2012 Tour de France Route Published

velopeloton · 10-10-2011 1:24pm #1

Le Tour website published route.
http://www.velopeloton.com/tour-de-france-2012/

Paul Kiernan · 10-10-2011 1:48pm

Looks like a hoax! Not enough mountains! Perhaps it's a work in progress? Or some of the stages designated incorrectly?

Edit - On second thoughts I think this could well be the real deal. A hilly TT and a lot of intermediate mountain stages.

Morrisseeee · 10-10-2011 1:54pm

Tony 'TT' Martin FTW !!! :pac:

velopeloton · 10-10-2011 2:06pm

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

Looks like a hoax! Not enough mountains! Perhaps it's a work in progress? Or some of the stages designated incorrectly?

No hoax! I screen grabbed it off the Le Tour website. It has now been removed.
I was looking at the 2011 site and wondered what I would see if I changed the url from 2011 to 2012. I think there must be a lot of shouting and swearing going on in Paris right now.

Paul Kiernan · 10-10-2011 2:21pm

velopeloton wrote: »

No hoax! I screen grabbed it off the Le Tour website. It has now been removed.
I was looking at the 2011 site and wondered what I would see if I changed the url from 2011 to 2012. I think there must be a lot of shouting and swearing going on in Paris right now.

Sorry vp, I didn't mean to imply you were the hoaxer, more the hoaxee:).

Anyway it does fit in with what's been going around the rumour mills so I would think it is genuine. Looks like somebody will be looking for a new job!

Not a route it's easy to get excited about! Hopefully a few windy stages to liven things up.

ROK ON · 10-10-2011 2:33pm

The guy that plans the route for the tour every year has been interviewed several times in the past number of years in Procycling magazine. He has wanted for many years to plan a route with very few mountain top finishes. His idea was a race with more suspense and a race that went back to the old days, when there were fewer high mountain finishes than presently.
IIRC, he (and the ASO) prefer if the race is won by a more rounded cyclists (like Evans for example, as opposed to Schlecks).
I imagine that there will be lots of lumpy and medium mountains added when the exact route is fleshed out.
I have to say, I cant wait. I hope its a success.

Paul Kiernan · 10-10-2011 2:42pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Tony 'TT' Martin FTW !!! :pac:

Available at 250/1 on sportingbet.com:pac: Is it possible? Can he get enough time in TT's and then defend it in the mountains?

Looks like a nice route for Evans.

Raam · 10-10-2011 2:46pm

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

Available at 250/1 on sportingbet.com:pac: Is it possible? Can he get enough time in TT's and then defend it in the mountains?

I'll give you evens that he won't.

Morrisseeee · 10-10-2011 2:59pm

Raam wrote: »

I'll give you evens that he won't.

.....but would you give me evens on Evans (w/o Conti & Wiggo) ?

Are they dumbing down this TDF and then giving us a blockbuster next year for the anniversary ? It will be hard to top last years route, it worked out perfectly, I looked back at the last two MTF stages recently (in HD) and they were spectacular, racing & scenery, I've put a 'K' on them on the Sky box.

Paul Kiernan · 10-10-2011 3:00pm

Raam wrote: »

I'll give you evens that he won't.

Hmmm, I'd better do the maths. Let's say he makes a total of 5 minutes over the usual suspects in the TT's, and then loses a total of, say, 90 minutes in the mountains. Nope, I guess it's not going to happen. Evans at 10/1 mightn't be a bad bet, though.

TheBlaaMan · 10-10-2011 3:10pm

Hey, VP

Now your even more famous - worldwide exposure courtesy of CN!

"The first website to catch the big fish was Velopeloton.com and the news spread quickly.

Unofficial leaks have always existed in the days prior to the event held in Paris' Palais des Congrès, but this sort of large-scale error has no precedent."

I hope the ASO dont have hitmen on their books.....!

velopeloton · 10-10-2011 3:21pm

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Hey, VP

Now your even more famous - worldwide exposure courtesy of CN!

"The first website to catch the big fish was Velopeloton.com and the news spread quickly.

Unofficial leaks have always existed in the days prior to the event held in Paris' Palais des Congrès, but this sort of large-scale error has no precedent."

I hope the ASO dont have hitmen on their books.....!

I be camping out in the woods up the Col du Spandelles for the next week! It will be like Ruby Ridge.

on_the_nickel · 10-10-2011 3:24pm

That wailing noise outside is not the wind, it's coming all the way from Luxembourg.

TheBlaaMan · 10-10-2011 3:25pm

:D:D

I predict a lot of traffic to your website today !

:cool:

.

velopeloton · 10-10-2011 3:35pm

Should I be worried?

ednwireland · 10-10-2011 3:40pm

velopeloton wrote: »

Should I be worried?

hell yes the badger is on his way as we speak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXLSUpPS6So

velo.2010 · 10-10-2011 4:20pm

Isn't this what many have predicted anyway - that it would be a 'flatter' course?

Tony Martin might not be such a bad shout for the overall but surely one guy who must fancy this as a target is Philippe Gilbert. BMC power struggles aside It screams an attacking rider.

