The 2017 Tour de France route was unveiled last month. Usually this blog does a snap analysis of the route but having been away last month it’s still worth reviewing the route and sharing some thoughts. Next year’s route looks unusual with so few summit finishes. If Tour bosses Christian Prudhomme and Thierry Gouvenou were rock stars this would be their experimental album.
Watching the Tour de France on TV? It’s only one way to see the race. Every year an estimated 12 million people line the roads and a day beside road reveals plenty about the event.
If you’re able to catch the Tour de France live on TV most days, chances are this is only part of your experience of the race during July. There’s lots more to read about and listen to and French sports newspaper L’Equipe is required reading for many on the race.
Yesterday’s Tour de France stage was in central France and the Cantal with its volcanic landscapes and lush green valleys. The race doesn’t visit this region very often, few do and all the more reason to enjoy cycling on these roads.
The best for last. The cobbled classics come to an end this Sunday in the Roubaix velodrome. Former race director Jacques Goddet described this race as “the last act of madness”, the decision to take tiny farm tracks with their rudimentary cobbles and use them in a major race. What will Sunday bring: a double for Sagan, a conclusion for Cancellara, a breakthrough for Vanmarke or another story? You’ll be able to see it all yourself as the race is going to be broadcast live from start to finish, a first.
It’s still there. Mont Faron used to be a fixture on the cycling calendar, and often the first summit finish of the year, but the demise of several races mean it’s no longer used in racing and now belongs on a list of forgotten climbs… more of which below.
The racing has gone but this mountain remains as an attractive climb and a good test, plus it’s revealed a few names in recent years, including Chris Froome’s first noticeable result.
An isolated mountain road normally used by hikers and shepherds this climb will be the crucial summit finish for the sixth stage of Paris-Nice. It’s new in a race but a gem for tourists and amateurs out training.
Parlons Vélo by Marc Madiot and Mathieu Coureau
It’s written in French so at first sight a book review may not be of great use to an anglophone audience but it’s a hook to write about Marc Madiot, share some legendary anecdotes and show some hidden sides to one of the sport’s bigger personalities.
Often seen as a hothead and a relic from the past there’s the story of a manager who, while Russian billionaires come and go, has lead one of the sport’s longest lasting teams and sponsorship deals.
Back in the Tour de France for only the second time the Grand Colombier is an unheralded climb that offers a physical test and then rewards with impressive views.
This will be the final climb of the 2016 Tour de France. It’s an unusual climb in the French Alps, a true mountain instead of a ski station access road. What’s it like to ride on a normal day?