Tour de France 2016 route prediction

[McLovin]

Re:

Tourmalet is even more overused than the Alp, but good design, even though I don't think much will happen, especially as its the first mountain stage. This year nothing happened there too, although the there was less false flat. I don't know how steep the final climb is.

7.5 km with 3.5%.

And Tourmalet is there because Pau it's paying. And it's the best option to go East, unless you want a lot of flat before Aspin/HdA or even worse before Louron Azet. And almost every time they go East beacuse Luchon is also paying.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Tourmalet again? So lame, so frustrating.

its a little bit like the last mountain stages of next year's giro. Lame, but the racing could actually be good.

 

[May0maniac]

I hope we'll get Arcalis, Geraint will destroy everyone on that climb and show the world that he's the new team leader, just like a young Kaiser.

 

[LeakyBoat]

Finish/Start in Limoges is good for us.

 

[Tonton]

Si it looks like the Jura stage will be stage 17 or 18. I'd like to see Bern-Mont d'Or or Pontarlier stage 17 and stage 18 with Biche-Grand Colombier (Artemarre-Virieu), finish atop Mont du Chat (Seyssel). I know I'm greedy .

Only bummer, I'll have to redo my soon-to-be-posted TdF design if the finish in Super-Lioran materializes . It's a nice finish following the Pas de Peyrol, a pretty little ski resort that could use a little publicity, with a great finish area.

 

[52520Andrew]

Yeah Super Lioran could be a nice finish. I have it as one of finishes on my route as well although I will probably keep it since I don't care to redesign it. First finish there since 1975 I am fairly sure though and you have a couple choices in how to lead into it. Plenty of room for a finish as well. Wonder if they will go there from Limoges as that is another rumoured finish/start point.

 

[rghysens]

Limoges (or surroundings) - Superlioran could be a really nice stage, as shown below:

Final with col de Neronne, Pas de Peyrol, col du Perthus (all of them 2nd cat climbs with 4-5 km @ 8-9%) and a 3rd cat hilltop finish (5km @ 5%).
It is probably too awesome for ASO, though.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Tourmalet AND Arcalis in the same race?

KILL IT WITH FIRE

 

[bajbar]

Re:

Tourmalet AND Arcalis in the same race?

KILL IT WITH FIRE

You must have enjoyed 2009 then

 

[bajbar]

Andorra stage rumored to finish atop (or at least pass) El Cortals (like stage 11 of the Vuelta this year).

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Andorra stage rumored to finish atop (or at least pass) El Cortals (like stage 11 of the Vuelta this year).

Cortals d'Encamp is a dead end road. I read about some plans of the Government of Andorra to link it to Grau Roig and Envalira, but that would require building a new road, not just paving an existing unpaved one. Hard to see that done for next year.

 

[rghysens]

Re: Re:

Andorra stage rumored to finish atop (or at least pass) El Cortals (like stage 11 of the Vuelta this year).

Cortals d'Encamp is a dead end road. I read about some plans of the Government of Andorra to link it to Grau Roig and Envalira, but that would require building a new road, not just paving an existing unpaved one. Hard to see that done for next year.

Even more so because winter is coming...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Andorra stage rumored to finish atop (or at least pass) El Cortals (like stage 11 of the Vuelta this year).

So with the fact that you apparently cant descent Cortals, that means a MTF is rumored. I liked Els Cortals very much this year so that sounds great.

 

[Miburo]

Oh please no arcalis...

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

Andorra stage rumored to finish atop (or at least pass) El Cortals (like stage 11 of the Vuelta this year).

Cortals d'Encamp is a dead end road. I read about some plans of the Government of Andorra to link it to Grau Roig and Envalira, but that would require building a new road, not just paving an existing unpaved one. Hard to see that done for next year.

Even more so because winter is coming...

Not sure if funny coincidence or really good joke...
Whatever I really like the idea of a downhill finish to Andorra and although the following wouldnt contain El Cortals I would still really like this stage.

This would be very unconventional for a tdf stage but I think such stages are exactly what the tour is missing. Moreover a mtf would completely destroy the tourmalet stage which really would be a pity, considering how good the racing could be.
ps: maybe worth mentioning that the last descent would be on the road which was used as the first climb in this years vuelta stage in andorra, so the descent would be extremely tricky.
pps: the stage I created was made in 2 minutes so ofc there are some options you could put in front of pailheres

 

[roundabout]

I've been wrong before and I will be wrong again, but I just don't see the Andorra stage finish being in the capital.

Edit: I also understand that the stage will start to the west of Andorra and enter from the south.

 

[Brullnux]

Please no Tourmalet

Or Arcalis actually

 

[ice&fire]

When the (incomplete) climb to La Gallina was premiered in the 2012 Vuelta Proudhomme was present in the stage. There were reports of him being seen later on that evening walking around the summit that was then unpaved. So I would expect ASO to include La Gallina in the Andorra stage.

