Worst TdF Route in How Long?

[Anonymous]

There were a few duffers in the '80's. 2002 was, I seem to recall, bemoaned by Virenque for it's lack of decent climbs. Alpe's call is good, too.

However, when you think we now have another 2 or 3 stages, without a hill of note..........

Like watching paint dry.

To think I complained bitterly, when the RCS chopped the top 5 kms off the Blockhaus.

Yea, it would be nice if ASO had put in a climb as hard as the last 5km of Blockhaus as a finishing climb in the past week...

 

[Zen Master]

+1.... I was glued to the Giro this year. Di Luca's form and motivation was amazing, and the route was set up perfectly for his epic battle with Menchov.

And yes... for me... this is the worst tour route that I have seen...

+2

Giro 2009 was perfect example of modern 3 week stage race, it was pure magic from start till end

 

[racerralph]

Hit the nail on the head

Tour routes this year are designed so French riders can win in breakaways.

How many mountaintop finishes this year? Not enough!

Man, you made the call! Today another frenchman scores! Yeah, they aren't contenders, so they are always let go. I think they've gone too literal on us with this "TOUR" de France thing. I suggest it be renamed next year to "Race de France", just so everybody(especially the organizers) is reminded that this is supposed to be an exciting event.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Yea, it would be nice if ASO had put in a climb as hard as the last 5km of Blockhaus as a finishing climb in the past week...

Or even the first 5km!

I'm not saying Arcalis was easy, by any stretch. But even the pared down version of the Blockhaus was way, way more competitive.

 

[Archibald]

The frustrating thing about this year's Tour, however, is that it's not like it's failed to live up to its potential because of some accident of fate. It is purely because the Tour organisers have designed an awful course and and included an early team time trial.

What makes it even more disappointing is that the field this year is considerably more interesting than usual because there is a unique mix of:

Last year's contenders: Sastre, Evans, Menchov
A potential great who didn't ride last year: Contador
The most successful Tour rider ever coming out of retirement: Armstrong
A bevy of young talents threatening to step up: Schleck, Martin, Kreuziger.

What a waste ...

agree.
such a waste of potential...

 

[zalacain]

I've been following the tour for longer than I care to remember, and never before have I found it so tedious and boring.
The Girodonne has more action!

 

[ScottMasil]

Have to agree ....

This TdF has proven to be a major disappointment and Prudhomme has displayed his inexperience in planning a route.

The middle week will be pretty tedious unless one of the Astana GC contenders crash out ...

The TTT destroyed it for me, I'm hoping the other GC contenders can work together on a break away in week 3 when hopefully the Astana workhorses are tired ...

SM