fight, I would compare it to Mur de Bretagne in difficulty.

I think it is more comparable to Plumelec, but that one dates from 2008.

 

[Red Rick]

Doesn't look nearly hard enough. first 1.9 at 6.9, with 500m at 10%. Then 500m of false descent before kicking up to 500m at 6% to the finish.

Steep part isn't long enough, and more importantly, too far way from the finish for anything to happen there. Maybe some seconds lost, but I definitely wouldn't expect the GC contenders to win, though they have to be up there in the first 20. Looks good for Sagan I'd say. Plumelec is more like 2km at 5%

 

[CheckMyPecs]

That stages where very good for Quintana. He got the mountain not very tired nor stresed, just too hard days on the flat for him. and he didnt crash, like Purito.

Just a friendly tip, buddy. The plural is "those".

 

[jens_attacks]

It's an international forum. Taxus's english is just fine. Chill.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

It's an international forum. Taxus's english is just fine. Chill.

Friendly advice is good for everybody.

 

[Netserk]

That stages where very good for Quintana. He got the mountain not very tired nor stresed, just too hard days on the flat for him. and he didnt crash, like Purito.

Just a friendly tip, buddy. The plural is "these" or "those".

When is the plural of "that" ever "these"?

 

[rghysens]

Re:

Doesn't look nearly hard enough. first 1.9 at 6.9, with 500m at 10%. Then 500m of false descent before kicking up to 500m at 6% to the finish.

Steep part isn't long enough, and more importantly, too far way from the finish for anything to happen there. Maybe some seconds lost, but I definitely wouldn't expect the GC contenders to win, though they have to be up there in the first 20. Looks good for Sagan I'd say. Plumelec is more like 2km at 5%

1.7km @ 6.2%

 

[CheckMyPecs]

When is the plural of "that" ever "these"?

You're right, "those" is the only plural of "these". Thanks for the correction.

 

[ingemann1996]

Re:

Doesn't look nearly hard enough. first 1.9 at 6.9, with 500m at 10%. Then 500m of false descent before kicking up to 500m at 6% to the finish.

Steep part isn't long enough, and more importantly, too far way from the finish for anything to happen there. Maybe some seconds lost, but I definitely wouldn't expect the GC contenders to win, though they have to be up there in the first 20. Looks good for Sagan I'd say. Plumelec is more like 2km at 5%

I'm thinking Bouhanni might have a shot then. Am I wrong?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Doesn't look nearly hard enough. first 1.9 at 6.9, with 500m at 10%. Then 500m of false descent before kicking up to 500m at 6% to the finish.

Steep part isn't long enough, and more importantly, too far way from the finish for anything to happen there. Maybe some seconds lost, but I definitely wouldn't expect the GC contenders to win, though they have to be up there in the first 20. Looks good for Sagan I'd say. Plumelec is more like 2km at 5%

I'm thinking Bouhanni might have a shot then. Am I wrong?

Too hard IMO. But he has shown he is capable of something similar, who knows. Sagan is the favourite, but some of the more explosive GC-riders (hmm, we dont really have those, do we this year) will also try stuff here. GVA I think is the only one able to outspent him mano a mano.

Btw, just noticed the difference between the Mont Blanc-stage from Dauphine and the Tour. Anyone knows whats up about that? Liked the profile of Mont Blanc and Amerends from Dauphine a lot better.

 

[LeakyBoat]

When will the full route breakdown of each stage be published?

 

[roundabout]

When will the full route breakdown of each stage be published?

I think it should be in early June

Edit: last year the profiles were up late in May. I think the time schedules are up before

 

[Matt92]

Here are the complete profiles of the Tour:
http://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/road-races/tour-france-2016-official-profiles-t6908.html

You can also view them on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Crappy first week.

 

[Pantani Attacks]

One of the worst Tour profiles in recent memory. 95% of the stages will be a snoozefest.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Re:

Crappy first week.

It seems so.

Can we at least expect crosswind?

 

[dacooley]

whiners gonna whine

 

[Alexandre B.]

Where are hilly stages?

 

[togo95]

The mountain stages are very good. At least for Tour's standards. But the flat stages are really poor. What a shame.