 

[rghysens]

Re: Re:

Andorra stage rumored to finish atop (or at least pass) El Cortals (like stage 11 of the Vuelta this year).

Cortals d'Encamp is a dead end road. I read about some plans of the Government of Andorra to link it to Grau Roig and Envalira, but that would require building a new road, not just paving an existing unpaved one. Hard to see that done for next year.

Even more so because winter is coming...

Not sure if funny coincidence or really good joke...
Whatever I really like the idea of a downhill finish to Andorra and although the following wouldnt contain El Cortals I would still really like this stage.

This would be very unconventional for a tdf stage but I think such stages are exactly what the tour is missing. Moreover a mtf would completely destroy the tourmalet stage which really would be a pity, considering how good the racing could be.
ps: maybe worth mentioning that the last descent would be on the road which was used as the first climb in this years vuelta stage in andorra, so the descent would be extremely tricky.
pps: the stage I created was made in 2 minutes so ofc there are some options you could put in front of pailheres

Really good joke

That stage will likely start in the Vall d'Aran, probably in Vielha. The first two climbs will be Port de la Bonaigua (right from the start) and Port del Canto (about halfway). The final still remains shrouded in mystery, but is thought to be a mtf.

 

[dacooley]

gotta be a huge sensation if it's not arcalis. total absense of romantics is what a sensible cycling fan should expect from pyrenean tour parcours.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Tourmalet AND Arcalis in the same race?

KILL IT WITH FIRE

I can hear countless kittens crying out too

I have said it before, but Arcalis is not that bad a climb. Not long, but long enough. Not steep, but probably steep enough. And it's at a decent altitude.

In 2009 it was basically a single climb stage. And Arcalis is no PSM.

But don't hate the mountain. Hate the stage.

1997 saw monster time gaps. Okay, I'm not expecting a 250km stage next year, but so long as it's a difficult multiple mountain stage then we can see interesting racing, even on the final climb.

2009 had other factors going against it. The riders faced a significant headwind. It was also the first high mountain stage, which in the 2016 route it shall not be. This is significant. Astana were the strongest team in the race in 2009 and all they had to do was drop Cancellara. Not difficult. Apart from that they had no interest in setting a good tempo, given that they wanted to support a guy who wasn't the strongest climber (Armstrong). Should have the Schlecks therefore attacked? Probably not. On the following stage when Andy attacked he was immediately set upon by a horde of Astana riders. It was a situation where it was more sensible for Andy to attack in week three; in part certainly because of the poor parcours, but also because his strength was often to be strong in the third week, and by that time Astana were also weakened slightly (Levi abandonned).

Next year Sky might be similar to Astana, but even if Froome is in yellow (and the first mountain stage will already see some time gaps which will encourage attacking on the second stage further IMO) I don't see Sky soft pedalling to protect him. If he has a one minute lead, Sky will want another minute. We know that he can be vulnerable in week three.

Just give Arcalis some genuine (four, five climbs) support and this can be a good stage.

 

[Walkman]

Re: Re:

Tourmalet AND Arcalis in the same race?

KILL IT WITH FIRE

You must have enjoyed 2009 then

Did anyone?

 

[Walkman]

Any news about TTs?
In order to balance route from this year there should be at least one 50km, and one 25-30km pancake flat TT

There are strong Rumours about 2 TT's. One would be from Bourg Saint-Andéol to Vallon Pont d'Arc, the other from Morzine to Les Gets.
The Vallon Pont d'Arc TT would presumably be on july 15th, after the rumoured Mt Ventoux stage on Bastille Day. The exact course of that stage isn't fully known, of course, but it would feature a ride through the gorges de l'Ardeche. If so, it would be between 40 to 52km long (the shortest distance between BSA and VPA is 30km) and be something like this:

Another possibility offers a 5.5km @ 5% climb right from the start and then the same final 20km, but there are some other possibilities too.

The Morzine TT would be after the stage to Morzine/Avoriaz, 22km long and feature a climb up the Col de l'Encrenaz. Like this:

Thanks! Those are some nice looking courses. Hoping they dont include that 5.5km climb in first TT if the rumour about Morzine TT are true.

Too little to late. Not even 80 km of TT and one is supposed to be a hilly TT Give us more!! I want one MTT and two flat-ish TT:s in the order of 45-50 km (pancake flat) and something around 30+ km with some small hills.

 

[Tangled Tango]

When is the date for the official route to be announced?

 

[Singer01]

Re: Re:

Andorra stage rumored to finish atop (or at least pass) El Cortals (like stage 11 of the Vuelta this year).

Cortals d'Encamp is a dead end road. I read about some plans of the Government of Andorra to link it to Grau Roig and Envalira, but that would require building a new road, not just paving an existing unpaved one. Hard to see that done for next year.

Even more so because winter is coming...

pft, last time i went skiing to andorra it was 20 degrees centrigrate and glorious sunshine, i was skiing on grass.