We saw in this year's Vuelta what having selective mountain stages does to the race early on.
Do you mean a solo mountain raid on the final day of proper racing? Or teams having to force a selection in crosswinds to claw back time?
I mean the fact that the top 5 was almost fixed from early on, just the order to be sorted and the winner almost guaranteed by mid-race. Yes there was some good racing but virtually all the threat to Roglic came from Movistar shithousery.
It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
This is like a gift for the Froome/Bernal combo and Roglic with a strong Jumbo squad. Cant see Bardet coping - maybe Pinot. Dumoulin likes those TT miles so it would be a slog fest for him imo
We saw in this year's Vuelta what having selective mountain stages does to the race early on.
Do you mean a solo mountain raid on the final day of proper racing? Or teams having to force a selection in crosswinds to claw back time?
I mean the fact that the top 5 was almost fixed from early on, just the order to be sorted and the winner almost guaranteed by mid-race. Yes there was some good racing but virtually all the threat to Roglic came from Movistar shithousery.
That owed more to the poor selection of GC guys rather than the course though.
In the Tour, with about 14 teams having a GC guy and strong support, a selective course won't be as selective as at the Vuelta
With a massive 36km of ITT-ing and uphill, it will be interesting to see what Dumoulin decides; Tour or Giro/Vuelta double - and leave the Tour for Roglic?
As is the recent norm, a pretty poor amount of TT kilometres - the ASO are petrified certain teams/riders will dominate; so put as least in as possible.
Dumolin did not join Jumbo to do any other race than the Tour.
You must remember how big the Tour is in the Netherlands. Gigantic doesn't cover it.
The Dutch over on CN agree with Andy and don't think Dumoulin will be at all interested in tackling this route.
We saw in this year's Vuelta what having selective mountain stages does to the race early on.
Do you mean a solo mountain raid on the final day of proper racing? Or teams having to force a selection in crosswinds to claw back time?
I mean the fact that the top 5 was almost fixed from early on, just the order to be sorted and the winner almost guaranteed by mid-race. Yes there was some good racing but virtually all the threat to Roglic came from Movistar shithousery.
Surely it was the TT that killed the GC - it was very close up until then. I said as much at the time and others argued opening up time gaps would force attacking racing. Not revisiting that debate but early mountains certainly didn't fix the GC for the duration.
What makes for exciting racing are changes in form over three weeks.
Dropping riders left and right in week one but getting dropped in week two is twice as exciting as hanging on in there within a few seconds for two weeks.
Would like to see at least one big set piece climb.
this has alaphilpe podium written all over it.... frankly I think he hasn't got the ride in him again.
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
Stage 17 finish going to make it even more selective. It's a killer.
fffing aida that hasn't got alaphilpe written all over it
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
Looking forward to this, also we have already booked our usual accommodation in Samoens next year, and it's a shortish flattish ride to watch the end of stage 18 in La Roche-sur-Foron.
Would like to see at least one big set piece climb.
How big is big?
What about the Grand Colombier?
Or then there is this finish on stage 6:
Heck, they are climbing the Col de la Madeleine from a new direction to get to that monster the Col de la Loze finish on stage 17.
Which probably means it will be this:
If these don't define big, I don't know what else France has to offer that can top them.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
Anyone familiar with the Montee de la Selle de Fromentel on the Grand Colombier stage? Trying to work out the route of the stage so I can book some accommodation, but can't find where it is.
Anyone familiar with the Montee de la Selle de Fromentel on the Grand Colombier stage? Trying to work out the route of the stage so I can book some accommodation, but can't find where it is.
Seems I was reading the Tour site wrong, or rather their description is wrong.
Here is the profile with the Montee de la Selle de Fromentel. It is a steep one.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
Would like to see at least one big set piece climb.
How big is big?
What about the Grand Colombier?
Unless I am reading the site wrong, they are climbing it 3 times from 3 different directions.
We only know that the last ascent is this one and it is probably the easiest:
Or then there is this finish on stage 6:
Heck, they are climbing the Col de la Madeleine from a new direction to get to that monster the Col de la Loze finish on stage 17.
Which probably means it will be this:
If these don't define big, I don't know what else France has to offer that can top them.
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
Here is the profile with the Montee de la Selle de Fromentel. It is a steep one.
I've ridden that, it is like life in the middle ages: nasty, short and brutish.
You come around a left hand bend in the woods and then suddenly the road is like "whoa nelly" - several hundred meters of uber steep climbing, so steep you get wheelspins if you stand or have trouble keeping the front wheel down.
so its the hardest tour route ever...but no mention of La Course ? tucked away in the presentation, again :roll: and missed by most of the assembled press it seems, the ASO in their infinite munificence have taken the 2020 La Course back to Paris...on July 10th when the men will be riding around the Massif Central instead. though the ASO have said they might move it to the same day as the final stage, but arent sure.
at least Annemiek van Vleuten has called it out as a glorified crit race which she says she really has no interest in competing in and that shouldnt be on the world tour calendar, as neither should the Ride London classique fwiw imo for the same reason.
so its the hardest tour route ever...but no mention of La Course ? tucked away in the presentation, again :roll: and missed by most of the assembled press it seems, the ASO in their infinite munificence have taken the 2020 La Course back to Paris...on July 10th when the men will be riding around the Massif Central instead. though the ASO have said they might move it to the same day as the final stage, but arent sure.
at least Annemiek van Vleuten has called it out as a glorified crit race which she says she really has no interest in competing in and that shouldnt be on the world tour calendar, as neither should the Ride London classique fwiw imo for the same reason.
