so what do we think of the route ?

knedlicky

Tusher wrote:

Mr Cavendish was most elegant … Master A. Schleck was scruffy.

Why do sportsmen have to dress like bank managers? I find it irritating enough watching Match of the Day when club managers, shown in track suits during the game, then appear in suits for interviews. Real players, or cyclists in this case, should dress in whatever they find most comfortable, otherwise it’s a sort of PC about dress code.

iainf72 wrote:

The thing with the cobbles is no grand tour riders do Paris - Roubaix these days so no one will likely do anything. They'll all just aim to get through but there is no one I can think of who'll "use" the cobbles
The only guy I can think of is Wiggins...

I also can’t imagine many of the favourites using the cobbles to their advantage, unless they want to spring an early surprise (so maybe Evans?) but maybe someone who stands a chance of a good top-ten GT placing might do so – Le Mevel for instance?
Anyway, the tactic about the cobbles is that nowadays few ride directly over them, most ride to the side, which means getting in the right group.

teagar

knedlicky wrote:

I also can’t imagine many of the favourites using the cobbles to their advantage, unless they want to spring an early surprise (so maybe Evans?) but maybe someone who stands a chance of a good top-ten GT placing might do so – Le Mevel for instance?
Anyway, the tactic about the cobbles is that nowadays few ride directly over them, most ride to the side, which means getting in the right group.

Given that it's the tour, i'd probably recon on barriers to hold the crowds back and the riders in.

Hopefully.

moray_gub

iainf72 wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Would you buy a used car from these men?

Contador is winning the psychological battle by a country mile

mmm in this pic the bold Bertie looms a tad apprehensive, in fact it looks like he is shi*ting himself.

frenchfighter

For the double winner of the Tour, the 2010 edition “will be a very difficult race to control during the first week, where the pavé of Paris-Roubaix won’t be especially good for me, although I’m not too worried about it. The important things will be not to fall and to hope that it doesn’t rain.”

takethehighroad

afx237vi wrote:

Fans bitching i]about the route[/i is an integral part of the sport of professional cycling!

Fixed that for you. By the way that clip of Arenberg is my favourite on Youtube...

I think it's a decent route to be honest, even if the stage into Pau is a biit light. But like has been said, plenty of time can be got into Morzine, Rousses and Mende.

The Ax 3 stage should be good, and obviously the one onto the Tourmalet.

Looking forward to the cobbles, and I'm feeling smug that I predicted this a while ago

flanners1

I'm over the moon as it is visiting my second-home in Morzine with a rest day there as well!

CyclingBantam

Is there any way we can get hold of the Stage profiles like some seem to have posted on here?

RichN95.

BenBlyth wrote:

Is there any way we can get hold of the Stage profiles like some seem to have posted on here?

The Tour website http://www.letour.fr . Only some of the the profiles have been posted though (the mountains and the cobble section)

Grimone

No Huez again, slightly disappointed. But looks like it's going to be a mega race.

all show no go

Velonews has a really good summary of the route, written by John Wilcockson......

http://www.velonews.com/article/99276

deejay

knedlicky wrote:

You also need to consider the football World Cup. Apparently the TdF organisers have already arranged the timing of the prologue not to conflict with the World Cup matches that day, but surprisingly the first rest day doesn’t match the World Cup finalday

For that TDF in 1998 with the Football World Cup taking place in France, the organisers arranged that also by starting the race in Ireland and only stepping foot in France when the Football Final had been played in PARIS.
That's when a Belgian got stopped at the French Border carrying Drugs from Germany to Ireland.
The TDF organisers then got their BIG MONDAY Publicity OK but as History shows it to be, the wrong Publicity.

deejay

Flanners1 wrote:

I'm over the moon as it is visiting my second-home in Morzine with a rest day there as well!

Your 2nd home in the winter, I take it or maybe it is your real 2nd home.

That's the easy bit to and through Morzine and then the hard work begins going up to AVORIAZ and a good viewing point with Binoculars is across the Valley on the Infamous Joux Plane.

The Translation I got yesterday.
They are not riding through the Arunberg but the finish is near the entrance (or is the exit) and the last Pave section is Haveluy about 10 km's before the finish.

afx237vi

all show no go wrote:

Velonews has a really good summary of the route, written by John Wilcockson......

http://www.velonews.com/article/99276

Wow, 7 paragraphs before mentioning The Greatest Champion Of All Time. That's got to be a Wilcockson records.

dulldave

Blazing Saddles wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

OK, I know that tactics are different in a stage race, and Arenberg is even crazier than all the other sections put together... but still... imagine if it rains :shock:

You could eliminate a few contendors in one go with falls and the like. ASO may as well just have 3 x 2km sections where we can pelt the riders with watermelons.

"Le Grand Canteloupe"?

Would you buy a used car from these men?

I'd buy a used car from Contador. Likely to be a prize from a stage win that's never been driven. Armstrong? I'd wonder where he got it from

flanners1

No it really is my second home. Was on the road bike and MTB out there again for most of Summer; well 4 odd weeks.

Best time Morzine to Avoriaz was 48 minutes odd and some seconds, Hinault did it in 29mins I think!! Amazing!

The road up is ok but when you think you are near to Avoriaz it opens up again!! Joux Plane x2 as well etc. Was a good Summer this year weather wise. Run up and going down the Col Joux Verte is nice as well. Cannot wait for the Tour to come next year, should be a great few days.