2023 Tour de France

[eth-dog]

3,404 km total, only 2 stages of 200+ km.
8 mountain stages, with 4 mountain top finishes, and 4 "weekend" mountain stages (Fri-Sun).
6 hilly stages.
6 flat stages.
One 22 km bumpy ITT

Grand Depart in Bilbao. I think they've found a good balance here, but I'd prefer not to have a flat stage 19 again. That's my only real complaint. Going up the Grand Colombier on Bastille Day is a nice surprise.

It does seem like a parcourse that is suited to guys like Jai Hindley and Simon Yates, and given the lack of time trialing I doubt Remco will race here over the Giro, and probably the same for Roglic, especially with Vingegaard being the reigning champion, they can afford to put someone like Kelderman as their back up.

 

[Orange Agent]

Colombier being in is one of few highlights here for me. The lack of MTF's with such few TT k's is a head scratcher, not really sure what they are hoping for. Pog should be early odds on at this point, given he doesn't overload his race program like this year. Really interesting to see what Jumbo do here, do they value winning the Giro more than a podium here, if so I think Jonas goes to the Giro and Roglic races here. The lack of altitude and the mountain stages being so short take away most of the advantage they had.

 

[eth-dog]

Colombier being in is one of few highlights here for me. The lack of MTF's with such few TT k's is a head scratcher, not really sure what they are hoping for. Pog should be early odds on at this point, given he doesn't overload his race program like this year. Really interesting to see what Jumbo do here, do they value winning the Giro more than a podium here, if so I think Jonas goes to the Giro and Roglic races here. The lack of altitude and the mountain stages being so short take away most of the advantage they had.

Yeah, stages 14 and 17 would have been better if they were mountain top finishes. Although I would love to see downhill battles for seconds, would be brilliant too.

As far as the lack of TT's, I like it. I wish it were a 40-ish km ITT but more mountain stages is a definite plus.

They can win both with Roglic at the Giro and Vingegaard here. I think they'll back themselves to do it.

 

[yaco55]

I love the route and my key takeaways

• Love that nearly every mountainous stage has a hill in the first 30 kms which will allow for break formation.
• Some solid mountainous stages
• The short ITT is fine because most of the gaps ( as in 2022 ) occur in the mountains
• There is a good sprinkling of sprint stages and a couple of punchy finishes
• The terrain suits all types of riders.

You will have more climbers at the TDF but one or two will gravitate to the Giro because there is a chance of a podium. Expect Roglic to head to the Giro.

 

[largebus]

Haven't seen much mention of the Puy de Dôme returning for the first time since 1988 anywhere. It got removed because there was limited space up the top for the media scrum and the whole paddock back then, so I don't know how they're gonna cope with that in 2022. Clermont-Ferrand is the best city in France so anytime they go near that area is a big tick.

Good to see La Planche not there, it's been used to death and needs a rest.

I think the routes in the Leblanc era were pretty dull but one thing he did well was cover the whole country much better than Prudhomme. Puts paid to the phrase La Grande Boucle. The riders will be happy with the lack of flights, I guess.

 

[yaco55]

Haven't seen much mention of the Puy de Dôme returning for the first time since 1988 anywhere. It got removed because there was limited space up the top for the media scrum and the whole paddock back then, so I don't know how they're gonna cope with that in 2022. Clermont-Ferrand is the best city in France so anytime they go near that area is a big tick.

Good to see La Planche not there, it's been used to death and needs a rest.

I think the routes in the Leblanc era were pretty dull but one thing he did well was cover the whole country much better than Prudhomme. Puts paid to the phrase La Grande Boucle. The riders will be happy with the lack of flights, I guess.

Well if Prudhomme tried to cover more of the country then you will have some scream climate change.

 

[eth-dog]

Jumbo Visma have confirmed that Roglic will be at the Giro and won't ride the tour. All chips in on Vingegaard.

 

[eth-dog]

So Jumbo have announced their squad already:

1. Jonas Vingegaard
2. Tiesj Benoot
3. Wilco Kelderman (with Kruijswijk injured in the Dauphine)
4. Sepp Kuss
5. Christophe Laporte
6. Wout Van Aert
7. Dylan Van Baarle
8. Nathan Van Hooydonck

Feels light on for climbing support again for Vingegaard. I'd have had an extra climber instead of DVB or NVH. Maybe Gesink instead.

 

[yaco55]

The team is fine - Too much is made up of having climbing support - It's more important to have strong rouleurs which is what well balanced squad provide - Gesink has been riding on the flats and not the mountains.

 

[99 Problems]

Agree. Kuss and Kelderman should be enough, Wout will manage to help in some ridiculous way on a couple of the big days again no doubt. You’ll lose all but the really elite domestiques by the time the big GC contenders get serious anyway. Just Kuss gives them something almost no other team has.

Good rouleurs are what really help control the race and are most likely to be what’s needed to help if there’s a crash/mechanical/split at a key time.

 

[Vader]

Apparently the ASO have changed the colours for the green (points) jersey and the rider number for the most combative rider, to make them match the colours of the respective sponsors.

