Tour de France 2007 route

I wonder if they'll have a slick video commemorating Landis' 06 victory? You know, since he's appealing his case and, you know, it's still open to debate whether he doped or not. He's got an inspiring story, with the bad hip and all the favorites getting kicked out and it seeming that he could win without doping...

Na. They probably won't have such a video.

I wonder if they'll invite Armstrong back?

If this rumour is correct stage 8 , 9 and 17 could be absolute rippers, the addition of the Finistere sounds fantastic, and with the finish in Briancon it looks like it may even happen.

The return of Ventoux is fantatsic even though it does not appear to be a summit finish. Fingers crossed the official route has it being a tt.

I cant wait for Friday's official announcement, not sure if the boss will get much work out of me as I look over course!

[font=Helv][font=Helv]No tips or inside information from me...just hopes.
I'd like to see some of the following:

- Less ITT kms than 2006
- Finestre
- ITT up Chamrouse (18.7km @ 7.1%), they did it in 2001
- Tourmalet then finish at Luz Ardiden
- La Mongie
- Montee d'Hautacam
- Val d'Isere


[/font][/font]

Finish is in Briancon is pointless. What is the point to have Galibier 40 km before the finish? As in 2005 everybody will sit group and nothing will happen.
The same goes to Ventoux stage... As a fan of cycling Tom Simpson would prefer a stage with a finish at the top of the climb. This is the first tribute stage without mountaintop finish. All the others eneded with mountaintop finish or ITT...
It seems that the route of 2007 have more wasted H.C. or 1st cat. climbs than in 2006...
Plateau de Beille looks very interesting.

Walrus said:

[font=Helv][font=Helv]No tips or inside information from me...just hopes.
I'd like to see some of the following:

- Less ITT kms than 2006
- Finestre
- ITT up Chamrouse (18.7km @ 7.1%), they did it in 2001
- Tourmalet then finish at Luz Ardiden
- La Mongie
- Montee d'Hautacam
- Val d'Isere


[/font][/font]

My hopes:
*4 mountaintop finishes
*1 stage with hard climb 10km or 15km to go
*1 stage with finish at 2nd cat climb or with 2nd cat climb near the finish. For instance, finish at Mont Faron would be a fantastic stuff in Tour.
*Short TTT instead of Prolouge
*Never Uphill ITT, just two long ITT
*No climbs from Giro!!!

velonews.com11081.0.htmlOpen ↗
One more rumour...

Another one from the people who should know something.

VeloNews "fantasy stab" at the route:
Saturday, July 7: London Prologue TT (8km)
Sunday, July 8: Stage 1, London-Canterbury (209km)
Monday, July 9: Stage 2, Dunkirk-Ghent (197km)
Tuesday, July 10: Stage 3, Waregem-Compiègne (195km)
Wednesday, July 11: Stage 4, *Villers-Cotterêts- **Épernay TTT (65km)
Thursday, July 12: Stage 5, **Châlons-sur-Marne-*Joigny (180km)
Friday, July 13: Stage 6, **Auxerre-**Vichy (225km)
Saturday, July 14: Stage 7, **Vulcania-*Puy de Dôme TT (40km)
Sunday, July 15: Stage 8, *Clermont-Ferrand-**St. Etienne (200km)
Monday, July 16: Rest day at *Chambéry
Tuesday, July 17: Stage9, *Chambéry-Briançon (205km)
Wednesday, July 18: Stage 10, Tallard-Marseille (208km)
Thursday, July 19: Stage 11, *Marseille-*Mont Ventoux (or **Carpentras) (210km)
Friday, July 20: Stage 12, **Avignon-**Agde (170km)
Saturday, July 21: Stage 13, **Narbonne-Toulouse (154km)
Sunday, July 22: Stage 14, Castres-*Plateau de Beille (210km)
Monday, July 23: Foix-Loudenvielle (170km)
Tuesday, July 24: Rest day at *Pau
Wednesday, July 25: Stage 16, *Pau-Gourette (Aubisque) (155km)
Thursday, July 26: Stage 17, *Tarbes-** Villeneuve-sur-Lot (180km)
Friday, July 27: Stage 18, ** Villeneuve-sur-Lot -Angoulême (180km)
Saturday, July 28: Stage 19, Cognac-Angoulême Time Trial (50km)
Sunday, July 29: Stage 20, Marcoussis-Paris (160km)

* indicates calculated guess at stage town;
** indicates wild guess

Look at stage 7, if their wild and calculated guess becomes true we'll see a really special time trial.

