Author Topic: 2013 Tour de France  (Read 2245 times)

2013 Tour de France
« on: 24 October, 2012, 12:41:42 pm »
Thought I'd get in nice and early and start a 2013 TdF thread, now that the route has been revealed, and give the race fans something other than TTs and a dodgy Texan to talk about.  ;)

The north-east of France doesn't get a look-in at all this year, with the bulk of the route being in the south/south-eastern part of the hexagon. Three days in Corsica, Mont Ventoux for Bastille Day, 2 ascents of Alpe d'Huez, what sounds like a tricky second ITT and to round it off, an evening run into Paris so that we can have fireworks at the podium ceremony.

For a look at the whole route, see the Inner Ring: http://inrng.com/2012/10/2013-tour-de-france/

So far Le Tour.com is concentrating on Corsica, I presume more about the rest of the route will appear later: http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/grand-depart-2013.html

See also:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-2013-climbing-alpe-dhuez-twice-in-a-day
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-2013-an-alpine-itt-for-climbing-specialists
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Karla

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Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #1 on: 24 October, 2012, 12:47:34 pm »
I prefer to take the PBP route between Fougeres and Versailles  ;)

More seriously, it doesn't look like a route for Wiggins to win; I reckon he'll have a much better chance at the Giro.  Then again, it would look bad for the winner not to defend his crown.  My prediction:

1) Sky say that Wiggins is going for both.
2) Wiggins does go for the Giro.
3) Wiggins and Froome are announced as co-leaders for the Tour.
4) Froome comes to the front after the first week, at which point he's announced as leader on the road, which is actually what they'd planned all along.

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #2 on: 24 October, 2012, 12:57:10 pm »
It will be interesting to see how the organisers keep the wild life off the race routes in Corsica. I toured there last year and remember descents being somewhat "exciting" dodging free range pigs. Given the usual accident rate in the first week there might be a dangerous few days in the mountains.

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #3 on: 24 October, 2012, 12:58:45 pm »

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #4 on: 24 October, 2012, 01:35:34 pm »
Sorry Tewdric, but this one has momentum.

1) Sky say that Wiggins is going for both.
2) Wiggins does go for the Giro.
3) Wiggins and Froome are announced as co-leaders for the Tour.
4) Froome comes to the front after the first week, at which point he's announced as leader on the road, which is actually what they'd planned all along.

My thoughts (almost) exactly, except that 4) may take a little longer than a week or may not happen at all.


Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #5 on: 24 October, 2012, 01:40:28 pm »
Indeed, I've deleted mine to keep things tidy.

Anyway, it goes to Fougeres!!  :thumbsup:

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #6 on: 24 October, 2012, 02:44:25 pm »
It's an anti-wiggo route.

Add extra mountains, reduce TT length by nearly 40%.
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Pingu

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Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #7 on: 24 October, 2012, 03:07:36 pm »
It will be interesting to see how the organisers keep the wild life off the race routes in Corsica. I toured there last year and remember descents being somewhat "exciting" dodging free range pigs. Given the usual accident rate in the first week there might be a dangerous few days in the mountains.

And goats and cows  :thumbsup:

JT

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Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #8 on: 24 October, 2012, 03:26:03 pm »
Mrs JT and I will be in Paris for the final stage - booked the hotel this morning, £28!

We may add more stages but at the moment I'm not in the mood for it.
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Karla

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Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #9 on: 24 October, 2012, 03:38:33 pm »

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #10 on: 24 October, 2012, 03:45:41 pm »
Wiggo has to be one of the greatest sportpeople of modern times, in all senses of the word. What a bloody star.
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Toady

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #11 on: 24 October, 2012, 05:01:37 pm »
He's asking a pretty heavy price from Froome in return for his support.

"He'll have to grow some sideburns though."


Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #12 on: 24 October, 2012, 07:38:58 pm »
It's an anti-wiggo route.

Add extra mountains, reduce TT length by nearly 40%.

I think it's more that this year's was a very pro-Wiggins route with the exceptional (for recent years) TT kms, limited mountain top finishes, and time bonifications for sideburns wearers.

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #13 on: 24 October, 2012, 09:18:59 pm »
am I right in thinking that the route is entirely within France?

Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #14 on: 24 October, 2012, 09:53:18 pm »
am I right in thinking that the route is entirely within France?

Yes, though the Corsican separatist movement would beg to differ. However, the spokesman of the Corsican nationalist party Party of the Corsican Nation, François Alfonsi, said*: "The organisers must be afraid of terrorist attacks. If they are really thinking of a possible terrorist action, they are wrong. Our movement, which is nationalist and in favour of self-government, would be delighted if the Tour came to Corsica."

* In L'Equipe, 23 October 2004, according to el Wiki.
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Salvatore

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Re: 2013 Tour de France
« Reply #15 on: 24 October, 2012, 10:19:06 pm »
am I right in thinking that the route is entirely within France?

Yes, though the Corsican separatist movement would beg to differ.


As would the Savoyard separatists, who would prefer to revert to the pre-1860 arrangement.
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur