Tour de France 2018 Rumours

[Netserk]

Galibier has only been used twice since '11, and we probably won't see it next year. For such an iconic and great climb, it's not nearly as used as Tourmalet is.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Galibier has only been used twice since '11, and we probably won't see it next year. For such an iconic and great climb, it's not nearly as used as Tourmalet is.

Wasn't it actually even only used once, which was this year? They couldn't use it in 2015 after all.

 

[Netserk]

Yep, only once without 2015.

 

[Red Rick]

The Galibier did see the Giro pass by in 2013, though they didn't go to the top and finished a few 100m under the top in altitude.

 

[Nirvana]

The 2013 Giro finished at Les Granges due to snow.
Nowadays with EWP (and Vegni) won't even start such stage

 

[OlavEH]

Re:

Galibier has only been used twice since '11, and we probably won't see it next year. For such an iconic and great climb, it's not nearly as used as Tourmalet is.

The "problem" with Tourmalet (and Peyresourde) is that there are absolutely no alternative routes, and that they are very centrally placed in the Pyrenees. If you want to avoid one or both of these, you have to start a mountain stage with Aubisque as the western approach or Portillon as the eastern. That limits the options somewhat, because there aren't that many climbs east of Aubisque or west of Portillion. The inclusion of Tourmalet, Peyresourde and Aspin/Azet and Ancizan are therefore unaviodable in most editions.

 

[Red Rick]

I wouldn't have a big issue with the Tourmalet being in 60% of the time if only they'd vary the way they used it. Now it's almost always too early to do much.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

I wouldn't have a big issue with the Tourmalet being in 60% of the time if only they'd vary the way they used it. Now it's almost always too early to do much.

You could 'solve' that problem not watching full broadcasts

 

[dacooley]

Re: Re:

I wouldn't have a big issue with the Tourmalet being in 60% of the time if only they'd vary the way they used it. Now it's almost always too early to do much.

You could 'solve' that problem not watching full broadcasts

and not getting involved into tour routes discussions.

 

[klintE]

Re: Re:

Wow, trying to make it worse then this year. When will these morons be fired?

When the Giro finally topples the Tour in prestigue.
Ergo, when the sun rises in the west, and sets in the east
When the seas go dry, and the mountains blow in the wind like leaves.

I hope this trend will continue.

The 2017 Vuelta a España alone saw Eurosport achieve an average live audience of 1.3 million, a 46% increase on the previous year. The broadcaster’s average audience across all Vuelta coverage (live and non-live) reached 1.1 million, up a staggering 81% from 2016.
An average live audience of 785,000 watched the 21 stages of Eurosport’s coverage of the Tour de France in July, a 10% rise from 2016.

 

[Valv.Piti]

MTFs in 2001: Luz Ardiden, Alpe d Huez, Ax-3 Domaines
MTFs in 2003: Luz Ardiden, Alpe d Huez, Ax-3 Domaines

Don't necessarily have to use all that many different climbs to make an all time great race such as the Tour in 03, but its always interesting when they use new ones if used properly. Rather same old same old used well than new climbs used badly. At this point I don't care that much for exploring new climbs as long as we have 3-4 proper mountain stages and just overall a good route.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Wow, trying to make it worse then this year. When will these morons be fired?

When the Giro finally topples the Tour in prestigue.
Ergo, when the sun rises in the west, and sets in the east
When the seas go dry, and the mountains blow in the wind like leaves.

I hope this trend will continue.

The 2017 Vuelta a España alone saw Eurosport achieve an average live audience of 1.3 million, a 46% increase on the previous year. The broadcaster’s average audience across all Vuelta coverage (live and non-live) reached 1.1 million, up a staggering 81% from 2016.
An average live audience of 785,000 watched the 21 stages of Eurosport’s coverage of the Tour de France in July, a 10% rise from 2016.

Wondering if it was the Froome double or the Contador retirment that triggered that.

The Vuelta and Giro are definitely gaining traction. It wasn't too long ago that they had 8 Italians and Spanish guys in the top 10 respectively.

 

[klintE]

Re: Re:

The 2017 Vuelta a España alone saw Eurosport achieve an average live audience of 1.3 million, a 46% increase on the previous year. The broadcaster’s average audience across all Vuelta coverage (live and non-live) reached 1.1 million, up a staggering 81% from 2016.
An average live audience of 785,000 watched the 21 stages of Eurosport’s coverage of the Tour de France in July, a 10% rise from 2016.

Wondering if it was the Froome double or the Contador retirment that triggered that.

Both, apparently. And lame course in TdF.

