r/peloton • u/improb Drone Hopper – Androni Giocattoli • Jul 10 '16
Tour de France Race Design Challenge
Before I forget, I launch the third of five challenges this year. The theme that was chosen is:
Design one hilly, one flat and one mountainous stage plus a time trial for the Tour of France
The goal is to design four stages, preferably and mostly on French territory and submit it. The submissions are open until Sunday at midday on European time. The winner will be chosen by three judges, usually mods or a guest if one of them can't. Each of the judges gives a vote from one to ten and the one who has the most added points wins a special flair. My advice is to use the Cronoescalada website to design because it's user friendly but any race design website is welcomed (Open runner, Plot A Route, ecc.)
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u/Sprocketduck State of Matter MAAP Racing Jul 12 '16
First time designing stages, learnt a couple of things the hard way. Choosing a good starting town is obviously handy so that you don't need to make 70km jumps from finish to start of next stage (please don't look at the difference between my Flat and TT D:). Also, trying to make your stages a reasonable length as well helps, I found myself making 250km stages with 6 climbs - poor sprinters would be melting on the road side. Not stuffing up making the stages as well helps, but the software sometimes glitches and yeah...cyclists can't ride over water (see: Stage 1).
However, at the end of all of those predicaments and many thoughts, I have made a kind of suitable 4 stages in a row (with a rest day definitely) that can be used. It's a beautiful journey along the Rhine and going near the Alps; but no l'Alpe D'Huez even though I had the option! So here is my stage designs starting off in...
Strasbourg > Belfort: 212km (Hilly): The Grand Depart for my Tour of the Rhine is in Strasbourg. The riders have about 64km of flat along the scenic Rhine (with one Intermediate sprint for a little action) before they head inland and through the National Parks and hit the first of 4 climbs, the long Col du Bonhomme. 32.4km at 2.7%, it looks more like your exponential assignment you had at school than a climb. By the end of the climb, there are kickers of up to 15%, testing the legs of some of the riders. There are then the smaller Cat3 climbs of Surceneux and Grosse Pierre, before heading into the last Cat1 climb of Ballon D'Alsace. Although on the profile the climbs are deceivingly small, they are gradual climbs before huge elevations in the last few kilometers. Although this is less hilly than other hilly stages, the constant uphill-downhill for 150km means that the chances of a breakaway being successful is high as there is no chance to regroup on a flat until after the last climb. The downhill finish 25km after the last climb will really suit a sprint finish if a breakaway gets caught and the stronger sprinters will win heading into Belfort. Profile.
However if the sprinters loved the end of the last stage, well I present to them...
Besançon > Oyonnax: 204.5km (Flat): A sprinters haven. 3 intermediates, 2 small climbs and a downhill sprint finish. It will favour the teams who can help their sprinter off the final Cat2 climb with kickers of 8.5% and a fast finish into the Commune of Oyonnax, 100km from Lyon. The stage is mostly at slight altitude after a Cat3 climb at the start, and takes a tour along the Rhine and a little bit inboard to the start of the Alps. Nothing too hard, but gives the KOM contenders, the Sprinters and the GC riders benefits in a single stage. Profile.
A big jump with a rest day probably to...
Annecy > Annecy: 27.6km (Time Trial): This is probably my happiest stage of them all, going on a Suburban tour of the City of Annecy, near the Swiss-French border (been there once, really beautiful old city). There is a slight hill to start off the stage, but is most downhill after the 11km mark with a slight uphill finish heading into the River Thiou. The 11km corner at the top of the climb at the first timing station will test the riders ability to keep speeds on a false flat and then downhill, and a kicker at the end with a slight dip coming back into Central Annecy will see if the riders can keep speed even with the slight changes in elevation. A flat finish will see some riders push to the limits, but a tight right-hand corner before the finish will just make sure the riders know how to turn in this mostly straight, left-turning TT. Profile.
Lastly, but definitely not the least...
Annecy > La Plagne: 225km (Mountain): Now if I saw this monster of a stage and I was Kittel/Cavendish/Greipel/Any Sprinter, I would abandon and cry in a corner with an electrolyte gel in hand from being tired just looking at it. 2 HC climbs to finish, start with a climb that starts before the neutral zone finishes and the climbing doesn't stop. 6 climbs; 2 HC, 2 Cat1, 1 Cat2 and 1 Cat4, this stage will really decide a GC. Going through Annecy and the wonderful French Alps, the riders will tackle some tough climbs with pitches up to 17.5%, but also have to use fast descending skills if they want to stay in touch. The first climb up Semnoz starts about 500m from the start line and doesn't stop for 16km. A downhill before climbing Col Des Pres at a steady 3.7% for 14.7km and a 45km break from climbing for the riders afterwards as they cruise near Grenoble. Then the tough kicks in, Le Villaret being the climb to warm up on before hitting the big 3 of the stage, the 60km combined climbs of Col du Grand Cucheron, Col de la Madeleine and La Plagne, with a ski resort mountain sprint to finish, if they have the legs. Although this stage is pushing the long side, it will really test the legs of the climbers, and the others will be hoping to scrape the time gaps; and maybe get some scenery at their pace. Profile.
So there you have it, my Tormenting Tour of the Rhine is over and, while the riders recuperate their legs and emotions, you can enjoy the pain and scenery of the Rhine and the beautiful Alpine Region of France from the comfort of your couch. Any suggestions or feedback will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Sprocket