Annemiek van Vleuten is part of the problem.
She's simply several classes apart for any race she really targets.
But yeah, the ASO and the UCI boss cut from the same cloth when it comes to the development and promotion of women's cycling.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
The ASO don't care about women's cycling and that's their prerogative. They aren't going to put on a 3 week women's tour, so can't win.
Unfortunately la Course caused calendar conflicts in 2017 with the Route de France feminine (yes there already was a ladies' Tour de France). In 2018 the race had virtually no interest and the organizers have given up. No point in forcing ASO to do the same, if they could make money on it, I'm sure they would. Maybe they lack vision.
It is a shame but it needs someone to find a market for it, as it is supposed to be professional sport.
The ASO don't care about women's cycling and that's their prerogative. They aren't going to put on a 3 week women's tour, so can't win.
Unfortunately la Course caused calendar conflicts in 2017 with the Route de France feminine (yes there already was a ladies' Tour de France). In 2018 the race had virtually no interest and the organizers have given up. No point in forcing ASO to do the same, if they could make money on it, I'm sure they would. Maybe they lack vision.
It is a shame but it needs someone to find a market for it, as it is supposed to be professional sport.
but it doesnt have to be a 3 week race, or a 2 week race or anything complicated like that to begin with,it just needs to be something that makes it not feel like youve been given just the paddling pool to play in, whilst the grown ups are off swimming in the olympic size competition pool.
the ASO dropped Flèche-Wallone and Liège-Bastogne-Liège out of Women’s World Tour in 2020 because they wouldnt provide the UCI required 45 minutes of live TV coverage from the two events to qualify, yet are prepared to set that up to run in Paris whilst running their biggest event of the year at the same time in a different location !?! and which channel is going to show the coverage at the same time as theres a live TdF stage in progress.
Posts
I mean the fact that the top 5 was almost fixed from early on, just the order to be sorted and the winner almost guaranteed by mid-race. Yes there was some good racing but virtually all the threat to Roglic came from Movistar shithousery.
Stage 17 finish going to make it even more selective. It's a killer.
That owed more to the poor selection of GC guys rather than the course though.
In the Tour, with about 14 teams having a GC guy and strong support, a selective course won't be as selective as at the Vuelta
Nuts.
I'll buy you coffee
Surely it was the TT that killed the GC - it was very close up until then. I said as much at the time and others argued opening up time gaps would force attacking racing. Not revisiting that debate but early mountains certainly didn't fix the GC for the duration.
Yes, that last 5k is really tough. I did it in the summer after the road had just opened.
What makes for exciting racing are changes in form over three weeks.
Dropping riders left and right in week one but getting dropped in week two is twice as exciting as hanging on in there within a few seconds for two weeks.
AMEN brother
Did you manage it after the 16km warm-up? I'm impressed regardless - I'm exhausted just looking at that profile.
this has alaphilpe podium written all over it.... frankly I think he hasn't got the ride in him again.
fffing aida that hasn't got alaphilpe written all over it
I'm happy
How big is big?
What about the Grand Colombier?
Or then there is this finish on stage 6:
Heck, they are climbing the Col de la Madeleine from a new direction to get to that monster the Col de la Loze finish on stage 17.
Which probably means it will be this:
If these don't define big, I don't know what else France has to offer that can top them.
Seems I was reading the Tour site wrong, or rather their description is wrong.
Here is the profile with the Montee de la Selle de Fromentel. It is a steep one.
I guess I mean more old fashioned MTFs
Thanks Blazing, just what I was looking for. Went for a place in Aix les Bains, think that will be perfect.
Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Aero 09
Cervelo P5 EPS
www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13038799
I've ridden that, it is like life in the middle ages: nasty, short and brutish.
You come around a left hand bend in the woods and then suddenly the road is like "whoa nelly" - several hundred meters of uber steep climbing, so steep you get wheelspins if you stand or have trouble keeping the front wheel down.
Instagramme
at least Annemiek van Vleuten has called it out as a glorified crit race which she says she really has no interest in competing in and that shouldnt be on the world tour calendar, as neither should the Ride London classique fwiw imo for the same reason.
Annemiek van Vleuten is part of the problem.
She's simply several classes apart for any race she really targets.
But yeah, the ASO and the UCI boss cut from the same cloth when it comes to the development and promotion of women's cycling.
Unfortunately la Course caused calendar conflicts in 2017 with the Route de France feminine (yes there already was a ladies' Tour de France). In 2018 the race had virtually no interest and the organizers have given up. No point in forcing ASO to do the same, if they could make money on it, I'm sure they would. Maybe they lack vision.
It is a shame but it needs someone to find a market for it, as it is supposed to be professional sport.
Instagramme
but it doesnt have to be a 3 week race, or a 2 week race or anything complicated like that to begin with,it just needs to be something that makes it not feel like youve been given just the paddling pool to play in, whilst the grown ups are off swimming in the olympic size competition pool.
the ASO dropped Flèche-Wallone and Liège-Bastogne-Liège out of Women’s World Tour in 2020 because they wouldnt provide the UCI required 45 minutes of live TV coverage from the two events to qualify, yet are prepared to set that up to run in Paris whilst running their biggest event of the year at the same time in a different location !?! and which channel is going to show the coverage at the same time as theres a live TdF stage in progress.