 

[GraftPunk]

Eh, Giro and Vuelta have been miles better that TDF for years now.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Eh, Giro and Vuelta have been miles better that TDF for years now.

Yes but thats besides the point, really... people who barely follow cycling dont talk about Worlds, Flanders, Giro or Vuelta and don't know anything about it, but they do about the Tour and then they are exeperts all of a sudden and know lots of ridders suddenly..

 

[Leinster]

Re:

I wouldn't have a big issue with the Tourmalet being in 60% of the time if only they'd vary the way they used it. Now it's almost always too early to do much.

2015 stage 11;

Majka made the stage-winning break on it.

And of course it was a summit finish in 2010.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Only 2,5 weeks until the presentation and still almost nothing confirmed for weeks 2 and 3.

http://www.velowire.com/article/1027/fr/tour-de-france-2018---les-rumeurs-sur-le-parcours-et-les-villes-etapes--.html

 

[OlavEH]

Re:

Only 2,5 weeks until the presentation and still almost nothing confirmed for weeks 2 and 3.

http://www.velowire.com/article/1027/fr/tour-de-france-2018---les-rumeurs-sur-le-parcours-et-les-villes-etapes--.html

My expectations are so low that almost anything would be satisfactory......

My guess is that we'll have some positive aspects, for instance new climbs or climbs that haven't been used in many years, but the overall design of most mountain stages and the whole tour will be rather disappointing.

 

[OlavEH]

Re:

I wouldn't have a big issue with the Tourmalet being in 60% of the time if only they'd vary the way they used it. Now it's almost always too early to do much.

Can agree to this. Tourmalet should be used in a better way more of the time. I think a problem is that there is a finish in Bagneres de Luchon/Peyragudes almost every year, while other and better Pyrenees stage finishes are more rarely used, like:

Pla d'Adet: used 1 time since 2005.
Luz Ardiden: used 1 time since 2003.
La Mongie: Last used in 2004.
Ax 3 Domaines: used 2 times since 2001.
Hautacam: used 2 times since 2000.

Most of these climbs cood easily be linked to other climbs that could create a good stage design.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

I wouldn't have a big issue with the Tourmalet being in 60% of the time if only they'd vary the way they used it. Now it's almost always too early to do much.

2015 stage 11;

Majka made the stage-winning break on it.

And of course it was a summit finish in 2010.

 

[Netserk]

I've seen some speculation that the second Pyrenees stage could be something like this after a Superbagnères MTF:

(Portillon, Peyresourde, Aspin, Ancizan, Azet)

Not too bad for a short stage.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

I've seen some speculation that the second Pyrenees stage could be something like this after a Superbagnères MTF:

(Portillon, Peyresourde, Aspin, Ancizan, Azet)

Not too bad for a short stage.

Give me one of them 5000+ 200km+ 6 hour mountain stages first.

As for the Tourmalet, why no finish at Pic du Midi Bigorre, the observatory above the pass. Bola del Mundo eat your heart out. Don't need to put much before that in the stage.

 

[ice&fire]

Re: Re:

I've seen some speculation that the second Pyrenees stage could be something like this after a Superbagnères MTF:

(Portillon, Peyresourde, Aspin, Ancizan, Azet)

Not too bad for a short stage.

Give me one of them 5000+ 200km+ 6 hour mountain stages first.

As for the Tourmalet, why no finish at Pic du Midi Bigorre, the observatory above the pass. Bola del Mundo eat your heart out. Don't need to put much before that in the stage.

Too much flat. Purito could cram 5000+ in less than 150km.

 

[Chrispol]

Re: Re:

I've seen some speculation that the second Pyrenees stage could be something like this after a Superbagnères MTF:

(Portillon, Peyresourde, Aspin, Ancizan, Azet)

Not too bad for a short stage.

Give me one of them 5000+ 200km+ 6 hour mountain stages first.

As for the Tourmalet, why no finish at Pic du Midi Bigorre, the observatory above the pass. Bola del Mundo eat your heart out. Don't need to put much before that in the stage.

Just came back from the observatory ! Stunning place, but I think the riders would like to use the cable car more than climb on a dirt road with 20% gradients at 2877m.

Just saw a tweet yesterday with a picture of Prud'homme at the top of the col du Pré but the tweet is now deleted. Looks good !

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

I've seen some speculation that the second Pyrenees stage could be something like this after a Superbagnères MTF:

(Portillon, Peyresourde, Aspin, Ancizan, Azet)

Not too bad for a short stage.

I will be happy with this one after Superbagnères MTF