Tour de France 2010

Diarmuid

The routes for the 2010 tour are up.

Plenty of mountains!

penexpers

Only one individual time trial + no more team time trial.

Diarmuid

This would be a brutal Etape du Tour!

DominoDub

stage 3 - Wanze Arenberg Porte du Hainaut 207 km

This is unquestionably one of the highlights of the first week of the race, and a major first for this stage start and finish. haven’t been negotiated on the Tour since 2004. There will be 7 cobbled sectors over a total of 13,2 kilometres, including the Haveluy sector, only ten kilometres from the stage finish. The finish line will be located at the entrance to the notorious Arenberg Trench, the legendary backdrop to Paris-Roubaix.

Captain Havoc

Double dose of Tourmalet, nice

crashoveroid

Not looking good to me lots of stuff i normally enjoy is missing

ednwireland

wonder if the col de tourmalet stage finishes at the observatory or just on the col

Diarmuid

crashoveroid wrote: »

Not looking good to me lots of stuff i normally enjoy is missing

such as?

Chips Lovell

penexpers wrote: »

Only one individual time trial + no more team time trial.

Cadel Evans will be breathing a sigh of relief. I thought the TTT, while a dramatic stage in itself, spoiled it a little last year in terms of ruling out a few contenders too early.

DominoDub wrote: »

stage 3 - Wanze Arenberg Porte du Hainaut 207 km

The pave should be fun. The last time they did it was in 2004 and it caused a bit of havoc. Iban Mayo was never the same again (although, there could have been other reasons for that).

aidandoyle

Diarmuid wrote: »

This would be a brutal Etape du Tour!

Hi Diarmuid, any news on which is the stage that they have decided upon for the Étape? I heard it was also being announced today.

lukester

Stage 17 - Pau to Col de Tourmalet

velopeloton

I like that there is no TTT and lots of mountains. Roll on July.

Diarmuid

lukester wrote: »

Stage 17 - Pau to Col de Tourmalet

yea that's the one.

velopeloton

From http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/

Comparing 2010 to previous years... 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006
Flat Stages 9 10 10 11 9
Medium Mountain Stages 4 1 4 1 4
Mountain Stages 6 7 5 6 5
# of Categorized Climbs (Cat 2, 1 and HC) 23 20 19 21 22
Mountaintop Finishes 3 3 4 3 3
Total Individual Time Trial Distance 59k 55k 82k 117k 116k
Overall Distance 3596k 3435k 3554k 3547k 3657k

DirkVoodoo

JUst watching Sky Sports News and there is a slight hint that this year's route, aside from celebrating the centenary of the pyrenees in the tour, will not favour the british hopefuls. Certainly will be harder for Cavendish to get the green, no?

crashoveroid

Diarmuid wrote: »

such as?

Im a huge fan of the TT and TTT and only one TT i just dont think it will be good,

Diarmuid

crashoveroid wrote: »

Im a huge fan of the TT and TTT and only one TT i just dont think it will be good,

I think it was felt that the TTT killed a lot of the competition in 2009. As for having only one TT (and the prologue) well I guess each to his own. I prefer less of them myself.

ednwireland

crashoveroid wrote: »

Im a huge fan of the TT and TTT and only one TT i just dont think it will be good,

hmm more attacking on the mountains less waiting for the hugely disappointing ventoux stage (which it was always going to be given the buildup)hope the organizers learnt a lesson there.

looking forward to this one

redmenace1

Think it looks tasty. Bring the mountains on as it will certainly shake things up

ullu

No stages in Italy so Valverde will probably be free to take part.

ROK ON

Let me preface this by saying that I know next to nothing about cycling strategy. But just thinking a bit against the grain.

Maybe the absence of a TTT makes the race a bit more predictable. If there was a TTT, then Radioshack would be one of the fancied teams, however Astana (presuming Contador remains) may struggle in this event.

The absence of this may mean that there are very few places where folks can eat into Contador. Just a tought. Feel free to contradict/enlighten.

