2014 Tour de France route

[The Couch]

More and more is getting released...
We already knew about the first 3 stages that pass through the Island.
On the 9th of July there is a "depart" in Ieper (Belgium), but the stage itself will go straight to France... So no Flemish Ardennes cobblestones/climbs

And now there is talk there will be a long (50+ K) TT to Bergerac... commemorating Indurain...
great isn't it that legends from the 90s are still being honored once in a while?
Maybe some of us still remember the 1994 TT that "Miguelón" won in a great display of his incredible strength? Narrowly winning it by a mere 2 minutes ahead of number 2 (and only about 5 and a half minutes ahead of Chris Boardman in 5th place). A memorable day indeed...

There is also talk... like in 1994... there might be a Hautacam stage finish.
But wednesday we will learn the rest of the stages.

 

[SWSteve]

Why is the tour going to Jersey?

 

[Peteaud]

Think some part is through the somme to commemorate 100 years.

 

[montage]

The TDF should not be honouring shoot when it comes to its past. Especially for anybody in the 90s. le Tour needs to look in one direction, the future. Draw a line under Cadel Evan's win in 2011 and pretend none of the rest happened since derailleurs became common practice.

 

[fimm]

I assume the start at Ieper (Ypres) is to do with the WW1 aniversary?

 

[The Couch]

I assume the start at Ieper (Ypres) is to do with the WW1 aniversary?

Indeed, already 2 or 3 years ago there was talk that the mayor was going to try to get a start or finish there for the remembrance of the start of WW1

 

[Rasmus]

 

[Beebo]

Stage 5 has 9 sections of cobble pave.
Froome isnt pleased about it.

 

[Crackle]

When was the last Pave, 2010 was it? 4 mtn finishes, surely that's got to interest Quintana, though the long time trial won't.

 

[DooDah]

Cool, I'm in the UK for Stage 3 and have booked a hotel to see the race. I fly back 2 days later and I live 15 minutes from Perigueux, so will cycle there to watch

 

[Rasmus]

The Bastille Day stage in the Vosges looks amazing.

 

[The Couch]

... 4 mtn finishes, surely that's got to interest Quintana, though the long time trial won't.

There's also a long TT in the Giro and since - in the TdF - it is at the very end of the Tour, it will play much more in the cards of the climbers (who always do - relatively speaking - much better at the end of 3 tiring weeks)
... then again there are of course more (grueling) summit finishes to make a difference in the Giro and less fierce competition (w/o Froome and Nibali)
...and if a rider is saying he wants to ride/win the Giro, it will be hard to convince him otherwise

Stage 5 has 9 sections of cobble pave.

Let's just hope the front of the race doesn't get stopped by someone, when his team leader falls or gets a flat tire, under the pretense of it being too dangerous
(I seem to remember a year where Cancellara once did this for Schleck)
Or like-wise that the big favourite does the same because his supposed biggest challenger has some bad luck, which wouldn''t be done if it happens to the lesser-favourites who might had become bigger threats in the end
(e.g. Wiggins waiting for Evans after the "tacks-incident")


Bit of a shame they won't repeat the Champs-Elysees finish time of last year. Personally I really like the evening/night setting and especially liked the visual show on the Arc de Triomphe.


FYI, for the people who might know the program... Vive le Velo should have some great places to set-up their show... Can't see them not using Carcassone on the way

 

[beastie]

There's also a long TT in the Giro and since - in the TdF - it is at the very end of the Tour, it will play much more in the cards of the climbers (who always do - relatively speaking - much better at the end of 3 tiring weeks)
... then again there are of course more (grueling) summit finishes to make a difference in the Giro and less fierce competition (w/o Froome and Nibali)
...and if a rider is saying he wants to ride/win the Giro, it will be hard to convince him otherwise


Let's just hope the front of the race doesn't get stopped by someone, when his team leader falls or gets a flat tire, under the pretense of it being too dangerous
(I seem to remember a year where Cancellara once did this for Schleck)
Or like-wise that the big favourite does the same because his supposed biggest challenger has some bad luck, which wouldn''t be done if it happens to the lesser-favourites who might had become bigger threats in the end
(e.g. Wiggins waiting for Evans after the "tacks-incident")


Bit of a shame they won't repeat the Champs-Elysees finish time of last year. Personally I really like the evening/night setting and especially liked the visual show on the Arc de Triomphe.


FYI, for the people who might know the program... Vive le Velo should have some great places to set-up their show... Can't see them not using Carcassone on the way

It will be a free for all, and nae stopping as long as the race is on. I reckon OPQS and Trek will go full gas over the cobbles from the 1st sector. All the GC contenders need to be in the front, so it will be a very fast run into each section. Time gaps could be significant.

 

[The Couch]

... like in 1994... there might be a Hautacam stage finish.

Never mind the 1994 Hautacam, I just re-watched the 1996 Hautacam finish... (man, those memories soften the heart don't they?)
wow... Riis looking like Horner, hardly ever sitting down... the difference being that more people can follow the initial accelerations back in Riis' time... and - to be fair - even Horner didn't seem that fast (and wouldn't be able to turn such a big gear)

But the route brings back other thoughts in my head as well:
The pla d'Adet summit finish takes me back to the images I have seen of the 1976 Tour victory of Lucien Van Impe

 

[LarryDuff]

Only one time trial. Is that not a bit unusual?