Vote January Tour 2018

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Which tour do you want to race in January 18

Poll ended at Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:44 pm

Tour of Ethiopia
6
32%
Las Islas Canarias
13
68%
 
Total votes: 19

Robyklebt
Posts: 9986
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:50 pm
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Vote January Tour 2018

Post by Robyklebt » Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:44 pm

January Tour a third vote, short one, just 5 days. Between no 2+3 of the first round.
Obviously 1 option. Not changeable.

Both tours 10 stages, the stage numbers haven't been adjusted yet though.

The tours: (Hope I copied and deleted all the correct stuff, if not tell me)
Robyklebt wrote:
Thu Oct 26, 2017 7:16 pm
2007 for the first edition of the December Tour vote, RKL designed a fantastic Tour of Ethopia. That incredibly didn't win the vote, we went to the Balkans instead. Bojan Krizaj then won that December Tour I think.
Anyway, what better country to make a 2017 proposal than Ethiopia? None, so here is the

Tour of Ethiopia

First, some general information:

-No intermediate sprints, the Ethiopian cycling federation demands that their youth become climbers, by adding intermediate sprints they feel we might mislead their youngsters and have them rethink their career goals. So only GPMs for this December Tour.
- 9 riders
- At least 30 km minute tact
- No pavé. Even if parts of the stages are on dirt road. Most of it is paved, but not all.

But let's start with the stages! Since I'm too stupid (and lazy) to find a cool site like Gipfel to post a nice overview map..... if he tells me how I might try that too, and add it later.

Stage 1: We start with a long TTT. Since 2017 hasn't really seen many TTTs, time to offer something for TTT teams. 52 km, at the start a climb, slightly hilly for another 10 km, then mostly flat, and the last 20 km downhill. It will be a very important day for the GC, while you most likely won't be able to win the Tour here, you can definetly lose it. The team will need to have a bit of all, some mountain for the start an especially downhill for the long end. The danger is dropping riders in the early climb and then in the long downhill.

We start in Harar. A historical city, according to UNESCO the fourth holy city of Islam, with 110 mosques. And people feed hyenas.
The finish is Dire Dawa. It was founded only in 1902, since it was regarded as too expensive to lay the railway up to Harar, so a railway station was built here, and in the end the city grew out of it.


Harar, where the race starts: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 186913.jpg
Here the downhill starts: Title of this picture in google earth: Donkeys on the way to Dire Dawa. Still the full team as you can see.
Image
Dire Dawa: Some other team training.http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 192451.jpg


Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_01



Stage 3: Mieso to Awash, 80 km away, but we take a detour over the mountains. So 176 kmThe hardest climb is the second one, that finishes in the village of Arba Reketi. In the others there's only 1 km at 6% or more. So while this is a middle mountain stage, it's certainly not a very difficult one. And with last siebable km at 123, the sprinters have a chance to fight for the victory again. Basically a question of how many are there, how much they are ready to invest, since the next stage will be a sprint stage again.

View from Asebe Teferi: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 869425.jpg
Gelemso: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 611444.jpg
Awash, the train station on the old original line: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 754675.jpg

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_03

Stage 4

Another flat stage. 194 km from Awash to Assela. We stop at the bottom of the town, otherwise it would have finished with a 6... Like this no 6+% km in the whole stage, but a series of 5, 4 of them in a row, from km 164. Which could put some sprinters into trouble, low mountain and or low flat could prove deadly, since we can expect many classics or climbers in the race, that could try to drop some sprinters.

After 30 km today we reach Metehara, and more importantly Lake Basaka. It's a growing saline lake. The original road is already submerged, a new road further around the lake has been built. And according to Wikipedia it is expected that in 20-30 years the city of Metehara will have to move.
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 626798.jpg
We then pass Adama, the second biggest city of Ethiopia, but don't go into the city.
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 880176.jpg
The end will be in Assela, the hometown of Haile Gebreselassie! Although he probably comes from the surroundings, Assela itself has 100'000 inhabitants.
Street in Assela, but we finish before this climb. http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 787238.jpg
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_04



Stage 6:

The next mountain stage. Short and sweet. Or sweaty? Another one climb stage, but in a way it's 2 climbs. First we reach the Sanetti Plateau, a 15 km climb, the middle part the hardest. But then on the plateau itself, there are 16 flattish km, between +4 and -4, before we turn right to climb the fourth highest mountain of Ethiopia and highest peak of the Bale mountains, Tullu Dimtu. Seems to be the third highest road in Africa too. So with the long ride on the plateau, it offers different options for climbers, go early? Wait for super classics?

