Tour de France 2019

[OlavEH]

So all three Alps stages will be around 120-130 kms? Plus the Tourmalet stage.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

So all three Alps stages will be around 120-130 kms? Plus the Tourmalet stage.

I don't think so. If the map above is indeed correct the Valloire stage will be significantly longer. Maybe around 200 km, or slightly shorter. According to that map Vars is in.

 

[OlavEH]

Re: Re:

So all three Alps stages will be around 120-130 kms? Plus the Tourmalet stage.

I don't think so. If the map above is indeed correct the Valloire stage will be significantly longer. Maybe around 200 km, or slightly shorter. According to that map Vars is in.

Yep, I noticed that now. Looks like Vars are in. Makes it somewhat better, but it's still a shame that they don't seem to be able to use a Iseran-Tignes finish in a better way than the current plan.

 

[Alexandre B.]

I'm curious about the Nîmes-Nîmes stage. That's very unusual.

 

[Ferminal]

Re: Re:

Gimmicks sell, to a degree. I for one hope they go > 3000m within the foreseeable future. Use or pave some dirt roads above l'Alpe, Les 2 Alpes, or Val Tho or whatever. Use that global warming to your advantage.

Although Sky's dominance make it less probable with a good Tour anyway, looking at the rumoured overview map for next year, they could have designed one of the best routes ever.

Yeah. There really is no excuse to have 7 or 8 (semi)sprinters stages this time, but just watch...

Ha Mont de Lans in our lifetime? Doubtful when they don't even go back to L2A let alone all the other complications. Anyway, glad to see the altitude arriving for this edition. But next time Iseran (S) is used I'd prefer Val d'Isere so that underwhelming Tignes stage is ok if that's how it ends up.

Re: PdBF it has been overused yes but it has a habit of delivering and means they can fit a proper early(ish) selection around the backloading nonsense. Adding another 100m gain to that doesn't detract.

Next time Iseran S is used? Last time they did it Anquetil and Bahamontes were at the top of their game.

Knew it was before my time but not that long! Any of those previous stages would do.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Those video of the legends. Suffering alone or fighting mano a mano. I can't see any damn trains.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

1 - Bruxelles > Bruxelles
2 - Bruxelles > Bruxelles TTT
3 - Binche > Epernay
4 - Reims > Nancy
5 - Saint-die-Des Vosges > Colmar
6 - Mulhouse >La Planche des Belles Filles
7 - Belfort > Chalon-sur-Saone
8 - Macon > Saint-Etienne
9 - Saint-Etienne > Brioude
10 - Saint-Flour > Albi


11 - Albi > Toulouse
12 - Toulouse > Bagneres-de-Bigorre
13 - Pau > Pau ITT
14 - Tarbes > Tourmalet
15 - Limoux > Foix - Prat d'Albis

16 - Nimes > Nimes
17 - Pont du Gard > Gap
18 - Embrun > Valloire
19 - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne > Tignes
20 - Albertville > Val Thorens
21 - Rambouillet > Paris Champs-Elysees

 

[Ferminal]

Thanks, I'm just going to stay pleased Val Thorens is there and leave it at that!

 

[Rollthedice]

Very short hilly ITT not after rest day. Tibo is on the brink of glory.

 

[Red Rick]

- Less sprints than usual in the first week
- Good stages through the Vosges
- Very nice stages through the Massive Central
- Nice ITT placement in an iconic TdF town
- Iconic summit finish on the Tourmalet
- Nice new summit finish on Prat d'Albis
- Great use of rarer climbs in the Alps, great use of altitude
- So excited to see Galibier south again after 2011
- Great finish of the race on a 30km+ climb

 

[Breh]

Cool route!

 

[Singer01]

Could have been worse I suppose. With one extra tt and a proper queen stage it would be quite good.

 

[Laplaz]

+ Vosges stages are good and not so much sprint stages anymore

- the lenght of the mountain stages

 

[tobydawq]

Is the Gap stage with Col de Manse as usual or did they concoct a flat stage to Gap since there's no profile yet?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

Is the Gap stage with Col de Manse as usual or did they concoct a flat stage to Gap since there's no profile yet?

Neither. Breakaway stage. Only the last hill was mentioned: Col de la Sentinelle S ( ~ 5km at 5.5%) just south of Gap, followed by a descent finish via a minor road.

http://www.cyclingcols.com/col/Sentinelle

 

[Descender]

No descent finishes, a laughable ITT, monotonous mountain stages on long 5-7% climbs, short stages.

