matticus
Guru
Pop over and watch the Olympic track racing? (is it at St QuentinYvelines?)
Tour de France 2024
- Thread starter rich p
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Pop over and watch the Olympic track racing? (is it at St QuentinYvelines?)
matticus
Guru
well ... that's when Le Tour usually starts, n'est-ce pas??
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
There's a distinct lack of Brittany this year so that sounds right.
It's a week earlier but I'm just not a fan of National tours being in other countries. The Tour of Italy is in Italy a few weeks before so it's not as if they're spreading the cycling to new areas... as they argued with Denmark. I thought that was a nonsense too - see my whinges that year! 😊
Ivsee that Remco is not happy with gravel being in a GT and says that they have their own specific races. That he's not good at it is obviously the reason.
People have pointed out that TTs also have their own races but he is good at them.
Any thoughts whether gravel, cobbles etc should be in Grand Tours?
People have pointed out that TTs also have their own races but he is good at them.
Any thoughts whether gravel, cobbles etc should be in Grand Tours?
Jameshow
Veteran
Yeap like a bit of gravel breaks up the mundane sprinters and jumbo controlled mountain stages!
No feelings about gravel but cobbles hell yeah! Best bit of cycling I ever witnessed was 2014 Stage 5 of the TdF. I was stood at the entry to the Wandignies cobbled section. I’ll never forget the look on Thomas’ face as he came round the corner.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Go on, give us a clue!
Was it...
"Yeah, baby, let's give it some!"
or
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!"?
Go on, give us a clue!
Was it...
"Yeah, baby, let's give it some!"
or
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!"?
Rage, concentration and filth, but that doesn’t really do it justice.
I’d taken a decent SLR on that trip but hadn’t carried it on that day for fear of a tumble on the ride out to our chosen spot. The rain was shocking. If I’d have got the shot it would have made me a few bob for sure.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Hinault and his view of cobbles 
We are all entitled to our opinion and i am of the opinion gravel/ cobbles etc introduce to much of the luck factor in a GT .Sure i enjoy the one day "classics " but for me it introduces to much of a lottery in a GT .
I will of course watch and enjoy
We are all entitled to our opinion and i am of the opinion gravel/ cobbles etc introduce to much of the luck factor in a GT .Sure i enjoy the one day "classics " but for me it introduces to much of a lottery in a GT .
I will of course watch and enjoy
matticus
Guru
Hinault and his view of cobbles
We are all entitled to our opinion and i am of the opinion gravel/ cobbles etc introduce to much of the luck factor in a GT .Sure i enjoy the one day "classics " but for me it introduces to much of a lottery in a GT .
I will of course watch and enjoy
Are you quoting Hinault there?? If so, I agree with the badger, completement.
(If not, then I agree with thee!)
I think Dr Hutch(?) said this week that there's nothing stopping a downhill MTB stage being included - reading between the lines, I don't think he would support the idea. I watch the cobbley stages with great interest, but with a slight unease that makes them less enjoyable than watching a 1-day race over the same terrain.
(It would be fine if they just used the climbs e.g. the Koppenberg is hardly a dangerous piece of road. Unless they go down it, anways ...)
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
indeed quoting the badger and i agree with the sentiment .
Sure the TDF needs to adapt and find new ways to keep it fresh and attracting business and spectators , i can see how the gravel scene is something they might want to tap into although is it something that should be in the race ?
Shadow
member
- Location
- edge of the south downs
Another of Troyes' attributes which I forgot to mention upthread, apart from 2 or 3 magnificent museums, is the collection of discount designer outlet stores e.g. Ralph Lauren, Villy-Boch, Timberland, Levis etc, which may or may not be of interest to Mrs B.
How are the cunning plans progressing?
Hinault and his view of cobbles
We are all entitled to our opinion and i am of the opinion gravel/ cobbles etc introduce to much of the luck factor in a GT .Sure i enjoy the one day "classics " but for me it introduces to much of a lottery in a GT .
I will of course watch and enjoy
Who am I to argue with the Badger and our own @cyberknight but….
Cobbles are no more or less a specialism than climbing or time-trailing and I think they wash their face in the context of the tour. It’s a tour of France, not just the lumpy bits of France. I don’t want to watch a rerun of the Dauphiné with some sprints added.
Luck is a huge factor in any stage so I don’t completely buy the idea that cobbles are uniquely unpredictable. If you want to avoid trouble, develop the handling skills and make sure you’re at the front when they arrive. If you weight 50 kilos and bounce around like a three year old on Red Bull then tough, get your revenge and time back in the mountains.
On a personal level, the best times I’ve ever had watching cycling have involved cobbles. The action is usually spread out, the French or Belgian locals are good company and there’s a complete absence of did-you-see-me live-streamers and pish-heads that you seem to get at the big climbs these days.
The cunning plans are not progressing! I was looking at renting a villa or some such around Dijon for the week but all attempts have proved to be unavailable. I’ve snoozed and so far I’ve losed. Alternatives being assessed. I’d like to make it part a decent holiday for the two of us but if necessary it’ll have to be a short stay. I’d like to catch the end of stage 6 and the stage 7 ITT as a minimum.
Mrs Dr B’s tastes run more to the Place Vendôme than discount designer outlets I’m afraid. She’s both magnificent and slightly terrifying with the scent of a good handbag in her nostrils.
