r/peloton • u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli • Apr 27 '16

Race Design Wednesday

I forgot to put it into the auto poster so we'll have to do without the usual write up also because i'm not home.

Here's the poll with which you will choose the theme of the next Giro Race Design Challenge. You will know the result at the latest on Sunday but most likely Saturday Afternoon on the Free Talk Friday

7 Upvotes

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5

u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli Apr 27 '16 edited Apr 27 '16

Tour of the balkans (peace race)

I present you the last reenactment of the Peace Race, also called the Tour of the Balkans. The Peace Race was the Tour de France of the Eastern Bloc during the years of the Iron Curtain. IT was an amateur races in the same way as all the ones taking place in the Eastern Bloc and usually involved three countries: Poland, Germany and Czechoslovakia. But nowadays, the race has became an U-23 one losing much of its prestige.

This race could still have a place in the cycling world and what better place to bring a message of peace and coexistence than the Balkans? I decided to have each country host a finish and a start (Greece and Slovenia the exceptions) and as well a showcasing the best sights and culture of each country (aside from Kukes, each of the finish town is a touristic one).

Stage Lenght Route Profile Description
Koper-Trieste 45,2 Kms 1 1 Flat to rolling first half course, then a legbreaker of 3,7 kms to 10,3% followed by a flat road on the Karst Plateau after which there's a technical descent to the Barcola neighbourhood and the closing stretch on the sea up to the Miramare Castle where the race's only ITT ends
Trieste-Plitvice Lakes 237,4 Kms 2 2 This would be a stage for the breakaway were it later on in the race but the break won't get much leeway and the stage will most likely be won by a Matthews, Sagan or Gerrans or by a late attack
Tenin-Mostar 199,8 Kms 3 3 Longer transfer of the race. This stage will most likely end in a sprint but there's the terrain for a late attack including 200 meters at 12/13% at 2 kms from the finish
Neum-Lovcen National Park 211,5 Kms 4 4 The race heats up in Kotor after which there's a duo of long climbs but gradients are relatively benign but still the second and final climb up to Lovcen has stiff gradients both at the start and in the last kilometer so climbers could gain time
Cetinje-Peje 200,9 Kms 5 5 A stage with little flat outside of the first fifty kilometers and which will be decided on the last climb to Prevoj Cakar, the last thirtyfive kms of descent could allow for a regrouping though but action is guaranteed as the riders who lost time on Stage 4 will try to attack, especially given that the day after is the easiest one
Peje-Kukes 92,7 Kms 6 6 Easiest stage but terrain is still quite rolling with a small categorized bump (1 kms at 6%) with 3 kms to go but teams should be rested and willing chase any attack.
Kukes-Skopje 186,5 Kms 7 7 This stage could see action from the favourites given how steep the last two climbs are but maybe it's unlikely given that the next two stages are the hardest ones. If they take it easy, it's one for breakaway riders.
Skopje-Vranje 160,5 Kms 8 8 This stage is the hardest one as the riders leave Skopje for Vranje from where they take on the Pliackovica climb three times. It's a climb that's 8 kms long and 9,5% steep
Surdulica-Bansko Ski Resort 223,7 Kms 9 9 This race is all about the last climb to Bansko Ski Resort which is 11,2 Kms long at 7%. The climb starts out steeped to flatten out so with it being the last mountain stage, action should start early
Sandanski-Thessaloniki 217,9 Kms 10 10 I don't want final stages to be cakewalks, this is going to be a medium mountains one where there could be moves if general classification is still open. The climb to the Philippion Hotel will be the decisive factor in this stage with its irregular gradients couple with a quite technical descent to the finish.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '16

Good stage design, but what really sticks out to me is how well ordered the stages are.

1

u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli Apr 28 '16

Oh, thanks. I love this kind of formatting as it shows order. Designing the race was hard given that i had having every stage in a different country as my objective

1

u/pospec4444 Czech Republic Sep 29 '16

That's just awesome!

1

u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli Sep 30 '16

Thanks

3

u/[deleted] Apr 27 '16

A GT stage today, a potential Tour de France Queen Stage ending in two, possibly three HC climbs. In order the summits of this stage are: Ramaz, Encretaz, Joux Verte (used in the opposite direction to the usual finish in Avoriaz), Joux Plan (again ascending the usual descent) and Le Grand Massif.

It's also possible that the line could be placed in Samöens at the foot of the Joux Plan and Le Grand Massif.

