Tour de France 2009 route

[andy_wrx]

It's too hard for Saint Lance.
That Ventoux stage the day before Paris and very little TT mileage, no too hard for him.

BBC think so too
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7684233.stm

Of course it'll be a conspiracy - ASO designed this route to prevent him returning !

 

[yello]

Stage 10 looks as though it might be passing nearby. I'll be interested to see the exact route when it's announced. If it goes east out of Limoges into the Creuse and then north to Issoudun then there might be a few interesting climbs... but it'll be a long flat finish whichever way they go!

 

[andy_wrx]

That's the problem with a few of these stages, as someone says above.
It's OK having a few big or even HC climbs in a stage, but if there's then a descent and flat run-in for 30 or 50 km to the end it'll be a bunch finish
- rather like Bonette this year.

 

[Noodley]

Listen very carefully:

LA will not be riding the Tour.

 

[Keith Oates]

I think you're right there, Noodley. However I also agree that there are too many of the mountain stages that have long runs to the finish after the hills have stopped. Don't like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave_1]

I like that Ventoux stage very much...what a brilliant ending...it will give any rider with less than a 3-4 minute lead on GC a sleepless or two I think...a bad moment on the lower slopes and GC leader will be looking at tme losses like 3-4 minutes. Witness the 1987 time gaps on ventoux

 

[kennykool]

Listen very carefully:

LA will not be riding the Tour.

Aww Noodley - how to shatter my dreams!


You know you're just like the man that used to burst my football when I kicked it into his garden when I was a kid - ruined my week now!!!!

I realise that due to the fact he'll be taking part in Giro it was very unlikely that he would ride TdeF but I was still hoping beyond hope that I'd see him ride up Champs Elysee next year when I'm in Paris for the finish

 

[Noodley]

However I also agree that there are too many of the mountain stages that have long runs to the finish after the hills have stopped. Don't like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeh there are a few stages with mountains then lots more road after them. Plenty of opportunity for time to be reeled back in. Which kind of takes away the point of having a mountain...