Originally Posted by alanbikehouston

One factor in Tour speeds is never mentioned: the condition of the roads. I have seen photos of the same exact places in the Tour taken in 1940, 1960, 1980, and 2004 and 2005. First, it is a narrow goat path, with clods of dirt, and large rocks. Then, it is a dirt road, with gravel and small rocks. Then, it is a very smooth dirt road, with well packed, smooth gravel. Then it is a wider asphalt road, which can melt and turn to tar in the July sun. And, finally, it is a very wide, very smooth "perfect" concrete road.

Likewise, many of the tight, twisting and turning descents from the mountains have been replaced with more gently curving roads that permit safely descending at 50 mph or 60 mph. Crash barriers guide the riders around curves where, twenty years ago, a miscalculation sent a rider over a cliff.

A British rider was attempting to "pre-ride" the Tour one year. He had a map that showed the Tour would go from "Town A" to "Town "B". There were two or three roads connecting the towns. He did not know which road to take. Then he discovered: the road to be used in the Tour de France would be absolutely perfect. Every pothole and crack had been paved over.

If he was on the WRONG road, he felt as if he was riding from Paris to Roubaix, and he discovered the French have dozens of ways to post a sign that says "Bad road ahead"...road impassable ahead"....road dangerous ahead".

And, over three weeks, those BAD roads of the past were a major factor in how few riders survived to Paris, and a goodly number of serious and even fatal crashes. Today, great roads permit even some of the sprinters to make it all the way to Paris, although they may be finishiing hours behind the yellow jersey.