Or would it be the case that in the absence of a TTT, then so many other ridrs (such as Evans as previously mentioned) now have a chance of staying in the race until it reaches the business end of proceedings?

ednwireland

ROK ON wrote: »

The absence of this may mean that there are very few places where folks can eat into Contador. Just a tought. Feel free to contradict/enlighten.

Or would it be the case that in the absence of a TTT, then so many other ridrs (such as Evans as previously mentioned) now have a chance of staying in the race until it reaches the business end of proceedings?

yeh cos he's such a bad TT rider, dont get your logic if AC has to attack/ defend on mountain stages surely that gives people willing to attack more chance, cant see how any route could be worse than this years

Chips Lovell

Depends on what team Astana would be taking to the Tour. Vino isn't a bad TT rider for example... well he was when he was doped up to the gills.

alfalad

ednwireland wrote: »

yeh cos he's such a bad TT rider, dont get your logic if AC has to attack/ defend on mountain stages surely that gives people willing to attack more chance, cant see how any route could be worse than this years

TTT is the bit where AC might have lost some time this year. Thats what ROK ON was refering to, he couldn't just head off on his own, it has to be a team effort and if the team is not so good then he may suffer which in turn may lead to more fireworks in the mountains if he has to attack to make up time.

petethedrummer

ROK ON wrote: »

Or would it be the case that in the absence of a TTT, then so many other ridrs (such as Evans as previously mentioned) now have a chance of staying in the race until it reaches the business end of proceedings?

I would say this is the case. Evans lost 2:30 odd in the TTT and sastre 1:30. Thats a huge amount to make up. I think it ruined the Tour.

There should be some high profile TTT race at some other time of year, if one doesn't already exist.

RobFowl

petethedrummer wrote: »

There should be some high profile TTT race at some other time of year, if one doesn't already exist.

Bring back the famous Eindhoven GP

Diarmuid

classic photo!!
Big sh1t eating grin from Contador.

ROK ON

Class photo Diarmuid. LA is losing it~ you should never take your seat before your contempoariws.

Shaking hands will seated is a massive sign of weakness.

sy

ROK ON wrote: »

.
Shaking hands will seated is a massive sign of weakness.

Must remember to get out of the saddle next time I greet you ROK ON!

Great photo Diarmuid

Caroline_ie

i would love to be in Bordeaux for the finish and the TT; I wonder if I could start at the same time as the 1st cyclist and finish before Cancelara.

Super Freak

Where would the smart money go???



Anyone else think that LA would be a good each way bet at 9-1 ?

Kieran

Greenman

Diarmuid wrote: »

The routes for the 2010 tour are up.

Thanks for that Diarmuid, it passes close by the house so must get out and see it, the athmosphere is always great. Might even go and see it twice!!!!:)

Nova_era

Who's Rasmussen riding with??

I'd say Nibali would be a good bet for the podium.

davyjose

Diarmuid wrote: »

I think it was felt that the TTT killed a lot of the competition in 2009. As for having only one TT (and the prologue) well I guess each to his own. I prefer less of them myself.

Time trials are so critical to the sport IMO. The ability to time trial and climb are what seperates the true greats from the strong climbers. Guys like Hinault and Indurain were greats, and predominantly TT'ers.

velo.2010

Still only 3 mountain finishes! Lots of h, 1, 2 Cat climbs I know but 2 stages where they have a long run to the finish after the last climb.

The organisers want to give the impression of a really tough Tour but the trend of easing the difficulty(to combat doping?) continues after the last 3 Tours.

Looking at the queen stage the only way it would really take-off is if RadioShack decide to attack early and isolate Contador then proceed to take it in turns attacking him. They'll have 4 or 5 guys well capable of doing that.

Lumen

Nova_era wrote: »

Who's Rasmussen riding with??

Fantastic news if he is doing it. The Chicken for the win! I might even have a punt.

