carbon29er Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 I personally am happy about the lack of TT as this will force the guys to attack and slug it out on the road like its suppose to be. (A Fit uninjured Andy Schleck would have loved next years Tour )Very happy here as it also removes a very boring day on telly.
canfan Posted October 22, 2014 Posted October 22, 2014 This route will definitely help Quintana, And not work for Froome.
Frosty Posted October 22, 2014 Author Posted October 22, 2014 Bonus seconds in the first week... day 3 goes up the Mur de Huy, day 5 on the cobbles. Unless there's a definitive break, I would expect the GC contenders to slug it out for those precious few seconds. If memory serves me well, Bretagne is a very windy area.
ScottCM Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 Sometimes it seems the Tour de France designs a course with one rider in mind. That was the case in 2012, when ASO unveiled a route with 100km of individual time trials, meaning that Bradley Wiggins (Sky) only had to stay upright, and he stood a very good chance at making history as the race’s first British champion.For 2015, it seems that the Tour organization had one rider in mind when it designed a course with just a single individual time trial, and no less than six uphill finales: Nairo Quintana.The Movistar climber might struggle over cobblestones featured in the opening week, but if he survives that, the Colombian could be in pole position to become the first South American to win the yellow jersey.“At first glance, it’s a Tour route that is very good for me. It favors me,” Quintana said Wednesday. “There are few time trial kilometers, a lot of climbs, and the only worry could be the pavé. It’s a day that, as we saw last year, you have to be careful, because you can lose everything.”Quintana skipped this year’s Tour after his phenomenal debut in 2013, when he was second overall, winner of the climber’s and young rider’s jersey, and a winner of stage 20.Instead, he went to the Giro d’Italia, which he won with panache. He looked strong in the Vuelta a España, but crashed out in the first time trial, opening the door for Alberto Contador’s eventual victory.After recovering from shoulder surgery, Quintana has yet to confirm whether or not he will defend his Giro title, but he is already committed to returning to the Tour.“With so many mountaintop finales, the route favors me, and even though I have yet to decide my calendar, I will prepare for it with the idea of winning,” Quintana said. “The climbs are perfect for me, and the team time trial doesn’t worry me, because we’ve shown we are pretty good at that.”Movistar teammate Alejandro Valverde also echoed the notion that the Tour is ideal for climbers like Quintana and himself.“It’s a nice Tour for me and for Nairo. With eight uphill finales, it’s a hard Tour, the hardest of the last few years,” Valverde said. “It’s a surprise that there are so few time trials, but the other stages are a bit shorter as well. It’s more like the Vuelta. … I’ve already said what my role will be, and it’s ideal for Nairo. I am still not sure if I will race the Tour.”
FondyMig Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 This route will definitely help Quintana, And not work for Froome. Froome considers skipping 2015 Tour de Francehttp://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froome-considers-skipping-2015-tour-de-france Probably fearing the cobbles and the lack of an ITT.
Tumbleweed Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 Froome considers skipping 2015 Tour de Francehttp://www.cyclingnews.com/news/froome-considers-skipping-2015-tour-de-franceProbably fearing the cobbles and the lack of an ITT. Jeremy Whittle also weighed in on this. He seemed to think that because most of Froome's stage wins were mountaintop finishes, the course suited him fine. Thoughts?
Wez-O Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 Jeremy Whittle also weighed in on this. He seemed to think that because most of Froome's stage wins were mountaintop finishes, the course suited him fine. Thoughts?The Tour de France climbs (particularly the previously mentioned mountain top finishes) are the length and gradient that suit a Chris Froome more than a Quintana or Contador who are better suited to the steeper shorter climbs of the Vuelta/Giro.
ScottCM Posted October 23, 2014 Posted October 23, 2014 Guess we will just have to wait and see who is going for what Tour. Froome might be going for the Grio and Vuelta in one year to join the "All Three Grand Tour" winners circle, something the almighty SIR Wig couldn't do for himself, her majesty nor TEAM Sky. Maybe then the British public would except him. Absolutely no evidence to back this up, just my own personal opinion.
Frosty Posted October 23, 2014 Author Posted October 23, 2014 I'm thinking of running the Hub Fantasy comp for the Giro, Tour and Vuelta.3 individual competitions but also having one cumulative score for all 3 events.Need to work out a suitable scoring format.
dracs Posted October 24, 2014 Posted October 24, 2014 No way Froomie will miss le Tour I'm not so sure. The Giro this year will really suit him (60k ITT) and this tour route really doesn't. If he is smart he will focus on Giro and Vuelta in '15, and get back to the tour in 2016
dracs Posted October 24, 2014 Posted October 24, 2014 Meanwhile, Belkin becomes LottoNL-Jumbo: image.jpgthey won't be allowed to wear that kit on the Tour...
tombeej Posted October 24, 2014 Posted October 24, 2014 I’ve just picked up the brilliant news on The Inner Ring that the climb up the Lacets de Montvernier has finally been recognised by the TDF organisers and added to the 2015 route. Awesome, awesome, awesome!! The Lacets have been ignored for way too long now, and as Christian Prudhomme acknowledged in the 2015 presentation, “the 18 bends of Montvernier are set to enter the legend of the Tour de France.” Stage 18 (Gap to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne) is when the peloton will tackle the Lacets de Montvernier (“hairpins of Montvernier”). I’ve had a good look at the route on Google Maps and can’t quite make out if they’ll be climbing or descending the hairpins to the finish. Either way, it’s going to make for some spectacular racing. The climb is made of the 18 of the tightest little hairpin bends you'll ever find on a mountain. For so many years it has been ignored because of the claim that the road is so narrow it will be dangerous to have spectators on the climb, let alone cars as well. The climb up the Lacets de Montvernier (and then continuing up the Col du Chaussy - just as spectacular) has been on my bucket list for some time. I am so stoked we'll finally see it in the TDF .
'Dale Posted October 24, 2014 Posted October 24, 2014 Heli footage on that cliff hanger will be awesome hey, tombeej
'Dale Posted October 24, 2014 Posted October 24, 2014 I'm not so sure. The Giro this year will really suit him (60k ITT) and this tour route really doesn't. If he is smart he will focus on Giro and Vuelta in '15, and get back to the tour in 2016That would be the logical decisionHowever, the Tour is still the highest priority for the wealthy GC teams. Let's see...
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