TDF 2013 - two ascents of Alpe d’Huez in one stage!

2 Wheels Good

Organisers of the Tour de France are set to celebrate the 100th edition of the race with a route reportedly packed with climbing, including two ascents of Alpe d’Huez in one stage link

Darkglasses

They were watching the Vuelta clearly...

TheBlaaMan

I read this yesterday...........I dunno about the concept and some comments about it - will anyone push themselves on the first ascent, knowing that there's another run up it yet to come ....? NOT finishing after an ascent of the Alpe almost seems like a bit of an insult to the tradition of the place and - while it will shell many many guys out the back before they even come down the other side in advance of the second ascent - is that really what is needed to enliven a stage? Besides, are there not squillions of other climbs in the area that they could debut on the Tour?.

n-dawg

I saw this yesterday... the descent route they're talking about is crazy... Narrow and some very tight corners + some very steep sections too (mind you I've only ever gone up it)

niceonetom

Interesting.

Could be an epic stage. A few of us descended the Col de Sarenne a few years ago and since then I've done it again in a sportive (Grande Rousses I think, but I'm not sure). It's an exceptionally tricky descend by alpine standards. The fact that it's essentially an access road for sheep farmers was, I thought, the reason why l'Alpe d'Huez has up to now only ever featured as a stage finish - there's only one real road up or down to it.

The descent down the other side is narrow, very very gravelly, full of off-camber hairpins, and most terrifyingly, interspersed with deep storm gutters that cross the road from edge to edge and are lined with crazy paving.



That's the only photo I can find of what I'm talking about and it's a very tame example - some are deep, jagged and usually full of glacial melt water. Slippy bastards to be hitting at speed. Twice as long as a cattle grid too so bunny hopping would be a challenge. On the sportive I was on the amount of people popping their tyres because they were sitting on the brakes was ridiculous. Now, I'm sure the pros would have no such problem but I thought the Tour was above throwing this kind of stuff at the riders. I'm all for it of course.

spoke2cun

The tour could do worse than follow the vuellta's idea of bonus seconds at various points on each stage. I felt it made for a very exiting race. And the more climbs the better I say.

Inquitus

niceonetom wrote: »

snip

It's being asphalted per the reports.

niceonetom

Inquitus wrote: »

It's being asphalted per the reports.

Boo!

dastardly00

It will make for some great spectator viewing for those perched on the climb for that stage. The peloton passing by twice!

kincsem

The autobus will love that.

luapenak

Savage
Have to start making my summer holiday plans around being on Alpe d'Huez for this, can't wait

funnights74

Clearly the vuelta has had an effect, the best grand tour in years, team sky will have some job controlling this stage, hopefully Bradley wiggins will be shown up for the non climber that he actually is.

Consey

They wouldn't send the etape up there twice would they?

jiffybag

I know the Col de Sarenne descent very well . Been up and down it plenty of times , as previous poster has said its a sheep track , very fast and narrow with a few really tight corners too. Also a very small narrow village near the bottom, will be very dangerous for the race going through there:eek:

Two times up the Alpe will make for great viewing on the roadside and on TV but the riders will hate it!:D

manwithaplan

I see it's starting in Corsica - hard enough to find a flat road there.

Hermy

In light of current events I couldn't care less if they made them go up Alpe d'Huez on horseback. Right now there is no credibility in professional cycling and as long as it remains that way the races, the riders and the results are all but meaningless.

Lusk Doyle

dastardly00 wrote: »

It will make for some great spectator viewing for those perched on the climb for that stage. The peloton passing by twice!

There'll be no peloton passing by there!

Lusk Doyle

Hermy wrote: »

In light of current events I couldn't care less if they made them go up Alpe d'Huez on horseback. Right now there is no credibility in professional cycling and as long as it remains that way the races, the riders and the results are all but meaningless.

Good one. Where are you next performing? I'd like to go and watch.

manwithaplan

Hermy wrote: »

Right now there is no credibility in professional cycling and as long as it remains that way the races, the riders and the results are all but meaningless.

Other than that it's alright.