2013 Le Tour

[Ichabod Noodle]

7 flat stages
5 hilly stages
6 mountain stages with 4 summit finishes
2 individual time trial stages
1 team time trial stage
2 rest days

Looking forward to stage 18 - up Alpe d'Huez TWICE
The time trials are short too. Only 32 & 33km

 

[monty1104]

Short and apparently "technical and hilly" ITT's. Some nice climbs including Alpe d'Huez, Glandon, Ventoux, Ax 3 Domains, Peyresourde and Madaleine. Tour scheduled to finish after 9pm in Paris and final circuit includes circling the Arc du Triomphe for the first time ever.

I'm excited.

 

[funk44]

Team Time Trial through Nice is bound to be special as well

(Giro looks pretty good too, including a climb up the Galibier)

 

[alfy!]

Sounds good

Interesting that Wiggins has said he might prefer to target the Giro over the Tour, so Froome might get a chance to lead at the Tour.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Pity there's not a lot of climbing before the first time up Alpe d'Huez because it would be great to see the Autobus being "lapped" by a breakaway.

 

[mcgarnacle]

Looking forward to stage 18 - up Alpe d'Huez TWICE
The time trials are short too. Only 32 & 33km

in fact, the last 3 stages are all ones to look forward too. surprised the glandon (basically 3rd side of Croix de fer without going over the summit) and madeleine feature two years in a row, but they are mythical climbs and deserve to be in it for such a milestone tour. problem is, both climbs feature way too early in the stage to be decisive. the final climb of the tour at annecy-semnoz will be though. a short stage and not much climbing prior to that one and it will be drag race to the top.

the risk is that the first two weeks might be a non-affair with the contenders simply limiting losses than trying to eck out a lead. it has been designed with two things in mind. to try and promote multiple leaders throughout the race (wiggo held the yellow for 2 weeks this year), and to ensure the race is decided in the final week.

and with the first stage and flat finish, Cav or some other pure sprinter will be in yellow in all probability on the first night. Cav has never been in yellow.

 

[mcgarnacle]

Sounds good

Interesting that Wiggins has said he might prefer to target the Giro over the Tour, so Froome might get a chance to lead at the Tour.

Giro is a good route as always. It has some deadly climbs towards the end of next years race but it also has some longer time trials with the intention of getting Wiggo reeled in. It worked immediately as even before the TDF route was announced, rumours were that he was going for the italian race anyway.

shame the giro doesnt get much love. a fantastic race. but ofcourse with the average joe, it's all about the marketing and the brand and the italians have done a poor job at it over the last few decades when the french were opening up their race for the world and using it as more than just a race. not unlike the Coke and Pepsi wars. not much difference in the product, just one has branded itself much better than the other.

only recently have the Italians started opening the race up and doing deals with OS broadcasters to promote their event. problem is, the yanks are moving in with Cal. but devising a route which gets the current TDF champion opt to focus on their race rather than the TDF is good strategic planning and it should generate interest in their race in the anglo world.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

I have to say this is fairly underwhelming route for the big 100th edition of the race. Two Pyrenees stages with only the first one GC relevant is bordering on disgraceful.

This is a joke, there will be no point watching until about midnight.

Wrong way around. Disgusting stage.

This is awesome and will be the best day's racing of the year.

It is good that the final ITT is before the final weekend in the Alps. This is very disappointing.

 

[mcgarnacle]

the area around MV isn't mountainous though, Bondy. As long as the the climb is from the Bedoin side (which i assume it will be), the stage should generate some time gaps.

yes, I agreed re the stage featuring madeleine and glandon. those climbs should come further into the day.

interestingly, the high-high passes of the alps are all omitted. the highest pass in the alps for this race will be the madeleine which is just on 2km. I assume that the tourmalet (pyrenees) and galibier had their own celebrations so this is the reason for not including either next year, but i reckon they should have gone up and over Iseran, or the loop road of the col de la bonnette which are the highest paved roads in europe.

and re the pyrenees, no tourmalet for first time in a while, and the 2nd stage there which finishes at

Bagnères-de-Bigorre,​

is not too much unlike a stage this year. remember, they went over peyresourde twice in different directions over two days, which also took in hourquette d'ancizan which featured for the very first time this year.​

appears as though including MV, and more so, the double climb up ADH is what is essentially marking the 100th. everything else is fairly standard, if not a bit underwhelming as you say.​

 

[lemon chicken]

Interesting that Wiggins has said he might prefer to target the Giro over the Tour, so Froome might get a chance to lead at the Tour.

