2023 Tour de France Femmes, 23rd-30th July ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
in Pro race
The 2nd edition of the Tour de France Femmes kicks off this Sunday. The Grand Départ happens in Clermont-Ferrand and the final stage will be an ITT in Pau on Sunday 30 July. The race takes in eight stages, played out in the southern part of France.

There will officially be:
4 flat stages (although I wouldn't call them all "flat")
2 hilly stages
1 mountain stage with a summit finish on the Tourmalet
1 individual time trial
TOTAL: 956 km
The 4th stage, Cahors > Rodez (177km), will be the race’s longest.



The route features two mountain ranges, the tests getting progressively harder. The riders will cross from one side of the Massif Central to the other during the first six stages, their profiles alternating between rolling and very hilly. There will then be longer climbs in the Pyrenees during stage 7 in the shape of the Aspin and Tourmalet passes, the latter being the “roof” of the Tour at an altitude of 2,110m.

Stage 1»Clermont-Ferrand›Clermont-Ferrand (123.8km, flat?)



Stage 2»Clermont-Ferrand›Mauriac (151.7km, hilly)



Stage 3»Collonges-la-Rouge›Montignac-Lascaux (147.2km, flat)



Stage 4»Cahors›Rodez (177.1km, hilly)



Stage 5»Onet-le-Château›Albi (126.1km, flat)



Stage 6»Albi›Blagnac (122.1km, flat)



Stage 7»Lannemezan›Col du Tourmalet (89.8km, high mountains)



Stage 8 (ITT) (Final)»Pau›Pau (22.6km, ITT)










"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Feels a more balanced route this year, should give some good racing. I suspect the Tourmalet stage will end up completely dominating the GC though based on last year's mountain stages.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,436
    AvV vs Vollering the rematch, I think those two are a level above the rest of the women's peloton.
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,978
    I'm down where they will ride on 26th ... Cahors - Rodez. Might pop down to the road along the River Lot that they'll be on until they get to Cajarc.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Pross said:

    Feels a more balanced route this year, should give some good racing. I suspect the Tourmalet stage will end up completely dominating the GC though based on last year's mountain stages.

    I like it.
    Seems a heck of a lot more varied and punchy than the recent Giro course.
    AvV should win by more than Jonas!
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Bumping this thread
    "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
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,695
    Just not sure I believe this...



    Women's Cycling has a serious Van Vleuten problem
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    edited July 2023
    A personal annoyance with me is journalists asking 'are you the favourite'. It's not a matter of opinion. It's a matter of fact. The favourite is the person with the shortest odds at the bookies..

    In this case, with my bookie, Vollering (Evens) is edging Van Vleuten (11/10). The third, Labous (20/1) makes this even less open than the men;s.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    No value there then.

    Starting to think Pogocar's greatest handicap was not having a V in his name, btw.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Lanterne_Rogue said:

    No value there then.

    Starting to think Pogocar's greatest handicap was not having a V in his name, btw.

    Maybe some each way action. Adam Yates will have paid out
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • flite
    flite Posts: 226
    BBC Sports page has a stage by stage analysis from Ashleigh Moolman Pasio
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    The race is well and truly underway - not that you would know.
    Zero attempts to get a break going.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,659
    Marty wotsit has just read a list he’s got.
    Inspirational stuff.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,649
    blazing_saddles said:

    The race is well and truly underway - not that you would know.
    Zero attempts to get a break going.

    Tough stretch of road to get away on tbh
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Not big on break aways this s1 so far
    "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
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,659
    Here it goes, needs a couple more
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,649
    What happened there, someone getting stretchered? I missed how/who? Didn't look good :(
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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,649
    It was Mireia Benito of AG Insurance - Soudal QuickStep
    Took a solo tour off-road and into the ditch
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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,649
    We have a solo attacker at 30" and a potato hunter being brought back
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  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,659
    Extremely dull so far.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,649
    Halfway through the stage and there's no break, and nobody trying

    There's a sprint in 35km. Maybe something will happen then?
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  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    gethinceri said:

    Extremely dull so far.

    You are being polite.
    It's a Sunday morning jaunt, with everybody looking super chilled.
    Reminds me of the Bordeaux stage in the men's race.
    A total snoozefest.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Last 40 k is my guess
    "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
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,659
    Agreed, nothing til last 40km.
    What a shit stage to showcase the Tour. No wonder other races only need to televise 40mins.
    Coupled with Marty & Dani keeping me informed.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,436
    Can't make the first stage too selective though as the range of ability in the women's peloton still much wider than in the men's
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,659
    Not sure there’s any reason to make a first stage anything other than a good stage?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    edited July 2023
    Delete
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,649
    r0bh said:

    Can't make the first stage too selective though as the range of ability in the women's peloton still much wider than in the men's

    They just needed to find a cat 3/4 in the first 30km to split it up a bit, so we at least got a breakaway
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  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    Nothing says "we're drilling this climb" than AVV casually taking a drink halfway through...
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,649
    Kopecky attack, just for the mountain points or up and over?
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  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,332
    Kopecky blew that to bits then. Seemed to sit up a bit at the top though - just after the points?
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships

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