"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - TDF Stage 9: 70 km descent!

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View Full Version : TDF Stage 9: 70 km descent!

donrhummy
06-29-07, 09:55 AM
I know they say you can recover on a descent but when it's 70 km of down hill (and a 2000m drop) I'd be willing to bet your hands will get tired from braking (especially since a large descent like that will cause bunch-ups of the peloton). It's a weird setup and I wonder how it'll play out. Especially since I could see a pileup crash after 50 km or so of descending in a group.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races07/tdf07/tdf07st09-profile.jpg

Trek_Racer
06-29-07, 10:07 AM
That's pretty sick!
bdcheung
06-29-07, 10:07 AM
That stage is backwards. The Col de l'Isearan should be the final climb of the day, and it should be a mountaintop finish.

donrhummy
06-29-07, 10:20 AM
That stage is backwards. The Col de l'Isearan should be the final climb of the day, and it should be a mountaintop finish.

I agree. I'm not sure what part of this stage they thought would make good cycling tv.
gfrance
06-29-07, 10:34 AM
I agree. I haven't done anything like that on the road bike, but I know from experience, going on long descents on the mountainbike can become very difficult and tiring. It takes a lot of work to keep it in control for long periods.
skinnyone
06-29-07, 10:41 AM
I disagree..

Aitor Gonzales won an exciting final stage much like this stage.. Long downhill from the top of the mtn to win the Tour De Suisse a couple of years back.. I think it makes for some pretty awesome racing if you can solo up and hold the peleton for the rest of the way.

For Reference..

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/jun05/suisse05/graphics/profile9.gif
Kris Flatlander
06-29-07, 11:35 AM
Brakes!?! Those pros don't use no stinkin' brakes! :P
YMCA
06-29-07, 11:45 AM
This is a joke, right? It's a flippin' map, not an actual descent. There will be plenty of flat and rollers after the initial drop off the mountain.
timmhaan
06-29-07, 11:56 AM
This is a joke, right? It's a flippin' map, not an actual descent. There will be plenty of flat and rollers after the initial drop off the mountain.

yeah, i mean, we're looking at 161km condenced into an image just a few inches long.
FatguyRacer
06-29-07, 01:04 PM
Where do i sign up? :D
patentcad
06-29-07, 01:16 PM
Even Pcad could hang on that 70km descent.
mynameistom
06-30-07, 03:08 AM
It seems to me that every few years there is a stage that ends in Briancon after descending the Galibier. In 05 Vino beat Botero in a two up sprint.
key
07-02-07, 05:21 AM
hmm, i wonder how those brake pads for carbon rims will last...