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Col de Madeleine is a climb i would like to see a return to the Tour de France. It's probably one of the most underrated climbs in the alps, and they could use it as a MTF one day.
Everyone played his role perfectly and the climb was divided into three equal parts:
1) Huge pull by Jorgenson in the first 5 km
2) Vingo as a rocket booster for the next 5 km
3) Pogi finished the job in the last 5 km
It looked like a master plan by a master mind. Kudos to Grischa, he showed the world who's the strongest DS!
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Not sure about doing an MTF, but it would be cool as an option to do Madeleine north, descend one of the two La Chambre sides and then climb the other to finish at the Saint-François-Longchamp-1850 ski resort like in the 2009 Dauphiné.
Alternatively you could use those two parallel sides to make Saint-François-Longchamp a pass, and so have it as a climb in its own right climbing much of the southern sides but backing into La Toussuire, Croix de Fer or Glandon instead. It would be the junction which is 5km from the finish of these two ascents - leaving them both at ~14km at 8%, so essentially the same as Alpe d'Huez.
Going from Albertville, Aime or Bourg-Saint-Maurice (would be very cool to come after a La Plagne MTF, it's been a while, since 2002 in Le Tour, but the Dauphiné has been there recently) or even somewhere like Moûtiers after Col de la Loze as an MTF (after all, that's a climb hard enough that it doesn't need too much before it to be decisive so having a monster stage the next day wouldn't neutralise racing so much), you could go Madeleine north (25km @ 6%), descend to La Chambre, climb Madeleine SW via Montgellafrey (14,4km @ 8%), and then on to Glandon and Alpe d'Huez for a mammoth queen stage.
Or potentially Madeleine north (25km @ 6%), descend through the Montgellafrey side, then climb Croix de Fer via Glandon (23km @ 7%), Chaussy (14km @ 7,5%), and a final 9km @ 8% to Saint-François-Longchamp-1850. Alternatively, extend that stage slightly by descending through the La Chambre side, meaning you can re-do that last 5km of the descent between the Chaussy junction and La Chambre near the end of the stage and climb Saint-François-Longchamp-1850 through Montgellafrey for a 14km @ 8% MTF.
Im here to say Im all for all of these options. Madeleine is rarely used as a focal point of a stage - I only recal it being in 1998 (obviously didn't watch myself) and 2010. In 2010, Contador had disappointed in Avoriaz the day before, but Dani Navarro put on quite a show and shredded the whole field and Contador and Andy rode into the sunset in a great stage. Sami Sanchez almost made it.. That was from the "easy" side, I know, there's no such things as easy sides of the Col de la Madeleine, but when I think of that climb I think of 20 km at 8%. It is indeed a hella underrated climb, and one level up from the Glandon/Croix-de-Fer IMO. Its a beast that's underutilized for sure as I mostly recall it being used early on in many stages featuring Croix-de-Fer relatively early on.
I'd have thought that Prudhomme would have his favourite climb feature as the last one again soon after the 2015 stage, and that Saint-François-Longchamp would be the perfect penultimate climb for such a finish:Not sure about doing an MTF, but it would be cool as an option to do Madeleine north, descend one of the two La Chambre sides and then climb the other to finish at the Saint-François-Longchamp-1850 ski resort like in the 2009 Dauphiné.
Alternatively you could use those two parallel sides to make Saint-François-Longchamp a pass, and so have it as a climb in its own right climbing much of the southern sides but backing into La Toussuire, Croix de Fer or Glandon instead. It would be the junction which is 5km from the finish of these two ascents - leaving them both at ~14km at 8%, so essentially the same as Alpe d'Huez.
Going from Albertville, Aime or Bourg-Saint-Maurice (would be very cool to come after a La Plagne MTF, it's been a while, since 2002 in Le Tour, but the Dauphiné has been there recently) or even somewhere like Moûtiers after Col de la Loze as an MTF (after all, that's a climb hard enough that it doesn't need too much before it to be decisive so having a monster stage the next day wouldn't neutralise racing so much), you could go Madeleine north (25km @ 6%), descend to La Chambre, climb Madeleine SW via Montgellafrey (14,4km @ 8%), and then on to Glandon and Alpe d'Huez for a mammoth queen stage.