A route unworthy of the Tour de France. Worst in a long time.

 

[rick james]

Re:

- Less sprints than usual in the first week
- Good stages through the Vosges
- Very nice stages through the Massive Central
- Nice ITT placement in an iconic TdF town
- Iconic summit finish on the Tourmalet
- Nice new summit finish on Prat d'Albis
- Great use of rarer climbs in the Alps, great use of altitude
- So excited to see Galibier south again after 2011
- Great finish of the race on a 30km+ climb

Wow positive talk from you

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

- Less sprints than usual in the first week
- Good stages through the Vosges
- Very nice stages through the Massive Central
- Nice ITT placement in an iconic TdF town
- Iconic summit finish on the Tourmalet
- Nice new summit finish on Prat d'Albis
- Great use of rarer climbs in the Alps, great use of altitude
- So excited to see Galibier south again after 2011
- Great finish of the race on a 30km+ climb

You're trolling, right? You must be.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

No descent finishes, a laughable ITT, monotonous mountain stages on long 5-7% climbs, short stages.

A route unworthy of the Tour de France. Worst in a long time.

Valloire?

 

[Max Rockatansky]

ASO putting in request to UCI to prohibit use of power meters says Christian Prudhomme #TDF2019 :surprised:

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

No descent finishes, a laughable ITT, monotonous mountain stages on long 5-7% climbs, short stages.

A route unworthy of the Tour de France. Worst in a long time.

Valloire?

Valloire and Gap.

ASO putting in request to UCI to prohibit use of power meters says Christian Prudhomme #TDF2019 :surprised:

Yep, and also this:

There will be mid-stage time bonuses throughout the race, including some placed on the climbs #TDF2019


ASO to talk to the UCI as currently the rules only allow 3-2-1s mid-stage and 10-6-4s at the finish and Prudhomme wants to be able to award more time

https://twitter.com/inrng/status/1055413699354210305

 

[Alexandre B.]

I would've ditch the TTT in favor of an ITT.

 

[davebqvst]

I really don't get why they always insist on having a TTT. If they want to make the race more exciting and competitive, wouldn't that be the first, obvious thing to cut, in order to not give Sky a guaranteed bonus against most teams? Are the viewership numbers for the TTT stages that good? Do some towns only want to host a TTT and no road stage?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

All rider reactions from the front page article + Gouvenou. You know there's a problem with the # of sprint stages when a pure sprinter is pleased with it...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-2019-route-reactions-from-froome-dumoulin-and-others/

Chris Froome (Team Sky) - third in 2018

"It’s a tough route - like all Tours de France - but what really stood out for me was the multiple finishes over 2000 metres, and that’s really going to stand this route apart from previous editions."



Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) - second in 2018

"It’s a very tough route. Of course, more individual time trial kilometres would have been better, so it’s not an ideal course for me, but that was also the case this year. There’s a lot of high climbing and an emphasis on the second half of the Tour, with the Pyrenees and the Alps to be decisive."



Pierre Latour (AG2R La Mondiale) - best young rider in 2018

"There are quite a few long stages, with several over 200 kilometres, and there are quite a few stages with difficult finishes, too. There are lots of mountains all over the route. Even the so-called transition stages are long and contain pitfalls, so you have to remain vigilant, and avoid having a jours sans, because you will pay.

"It's a route that will see many changes in the general classification. With the finish at Val Thorens the day before the Champs Elysées, we could have changes right up to the last moment."



Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) - two time stage winner in 2018

"There are a lot of flat stages, and seven sprint chances. That’s enough for me. Especially in that first stage, I want to be good and win immediately. You will actually get the yellow jersey and it is a great honour if you can wear it. Of course the yellow is a very big goal." (To NOS)



Thierry Gouvenou (Tour de France route designer)

"This year we have not really started looking for special things. We mainly present a strong block around the mountains. There is more climbing, with fewer hors-catégorie cols of and fewer time trial kilometres. [Tom] Dumoulin does not need a time trial to win a Tour. He has already proven that he is also a strong climber." (Belga)



Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ)

"It is a hilly course with few moments of relaxation. We'll juggle for three weeks between the small and the big ring."

 

[kingjr]

I'll take sprint stages over Fedrigo/LL Sanchez/Casar type stages everytime.