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OPINION

Le Tour 2014 - Route Speculation

The Tour route for 2014 is published in full in a few days time. Here are some hopes and speculation on the composition of that Parcours.

Well we only have a few days left to wait for the full route announcement.

We know we are starting in Yorkshire before moving to my neck of the woods.

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/pre-race/news/ahc/2014-tour-yorkshire-and-then.html

The Tour website is gearing up for the launch.

What are people's thoughts and hopes for the race in 2014?

How can the organisers top two Alp D'Huez's and a Mont Ventoux?

With a British start I am hoping for some pave in the first week before hopefully slipping down the Normandy/Brittany coast.

The alps should come first in sequence based on their alternation with the Pyrenees. Maybe avoiding the famous old finishes and taking in Les Deuxs Alps could freshen up this passage of mountains? 

The transition stages will likely take in old favourites such as Albi, Perpignan, that little piece of Catalan France which has great rolling terrain and (usually) the best weather of the race. 

Next up are the Pyrenees and I wonder if Luz Ardiden or another mountain of such legend will feature. Part of a plan to take the focus back off the Alps after their double D'Huez of last July. 

To get to striking distance of Paris a northerly route through the Dordogne will keep it undulating and guarantee brilliant camera shots from both helicopter and moto. 

I will get round to compiling my ideal Tour route at some point soon, bursting with lovely finish towns in Alsace and Brittany. 

Until then, let's wait until Wednesday and see how close my route is...

 

(not very as I read Planche des Belles Filles is likely to appear... Missed the Vosges out totally...)

 

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2 comments

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James Warrener | 10 years ago
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...or all of the above types of cobbles.

It's looking likely to be a pave based after getting back to the mainland from the UK.

Frank Schleck will be shuddering.

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farrell | 10 years ago
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I am hoping for some pave...

Ant McCrossan was talking about potential route rumours when he was announcing at the Rapha Supercross event yesterday and intimated that cobbles would feature.

I'm not sure which of the two types of cobbles will feature, whether they will be the small cobbles, the big cobbles, the slippy cobbles or the grippy cobbles.

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