It's so much less stressful supporting a proven doper.

velo.2010

Was Rasmussen a proven doper? Did he not have a case of Dolomititus!

Diarmuid

velo.2010 wrote: »

Was Rasmussen a proven doper? Did he not have a case of Dolomititus!

yea he was never actually done for doping. But if you miss a number of tests your are banned under anti-doping rules. He actually won a €1m court case for unfair dismissal. I guess his PR man wasn't as good as Basso's one.

Lumen

Diarmuid wrote: »

he was never actually done for doping. But if you miss a number of tests you are banned under anti-doping rules

Same difference.

There are also the Whitney Richards allegations.

Anyhoo, Go Rasmussen!

Liamo08

Super Freak wrote: »

Where would the smart money go???



Anyone else think that LA would be a good each way bet at 9-1 ?

Kieran

If its quarter the odds then 9-1 is not a great price, I'd be more tempted by Valverde and Wiggins at 20-1.

paddy's hill

Liamo08 wrote: »

If its quarter the odds then 9-1 is not a great price, I'd be more tempted by Valverde and Wiggins at 20-1.

What about Tony Martin at 66-1. I'll have that as an each way.

2smiggy

andy schleck should be up there. i think he can handle contador in the mountains. his brother, while he helped him in a way, also hindered him on the big mountain stages last year. i think he could perhaps t6ake enough time out of contadour on these stages himself to be a value bet

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

Fantastic news if he is doing it. The Chicken for the win! I might even have a punt.

It's so much less stressful supporting a proven doper.

I just noticed your picture of him is gone, are you not a subscriber anymore?

I was going to subscribe and stick a picture of Niki Gudex there just to upset you.

Yes, being unemployed these are the kind of things that get me through the day.

lukester

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

...Niki Gudex

Had to Google that.

Just...thanks.

Lumen

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I just noticed your picture of him is gone, are you not a subscriber anymore?

I've apparently lapsed back to Prole status.

Liamo08

2smiggy wrote: »

andy schleck should be up there. i think he can handle contador in the mountains. his brother, while he helped him in a way, also hindered him on the big mountain stages last year. i think he could perhaps t6ake enough time out of contadour on these stages himself to be a value bet

Based on this year’s performance I seriously doubt anybody will take any time out of Contador in the mountains, he was much stronger than the rest in the mountains this year. Once he was in yellow he didn't need to attack, I felt watching it he could have blown the rest away on the tough mountains if he really had to.

Chips Lovell

Tend to agree. Schleck is good in the mountains, but he's never really threatened Contador, so we'd need to see a big improvement in performance.

lukester

Read an interview with Schleck in ProCycling last month, he implied that Contador was having to work quite hard on Col de Rommes (I think) to match their attacks. He said he could see that he was suffering, which surprised him, and that he was going to work on being even stronger next year. Still, when Contador attacks, no-one can stay with him, and can't see Schleck being able to beat him short of Contador bonking. And it's not like Contador's going to sit still between now and next year.

Diarmuid

lukester wrote: »

Read an interview with Schleck in ProCycling last month, he implied that Contador was having to work quite hard on Col de Rommes (I think) to match their attacks.

Maybe he forgot to eat his Mars Bar

lukester

Diarmuid wrote: »

Maybe he forgot to eat his Mars Bar

That's the kind of mistake I imagine you only make once in your career.

AvidIrishReader

Diarmuid wrote: »

yea that's the one.

Folks, I'm a bit of a novice here. I would like to participate in the L'Etape next year. What's the most cost-effective way of doing this?

I know the application is published in a French cycling magazine, but how quick do places go and is it worthwhile using an agent in Ireland or Britain?

I could get a friend to complete the form for me in France (what is the name of the magazine?) and then organise my own accommodation ....

I'm a good climber and can easily manage 200km in a day on my current road bike. I appreciate I'd need to up the ante for the mountains, but I'm pretty confident that that won't be an issue.

Thanks in advance, AvidIrishReader