The green of the points jersey is now much darker, and almost indistinguishable from green of the Bora uniform.

The combative numbers will have a gold background, instead of red.

Both will be almost impossible to pick out in the peleton.

I don't have a problem with them changing the colours, but surely they can pick colours that retain the ability to easily identify the wearers in the peleton?

On SM-A5360 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Vader]

Netflix are releasing a TV Series today: Tour de France: Unchained.

I'm assuming this i intended to do for cycling what F1 Drive to Survive has done for F1.

 

[eth-dog]

Netflix are releasing a TV Series today: Tour de France: Unchained.

I'm assuming this i intended to do for cycling what F1 Drive to Survive has done for F1.

Yep. Gonna be an interesting watch.

 

[eth-dog]

Apparently the ASO have changed the colours for the green (points) jersey and the rider number for the most combative rider, to make them match the colours of the respective sponsors.

The green of the points jersey is now much darker, and almost indistinguishable from green of the Bora uniform.

The combative numbers will have a gold background, instead of red.

Both will be almost impossible to pick out in the peleton.

I don't have a problem with them changing the colours, but surely they can pick colours that retain the ability to easily identify the wearers in the peleton?

On SM-A5360 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Watch the last two stages of the Dauphine. It's basically the same. When Bennett and Laporte were dropped tonight I couldn't split them. Horrible design

 

[SBYM]

Jumbo Visma have confirmed that Roglic will be at the Giro and won't ride the tour. All chips in on Vingegaard.

As of now, looking to be a prudent choice.

He is making everyone in the Dauphine look very silly.

I hope Pog's early season form is still there (such a shame he busted his wrist!!). Could be a ripping battle.

 

[eth-dog]

As of now, looking to be a prudent choice.

He is making everyone in the Dauphine look very silly.

I hope Pog's early season form is still there (such a shame he busted his wrist!!). Could be a ripping battle.

Pog and Simon Yates having no lead up races must be concerning. No idea why for Yates tbh

 

[yaco55]

I am yet to be convinced that Pogacar will be at the TDF - Scaphoid fractures are notoriously difficult to heal - Yates is supposed to ride slovenie.

 

[Orange Agent]

A few surprises coming through.
No Froome, his response is insane, do the Vuelta and retire.
Sam Bennett, 2nd team now to turf him. LeFev must be pretty chuffed right now.
Renshaw to help coach Astana lead outs, feel like this is months too late, but good idea.
Pog has bettered his time from 2020 in Slovenia TT champs on the same course as this year.
Wout's wife giving birth will be the commentary teams biggest talking point for the first week.

 

[eth-dog]

Who wins the Points classification?

 

[eth-dog]

Pretty much everyone has their teams out now.

Front line sprinters: Jordi Meeus, Alexander Kristoff*, Caleb Ewan, Mads Pederson, Dylan Groenewegen, Jasper Philipsen, Mark Cavendish*, Fabio Jakobsen, Edvald Boassen Hagen*

*Not really there anymore, but I love them anyway

Front line puncheurs: Peter Sagan, Julian Alaphillipe, Magnus Cort, Bryan Coqard, MvdP, Biniam Girmay, WVA

Hoping for good GC place: Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogaçar, Mikel Landa, Jai Hindley, David Gaudu, Danny Martinez, Tobias Johannesen, Nick Schultz, Giulio Ciccone, Louis Meintjes, Romain Bardet, Enric Mas, Simon Yates, Alexey Lutsenko, Richard Carapaz, Warren Barguil, Ben O'Connor

Hoping Haig chases the KOM. Anyone in that last group if they lose time early might chase the polka dots too. My predictions:

Overall podium: Vingegaard, Pogaçar, O'Connor
KOM winner: Jack Haig
Points classification: Peter Sagan
Young rider (apart from Pog): Johannesen

 

[Orange Agent]

Who wins the Points classification?

Phillipsen. Only because of the number sprint stages. If Girmay goes in the break for intermediate points he could be a chance but I think MVDP would go with him to counter.

 

[eth-dog]

Phillipsen. Only because of the number sprint stages. If Girmay goes in the break for intermediate points he could be a chance but I think MVDP would go with him to counter.

I reckon Sagan has one last crack. Philipsen is definitely the form sprinter, closely followed by Jakobsen and Groenewegen. Hoping Cees Bol can lead out Cav one more time, would be special to see him win one more stage

 

[Orange Agent]

I hoping quite a few teams realize they have no hope at GC and target polka dots. Not enough do this, Israel should have it on their list, they could easily get multiple riders in the break.

 

[eth-dog]

I hoping quite a few teams realize they have no hope at GC and target polka dots. Not enough do this, Israel should have it on their list, they could easily get multiple riders in the break.

Agreed. Hoping for an Aussie to get it finally

 

[Vader]

I reckon Sagan has one last crack. Philipsen is definitely the form sprinter, closely followed by Jakobsen and Groenewegen. Hoping Cees Bol can lead out Cav one more time, would be special to see him win one more stage

I'm sure he'll have a crack... I just don't think he has the legs any more. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.