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Tour de France Tour De France 2021, stage 1 (Brest-Landerneau, 197.8 km)

Stage 1: Brest – Landerneau, 197.8 km
For the first time since 2011, the first stage of the Tour finishes uphill. It doesn’t look hard enough for GC action, but at least the Big Three should provide an entertaining battle on the final climb. La Course should be the bigger spectacle on this day with four ascents of the same climb.

Map and profile
75d34


d8326


Route details
Six categorised and several more uncategorised climbs scattered throughout the stage, the first of which, the easy Côte de Trébéolin, comes within the first ten kilometers.

cote-de-trebeolin-632358.png


Côte de Rosnoën should be more favorable to the climbers in the breakaway, with the steep section near the end containing 100 meters at 11%.

cote-de-rosnoen.png


The next climb is the only cat. 3 of the day aside from the final climb. Côte de Locronan is nasty: narrow, featuring a brief stretch on cobbles and maxing out at 15%. A shame it comes so early in the stage. It’s the profile below minus the first 200 meters.

cote-de-locronan.png


The middle third of the stage is the easiest, with just the one categorised climb, the easy Côte de Stang Ar Garront.

tour-de-france-2021-stage-1-climb-n4-b6b8d834de.jpg


The final third of the stage starts with the intermediate sprint, which comes part way up an uncategorised rise.

yiPuxOA.jpg


For some reason, the only climb in this section other than the finish they’ve chosen to categorise, the Côte de Saint-Rivoal, is one of the easier ones. This section has been earmarked by Prudhomme as having potential for echelons, and indeed we’re very close to where Roglič missed a split and spent the best part of an hour chasing back in 2018.

cote-de-saint-rivoal.png


This is followed by two uncategorised climbs. None of the big names will attack here obviously, but maybe the wildcard teams will try something given that these hills are crested inside the final 20 kilometers.

uOHH8Wh.png


GaQYiPK.png


The final climb looks like this. From the point where the profile ends, it’s 250 flat meters to the finish.

cote-de-la-fosse-aux-loups-landerneau.png


Final kilometers
ruErMwQ.jpg


z7Qwt9t.jpg


With 5 kilometers to go, they hit a roundabout that leads onto a short ramp on a narrower road.

qbViodg.png


The road remains narrow until this roundabout at just over 3 kilometers from the finish line. I can’t find anything in the roadbook or elsewhere to suggest it’s being paved over, but you never know.

iDQjtuB.png


At the opposite side of the bridge, this chicane leads onto the final climb.

fPuWoGn.png


The first bit of the climb is narrow too…

TQd6IxA.png


…but the final 2.8 kilometers are reasonably wide. The steepest bit, averaging 11%, comes just after this railway crossing, between 2.7 and 2.5 kilometers to go.

BZxAvck.png
 
Last edited:
This one's up incredibly early. I had an opening post ready to go but figured I'd wait until tomorrow at earliest...

Route details
Six categorised and several more uncategorised climbs scattered throughout the stage, the first of which, the easy Côte de Trébéolin, comes within the first ten kilometers.

cote-de-trebeolin-632358.png


Côte de Rosnoën should be more favorable to the climbers in the breakaway, with the steep section near the end containing 100 meters at 11%.

cote-de-rosnoen.png


The next climb is the only cat. 3 of the day aside from the final climb. Côte de Locronan is nasty: narrow, featuring a brief stretch on cobbles and maxing out at 15%. A shame it comes so early in the stage. It’s the profile below minus the first 200 meters.

cote-de-locronan.png


The middle third of the stage is the easiest, with just the one categorised climb, the easy Côte de Stang Ar Garront.

tour-de-france-2021-stage-1-climb-n4-b6b8d834de.jpg


The final third of the stage starts with the intermediate sprint, which comes part way up an uncategorised rise.

yiPuxOA.jpg


For some reason, the only climb in this section other than the finish they’ve chosen to categorise, the Côte de Saint-Rivoal, is one of the easier ones. This section has been earmarked by Prudhomme as having potential for echelons, and indeed we’re very close to where Roglič missed a split and spent the best part of an hour chasing back in 2018.

cote-de-saint-rivoal.png


This is followed by two uncategorised climbs. None of the big names will attack here obviously, but maybe the wildcard teams will try something given that these hills are crested inside the final 20 kilometers.

uOHH8Wh.png


GaQYiPK.png


The final climb looks like this. From the point where the profile ends, it’s 250 flat meters to the finish.

cote-de-la-fosse-aux-loups-landerneau.png


Final kilometers
ruErMwQ.jpg


z7Qwt9t.jpg


With 5 kilometers to go, they hit a roundabout that leads onto a short ramp on a narrower road.

qbViodg.png


The road remains narrow until this roundabout at just over 3 kilometers from the finish line. I can’t find anything in the roadbook or elsewhere to suggest it’s being paved over, but you never know.

iDQjtuB.png


At the opposite side of the bridge, this chicane leads onto the final climb.

fPuWoGn.png


The first bit of the climb is narrow too…

TQd6IxA.png


…but the final 2.8 kilometers are reasonably wide. The steepest bit, averaging 11%, comes just after this railway crossing, between 2.7 and 2.5 kilometers to go.

BZxAvck.png

Oh, I'm so sorry! If a mod can sort this out, my post can be erased and replaced by yours!
@Red Rick , @King Boonen , @Eshnar.
 
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its hard to look past van der poel, he has the fastest acceleration and can squeeze himself the most even if somebody catches his first attack, unless he sits on a mountain bike he wins this 9 times out of 10
I honestly do believe in VdPs ability to tactically blunder.

Also, I don't think it helps VdP that the finish is apparently flat, but maybe I'm very wrong there.

Kinda crazy how similar the profile looks to Mur de Bretagne, though it's probably a bit easier.
 
I honestly do believe in VdPs ability to tactically blunder.

Also, I don't think it helps VdP that the finish is apparently flat, but maybe I'm very wrong there.

Kinda crazy how similar the profile looks to Mur de Bretagne, though it's probably a bit easier.
what is his ability to tactically blunder based on? hes been pretty decisive this season, even in tour de suisse he paced himself then attacked on more favourable part and of course demolished alaphillipe in the shorter sprint for second win

if finish is flat i dont trust alaphilippe much then, i dont trust van aert coz it always takes him ages to respond to attacks, of course someone (cough Bahrain cough) can always throw a wrench in it, but under normal cicumstances he should be by far the biggest favourite
 
what is his ability to tactically blunder based on? hes been pretty decisive this season, even in tour de suisse he paced himself then attacked on more favourable part and of course demolished alaphillipe in the shorter sprint for second win

His "tactics" are the forum's explanation for when he doesn't win every time he is active (although I don't think anyone cites tactics in his Flanders defeat).

Similar to Super Sagan only loosing when other's fail to cooperate...

It is a handy excuse for fans to still applaud his strength when he doesn't win. It's a supposed weakness critics will try to exploit in predictions. So the topic itself self perpetuates in discussions whether it is true or not...
 
His "tactics" are the forum's explanation for when he doesn't win every time he is active (although I don't think anyone cites tactics in his Flanders defeat).

Similar to Super Sagan only loosing when other's fail to cooperate...

It is a handy excuse for fans to still applaud his strength when he doesn't win. It's a supposed weakness critics will try to exploit in predictions. So the topic itself self perpetuates in discussions whether it is true or not...
Nah man Van der Poel has some next level abilities to tactically blunder.
 

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