Some predictions here. Note that the start of stage 10 is actually Moutiers just further from Bourg:
Stages 8-11
Stage 14:
Stages 8-11
Stage 14:
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Those look more like the dream of a wild course design fan than something out of Gouvenou's hat.
I don't know, i.e. that Bourg-Saint-Maurice to La Mure stage does seem like a typical "let's put some hors-catégorie cols early in the stage because I believe it'll create spectacle" Christian Prudhomme special. He's been doing that for many years now & it never works.
Everyone rides tempo & the fans scream their anger. Rinse repeat etc.
I thought the same until I looked at the penultimate climb: 6km @ 11% with 21km to the finish seems good enough to make a selection... unless they decide to take a rest for Mont Ventoux the day after.
*** bonus points for Madeleine + Glandon....
Anyway, Ventoux descent finish, I want it, but I so doubt we're gonna get one.
I wouldn't really know how to characterize the other typical Prudhomme ***. Although the bonus seconds on top of climbs haven't nearly gotten the hate they deserved in the last 2 years.
The La Mure finish could be replaced with Alpe d'Huez as a queen stage over the Iseran and Galibier or whatever. My take is though that an Alpe d'Huez MTF followed by an arrival off Mont Ventoux might be a bit much. But who knows. We've got 5 days or so until they 'release' the route (but we will no doubt not know all the details until 2021..)
Also the Parquetout is deceptively steep in parts. If they went down the side the climbed I would sadly be surprised if there wasn't a big crash like richie port in 2017. To put it in perspective the figures are similar to Plateau des glieres (a HC climb on the stage Carapaz and Kwiatkowski did a 1-2 this year.
Also the Parquetout is deceptively steep in parts. If they went down the side the climbed I would sadly be surprised if there wasn't a big crash like richie port in 2017. To put it in perspective the figures are similar to Plateau des glieres (a HC climb on the stage Carapaz and Kwiatkowski did a 1-2 this year.
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I AM SURPRISED ASO wouldn't wait until the completion of the Vuelta to announce the route of the 2021 TDF - They could have waited 2 weeks.
Like Red Rick I would love to see a decent finish after Mont Ventoux, the La Mure stage you designed looks great as does the stage starting in Carccassone.
I'd like to see Luz Ardiden back. It's been 10 years, so not overused, and it is one of the better finishes in the Pyrenees especially when coupled with the Tourmalet.
I'd like to see some decent amount of TTing to bring some balance back to GT racing. Ideally x2 TTs one flat and one hilly, but will take one TT if it's a lengthy one 50-55km.
I'd like to see Luz Ardiden back. It's been 10 years, so not overused, and it is one of the better finishes in the Pyrenees especially when coupled with the Tourmalet.
I'd like to see some decent amount of TTing to bring some balance back to GT racing. Ideally x2 TTs one flat and one hilly, but will take one TT if it's a lengthy one 50-55km.
Shows you that they consider the Vuelta to be the redheaded stepchild...
It's in the mid-morning, before the Vuelta (broadcast), and during a time when I'm pretty sure most people will be at work.
They are both run by ASO so there must be an agreement - Will it be a virtual presentation with the current restrictions on gatherings in France.
I'd imagine it would be a lot more down-toned than usual. If there is a live-audience, I suspect it will be rather small.
Aight, I have Pyrenees finished (stages 15-18). 3 MTF might seem like a bit much, but I don't see a 4th mountain stage leaving from Andorra:
Stage 15 I believe would have the most elevation gain (~5700m) while stage 17 would be the queen stage arguably (unless they do some freaking Iseran - Galibier - Alpe like I had planned originally)
Stage 15 I believe would have the most elevation gain (~5700m) while stage 17 would be the queen stage arguably (unless they do some freaking Iseran - Galibier - Alpe like I had planned originally)
I could maybe see the final 2 happen, but not that Andorra stage. I think the Tour also likes to have the weakest Pyrenees stage be the downhill finish if they have 3 stages. Somehow Tourmalet is always wasted en passant as a leg warmer or MTF, I would really like to see it as a downhill finish tbh.Aight, I have Pyrenees finished (stages 15-18). 3 MTF might seem like a bit much, but I don't see a 4th mountain stage leaving from Andorra:
Stage 15 I believe would have the most elevation gain (~5700m) while stage 17 would be the queen stage arguably (unless they do some freaking Iseran - Galibier - Alpe like I had planned originally)
Port de Paillheres IMO might be the #1 underrated climb in the Pyrenees and it's never been the focal point of a stage as far as I remember.
That is true, I've heard rumours that instead of Andorra having an MTF they could finish off a descent (possible for a good stage if they used the Collada de la Gallina thats 12km 8%) and finished at the foot of La Rabassa in Julia de Loria. Another option to highlight the Pailheres is finish in ax-les-thermes rather than the typical Ax 3 Domaines or Plateau de Beille.
The problem is that with the Andorra stage almost certain to return to France via Port d'Envalira, I would be very surprised if they went into Andorra via Envalira too. As a result I think we'll get Font-Romeu or Llose and then enter via Spain, making the stage far less interesting.
For appetizer a puncheur hilly finish in windy Bretagne.
Flat sprinter stages should be no shorter than 250K.
For the last 1½ week after a visit in the Pyrenees I'll personally prefer a mix of crosswind stages combined with very high mountain stages, middle mountain stages for attacks and in between a +70k ITT, well mixed up.
Flat sprinter stages should be no shorter than 250K.
For the last 1½ week after a visit in the Pyrenees I'll personally prefer a mix of crosswind stages combined with very high mountain stages, middle mountain stages for attacks and in between a +70k ITT, well mixed up.
- Crosswind stage could well be in in Languedoc-Roussillon region, Hérault -, Gard - departments.
- Turning to an 70+K ITT transfer from Auvergne to Rhone, e.g. starting in Ardéche finishing in flat regon of Drôme.
- Turning to a multi-very high mountain stage, inspired by 1993 Isola 2000-like stage which passed multi monster mountains like Col d'Izoard, Col du Vars, Cîme de la Bonette du Restefond with finale Isola 2000. We witnessed in this years Giro Stelvio Stage that extreme mountains certainly can make a difference in GC
- Mixing back to hilly stage in Provence-Alpes
- Then over to a Ventoux stage finish with 220 flat kilometres before the climb.
- And next day new crosswind stage with final 80k 'Mediterranean straight' Carmague - La Grande-Motte - Sète - Agde.
- Followed by a Chamrousse MTT
- And then grande finale 'La Marmotte' i.e. Col du Glandon - Col Du Télégraphe - Col du Galibier - l'Alpe d'Huez.
They could also enter Spain via Ares, but I too think it will be like in the 2017 Vuelta.
The first post in the race design thread has a few sites/tools listed you can use. It's a very old thread so I don't know how up to date it is
I suspect that in these COVID era that all GT's in 2021 will stay within their countries borders - So no foreign departs or incursions over the border.
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