Pro Cycling Thread

[Craig]

Foor those that are interested:



The Stages

Prologue - July 7: London - London, 8 km
Stage 1 - July 8: London - Canterbury, 203 km
Stage 2 - July 9: Dunkirk - Gent, 167 km
Stage 3 - July 10: Waregem - Compiègne, 236 km
Stage 4 - July 11: Villers-Cotterêts - Joigny, 190 km
Stage 5 - July 12: Chablis - Autun, 184 km
Stage 6 - July 13: Semur-en-Auxois - Bourg-en-Bresse, 200 km
Stage 7 - July 14: Bourg-en-Bresse - Le-Grand-Bornand, 197 km
Stage 8 - July 15: Le-Grand-Bornand - Tignes, 165 km
Rest Day - July 16: Tignes
Stage 9 - July 17: Val-d’Isère - Briançon, 161 km
Stage 10 - July 18: Tallard - Marseille, 229 km
Stage 11 - July 19: Marseille - Montpellier, 180 km
Stage 12 - July 20: Montpellier - Castres, 179 km
Stage 13 - July 21: Albi - Albi, 54 km
Stage 14 - July 22: Mazamet - Plateau-de-Beille, 197 km
Stage 15 - July 23: Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196 km
Rest Day - July 24: Pau
Stage 16 - July 25: Orthez - Gourette - Col d’Aubisque, 218 km
Stage 17 - July 26: Pau - Castelsarrasin, 188 km
Stage 18 - July 27: Cahors - Angoulême, 210 km
Stage 19 - July 28: Cognac - Angoulême, 55 km
Stage 20 - July 29: Marcoussis - Paris Champs-Élysées, 130 km
Total Length: 3547 km

Mountain stages:

Stage 7, Bourg-en-Bresse - Le-Grand-Bornand, 197 km
Km 35: Côte de Corlier, 5,9 km at a 5,5%
Km 122: Côte des Petits-Bois, 7,1 km at a 4,4%
Km 134: Côte Peguin, 4,3 km at a 4,1%
Km 183: Col de la Colombière, 16 km at a 6,7%

Stage 8, Le-Grand-Bornand - Tignes, 165 km
Km 15: Col du Marais, 3.8 km at a 4.1%
Km 21: Côte du Bouchet-Mont-Charvin, 1.6 km at a 7.6%
Km 46: Col de Tamié, 9.5 km at a 4%
Km 99: Cormet de Roselend, 19.9 km at a 6%
Km 137: Montée de Hauteville, 15.3 km at a 4.7%
Km 163: Le Lac (Tignes), 17.9 km at a 5.5%

Stage 9, Val-d’Isère - Briançon, 161 km
Km 15: Col de l’Iseran, 15 km at a 6%
Km 99: Col du Télégraphe, 12 km at a 6.7%
Km 122: Col du Galibier, 17.5 km at a 6.9%

Stage 14, Mazamet - Plateau-de-Beille, 197 km
Km 9: Côte de Sarraille, 9 km at a 5.2%
Km 146: Port de Pailhères, 16.8 km at a 7.2%
Km 197: Plateau-de-Beille, 15.9 km at a 7.9%

Stage 15, Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196 km
Km 27: Col de Port, 11.4 km at a 5.3%
Km 98: Col de Portet d’Aspet, 5.7 km at a 6.9%
Km 114: Col de Menté, 7 km at a 8.1%
Km 159: Port de Balès, 19.2 km at a 6.2%
Km 184: Col de Peyresourde, 9.7 km at a 7.8%

Stage 16, Orthez - Gourette - Col d’Aubisque, 218 km
Km 81: Col de Larraut, 14.2 km at a 8%
Km 132: Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, 14 km at a 5.2%
Km 175: Col de Marie-Blanque, 9.3 km at a 7.7%
Km 218: Col d’Aubisque, 16.4 km at a 6.9%

(from cyclingnews.com)

Stage 8 looks the one of the more brutal days with so much climbing to be done and it will be one of thosew days where I guy who wants to win the King of the Mountains comp will go in a break and try and snatch up as many points as possible. To bad about the lack of Team time trial or a ITT in the first week, but it is good to see the hills early on a race. Stages 2, 3, 4 look to be promising as they go through some roads used in the famous cobbled classics. And don't be surprised to see a British rider leading the race on stage 1.