P Saturday, July 7th8 km London, EnglandTTprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
1 Sunday, July 8th200 km London → Canterbury profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
2 Monday, July 9thTBA km Dunkirk → Gand, Belgiumprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
3Tuesday, July 10thTBA km Waregem, Belgium → Compiégneprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
4Wednesday, July 11thTBA km Villers-Cotteréts → Joigny profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
5Thursday, July 12thTBA km Chabis → Autunprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
6Friday, July 13thTBA km Semur-En-Auxois → Bourg-en-Bresseprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
7Saturday, July 14thTBA km Bourg-En-Bresse → Le-Grand-Bornandprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
8Sunday, July 15thTBA km Le-Grand-Bornand → Tignes profile | timetable | live | results | photos | videoRMonday, July 16th Rest day (Tignes)
9Tuesday, July 17thTBA km Val-d'Isère → Briançonprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
10Wednesday, July 18thTBA km Tallard → Marseilles profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
11Thursday, July 19thTBA km Marseilles → Montipellier profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
12Friday, July 20thTBA km Montipellier → Castres profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
13Saturday, July 21stTBA km Albi
[right]TT[/right]

profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
14Sunday, July 22ndTBA km Mazamet → Plateau-de-Beilleprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
15Tuesday, July 23rdTBA km Foix → Loudenvielle profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
RMonday, July 24th rest day (Pau)profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video

16Wednesday, July 25thTBA km Orthez → Gourette (Aubisque)profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
17Thursday, July 26thTBA km Pau → Castelsarrasinprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
18Friday, July 27thTBA km Cahors → Angoulemeprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
19Saturday, July 28thTBA km Angouleme → Cognac
[right]TT[/right]

profile | timetable | live | results | photos | video
20Sunday, July 29thTBA km Marcoussis → Paris Champs-Élyséesprofile | timetable | live | results | photos | video

the above comes from steephill.tvtour de franceOpen ↗

They could be right, sportwereld.be speculated almost the same route. But than again, Puerto learnt me most journos are copying each other nowadays..😉

Andrija said:

On Thursday the route will be announced.
Frist one tip from the people who should know something:

According to Il Cyclismo magazine (who were not too far
out last year) the route is as follows:

Prologue - London
Stage 1 - London - Canterbury
Stage 2 - Dunkerque - Gand (Belgium)
Stage 3 - Waregem (Belgium) - Compiegne
Stage 4 - Villers Cotteret - Chablis or Joigny
Stage 5 - ?
Stage 6 - ?
Stage 7 - Bourg en Bresse - Grand Bornand
Stage 8 - Grand Bornand - Tignes
Monday July 16th - Rest Day in Tignes (2007 Etape du Tour day?)
*Stage 9 - Tignes - Briancon
Stage 10 - Tallard - Marseilles
Stage 11 - Marseilles - Carpentras
Stage 12 - ?
Stage 13 - ? - Castres
Stage 14 - Albi - Albi (TT)
*Rest Day
Stage 15 - Mazanmet - Plateau de Beille
Stage 16 - Foix - Loudenvielle
Stage 17 - Ortez - Gourette/Aubisque
Stage 18 - ? - Angouleme
Stage 19 - Cognac - Angouleme (TT)
Stage 20 - Marcoussis - Paris

[font=Verdana]And some my tips. Besides Ventoux, which is secure, and probably Finestre, I think we'll see Madeleine, Sestriere and an uphill time trial.[/font][font=Verdana]What do you think? Do you have some tips or inside information?[/font]

Here is the route:

PSaturday 7 July 20078 km Londres > Londres
1Sunday 8 July 2007203 km Londres > Canterbury
2Monday 9 July 2007167 km Dunkerque > Gand
3Tuesday 10 July 2007236 km Waregem > Compiègne
4Wednesday 11 July 2007190 km Villers-Cotterêts > Joigny
5Thursday 12 July 2007184 km Chablis > Autun
6Friday 13 July 2007200 km Semur-en-Auxois > Bourg-en-Bresse
7Saturday 14 July 2007197 km Bourg-en-Bresse > Le-Grand-Bornand
8Sunday 15 July 2007165 km Le-Grand-Bornand > Tignes-
1Monday 16 July 2007 Tignes
9Tuesday 17 July 2007161 km Val-d’Isère > Briançon
10Wednesday 18 July 2007229 km Tallard > Marseille
11Thursday 19 July 2007180 km Marseille > Montpellier
12Friday 20 July 2007179 km Montpellier > Castres
13Saturday 21 July 200754 km Albi > Albi
14Sunday 22 July 2007197 km Mazamet > Plateau-de-Beille
15Monday 23 July 2007196 km Foix > Loudenvielle - Le Louron-
2Tuesday 24 July 2007 Pau
16Wednesday 25 July 2007218 km Orthez > Gourette - Col d’Aubisque
17Thursday 26 July 2007188 km Pau > Castelsarrasin
18Friday 27 July 2007210 km Cahors > Angoulême
19Saturday 28 July 200755 km Cognac > Angoulême
20Sunday 29 July 2007130 km Marcoussis > Paris Champs-Élysées

IMO this is the best route since 2002 when they had 5 mountaintop finishes. 5 of 6 mountain stages are perfectly suited for GC battles.