Must clash with his Oasis cover band gigs.

 

[funk44]

I'll see your

and raise you a

Checkmate

 

[monty1104]

Invariably a more difficult day, but lacks Alpe d'huez

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

I love the Giro.

 

[funk44]

Invariably a more difficult day, but lacks Alpe d'huez

True. I fear for Dutch livers

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Froome into $3 for TdF after Oman, Contador sitting at $2. No ITT comparison from the race was a shame, but Froome was very impressive. It is very early, but Contador might be a bit concerned. He has struggled with making an attack stick since his comeback.

 

[dart]

i'm looking forward to the hourquette d'ancizan, that thing is a beast.

 

[Vader]

Froome into $3 for TdF after Oman, Contador sitting at $2. No ITT comparison from the race was a shame, but Froome was very impressive. It is very early, but Contador might be a bit concerned. He has struggled with making an attack stick since his comeback.

Contador said he was 2.5kg over what he wants to be at the TdF. That's also what he said after losing to Brajkovic on Alpe d'Huez in the Criterium du Dauphine. Two months after that statement he got pinged for having clenbuterol in his blood - a drug which just happens to be used to assist in weight loss..

I guess he's learned his lesson from that experience - wait an extra day (to make sure the clenbuterol is completely out of the system) before having the blood extracted for re-injection ahead of the TdF Queen Stage.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Froome into $3 for TdF after Oman, Contador sitting at $2. No ITT comparison from the race was a shame, but Froome was very impressive. It is very early, but Contador might be a bit concerned. He has struggled with making an attack stick since his comeback.

He only needs to make one big play, one big move in the TdF to make the difference. He showed that at last year's Vuelta. He's still my favourite and I would take $2 odds on him. Especially with Mick Rogers at the helm.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

I can't see Sky letting him get away with a Fuente De style day. They won't allow Froome to be isolated on a stage like that!

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Sky's infighting has already started between Froome and Wiggo.

 

[alfy!]

Sky's infighting has already started between Froome and Wiggo.

What's happened?

 

[dart]

What's happened?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...ampion-prepares-for-tilt-at-Giro-dItalia.html

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Yeah, basically Froome thinks he is locked in as leader, and Wiggo disagrees. I reckon Wiggo has liked the look of Contador's form and now thinks he can actually beat him in the mountains.

 

[alfy!]

It's interesting, isn't it. It certainly reminds me of the rivalries in Formula 1 over who is the top driver at any given team.

Just looking at it basically, it seems a crazy and strange decision if Wiggins doesn't defend his title as the leader of Sky. I could never agree to that myself. But if Sky has promised Froome leadership for the Tour, then that is what has to happen.

I hope they let them battle it out in the first 6-9 days, that would make for great viewing.

 

[dart]

I think if Wiggins gets through the Giro with a win and says to Sky he wants to ride le tour and go for the historic double they'll tell Froome to take a backseat, whatever the promises are that have been made to Froome in the offseason.

I think if Wiggins gets half way through the Giro, likes his form but drops out and says to Sky he wants to ride le tour and try and defend his title they'll tell Froome to take a backseat, whatever the promises are that have been made to Froome in the offseason.

Basically, I think from Sky's point of view, having Wiggins as the focus for the Tour is going to be a much more marketable prospect for them as it would generate a lot more interest in the English public, due to Wiggins being heaps more English than Froome (ex-Kenyan).

The poms like Froome a bit like how the poms like Kevin Peitersen, like him enough if he's helping them to win, but they don't really like him "that much".

Froome's missus has been vocal in her displeasure of Wiggins' comments (reminds me a little of Mitchell Johnson's mum whining to the media):

Michelle Cound ‏@michellecound
Chris & Brad on the same start line, in the same kit? Mmmmmm… doubt it!

Michelle Cound ‏@michellecound
To those claiming that this Wiggins/Froome thing is some sort of publicity stunt, you are wrong.

Michelle Cound ‏@michellecound
I look forward to @TeamSky clearing up this mess (ASAP) #fedup

Michelle Cound ‏@michellecound
@Greg_Keller sounds like @willfoth is a bit of a puppet in all of this

Michelle Cound ‏@michellecound
@willfoth @mattseaton @inrng there were blatant lies from Brad in your initial story William. Unless you misquoted?