12/21/24
October 14, 2009
The 2010 Tour de France route has been revealed.: Only one time trial outside of the prologue, no team time trial, and a harder time in the Pyrenees. An analysis by the numbers and top riders reactions.
The opening week is likely to be interesting. There might not be the same crosswind surprise attacks that came this year -- the route doesn't head directly west across Flanders, where that's always a factor -- but those drags across Holland and Belgium have a very different character to the ones in most TdFs, even without the pav, which is going to put the willies up all the teams.
The Pyreneean spotlight makes up for a fairly pedestrian first week this year, though I wonder if the dynamics of the race will mean that the teams will declare tacit truces on some of the mountain-top finishes, depending on the GC. Still, Cavendish is going to have to spend the offseason honing his survival skills if he wants a dig at the green.
posted by etagloh at 05:43 PM on October 14, 2009
A friend of mine is pissed as it's going through her town for the first time. She's already talking about making sure she's gone for that week.
posted by Drood at 10:48 PM on October 14, 2009
I take it your friend is not much of a bowler.
posted by cl at 11:45 PM on October 14, 2009
If she wants to leave her keys under the doormat...
posted by JJ at 03:32 AM on October 15, 2009
The most interesting point in my view is the inclusion of 13 kilometres of cobble sections towards the end of stage 3. A lot could happen on that day, as it did the last time the Tour used cobbles in 2004. That day, Iban Mayo lost a lot of time in a crash, so the main contenders will need to be on their guard. Guys like Contador and Andy Schleck have no experience of the pav whatsoever.
Glad the TTT has gone, too. It's a nice thing to watch, but has too much influence on the overall result. Strong riders shouldn't be penalised for having weak teams.