Le Tour starts about as far as it ever has from France next year. It will start in Leeds on July 5, and the full route has been announced today. Few races in the world demand as much attention to an announcement as seemingly mundane as where the race will be going, but this is no ordinary race. Already from looking at the route, I can tell you that it is going to be very exciting, and at times very risky.
On the map, after you do what everyone does and stops looking for the places you've been to on holiday, you will notice that it is predominately based in Eastern France this year. This reason being, that is where all the good mountains are. This year Le Tour, will take in three mountain ranges; La Planche des Belles, the alpine stages at Chamrousse and Risoul, before the final test in the Pyrenees. These mammoth climbs are nicely spread across this years event, but the general classification could become a formality once the first climb at La Planche is completed. The last time the tour visited the area Chris Froome won the mountain top finish with a very select group of four riders still with him including Bradley Wiggins and Cadel Evans. This is likely to be the day that the sprinters lose yellow and say goodbye to it for the rest of the tour with two bigger mountain ranges to come. It's a tour for the climbers then. Froome will be very happy, Wiggins less so. They've taken away the importance of the individual time-trial, and have put just one stage in, the day before the riders get to Paris. Realistically, Wiggins will have to be in touching distance of the top riders, and still produce a perfect time-trial for his tour to have any hopes.
There is a re- introduction this year which already has riders nervous and spectators very excited, is the use of the cobbles of the Paris-Roubaix Northern Classic. The cobbles are hell to ride on and with the large peloton that will be riding along it accidents are bound to happen. So key players could be taken out of the race, they were last time in 2010, but it will allow other riders to show their skill on the cobbles, like Welshman Geraint Thomas did finishing 2nd in 2010. The advice from me would be don't put any money on the favourites until this stage has passed. After stage 5 from Ypres to Arenberg is over, then I advise a punt on the big climbers but not before.
From the look of the climb-heavy route, I would guess that Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana, last years 1st and 2nd placed riders will be battling it out on the roads. There is a long time left until July 5 however, and new stars will emerge in that time. What we do know is that the countdown to the biggest race in the world has started, and its going to be just as spectacular as last years edition.
No comments:
Post a Comment