Tour de France 2018 Rumours

[Max Rockatansky]

Stage 12: Bourg-Saint-Maurice - l'Alpe d'Huez; high mountains (Madeleine-Glandon-traditional mtf or Madeleine-Galibier-Sarenne) (***)

Having a stage like this as the third consecutive mountain stage will cause some serious damage. In 2001 they did Madeleine and Glandon before Alpe d'Huez. Armstrong put 4 minutes between him and Manecebo on 6th place.

You could also do the stage only with Glandon, which might come close to what we will get. Come on guys, we know ASO, right?

But we have another very interesting option, which is Iseran, Galibier, Sarenne. Full Iseran wasn't in Le Tour since 1992. It's about time.

 

[Gigs_98]

You know what makes me sad? That someone just wrote that the tour could use the Iseran and the galibier before AdH, but not meant seriously but as a joke knowing that with the aso that's never gonna happen. It makes me sad because that is actually a completely reasonable stage design. The distance would be long but there have been longer gt mountain stages even in recent history and although the amount of climbing is extreme, why should riders of past decades be able to do these kind of stages, while they are called inhuman nowadays.

Would that stage be brutal? Yes. Would it be impossible to ride such a hard stage? Definitely not. Would it be epic? Yes.

But still I bet it's not gonna happen

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah, riders are fitter than ever and the bikes better than ever. Yet something that was completely normal 10-15 years ago is now considered extreme or inhuman, its so annoying.

 

[Chrispol]

You know what makes me sad? That someone just wrote that the tour could use the Iseran and the galibier before AdH, but not meant seriously but as a joke knowing that with the aso that's never gonna happen. It makes me sad because that is actually a completely reasonable stage design. The distance would be long but there have been longer gt mountain stages even in recent history and although the amount of climbing is extreme, why should riders of past decades be able to do these kind of stages, while they are called inhuman nowadays.

Would that stage be brutal? Yes. Would it be impossible to ride such a hard stage? Definitely not. Would it be epic? Yes.

But still I bet it's not gonna happen

I understand the point, but that would be the best considering that a monster stage on the last day in the Alps could be killing the action on the Rosiere and Grand-Bornand one.

Galibier + Sarenne would be fine Imo.

 

[jfazendeiro]

You know what makes me sad? That someone just wrote that the tour could use the Iseran and the galibier before AdH, but not meant seriously but as a joke knowing that with the aso that's never gonna happen. It makes me sad because that is actually a completely reasonable stage design. The distance would be long but there have been longer gt mountain stages even in recent history and although the amount of climbing is extreme, why should riders of past decades be able to do these kind of stages, while they are called inhuman nowadays.

Would that stage be brutal? Yes. Would it be impossible to ride such a hard stage? Definitely not. Would it be epic? Yes.

But still I bet it's not gonna happen

The suggested stage wouldn't be favorable to an agressive race attitude in modern cycling.
I'm confident that only in the last climb we would see someone attacking and even there no more than 2 or 3 could do so. The time differences would be made, some contenders could loose minutes, but always by elimination from the favourites group.

 

[dacooley]

You know what makes me sad? That someone just wrote that the tour could use the Iseran and the galibier before AdH, but not meant seriously but as a joke knowing that with the aso that's never gonna happen. It makes me sad because that is actually a completely reasonable stage design. The distance would be long but there have been longer gt mountain stages even in recent history and although the amount of climbing is extreme, why should riders of past decades be able to do these kind of stages, while they are called inhuman nowadays.

Would that stage be brutal? Yes. Would it be impossible to ride such a hard stage? Definitely not. Would it be epic? Yes.

But still I bet it's not gonna happen

can't agree. definately it would be epic on paper and on the level of expectations. whether it would be epic on the road is uknown. most likely that would have been a customary plot of 40 man group reaching the slope of alpe d'huez together. Does anyone find the 2008 duez stage epic or at the very least a thing to remember? highly doubtful. epic stage design is not always followed by epic racing.

 

[rghysens]

I don't get the Iseran + Galibier hype. It's over 70km from the top of the Iseran to the start of the Galibier (Télégraphe). The race would fall flat on its back. Iseran should only be used with a finish in Val d'Isère or Tignes, preferably preceded by Mont Cenis.

 

[Escarabajo]

I think the queen stage should come sooner rather than later to avoid killing the following stages. I think Giro has this figured out.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

I don't get the Iseran + Galibier hype. It's over 70km from the top of the Iseran to the start of the Galibier (Télégraphe). The race would fall flat on its back. Iseran should only be used with a finish in Val d'Isère or Tignes, preferably preceded by Mont Cenis.

It's all about getting people tired. And Iseran + Galbier will create monster gaps on a climb to Alpe d'Huez. That's it. Nobody is expecting anything before the final climb. Those times are over.

 

[railxmig]

I don't get the Iseran + Galibier hype. It's over 70km from the top of the Iseran to the start of the Galibier (Télégraphe). The race would fall flat on its back. Iseran should only be used with a finish in Val d'Isère or Tignes, preferably preceded by Mont Cenis.

It's all about getting people tired. And Iseran + Galbier will create monster gaps on a climb to Alpe d'Huez. That's it. Nobody is expecting anything before the final climb. Those times are over.

Sorry, but i still don't get it. I have nothing against Iseran and Galibier, but i think Madeleine + Glandon are also perfectly fine for getting people tired. And there's no 70km flat/downhill between the climbs. Also, Iseran and Galibier won't work AFAIK, because Hautes-Alpes doesn't want to see TdF next year and Galibier+Lautaret are under it's jurisdiction, so there would be some additional administrative problems.

I also don't get the Sarenne variant. I find it a lacklustre version of the regular AdH climb. The last 4km are good, but that's all it has to offer. I think Sarenne should be either used as it was in 2013, or with Deux-Alpes. But then, if the Pre-Roselend rumour is real, then it's better to have a somewhat easier next day, so the tempo on these climbs is higher, than it otherwise would be.

As for the Pyrenees, some folks are looking at a possible Spanish arrival. Formigal and Jaca are in the centre of attention. With Formigal the task is easy - Soulor/Aubisque - Pourtalet - punchy finish in the station. Also, there are some weird options of having 4 mountain days, but i doubt on that.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Yeah, of course. You are right about it. It's just me who wants to see Iseran back in the Tour. Madeleine + Glandon is perfect.

For the final itt...

https://twitter.com/LasterketaBurua/status/918565722191814656/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

[OlavEH]

Sorry, but i still don't get it. I have nothing against Iseran and Galibier, but i think Madeleine + Glandon are also perfectly fine for getting people tired. And there's no 70km flat/downhill between the climbs. Also, Iseran and Galibier won't work AFAIK, because Hautes-Alpes doesn't want to see TdF next year and Galibier+Lautaret are under it's jurisdiction, so there would be some additional administrative problems.

I also don't get the Sarenne variant. I find it a lacklustre version of the regular AdH climb. The last 4km are good, but that's all it has to offer. I think Sarenne should be either used as it was in 2013, or with Deux-Alpes. But then, if the Pre-Roselend rumour is real, then it's better to have a somewhat easier next day, so the tempo on these climbs is higher, than it otherwise would be.

I guess the eagerness for a Iseran-Galibier-Sarenne combo is the length of the stage and the total number of height meters. We're talking about a 210 km stage with something like 5300-5400 meter of categorized climbs including two of the highest passes in Europe, a combination very rarely used.

By I agree with you. Madeleine-Glandon-Huez would be a good stage even if it's "only" 140-150 km. Any chance they will use the western approach to Huez, from Allemont?

Btw: Just hope they don't drop Madeleine and do only Glandon before Huez.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Clearly the best possible stage would be Madeleine, Croix-de-Fer, Galibier, Sarenne. Less than 250km so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Red Rick]

Best stage desgin would be to ditch Alpe d'Huez. Climb is unsuited to prior action

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Re:

Best stage desgin would be to ditch Alpe d'Huez. Climb is unsuited to prior action

I guess the best would be to use Alpe d'Huez as a pass and finish in Les Deux Alpes or something along those lines.

Or climb up Sarenne, descend the normal Alpe d'Huez road and then go to Villard-Notre-Dame (I know it's a crazy road, but maybe as a climb it might be safe enough? )

Now that Alpe d'Huez has two sides, there are some interesting options to use it as a pass, but unfortunately we're not getting any of that. Alpe d'Huez is paying and they want a finish I guess.......

 

[Netserk]

Re:

Best stage desgin would be to ditch Alpe d'Huez. Climb is unsuited to prior action

Not if climbed by Sarenne and from Galibier. As suited to prior action as a finish at Les-2-Alpes.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re:

Best stage desgin would be to ditch Alpe d'Huez. Climb is unsuited to prior action

Prior action to what? Watch Culoz 2016 again.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Best stage desgin would be to ditch Alpe d'Huez. Climb is unsuited to prior action

Prior action to what? Watch Culoz 2016 again.

Smaller teams might have a profound effect yet.

 

[Ashhutch97]

I don't understand the hate for Alpe d Huez, whenever it gets used there is always good racing, I can't think of a dull finish. And in 1986,1988 and 2011 there was attacking from far out on stages to Alpe d Huez . Let's be real, it is rumoured that the stage to Alpe d Huez will be stage 12, do you really think people will be attacking with 60km to go with the Pyrenees still to come?? Considering how rare it is to get long range attacking in any Tour I don't think it would happen on stage 12. Although I would love to be proved wrong. So I would be happy with traditional Alpe d Huez because you're usually guaranteed decent racing.

 

[AnatoleNovak]

The real Alpe-d'Huez stage :

 

[jens_attacks]

alpe must be itt from bourg d'oisans

anything else is lame

 

[mikii4567]

Pyrenees: https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2017/10/13/2664839-tour-france-2018-grand-cru-hautes-pyrenees.html
La Depeche claims that Gavarnie-Les Espécières or Col de Couraduque may host a stage... I think we're talking... well, idek about the Pyrenees anymore

They also claim that there will be a stage from Bagnères-de-Luchon to Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet and in reference to the département number it will be... 65 kilometres long

edit: they also claim one of the Pyrenees MTFs will debut in the race, so if Pla d'Adet gets a stage, Luz is out... but then again Luz was mentioned as being certain, even by Velowire...

 

[Tonton]

Re:

The real Alpe-d'Huez stage :

I like that one.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

The real Alpe-d'Huez stage :

Where do you want me to sign?

 

[railxmig]

Re:

The real Alpe-d'Huez stage :

I don't know, what this Orgiere climb is (probably just a random goat track) and why would you want to completely misuse it by randomly putting it in the middle of an AdH stage. Leave it as a descent Modane or punchy Valfrejus finish. Nice find BTW.