Or potentially Madeleine north (25km @ 6%), descend through the Montgellafrey side, then climb Croix de Fer via Glandon (23km @ 7%), Chaussy (14km @ 7,5%), and a final 9km @ 8% to Saint-François-Longchamp-1850. Alternatively, extend that stage slightly by descending through the La Chambre side, meaning you can re-do that last 5km of the descent between the Chaussy junction and La Chambre near the end of the stage and climb Saint-François-Longchamp-1850 through Montgellafrey for a 14km @ 8% MTF.
Grenoble > Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
163.0 km, +4548 m. Bike ride in Meylan, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
ridewithgps.com
'It wouldn't be acceptable' - Olympics circuit will not be replicated when Tour de France returns to Paris
Technical director Thierry Gouvenou explains why climb of Montmarte couldn't feature in July
www.cyclingnews.com
Gouvenou already Gouvenouing
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All quite on the route rumour front atm.
Hoping for some new additions to the race. I hope there are a selection of medium mountain stages.
On a purely speculative note, outside of the main mountain ranges, what medium climbs do you think would be an interesting addition to the race?
My top 5 would be-
1. Mont Faron (5.7km @8.4%)
2. Mont Poupet (4.1km @ 8%)
3. Cote de la Malatte (3.3km @ 9.1%)- Used in Grand Besancon Doubs
4. La Loge des Gardes (6.8km @7%)
5. Mont Bouquet (4.8km @9%)
I feel a stage or two like this would help break up the sprint/transition stages and help add another bit of GC action.
What other medium sized climbs outside of the Alps/Pyrenees would be a novel addition to the race?
Hoping for some new additions to the race. I hope there are a selection of medium mountain stages.
On a purely speculative note, outside of the main mountain ranges, what medium climbs do you think would be an interesting addition to the race?
My top 5 would be-
1. Mont Faron (5.7km @8.4%)
2. Mont Poupet (4.1km @ 8%)
3. Cote de la Malatte (3.3km @ 9.1%)- Used in Grand Besancon Doubs
4. La Loge des Gardes (6.8km @7%)
5. Mont Bouquet (4.8km @9%)
I feel a stage or two like this would help break up the sprint/transition stages and help add another bit of GC action.
What other medium sized climbs outside of the Alps/Pyrenees would be a novel addition to the race?
Le Tour de France à nouveau dans les Hautes-Alpes en 2026 !
Il est bien difficile de savoir chaque année ce qu'il en s et mais selon nos infos le Tour de France, après le succès de
www.likeradio.fr
No Hautes-Alpes (including Granon) next year, but on the menu for 2026.
Would that exclude any Finestre combination?Le Tour de France à nouveau dans les Hautes-Alpes en 2026 !
Il est bien difficile de savoir chaque année ce qu'il en s et mais selon nos infos le Tour de France, après le succès de
No Hautes-Alpes (including Granon) next year, but on the menu for 2026.
No. Only Montgenèvre (and Galibier). But I take it to mean arrivals and starts, so not even that is necessarily excluded.
Col de la Mûre, has been seen in Paris-Nice a bit:
Col de Chanusclade, could be a useful mid-stage climb:
Heading north from there you could have the Côte de Sainte-Anastaise to lead up to Super-Besse:
A bit bigger than medium-mountain, but 30 years since we've seen Col de l'Œillon:
Peyra Taillade to a Le Puy-en-Velay finish, like in the 2017 Tour:
Côte des Hers, which is opposite it:
Route des Crêtes, on the south coast between Cassis and La Ciotat:
Pré de la Dame, has been in women's Tour de l'Ardêche:
Le Mont d'Or, in the northern Jura:
From what I have seen on Le Gruppetto recently, there isn't much to go on yet, but it is increasingly likely there will be a summit finish in Superbagnères followed by a mountain time trial to Peyragudes. After that not much seems to be consistently agreed upon, with vague rumours of Ventoux / Alpe d'Huez / Granon / Finestre / Grand Ballon. If I recall correctly, ASO tested Col de la Loze on Tour de l'Avenir one year before it was introduced in the Tour de France, so maybe that gives more weight to speculation that the Finestre would be part of the parcours? Otherwise we can hazard some general guesses of what the route will look like:
1.) First week in the North. Its possible the route could briefly pass through the massif central early on after the grand depart or at the end of a long week with something hilly for Bastille Day on the Monday. Not much to say beyond speculation to be honest, we need more info.
