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Race routes 2012
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| kumazan |
Posted on 18-10-2011 16:30
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I like the Tour de France route. It's definitely better than the Giro, and my only concern is that the key mountain stages seem to be a bit short. Other than that, the stage to Foix has too many flat kms after the last summit (some of the unnecessary), and one more stage in the Alps (even a not too hard one) would have been welcomed.
Oh, and so many stages in Belgium/north of France and no cobbles is a shame, but I guess that's asking too much.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 19-06-2013 17:24
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 18-10-2011 16:44
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kumazan wrote:
I like the Tour de France route. It's definitely better than the Giro, and my only concern is that the key mountain stages seem to be a bit short. Other than that, the stage to Foix has too many flat kms after the last summit (some of the unnecessary), and one more stage in the Alps (even a not too hard one) would have been welcomed.
Oh, and so many stages in Belgium/north of France and no cobbles is a shame, but I guess that's asking too much.
I agree as well - I would prefer if the last TT came before the final mountain stage but it will favour riders with the balls to attack and will force those who don't to do it anyway (the Schlecks). It's not perfect but it could be a really good race. |
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| Johan92 |
Posted on 18-10-2011 16:54
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They could have made a stage to Ventoux in that route. Instead of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne > Annonay Davézieux, the alternative could be Grenoble - Ventoux.
Anyway, I like the route too. Hopefully Schlecks wont reach the podium...
Edited by Johan92 on 18-10-2011 16:55
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| alexanderlens |
Posted on 18-10-2011 17:01
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Rabo got a great chance with LL Sanchez
edit: looks like a tour for the old Thomas Dekker
Edited by alexanderlens on 18-10-2011 17:02
Guess who's back? 
Lets see how many friens are still around... |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 18-10-2011 17:03
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Andy's tired of always being second. Well, next year he won't have to worry about that¨, chances are he won't even be in the top 3.
Unless he and Frank get their act together, that is. |
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| kumazan |
Posted on 18-10-2011 17:06
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wackojackohighcliffe wrote:
I agree as well - I would prefer if the last TT came before the final mountain stage but it will favour riders with the balls to attack and will force those who don't to do it anyway (the Schlecks). It's not perfect but it could be a really good race.
Yeah, but I think they want that ITT there because in case that the GC is somewhat close (as this year), the ITT would attract much more attention, and more attention->more viewers->more money. To be honest, as long as there are two long ITTs, I can't argue against that logic.
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| Ste117 |
Posted on 18-10-2011 17:45
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I think this years TDF route is a brilliant route, it mkes a change from the Galibier which is in the race every year, it's nice to see other climbs explored and a different kind of race. Since 2008 it's been the same each year, lets wait for the big mountain top finish, Aple du Huez, Galibier, Ventoux, Tourmalet. Well this year you cant so it's gonna be exciting 
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| Speedtrash |
Posted on 19-10-2011 14:15
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The route does not look very interesting at first look, but what makes the race interesting are the riders - if they just look on each other or make some real racing.... |
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| kumazan |
Posted on 10-01-2012 14:33
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2012 Vuelta a España route:
http://www.as.com...vuelta.pdf
It's small and there are no profiles or stage lengths, but it's enough to see that the Unipublic guys have the awesome hability of coming up with an even worse route when you think it's not possible.
For those who can't read Spanish, "Llegada en alto" (the small green mountain) means mountain top finish, and "Llegada en cuesta" (the small blue triangle) means hill top finish.
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| sam1196 |
Posted on 10-01-2012 16:06
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Again Bola Del Mundo Nice! i don't really know about the rest i don't know much about Spain
VINO VINO VINO VINO VINO VINO VINO VINO VINO |
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| ember |
Posted on 10-01-2012 16:24
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Not a single stage south of Madrid!? That's weird, but hopefully that means lots of fun racing on the hard terrain there is in Northern Spain.
And if that map is correct, it sounds like a Vuelta for Anton, with 7 mountain top finishes, and 3 hilly finishes. I'll have my fingers crossed for an overall victory for him, I like him as a rider, and after his crash in the 2010 Vuelta, he would "deserve" it, if that's possible to say  |
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| kumazan |
Posted on 10-01-2012 16:50
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ember wrote:
Not a single stage south of Madrid!? That's weird, but hopefully that means lots of fun racing on the hard terrain there is in Northern Spain.
And if that map is correct, it sounds like a Vuelta for Anton, with 7 mountain top finishes, and 3 hilly finishes. I'll have my fingers crossed for an overall victory for him, I like him as a rider, and after his crash in the 2010 Vuelta, he would "deserve" it, if that's possible to say
Actually, the hilly finishes in that pic are a bit misleading. Fuerte Rapitán is around 4 kms @ ~7%, not quite a mountain, but neither your average hill, and Fuente Dé is definitely not a hill, but a quite long climb, although not steep at all:
http://unavueltam...&h=167
Also, the stage to Barcelona ends in Montjuïc, where Hushovd won in the 2009 TdF.
Edited by kumazan on 10-01-2012 16:51
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| tyriion |
Posted on 11-01-2012 15:19
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Looks really hard again, and 9 days before the first rest day 
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 11-01-2012 16:48
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tyriion wrote:
and 9 days before the first rest day
What's the matter wth that?
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| doddy13 |
Posted on 11-01-2012 17:33
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It's usually that in most races 
There's no point slapping a schleck - Sean Kelly on "Who needs a slap" |
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| kumazan |
Posted on 11-01-2012 17:42
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No stage over 200km. What a pile of crap. The Vuelta is becoming a caricature of itself.
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| dienblad |
Posted on 11-01-2012 18:01
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kumazan wrote:
No stage over 200km. What a pile of crap. The Vuelta is becoming a caricature of itself.
Why should a stage be over 200 kilometres? A short and tough stage is better to watch and can be as heavy, as a 220km stage.
I like the route of the Vuelta. Lot's of new finish towns & mountains and a mix of sprint-hilly-mountain stages. Should be fun to watch (at least more fun than a flat stage of 240km that will end in a mass sprint anyway...)
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| kumazan |
Posted on 11-01-2012 18:07
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Yeah, lots of fun for five minutes at best... 
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| dienblad |
Posted on 11-01-2012 18:55
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kumazan wrote:
Yeah, lots of fun for five minutes at best...
Remember stage 19 in last year's Tour? About 100km and exciting to watch the entire 3 hours!
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| kumazan |
Posted on 11-01-2012 19:44
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dienblad wrote:
kumazan wrote:
Yeah, lots of fun for five minutes at best...
Remember stage 19 in last year's Tour? About 100km and exciting to watch the entire 3 hours!
Yeah. Remember the stage before that one? 200km over three monsters, incredibly exciting and, unlike stage 19, with less than 60 riders arriving together to the foot of the last climb.
Remember Rifugio Gardeccia? The heads of state isolated from 60km out. Remember L'Aquila 2010? The stage to Montalcino in 2010?
You don't need all stages to be over 200km, but with no stage over 200km, you can't call that a Grand Tour with a straight face. Road cycling is, after all, an endurance sport.
Anyway, my criticism isn't limited to the shameful lack of long stages. The stupid obsession with mountain or hill top finishes, the incredibly low amount of ITT kms, the tendency of having just one climb per stage and (this is more debatable) the bonus seconds all help as well for me to consider this route a piece of crap, and the worst by far of any of the GTs in 2012. By far.
Edited by kumazan on 11-01-2012 19:44
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