Tour de France 2019 - pre race speculation and chat

DeVlaeminck

Too early?

With little known about the actual route yet what kind of things would people like or expect to see ?

Someone mentioned it was expected to head down into the Vosges after a couple of days in Belgium. Rather than the first week being a mixture of sprints woth the odd short uphill finish I think I'd like them to go straight into the Alps in the first week, so maybe days 4-7 are a real Alpine test. Then have the middle of the race a flatter week with some sprint stages, a long time trial and a few lumpy ones that are difficult to control. Then in the final week head down to the Pyrenees for the finale so the two big mountain blocks are separated by a good period of time.

The risk is the race appears over after he first week but it would mean the rider on form in week 1 would not necessarily be on form by week 3. It'd also mean whoever took the lead in the Alps would have a long time to control the race if they ended up winning and by the pyrenees that might mean their team were on their knees and open up the racing a bit.

hypster

Sounds good to me although they usually alternate the direction round France don't they so I would assume Pyrenees first then Alps next year. If that is the case then I'm guessing that there will still be the standard (dare I say it?) boring series of sprint stages loaded up front which contribute almost nothing to (racing for) GC apart from the potential for losing time due to crashes and mechanicals.

But I agree with you, to really shake things up they should start in Pau and then after a couple of days hit the Pyrenees proper.

takethehighroad

They've kind of gone away with the alternate mountain range theme recently.

2015-17 ended in the Alps, so it's possible next year can end in the Pyrenees

DeadCalm

Similar to 2014 but with the Vosges slightly earlier in the race?

Vino'sGhost

Lol a smidge early perhaps. This is the year where weather will play a major part and snow will close the tournament a week before the race .

tailwindhome

Can we do what I want to do and start with a Friday night prologue?

knedlicky

DeVlaeminck wrote:

I think I'd like them to go straight into the Alps in the first week, so maybe days 4-7 are a real Alpine test. Then have the middle of the race a flatter week with some sprint stages, a long time trial and a few lumpy ones that are difficult to control.

I like the idea of a longer gap between Alps and Pyrenees, and inbetween the main sprints and a lumpy stage (preferably in the Ardeche-Cevennes area). But I wouldn't have a longer TT inbetween, rather a short TT which was a mix of flat and mountain, like a slightly longer version of the TT at Sallanches in 2016, say 10 km flat, 15 km climbing.
I'd still keep a second 'rolling' TT of about 30 km for the last week, like this year.

I'm surprised no one has commented on the 'innovations' this year, i.e. whether they should also be part of the 2019 Tour. I imagine Prudhomme might like to hear opinions (albeit not especially from this forum!)

If they are going to keep the bonus-sprints, I think the bonus seconds to be won should be much increased (at least doubled). I'd also even consider them for the whole 3 weeks, and placed more mid-stage.

And I think they should keep the short mountain stage (I'd make it even shorter, with just one or two climbs).
Although a failed gimmick, I'd also keep the starting grid because it prevents teams with GC men and/or polka-dot men filling the front behind the starting line.

Dorset_Boy

Isn't 2020 starting in Nice. Could have a mountainous start to that tour!

RichN95.

Froome will win. Dumoulin will be second.

bobmcstuff

The problem with having a mountain range right at the start is there will be big time gaps early on and the rest of the race will be even more conservative than it already is.

DeVlaeminck

bobmcstuff wrote:

The problem with having a mountain range right at the start is there will be big time gaps early on and the rest of the race will be even more conservative than it already is.

Well I get the theory that they don't want the GC to appear done and dusted but my case for it is:

- all the GC riders don't get a week to ten days to crash out or lose time in some stupid incident prior to hitting the mountains.
- do we really see race winning gaps after one block of alpine stages - maybe but it's not nailed on
- riders have to start the race bang on form so more likely to fade over the 3 weeks
- riders who are strong at one end of the race or another can move up or down more - more chance of an early leader blowing up Yates style.
- more pressure onthe team of guy leading after the Alps for longer.
- It's worth a try, it's a change without being an F1 grid style gimmick!

hypster

Another novelty idea would be to climb the Ventoux by all three routes on one stage. I think they've only ever climbed the road up from Bedoin so all three climbs would be mega. They could start at Sault, up the first climb to Chalet Reynard and then descend to Bedoin. Along the road to Malaucene and up the second climb to the top. Back down to Chalet Reynard and then down to Sault. Back to Bedoin via the gorge route and then up the normal Bedoin climb to finish at the top.

I'd love to see that!

jwa581

Think mountains week one, flatter week two and mountains week three before ITT in Paris to finish would be interesting. Could see a rider like Yates in yellow early on with the diesels pulling back time in week 3 and hopefully still in the balance with climber ahead as they head into final ITT.

hypster

Maybe, just maybe, they picked up my idea for three climbs of Mont Ventoux!

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/raci ... ute-192041

Pross

DeVlaeminck wrote:

bobmcstuff wrote:

The problem with having a mountain range right at the start is there will be big time gaps early on and the rest of the race will be even more conservative than it already is.

Well I get the theory that they don't want the GC to appear done and dusted but my case for it is:

- all the GC riders don't get a week to ten days to crash out or lose time in some stupid incident prior to hitting the mountains.
- do we really see race winning gaps after one block of alpine stages - maybe but it's not nailed on
- riders have to start the race bang on form so more likely to fade over the 3 weeks
- riders who are strong at one end of the race or another can move up or down more - more chance of an early leader blowing up Yates style.
- more pressure onthe team of guy leading after the Alps for longer.
- It's worth a try, it's a change without being an F1 grid style gimmick!

I think it’s worth a try. The Yorkshire start gave a reasonably varied first week. As you say it puts early pressure on a leader’s team and opens up tactics of trying to stay in contention before coming strong at the end.

phreak

TailWindHome wrote:

Can we do what I want to do and start with a Friday night prologue?

Through the channel tunnel 8)

alanparsons

knedlicky wrote:

And I think they should keep the short mountain stage (I'd make it even shorter, with just one or two climbs).
Although a failed gimmick, I'd also keep the starting grid because it prevents teams with GC men and/or polka-dot men filling the front behind the starting line.

Ventoux from Malaucene, then descend to Sault round to Bedoin and back to the top. 97km

Edit, should read the full thread first, I'm with hipster but only 2 climbs.

DeVlaeminck

The trouble with descending any part of the finishing climb is that you'll have riders doung 50mph and fans possibly drunk on the road.

I'd rather they did the old fashioned thing of descending to Malaucene then finishing in a town nearby.