*The first mountain stage is on 8th day of the race (not in 12th as in 2006) and there is Col de la Colombière (16km;6.7%) just 14 km before finish. It will be more significant that first mountain stages in previous few tours.
*2nd stage has mountaintop finish (17.9km;5.5%) as well as two other significant climbs. It is not the hardest mountaintop finish ever but I think it is an excellent choice for the first one and is harder than last year's Pla De Beret.
*Ironically, but a stage with Iseran, Telegraphe and Galibier must be the less significant from the hard mountain stages. No doubt those climbs are hard but Galibier is 39km before finish. If they had Briancon's Puy-Chalvin climb (2nd cat.) in the end there would have been GC shaking. With an uphill finish in the end the route would have been perfection.
*A stage with Port de Pailhères (16.8km;7.2%) and Plateau-de-Beille (15.9km;7.9%) is an excellent choice. This is the first time in history when those two climbs are put in one stage (usually after Port de Pailhères they finished at much easier Plateau de Bonascre). I am looking forward it!
*A stage with five significant climbs and steep Col de Peyresourde just 12 km before finish. Port de Balès looks nice as well.
*The final mountain stage features four significant climbs and finish is at Gourette(16.4km;6.9%). Col de Larraut looks nice as well.

Overall, there is more chances for climbers to challenge their rivals in comparison to 2006.

Well... No Ventoux (I was sure it's going to be), no Finestre, no mountain time trial, no Massive Central, no Vosges. But I can't say it isn't attractive, it's very well balanced and, I'd say, real cyclers route with legendary sections from De Ronde and Paris - Roubaix, no big transfers... So everything to please cyclists.
But one thing I must admit, I expected more mountain - top finishes this year. So little bit disappointed with that.
And at the end about favorites (it is to early, especially knowing what happened this year and not knowing who will be cleared to race). This kind of course (with two specialists' TTs and less mountain - top finishes) favors Ullrich; there's Basso too, but he would, probably, like more uphill finishes; Vino. These three are, from this prospective, podium candidates in my opinion. I think Valverde is handicaped with this kind of route, although he's improving his TTing. Cunego really handicaped. Landis... No need to comment.

Andrija said:

Well... No Ventoux (I was sure it's going to be), no Finestre, no mountain time trial, no Massive Central, no Vosges. But I can't say it isn't attractive, it's very well balanced and, I'd say, real cyclers route with legendary sections from De Ronde and Paris - Roubaix, no big transfers... So everything to please cyclists.
But one thing I must admit, I expected more mountain - top finishes this year. So little bit disappointed with that.
And at the end about favorites (it is to early, especially knowing what happened this year and not knowing who will be cleared to race). This kind of course (with two specialists' TTs and less mountain - top finishes) favors Ullrich; there's Basso too, but he would, probably, like more uphill finishes; Vino. These three are, from this prospective, podium candidates in my opinion. I think Valverde is handicaped with this kind of route, although he's improving his TTing. Cunego really handicaped. Landis... No need to comment.

Agree with Basso...but Ullrich's days are over...he'll get dropped on the Aubisque and won't recover enough time in the TT's.

My God whatever happens, let's have a relatively scandal-free Tour! I hope they'll do something to bring the focus back on the riding. I wonder, though, if 'heroics' are ever possible again? I would think that any exploit on the bike will immediately become enshrouded with suspicion of dopage. I hope not. Maybe the sport will find a way out.

