Tour de France 2017

http://www.letour.com

Route unveiled this morning.

Only 36 kms of time trialling, with a 13 km TT on the first day and a 23 km TT in Marseille on the penultimate day, and just three mountain top finishes. Lots of interesting climbs in all five mountain ranges in France, the Vosges, the Jura, the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Massif Central.

Christian Prudhomme has requested that the UCI allow him to have 8 man teams next year, rather than the 9 man teams currently. No news on whether that'll be approved or not, although I still think it's a red herring.

Not had a good look at the route but I think they have done a fantastic job in the last few years.

In my opinion, that has potential to encourage more balls out racing than reducing the size of the teams.

I did a training camp close to the queen stage in briancon, lovely roads and that final climb will separate the men from the boys. Etap tickets will go on a sale at 4pm. £149, who's up for it? Unlike last year, there is a descent from the finish back to the start, so accomodation is much easier

What's the feeling as to which will likely be the best GC stages? I've not been following the build up as much as in previous years, but I get a sense that the route organisers are not all about summit finishes, and there's a growing fondness of shorter, sharper, punchier stages, and downhill finishes off the back of big summits.

Of course you can't legislate for various incidents, who will show up on form, and the weather, but from a quick scan, I've picked out what looks to be some good stages to pencil in. Feel free to correct me on any of this, or point out any stages that have been overlooked.

Stage 5 - Wednesday July 5th - Vittel / La planche des belles filles.
Froome and Nibali have won here in overall-winning campaigns. Comes earlier in the race this time, and the summit finish looks to be where the first GC skirmishes will happen.

Stage 8 - Saturday July 8th - Dole / Station des rousses.
Based on the profile, you'd expect some decent action.

Stage 9 - Sunday July 10th - Nantua / Chambéry.
Lots of climbing here (4600 metres), and the long descent into the finish will probably be the biggest test of the race up to this point. Comes before the first rest day, which may have a bearing on tactics and the relative merits of being/staying in yellow.

Stage 12 - Thursday July 13th - Pau / Peyragudes.
Big summit finish, so should be the next big GC affair, but at 214km, riders will need to measure their efforts.

Stage 13 - Friday July 14th - Saint-Girons / Foix.
At only 100km, we'll probably see moves from the off.

Stage 17 - Wednesday July 19th - La Mure / Serre-Chevalier.
Is this the 'queen' stage? On paper, this is a day to take off (and I will be). Iconic climbs and comes at a crucial time in the race, unless it's already sewn up... but the downhill finish, especially if there's rain, could be the deciding factor.

Stage 18 - Thursday July 20th - Briançon / Izoard.
Another day off and another Tour icon, with a summit finish to boot. It's the last mountain stage and, 23km ITT stage on the 22nd aside, if there's any GC battles left to do, they'll be done here.

So when are the specific routes likely to be released?

There's a high chance that Stage 10 from Périgueux to Bergerac will go straight through or very, very close to the village my parents have a place in...

Wondering if i can be bothered popping over for that and maybe stage 11.

PERFEKTION MEKANIK AERO DYNAMIK

Think they came out last week.

No nibs as he is doing the vuelta .

Nothing showing for stage 10 on the website...

Definitely not about the 2017 tour, but this web site may whet your appetites:

http://sports.loucrup65.fr/tourdanslespyrenees01.htm

It's in French - if there's anything you particularly want translated - let me know and I'll do my best to put into English.

I'd like to hear if people find the site interesting.

Nice post Dauphine assessment of top ten for GC: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-favourites-form-ranking-2/

Anyone excited?

It does feel more open this year than past ones. Froome isn't a foregone conclusion and almost impossibly Porte looks the favourite. We can't have another Aussie win

Anyone excited?

I am.
Just packing my stuff for the trip to Düsseldorf tomorrow.
Anyone else at the start?

Yes!

I've got quite a lot of catching up to do though, really not been watching much cycling this year.

A preview from Robert Millar:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jun/28/tour-de-france-2017-team-by-team-guide

Team leader Marcel Kittel (Ger). Monumentally sleek, the big German provides lots of shelter so his back wheel is the one all the other sprinters want to be on in the last 200m. Then they pop out and the realisation hits them that his hair really is styled by speed.

Me, @TheArchitect @amey and a few other lfgsscc lot will be tackling stage 18 on the l'etape stage next month, I already feel sick thinking about it, I can't imagine what the pro riders legs will be feeling after 17 stages then got to do this!

Get your sportive chat out of this thread!

My bad

BMC is an acronym for Bicycle Manufacturing Company. It’s a company that manufactures bicycles

Good article, very informative. ;)

(Put me down for the lfgss sp****ve list.)

Something fishy about that article. Robert Millar is usually much more informed.

Think Chaves will be alarmed to hear Yates is leading Orica.

Sagan for yellow

Yates is at the Tour because Chaves' form over three weeks is unknown following his knee problems. I think he's fully aware of the situation.

So Jan Bakelants proves without a doubt that he's a weapons grade moron.

I am disappoint. Always thought highly of him after his stint in yellow - vaguely remember something about him fighting back from a health scare, although I can find no evidence now to support that.

Get rid of podium 'hostesses' altogether. Surely they just propagate this type of sleazy mindset.