On the Sanetti plateau:
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 616489.jpg
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 701669.jpg
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 666055.jpg
Tullu Dimtu: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 051452.jpg

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_06

Stage 7:

The third mountain stage in a row. First we climb the Bale mountains again, this time from the other side, partly through the wild Harenna forest up to ca 2500, after that the landscape becomes more barren. After crossing the Sanetti plateau, the long downhill, a flat part, followed by 2 rather shortish and not too steep climbs, followed by the final downhill. A stage that could very well be won by superclassics too, since the 2 final climbs aren't really difficult. Coming back seems possible, anticipating too. But of course the climbers have their chances too, a lot depends on what the managers want.
The start is in Dola Mena, the finish in Washa, there's nothing to say about either place.

Harenna Forest:
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 379581.jpg
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 787976.jpg
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 616507.jpg

Some more Sanetti plateau

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 673859.jpg
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 925142.jpg
As you can see the road on top seems to be paved, the one from the south, that we climb today isn't, that's still a dirt road, the one from the north should be paved nowadays. (No guarantee, if necessary RKL will pave it just for the race, like he did with the dirt road to Tullu Dimtu and some other roads in Ethiopia.

Dinsho, the center for toursim in the Bale mountain regions. Lots of trekking etc starts from here:
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 691026.jpg
Road towards the last pass http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 962574.jpg


Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_07


Stage 8:
After first 3 hard stages, the sprinters will be back at the front. An rather easy stage, we pass through the Great Rift valley basically. The only problem could again be a 5+5 combination at the GPM at km 178. The 6-7 combination at the first GP in Aje shouldn't really bother the sprinters too much, too far from the finish line.

Outside Adaba: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 319281.jpg
Near Aje: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 627631.jpg
Shone: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 889311.jpg


Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_08


Stage 9:

The ITT. 39 km, mostly flat, a light climb, up to 4 followed by a light downhill up to -5 in the second part. Clearly one of the decisive stages of the Tour.
We start in Shone, where we arrived the day before, and there is not more to mention about it even one day later. Sodo on the other hand is a city of 76'000 inhabitants. Or 109'00. Or 153'000. Depending on which language you check on Wikipedia. My guess is the middle number probably seems about right.

Sodo, overview: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 216017.jpg
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 215989.jpg

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_09

Stage 10

Stage 10 is the 4th, but already last HC stage. And the one with the most altitude difference. 3690 meters. The climbing starts once we cross the Omo river. The first climb is the hardest of the day. But after that there are not many flat km, only 3 "0", but of course more flatish kms. Since this should be the last chance for climbers, we can hopefully expect lots of action during this stage.
The arrival is in Chida, again, nothing really exiting to write about it.

Omo River. They are building a dam around there, so soon the road will pass somewhere else I guess. Hopefully not yet.
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 212437.jpg
Near the top of the cat 1 climb: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 664706.jpg
Close to Chida, but not that close either... http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 212396.jpg

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_10


Stage 12:

Another middle mountain stage. Similar to stage 11 in that the start is the hardest. But this time the flat part in the middle is less flat, and much shorter. The final climb to Jejeba is easy, only 2 km at 6%, the rest flatter, which normally should guarantee the win of a classic rider.

Road near the start: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 488028.jpg
After the last climb: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 879121.jpg


Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_12

Stage 13:



The final stage, the 4th official, possibly the 5 stage for sprinters. We start in Tulu Bolo, so a short transfer before the stage, then go to Addis Abeba, where we have 5 flat laps.

