Tour de France 2020 | Stage 16 (La Tour-du-Pin - Villard-de-Lans, 164 km)

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I think just about every fixed formula ignores so much context it's in. In my opinion the disadvantage a lone rider has over a strong team until the final 5km is pretty disqualifying. Col de Portet had none of that and Quintana launched the winning attack on the bottom slopes. Now that doesn't mean AdH type clibms are all harder but I definitely think the Col de Portet is harder.

I think the most important trait of a climb is probably the altitude gain on a climb that happens on gradients over 9% or something. Preferably not before too many stretches of 6% and lower where team strength is quite dominant.


Now 2 big questions I'd have are the actual importance of altitude and how it matters. The stage in question only goes above 2000m for 3km or probably 11-12 minutes, so I don't think it's that important. The 2nd part for me is the effect of climbing longer distances under threshold values, and I think if they go under riders won't be that affected by earlier efforts on the final parts of the climb. It's what the entire tactic of bludgeoning a climb with a strong team and strong leader is about that everyone else blows up but your team leader.

Jumbo won't blow up Roglic, UAE can't blow up Roglic.

So Letras scores 0? :p

LETRAS+vert.+Mariquita.jpg
 
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Just this video shows you what's so unique about it. Also the profile at the bottom goes down to very small segments.
 
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15.5 k from the top of the climb to the foot of the final climb.

I wonder how much of a gap the heavier guys like Benoot need, in order to come back over that distance?

Looks to me like Benoot is trying to maintain Pedersen over the top, to have someone to lead him on the flat.
 
So Letras scores 0? :p

LETRAS+vert.+Mariquita.jpg
I'm mainly talking in the context of more conventional climbs that don't go far beyond one hour of climbing and don't really go beyond 3000m in altitude. GTs don't have options like these, though I would love to see Pico Veleta in the Vuelta. I think the Val Thorens waiting game kind of showed that, as well as the 2017 Sierra Nevada stage.

That said, I vastly prefer the super big climbs as passes than MTFs. I'm all for using climbs like Bonette, Lombarde, Agnello more.
 
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