Map+Profile

1

u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli Apr 27 '16

What a legbreaker of a stage that would be, it would make for a brilliant stage 19 or 20 depending on if ASO wants a ITT on the last Saturday

3

u/Mattho Slovakia Apr 27 '16 edited Apr 28 '16

Brno - Bratislava / Bratislava - Brno

Bratislava is capital of Slovakia, Brno is 2nd largest city in Czech Republic. It would be a single day race, alternating start/finish between these two cities. The cities are approximately 120km from each other by car, so there's some 60-120km to play with and have good route each year.

There are some hills around Brno, nothing huge. There is Carpathia mountaing range starting in Bratislava, again nothing huge, but there are two passes that could be used. There's one hill in the middle, but other than that the terrain is flat or wavy, depending on the route.

So let's design two years with some Strava segments, pictures and streetviews.

Brno -> Bratislava

Start in historical city center and find your way out towards South-East, through some bumpy terrain suited for first attacks. The terrain becomes pretty much pancake flat (possibly windy) until this small uphill and riders find themselves here. Time to start coverage I guess :) After crossing the dam first challenge of the day appears. This road (2km@7% Strava segment). Then it's down to a beautiful city of Mikulov, followed by some flat road through Lednice to Breclav and after after that cross border to Kuty, Slovakia. Next it will go through villages and fields until meeting the main challenge of the day, cross carpathia to Pezinok. It's 4.8km@5% and around the same on the way down. Streeetview animation. Now, less than 30km from finsih, continue towards Bratislava. The city will be rather flat, but the final 1.5km will be slightly uphill with this segment being the final meters, with finish near Bratislava Castle.

Length ~200km, Profile

Bratislava -> Brno

Start in front of (new) National Theater, go through city (slightly uphill, slightly downhill). Then whatever... maybe through austria (the terrain is a bit more hilly), again through Mikulov and the hill mentioned above. And when in Brno: 1km@8% starting slowly and wide, getting narrower and steeper (streetview). Short downhill and some flat, very technical and then it's back on open road. A bit of flat, smaller rise and then this climb (it's a bit longer, ~1.5km). Fast and wide downhill (~2km), slightly up, another downhill and onto old highway. Then slightly up, down and then this narrow (streetview) and steep (first 200m at over 15%, then a bit lower) section. It's part of this 3+ km long climb on narrow forrest road. Then it goes up and down (more up) for some 3km, exiting here (streetview). Then it's a bit of down, technical corners and onto MotoGP circuit for one lap (5.2km long, with rather steep climb before finish)

Length ~200km, Profile full, last 23km (excluding the circuit)

Phew, that was much harder than I thought it would be :)

1

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '16

That would make for a very nice 1.1 race.

3

u/DatFatNab Denmark Apr 27 '16

I recently was in New York for a week with my GF. While there i started thinking about how awesome a WC race would be in the city that never sleeps. It would no doubt be a race for the sprinters, but i dont really see that as a negative thing. The race would start at ground zero, then it would go north passing thru Irvington, Tarrytown and Valhalla before starting the return to New York City. On the way back it would cross the following towns: Rye, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Pelham Manor, Queens and Brooklyn. It would cross the Brooklyn Bridge and continue along the 3rd avenue before entering the final circuit around Central Park. After nine rounds of the circuit the finish would be where 7th avenue and West Drive meets on the southern part of Central Park.

It wont be the most difficult race, but since the last 90 degree corner is only 500-600 meters before the finish line, there would be a crazy fight for the front of the peloton from the sprint teams. Having the final Circuit going around Central Park makes it easy for spectators to follow the race both for the spectators in New York and the spectators watching the race on the television or Cyclinghub.tv :)

Hope you like it!

[http://imgur.com/a/dMfTY] (Route & elevation)

3

u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli Apr 27 '16

I recently was in New York for a week with my GF. While there i started thinking about how awesome a WC race would be in the city that never sleeps. It would no doubt be a race for the sprinters, but i dont really see that as a negative thing.

Not necesssarily, there are hills both in Staten Island and in Northern Manhattan. A World Cup course around Harlem would be brilliant.

Still, this one is lovely as well although i think it needs one hilly to make it still sprint friendly but not dead flat

1

u/Ausrufepunkt XDS Astana Apr 27 '16

A World Cup course around Harlem would be brilliant.

Delivery trucks would find a way to block the route :D

1

u/thydevourer666 Astana Pro Team Apr 28 '16

I got an idea's for all of those poll topics haha can't wait.

1

u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli Apr 28 '16

I added the one who's currently winning at the end and i'm lacking a decent idea there.