Disappointed though, I thought there might have been a massive rolling stage 230+kms before the rest day. Puy de Domme was mentioned early on as a possibility but obviously the Tour caravan is just too big.

Plenty of pissed off folk on other forums. Will Prudhomme go with this route or change it if fan noise persists?

therightstuff · 10-10-2011 5:07pm

velopeloton wrote: »

Should I be worried?

Spoke to Martin Earley on this- he was in the peleton when Hinault threw it onto the big ring and rode straight into the strikers!

Well done Paddy- you are so popular your website has crashed:D

Bunnyhopper · 10-10-2011 5:16pm

I like the sound of the finish location for stage 7: La Planche des Belles Filles

The end of stage 13 could make for some interesting helicopter shots :eek:

Nice scoop, velopeloton

The server for velopeloton seems to be suffering (no surprise) so I'm attaching the image here. Hope no-one objects.

on_the_nickel · 10-10-2011 5:36pm

therightstuff wrote: »

Spoke to Martin Earley on this- he was in the peleton when Hinault threw it onto the big ring and rode straight into the strikers!

Well done Paddy- you are so popular your website has crashed:D

Is that a young Phil Anderson in the background?

SACH Central · 10-10-2011 5:42pm

therightstuff wrote: »

Well done Paddy- you are so popular your website has crashed:D

The dark forces of the ASO at work already?!

RobFowl · 10-10-2011 5:47pm

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Is that a young Phil Anderson in the background?

Yes and I think it's Stephen Roche at the left edge !

ednwireland · 10-10-2011 7:17pm

10 Road stage Weds 11 July Mâcon > Bellegarde-sur-Valserine 194 km

looking forward to this as ive ridden both the grand columbier and the biche (although in the opposite direction to this) they must have looked at my garmin log)

something like

xz · 10-10-2011 7:53pm

RobFowl wrote: »

Yes and I think it's Stephen Roche at the left edge !

And the protestor fleeing on the right looks remarkably like Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan):D

elduggo · 10-10-2011 8:09pm

are these being removed from the web? I notice some links have suspiciously ceased working

velopeloton · 10-10-2011 8:21pm

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Is that a young Phil Anderson in the background?

My webhost sucks. The site is getting about 1000 visitors per minute and the site just keeps crashing. They assure me it will be back soon.

Esroh · 10-10-2011 8:38pm

Paddy
What 2 will be the Etapes in your opinion

velopeloton · 10-10-2011 8:46pm

Esroh wrote: »

Paddy
What 2 will be the Etapes in your opinion

Albertville > La Toussuire

&

Bagnères-de-Luchon > Peyragudes
or
Limoux > Foix

Bunnyhopper · 10-10-2011 9:58pm

xz wrote: »

And the protestor fleeing on the right looks remarkably like Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan):D

"No, not my face, I'm doing a photo shoot tomorrow for Vision Express"

SACH Central · 10-10-2011 11:58pm

velopeloton wrote: »

Limoux > Foix

I wonder how long it will take Ryanair to cop on to this and jack up the prices of the flights to Carcassonne when it's on

michael196 · 11-10-2011 6:07am

ssssssssshhhhhhhhhh.....!!!!!!!!!! SACH !

-K2- · 18-10-2011 11:27am

Official Routemap:

http://twitpic.com/7243q6

QueensGael · 18-10-2011 3:10pm

Best get trainin' this weekend

retalivity · 18-10-2011 3:16pm

tony martin is definitely worth a bet to make the podium....90ks of tt'ing, he'll put 4-5 mins into everyone, plus he wont be riding for htc so less work to do supporting cavendish.

contador to win (if he takes part)

GetWithIt · 18-10-2011 3:18pm

Tony Martin all the way. Quick-Step will be built around him. No more energy wasted chauffeuring Cav to the finish line.

Down to 100-1 from 150 on PP. Still looks generous odds.

GetWithIt · 18-10-2011 3:22pm

He'll put 4-5 mins into the nearest TTer. Maybe 10+ into some of the contenders. 96.1K of TT, including prologue.

Morrisseeee · 18-10-2011 3:27pm

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Tony 'TT' Martin FTW !!! :pac:

My €10 went on last week :cool:

sy · 19-10-2011 12:06am

GetWithIt wrote: »

He'll put 4-5 mins into the nearest TTer. Maybe 10+ into some of the contenders. 96.1K of TT, including prologue.

In a one off TT maybe but a 3 week tour with mountains is another kettle of fish. He will not stay with the climbers on the big slopes and he won't take 4-5 minutes out of Evans or Contador(if riding) in the TT. Possible Top 5 at best. He will excel in the one week tours that have a TT.

ROK ON · 19-10-2011 9:44am

From this far out, it is difficult to see past COntador or Evans. Wiggins will have a great opportunity to finish on the podium.
Sadly, Roche and MArtin will very likely struggle in a tour like this. If I was Roche, I wounldnt even do it - concentrate on something else and win it. Martin is unlikely to be picked for this tour I feel.

2012 Tour de France Route Published

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