Good route, anyway.

courtesy of Cyclingnews.com:

The Stages

Prologue - July 7: London - London, 8 km
Stage 1 - July 8: London - Canterbury, 203 km
Stage 2 - July 9: Dunkirk - Gent, 167 km
Stage 3 - July 10: Waregem - Compiègne, 236 km
Stage 4 - July 11: Villers-Cotterêts - Joigny, 190 km
Stage 5 - July 12: Chablis - Autun, 184 km
Stage 6 - July 13: Semur-en-Auxois - Bourg-en-Bresse, 200 km
Stage 7 - July 14: Bourg-en-Bresse - Le-Grand-Bornand, 197 km
Stage 8 - July 15: Le-Grand-Bornand - Tignes, 165 km
Rest Day - July 16: Tignes
Stage 9 - July 17: Val-d’Isère - Briançon, 161 km
Stage 10 - July 18: Tallard - Marseille, 229 km
Stage 11 - July 19: Marseille - Montpellier, 180 km
Stage 12 - July 20: Montpellier - Castres, 179 km
Stage 13 - July 21: Albi - Albi, 54 km
Stage 14 - July 22: Mazamet - Plateau-de-Beille, 197 km
Stage 15 - July 23: Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196 km
Rest Day - July 24: Pau
Stage 16 - July 25: Orthez - Gourette - Col d’Aubisque, 218 km
Stage 17 - July 26: Pau - Castelsarrasin, 188 km
Stage 18 - July 27: Cahors - Angoulême, 210 km
Stage 19 - July 28: Cognac - Angoulême, 55 km
Stage 20 - July 29: Marcoussis - Paris Champs-Élysées, 130 km
Total Length: 3547 km

The Mountains

Stage 7, Bourg-en-Bresse - Le-Grand-Bornand, 197 km
Km 35: Côte de Corlier, 5,9 km at a 5,5%
Km 122: Côte des Petits-Bois, 7,1 km at a 4,4%
Km 134: Côte Peguin, 4,3 km at a 4,1%
Km 183: Col de la Colombière, 16 km at a 6,7%

Stage 8, Le-Grand-Bornand - Tignes, 165 km
Km 15: Col du Marais, 3.8 km at a 4.1%
Km 21: Côte du Bouchet-Mont-Charvin, 1.6 km at a 7.6%
Km 46: Col de Tamié, 9.5 km at a 4%
Km 99: Cormet de Roselend, 19.9 km at a 6%
Km 137: Montée de Hauteville, 15.3 km at a 4.7%
Km 163: Le Lac (Tignes), 17.9 km at a 5.5%

Stage 9, Val-d’Isère - Briançon, 161 km
Km 15: Col de l’Iseran, 15 km at a 6%
Km 99: Col du Télégraphe, 12 km at a 6.7%
Km 122: Col du Galibier, 17.5 km at a 6.9%

Stage 14, Mazamet - Plateau-de-Beille, 197 km
Km 9: Côte de Sarraille, 9 km at a 5.2%
Km 146: Port de Pailhères, 16.8 km at a 7.2%
Km 197: Plateau-de-Beille, 15.9 km at a 7.9%

Stage 15, Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196 km
Km 27: Col de Port, 11.4 km at a 5.3%
Km 98: Col de Portet d’Aspet, 5.7 km at a 6.9%
Km 114: Col de Menté, 7 km at a 8.1%
Km 159: Port de Balès, 19.2 km at a 6.2%
Km 184: Col de Peyresourde, 9.7 km at a 7.8%

Stage 16, Orthez - Gourette - Col d’Aubisque, 218 km
Km 81: Col de Larraut, 14.2 km at a 8%
Km 132: Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, 14 km at a 5.2%
Km 175: Col de Marie-Blanque, 9.3 km at a 7.7%
Km 218: Col d’Aubisque, 16.4 km at a 6.9%

Catabolic_Jones said:

My God whatever happens, let's have a relatively scandal-free Tour! I hope they'll do something to bring the focus back on the riding. I wonder, though, if 'heroics' are ever possible again? I would think that any exploit on the bike will immediately become enshrouded with suspicion of dopage. I hope not. Maybe the sport will find a way out.

Good route, anyway.

Oh, the optimist.

There are only a few of us left..... but that's a good start.😄 (optimism, get it?)

et al,
It's too early to discuss the TdF. Wake me when the teams are intact and after we stop hearing " There are only 58 shopping days left till Christmas!" zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

lw

Just a thought..... The TDF presentation snubbed Landis, Armstrong, and they can't snub Pantani because he is dead. They would have snubbed Ullrich......

Let's see...... they have to go back to Riis to find a winner they would have on the presentation stage....... I'm wondering , was Richard V there?

wolfix said:

I'm wondering , was Richard V there?

Yes he was

I think that in itself sums up cycling and it's attitude towards reality. Everyday I am questioning what it is about cycling [ProTour] that I like.

As we head into the "dead zone" time of year for cycling I find myself not excited by anything the year 2007 may have to offer. Maybe the fact that Bettini will carry the rainbow jersey with some style.....

Did I read that M Saiz gets to keep his license?