Tour de France 2016 route prediction

[Alexandre B.]

Thomas predicts a MTF at Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (Le Bettex).

Nice climb with Côte des Amerands as an appetizer (Dauphiné's 2015 route).

 

[barmaher]

I really like the look of some of these stages. So long as there is enough ITT kilometres, this could be a great route.

 

[Ferminal]

Aspin W > Ancizan W, plus, Cobra.

But I guess it makes the transition to Azet worse off?

 

[MatParker117]

Stages 13 and 20 could be the TT's.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

Stages 13 and 20 could be the TT's.

What's your source for the stage 20 ITT?

 

[Alexandre B.]

NEWS
http://www.estrepublicain.fr/sport/2015/10/13/cyclisme-le-tour-de-france-2016-trois-jours-dans-l-ain-puis-trois-jours-en-suisse

According to this article, there will be a stage finish in Culoz, with Grand Colombier right before. That's right, we're talking about this monster.

They also bet that a TT will take place on Saturday.

 

[Gigs_98]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Culoz? You know thats on the foot of the south side of the Colombier.
Can that really mean that, is it possible, can the dream really become true? Please aso, please. Make Biche - Colombiere real. Please
edit: just saw that the profile is from the west side, so you obviously know it

 

[roundabout]

Since it's the 2016 Tour it will probably be a MTF from Culoz (which is still a very hard climb) with nothing significant before it.

 

[guncha]

It looks like Grand Colombier will be used properly for the first time, exciting news!
It seems there will be at least six decent high mountain stages (Loudenvielle, Andorra, Mont Ventoux, Culoz, Finhaut-Emosson and Morzine).
Stage 19 should finsih in Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (Le Bettex) - I hope it is not an MTT.
I hope stage 18 is an ITT between Sallanches and Megève. It is possible to make a loop around these towns with some hill/hills.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

NEWS
http://www.estrepublicain.fr/sport/2015/10/13/cyclisme-le-tour-de-france-2016-trois-jours-dans-l-ain-puis-trois-jours-en-suisse

According to this article, there will be a stage finish in Culoz, with Grand Colombier right before. That's right, we're talking about this monster.

They also bet that a TT will take place on Saturday.

Thanks for the confirmation re: the stage 20 TT rumor.

I hope it's just based on the outdated MTT rumor, though, and Velowire is correct in that stage 20 could be a road stage from St. Gervais to Morzine. No Joux Plane (and best case scenario Ramaz, too) would be a disaster.

 

[McLovin]

Actually Bettex is one of those climbs that meet ASO's needs for a MTT, like Toussuire, Mont Ventoux, AdH, Avoriaz. The only exception, AFAIK is Superbagneres, but it was 30 years ago when the whole thing wasn't so big I suppose.

 

[barmaher]

I am now excited about this route. Very excited.

I am pretty quick to give *** about bad GT routes. But if this one is as predicted *, it is going to be a cracker.

* There must be at least 75km of TT to balance those mountain stages.

In addition to the six mountain stages mentioned by guncha above, we also have the medium mountain stage in week 1, and at least one hill top finish confirmed.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

Indeed, seriously impressed with this route. They seem to be ditching most of their usual stops and climbs (at least in the Alps) for something different. Hell, zero Maurienne valley stages versus 3 this year!

Even the Pyrenees are looking interesting. Sure, you can't evade stuff like Tourmalet (it's smack-dab in the middle of the main stops they usually go for...). But they seem to be using it better along with Aspin. Also, downhill finishes and Andorra. Not bad.

And Grand Colombier! Apparently going to be properly used! Joux-Plane! Forclaz/Emosson! Holy crap, is this the TDF?

The strategy of using the Dauphine to try out new finishes seems to be working nicely. The more options, the merrier.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I would wait until the actual presentation to be happy or to be mad.
All too often those "experts" and "Insiders" were totally wrong with their route predictions. ASO usually does a good jo in keeping Major parts of the route secret

 

[SeriousSam]

Re:

Simply make Ventoux a mtt, take the long tt to the first week and maybe add another short one as the final stage. It ain't that hard Monsieur Prudhomme!

Yes please

 

[barmaher]

Stage 7 would be ideal for a 40km ITT; looking at velowire.com it seems to have been rumoured before, but nothing for that stage in ages.

 

[jens_attacks]

ventoux time trial would just be bad-asz so it won't happen

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

It's the Tour, there's no best case scenario

Indeed. We better nit think too much about best case scenarios since that will only leave us dissapointed.

 

[BigMac]

That's all fine and dandy but what about medium-mountain and hilly stages? Sorry if this has been discussed here already.

 

[Kwibus]

I would wait until the actual presentation to be happy or to be mad.
All too often those "experts" and "Insiders" were totally wrong with their route predictions. ASO usually does a good jo in keeping Major parts of the route secret

Agreed. Let's wait for the final profiles.

 

[damian13ster]

It better have at least 80km of TT, with at least 50 being flat if half of those rumours are true....
Just 1 ITT would be a disgrace after 14km of ITTing in 2015

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re:

That's all fine and dandy but what about medium-mountain and hilly stages? Sorry if this has been discussed here already.

Sometimes I hope for ten flat stages in the first ten days just because of the crying here.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

That's all fine and dandy but what about medium-mountain and hilly stages? Sorry if this has been discussed here already.

Sometimes I hope for ten flat stages in the first ten days just because of the crying here.

2004 and 2006 routes.... hot damn.

 

[pastronef]

Indeed, seriously impressed with this route. They seem to be ditching most of their usual stops and climbs (at least in the Alps) for something different. Hell, zero Maurienne valley stages versus 3 this year!

there were rumors about the race using Galibier (after they had to cancel that this year) so at least they will ride to or from the Maurienne valley

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

That's all fine and dandy but what about medium-mountain and hilly stages? Sorry if this has been discussed here already.

Well there was a full prediction with 21 stages. That had a few medium mountain stages in the first week + the first and last stage of week 2. Surely not as good as the giro 2016 but I think the tour has never been famous for good medium mountain stages. At least the finish of the second stage which is already out, looks really promising.