[Pothas]

Think i probably go and watch either the prologue or the first stage. Will be good to see one of the greatest sporting events in the world.

[Craig]

If you go to the Prolouge, my advice is to get there really early if you want a good viewing spot.

[Matteh]

I'll definitely make the trip down there i reckon. Poor North-Western France though IMO.

[thewizard1o1]

The first week needs a make over badly, last year was dire with only the finish on the Cauburg to stand out. Hopefully next years will break it up a bit more...

[Craig]

Well it goes over the routes for Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem, and Paris-Roubaix so I think the speeds will be very quick especially if they go over some of the famed cobble stone sectors which could very well split the bunch up (see Iban Mayo in 2004) and rivals could lose time.

[thewizard1o1]

Originally Posted by Craig

Well it goes over the routes for Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem, and Paris-Roubaix so I think the speeds will be very quick especially if they go over some of the famed cobble stone sectors which could very well split the bunch up (see Iban Mayo in 2004) and rivals could lose time.

Mayo went down on the cobbled section that year didn't he?

Will be interesting to see which teams Ullrich and Basso end up at, now that they are cleared from the OP fiasco, Basso at Discovery could be a return to the years of Lance type racing…

[Cloete]

Originally Posted by thewizard1o1

Mayo went down on the cobbled section that year didn't he?

Will be interesting to see which teams Ullrich and Basso end up at, now that they are cleared from the OP fiasco, Basso at Discovery could be a return to the years of Lance type racing…

Please no.

Hope to see Ivan riding well again, just for anyone BUT discovery. Would like him at Davitamon Lotto preferably

[thewizard1o1]

Originally Posted by Cloete

Please no.

Hope to see Ivan riding well again, just for anyone BUT discovery. Would like him at Davitamon Lotto preferably

Working for Cadel? The goss is either Disco or a Italian second division team (whould allow him to shape it to suit himself...)

Levi might not like him going to disco much either

[Craig]

Levi side in a recent interview that he would have no problem with it, mind you Basso said he would ask to do to the Giro as well so that is problem number 1 solved (personally I think that should be Yaroslav Popovych's aim).

Milram are said to be interested, but with two top sprinters in the team i fail to see where they could find the room for him in the budget.

[thewizard1o1]

Based on his performance in last years tour, I'd like to see Popovych set himself for the Hilly Classics at the end of April, i don't think h has it in him for the grand tours. But the year before he did a super job working for Lance the year before, so who knows

[Matteh]

Hopefully might get a couple more Brits in the tour this year too, (looking at Hammond and Cavendish) but i doubt they'll get picked for it.

[thewizard1o1]

They could get selected Matteh, Hammond will be a good chance of a stage win in the cobbled stages early on and with a big motor he could be valuable if t-mob decide they need to control the peloton for whatever reason. Cavendish is less likely to go, but may end up being Ciolek's or Eisel's lead out man. Will depend a lot on how confident T-Mobile is in their GC guys???

The young Irish lad at confidis could get a start...if you wish to claim him

[Matteh]

Originally Posted by thewizard1o1

They could get selected Matteh, Hammond will be a good chance of a stage win in the cobbled stages early on and with a big motor he could be valuable if t-mob decide they need to control the peloton for whatever reason.

Hammond showed in the Tour of Britain he could sprint as fast as Tom Boonen. Given a proper team and not the 'Great Britain' basically U-19s he had then he stand a better chance to win some stages.
With Millar and Wiggins you're basically in 'Boardman mode' looking at the Prologue for them to win a stage.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by thewizard1o1

They could get selected Matteh, Hammond will be a good chance of a stage win in the cobbled stages early on and with a big motor he could be valuable if t-mob decide they need to control the peloton for whatever reason. Cavendish is less likely to go, but may end up being Ciolek's or Eisel's lead out man. Will depend a lot on how confident T-Mobile is in their GC guys???

The young Irish lad at confidis could get a start...if you wish to claim him

Well it is good for Australia that Michael Rogers will be the head honcho for T-Mobile. Actually have a fair few Australians and Kiwis in the team.