Tulu Bolo http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 805654.jpg
Approaching Addis Abeba: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 804838.jpg
Approaching the finish: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 520118.jpg
Near the finish (might be just after the finish): http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 189975.jpg
Finish around here: http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/phot ... 444775.jpg
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... n=eth17_13

So, to finish the presentation:
1 TTT
1 ITT
3 HC stages, 2 mountain top arrivals
2 middle mountain stages (but one to me looks good for sprint too)
3 flat stages

In theory there's something for everybody, in practice as usual with Big Donkey designs the classics might not really have that many chances for stage wins.
For the GC, you need TT, mountain, reg, downhill. Not necessarily in that order. And not all for the winning rider, a lot of it can be outsourced to teammates. The favorite, usually RKL designs are for a fight Huber vs climbers, this time I think a strong Habermacher, a classic with TT, has good chances too. With the right team.
The Donkey btw is not fully convinced of this design either, last real GC stage 10? (OK, stage 12 can be interpreted as one too in a way). Twice the same thing for sprints, 5+5 vs 5+5+5+5... once ok, twice 2 much of the same. Mountain stages ok, even if one kind of sucks, one is kind of boring.. .bah.
CircleCycle wrote:
Mon Oct 23, 2017 12:48 pm
CircleCycle wrote: Las Islas Canarias

Details to follow, stay tuned :D
Took me more time than I thought but now it is time to present you my proposal for Dec.Tour :D

Las Islas Canarias

Image

8 Riders per team will enjoy (or maybe not) the mild temperatures and the beautiful scenery in a very challenging tour with the following stages

1 TTT
1 TT
3 flat stages
3 middle mountain stages
2 HC stages with downhill finish
3 HC stages with mountain top finish

divided on the 7 main islands, and for that reason maybe too hard for a typical december tour (feel free to use the discussion/critics thread).
Image
Image


The Tour starts with a 6km TTT at Maspalomas finishing at Playa del Inglés
Image
Immediately followed by the 2nd halfstage bringing the riders from Playa del Inglés to Las Palmas, the biggest city of Canary Islands. Along the way we have the first GPMs, so the fight for the prestigious mountain jersey can start. Categorized as flat stage, sprint teams will have a lot of work to do, if they want a MS.
Image
cat.3 at km 50 4 1 4 3 3 4 2 3 3 3 5 5
cat.3 at km 61 5 5 4 3 7 8 1 0 1
cat.4 at km 79 4 7 6 6 7 4
cat.4 at km 88 6 6 2
cat.4 at km 103 1 5 3 4 4
Image
Santa María de Guía de Gran Canaria

The 2nd stage, just 83km but the first mountain top finish, will show who of the gc favos is trying to get an early advantage over his rivals.
Image
cat.3 at km 46 Alto de Temisas 2 4 8 7 5 7 2 -1 3 7 5 7
cat.2 at km 66 Cruz Grande 4 6 6 6 3 6 8 6 6 7
cat.1 at km 83 Pico de las Nieves 3 2 3 4 9 8 10 4 2 3 2 8 4 6 6

Peloton goes east and here we have the Lanzarote stage. Starting at the very far north-east point, going around the Island with a finish after 167km at Arrecife.
Image
cat.4 at km 65 Femés 5 5 3 1 0 4 2 7 -1 1 2 2
cat.4 at km 104 Montanas de Fuego 2 1 0 1 2 1 3 1 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 3
cat.4 at km 147 Teguise 2 5 6 5 5

Stage 4, the Fuerteventura stage, ist the last stage in the Provincia de Las Palmas. Unlike stage 1b this is a "real" flat stage with 156km.
Image
cat.4 at km 47 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 6

Tenerife welcomes the teams with a challenging stage with start and finish in Puerto de la Cruz. 135km, 4 categorized climbs and a 42km downhillfinish will guarantee an interesting race.
Image
cat.1 at km 40 Puerta de Erjos 5 8 5 6 5 4 6 4 3 6 6 6 5 4 6 4 5 5
cat.3 at km 47 Santo Ángel 6 8
cat.1 at km 77 Narices del Teide 5 5 5 6 7 5 6 5 6 5 6 4 6 6 6 6 7 5 5 6 6 5 5 5
cat.1 at km 93 El Tabonal Negro 3 7 4 4 6 6 6
Image Icod de los Vinos, where the climb to Puerta de Erjos begins