2.) Second week likely to start off right away with the Pyrenees. After that its mostly speculation. I think Mende, maybe Rodez, will surely come back sometime in the next years so hey why not in 2025? Ventoux would fit in quite nicely to end a 2nd week of racing.
3.) Third week is a total free for all to be honest. We don't know before Paris whether the race will end in the Alps, Vosges or maybe even elsewhere. We also don't know if the Alps will be taken from South to North, North to South, etc. The one thing I would say is quite likely, given its absence in 2024, is that the Haute-Savoie region will be back. A quick check shows it hasn't been off the route of the Tour for more than a year consecutively since 2016 at least.
If I had to propose something for this route I would likely do this given a first week of 10 days in the North. I also added a little surprise so we can have something "unprecedented" (at least in modern times) inspired by this years Tour de France Femmes! I tried to do it in ASO style too, and included some example profiles.
Monday 07/14: something for Bastille day (stage 10)
Tuesday 07/15: rest and transfer
Wednesday 07/16: Toulouse region > Superbagnères (stage 11, 1/2)
Wednesday 07/16: Loudenvielle > Peyragudes (stage 11, 2/2)
Thursday 07/17: Luchon > Foix (stage 12)
Friday 07/18: Carcassonne > Montpellier (stage 13)
Saturday 07/19: Pont du Gard > Mont Ventoux (Stage 14)
Sunday 07/20: Transition stage for a breakaway maybe with GC potential (Gap, Sisteron?) (stage 15)
Monday 07/21: rest
Tuesday 07/22: Gap > Alpe d'Huez (stage 16)
Wednesday 07/23: Le Bourg-d'Oisans > Sestriere (Stage 17)
Thursday 07/24: Modane > Cluses (Stage 18)
Friday 07/25: La Roche-sur-Foron > Besançon (Stage 19)
Saturday 07/26: Lure > Le Markstein (Stage 20)
Sunday 07/27: Paris (Stage 21)
Tuesday 07/15: rest and transfer
Wednesday 07/16: Toulouse region > Superbagnères (stage 11, 1/2)
Wednesday 07/16: Loudenvielle > Peyragudes (stage 11, 2/2)
Thursday 07/17: Luchon > Foix (stage 12)
Friday 07/18: Carcassonne > Montpellier (stage 13)
Saturday 07/19: Pont du Gard > Mont Ventoux (Stage 14)
Sunday 07/20: Transition stage for a breakaway maybe with GC potential (Gap, Sisteron?) (stage 15)
Monday 07/21: rest
Tuesday 07/22: Gap > Alpe d'Huez (stage 16)
Wednesday 07/23: Le Bourg-d'Oisans > Sestriere (Stage 17)
Thursday 07/24: Modane > Cluses (Stage 18)
Friday 07/25: La Roche-sur-Foron > Besançon (Stage 19)
Saturday 07/26: Lure > Le Markstein (Stage 20)
Sunday 07/27: Paris (Stage 21)
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Yeah the best way to do it would be to have the Peyragudes TT come on the day after as a half stage. But I don't know realistically what is feasible with the time constraints, You could do Luchon > Saint-Girons via just Mente and Portet-d'Aspet which is only 75km I guess.
The best alternative would be a Pinerolo finish with Pramartino like in the 2009 Giro and 2011 Tour.
Compare the end of this:
To this:
The Sestriere ascent from the latter is the first part of the descent in the former. It would put the Finestre summit 57km from the line.
You could, in theory, use Moncenisio directly backing into Finestre as the descent of Moncenisio deposits you in Susa and essentially just redo the 2009 stage with Finestre instead of Sestriere, replacing the part from 155km to 211km with the section from the 2015 stage from 151km to 182km, so reducing the length by 25km and still being a very long and tough stage.
Approved!The best alternative would be a Pinerolo finish with Pramartino like in the 2009 Giro and 2011 Tour.
Compare the end of this:
To this:
The Sestriere ascent from the latter is the first part of the descent in the former. It would put the Finestre summit 57km from the line.
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