Santiago del Teide is the host city of the ITT. 20km up and down, yet alone very difficult, and even more so, for the riders who gave too much yesterday.
Image
-4 -5 -6 -6 -5 -5 -4 5 4 4 0 4 6 7 8 9 -2 -7 -6 3
Image



Back to Tenerife there follows a 139km transfer stage from Los Christianos to San Andrés.
Image
cat.4 at km 10 La Camella 5 7 6 6 6
cat.4 at km 56 Pozo Yaco 4 3 5 5 5 6 7

Mountain jersey fighters will have their go again in the stage to Santa Cruz, when after a difficult start the stage finishes with a circuit in the capital city of Tenerife. The climb "Boque de la Esperanza" is the first part of the climb to Izaña, but we decide to take a turn at the crossing of TF-24 with TF-523 and go back to Santa Cruz. 178km
Image
cat.2 at km 11 El Bailadero 4 4 7 6 6 6 7 6 3 7 8
cat.3 at km 15 5 1 8 5
cat.3 at km 21 Pico del Inglés 7 6 6
cat.1 at km 55 Boque de la Esperanza 3 5 6 2 8 8 4 4 6 5 6 6 7 6 6 4 5 6 7 3 6 3
cat.4 at km 92 4 5 6 3
Image El Bailadero

The last stage taking place at Tenerife offers no gpm, but 5 intermediate sprints on what should be the last "easy" 107km of this tour.
Image


The final stage. 223km with the final climb to the Roque de los Muchachos will decide the winner of "Las Islas Canarias". 6 climbs and 5 intermediate sprints and on the way to the decisive 40km climb, could make the fight for red and green jersey interesting.
Image
cat.3 at km 10 3 2 1 4 4 6 5 8 3
cat.4 at km 26 1 2 1 2 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 1 3 3
cat.4 at km 31 1 5 2 3
cat.2 at km 65 2 2 6 7 7 6 5 6 6 6 6 6 3 2 2 2 2
cat.2 at km 100 1 6 9 6 7 6 6 1 2 3 2 2
cat.2 at km 120 2 3 2 8 7 7 5 7 5
cat.HC last climb 6 8 8 6 4 7 9 8 6 8 10 4 7 7 3 7 10 7 5 8 8 11 6 5 7 7 7 6 8 9 3 -2 -1 1 -4 -4 -3 8 6 9
Image
Kraftsystemrevision! Include the distance!
Basics reform: Give blue a chance!
Don't punish bugusers. We all have to use bugs, since most of them are declared as "features"!

Robyklebt
Posts: 9986
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:50 pm
Contact:

Re: Vote January Tour 2018

Post by Robyklebt » Wed Dec 20, 2017 5:34 pm

Canarias it is!

Now CC is allowed to change the names of the stages so that the stage numbers are correct!
Now "Las Islas Canarias Et. 8: Los Christianos - San Andres" change to "blabla Et. 7: bla bla"

For 2018/19.. seeing that only 19 people voted for this, maybe after all no vote will be better in the future. In theory I still think makes sense, depending on what stages you cut, a tour can change a lot from 13 to 10 days, but with participation that horrible...
Kraftsystemrevision! Include the distance!
Basics reform: Give blue a chance!
Don't punish bugusers. We all have to use bugs, since most of them are declared as "features"!

Bugatti
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:53 pm
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Re: Vote January Tour 2018

Post by Bugatti » Wed Dec 20, 2017 6:02 pm

Wäre es viel Aufwand so eine Umfrage in die eigentliche RSF Seite einzubauen?
Sozusagen ein zusätzlichen Reiter mit Abstimmungen o.ä.
Giro d´Italia 2016 - James Müller
La Vuelta 2015 - Mark McCann
La Doyenne - Helge Thomsen

CircleCycle
Posts: 465
Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:45 am
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Re: Vote January Tour 2018

Post by CircleCycle » Thu Dec 21, 2017 11:53 am

I changed stagenames and adjusted tour-details, could you please check in database if everything is correct?

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