December Tour 2022: Presentation

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Robyklebt
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December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by Robyklebt » Sat Oct 01, 2022 10:04 am

Here the thread for the presentations of your tours.

ONLY presentations!
1 post per designer/tour.
No discussions or comments in this thread here.
That can (and should) be done in the rules and discussion thread: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9215

This thread open until the end of October! Let's hope we see lots of Tours.

Links to the proposed Tours:

Design Tour
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9228#p114566
Calexico 2022
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9228#p114628
Tour of Atlas 2022
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9228#p114875
Californication 2022
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9228#p114889
Madagascar
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9228#p114900
Madagascar Baobabs
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9228#p114925
New Zealand South to North
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9228#p114950
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
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Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:50 pm
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Re: December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by Robyklebt » Tue Oct 04, 2022 8:27 pm

Design Tour
Design and West African recovery tour.

Why Design Tour? Because the tour was designed by a designer! And the topic is design. Although after some changes we decided to add "West African recovery" to the subtitle, so Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea are not in for their design, but to help with the recovery from civil wars and the Ebola epidemic. But still design, obviously it's luxurious, best hotels available, transfers by helicopter, and exclusive, only 6 riders per team and only 10 days.

Your companion in the presentation will be Cheik Faye, not only the founder of the Faye dynasty at c4f, but also one of the most sought after riders when he passed pro, it took Big Donkey 2 months, or even 3 possibly to convince Cheik to join the team, saving money to be able to afford this great talent. 49-62-73-50-48 his starting values. Anyway hand over the microphone to Cheik now:

10 stages
-4 flat
-3 hilly
-2 mountain
-1 TT
Only 6 riders per team.
If technically possible the same amount of points on every stage.
This will force the teams to focus on one leader. The GC should be for somebody strong in time trial. 50-90, 60-80, 70-70, 80-60? Who knows. The 2 mountain top arrivals are normally not enough to give the climbers a chance, but allows the climbers to fight for 2 stage wins. Of course once we see the starting teams the favorite will most likely be obvious, like in most races. And since this is the Design and West African recovery Tour, we will pave all roads used in this tour, not only in the recovery section of the tour, but also in the design section.
Mintact 30 km (29-31) unless mentioned otherwise


Thank you Cheik! Here we even found a map. In the spirit of design, of course it's a designer map, we tried to imitate the designing skills of a 7 year old.

Image
Click on the image to see a bigger version. Black=sprint, red=hilly, green=mountain, blue=ITT

But let's start with the stages:

Stage 1: Freetown-Freetown 122 km, middle mountain.

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_01

Freetown is the capital of Sierra Leone, it was founded in the very late 18th century, a first founding, under the name Granville failed, then the second one succeeded. The population was mostly former slaves from the US, who had lived as free men in Nova Scotia. In Freetown of course they were 'free' too, governed by a white British Governor, which somehow wasn't the perfect way to be free in the late 18th century. Early in the 19th century Freetown became the capital of British West Africa, a lot of the population were slaves liberated from slave trading ships, so Freetown was always a town, city, populated by a mix of people, and it stays like that until today.

Freetown was infested with mosquitos, so Malaria and other sicknesses were rampant. The colonial elites tried to escape that by building their homes up the hill on a plateau near Leicester Peak. And built a railway up there, that soon became superfluous, when cars took over the world a bit later. And in the end it didn't help prevent Malaria for white people, but just segregated the rulers (white) from the ruled (black, creoles) more.

After independence, after at first avoiding the strife that plagued neighboring Liberia, in the 90s due to the influence from Liberia, money from Libya and the diamond mines Sierra Leone was plunged in a civil war too. When it finished 11 years later, the country of course was in shambles and had to be rebuilt. Its health system wasn't rebuilt fast enough when in 2014 Ebola struck. A slow response, since Ebola wasn't supposed to exist in West Africa, then western aid that focused more on control than care devastated the country once again. Ebola's mortality rate is so high not because the sickness is so lethal, but mostly because the focus is on preventing the spread of the disease instead of curing patients. In Africa. If there ever will be an Ebola outbreak in Europe/North America that will change very fast of course. I recommend Paul Farmer's book on this topic. Even though he is far from being a good writer, the topic is highly interesting and equally depressing.

About the stage: A very important stage, for many reasons.
1 The first leaders jersey. Obviously.
2 Maybe the hardest of the 3 middle mountain stages, so gaining time on the time trialists with less mountain is a must.
3 The winner of the GPMs will keep the jersey until at least stage 4

We start in Aberdeen, on the tip of the peninsula and soon climb up the hill towards Regent, with 2 GPMs, both category 2, at the former Hill station and in Regent. Both have 2 km at 6% plus. Downhill, then almost 30km flat until the short but hard climb to Wilberforce, shortly below the former Hill Station, one km at 9% Down again and we do the same loop once again. Second time around it's only 8 km from the top of the last climb to the finish. Some time gain for the classics automatic, but if they want to gain more, they will have to start riding fast earlier, which of course will need a strong team of classics. So of course the favorite in Freetown will be free team



Stage 2: Koidu-Foya City 158 km, flat

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_02

We start in Koidu, the center of the Sierra Leone diamond mines. Which with its riches of course played a big role in the civil war, control of diamond mines of course brings money. While not the direct cause of the conflict, although an indirect one, the money made from the diamond trade certainly sustained and prolonged the war. After 73 km we ride into Guinea, the Guinée forestière. Basically the whole tristate area seems to be called forest region, sort of a West African Forest Quarter. It is here that the Ebola Epidemic in 2014 started. In a village near Guéckédou, from where it then easily spread first to Guéckédou and then over the arbitrary borders of the region to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Finally at km 136 we cross into Liberia, and finish the race 22 km later in Foya City. This is the only stage where we pass to 3 countries, since stage 3 will finish in Guinea, but will have very few km there, we decided to have an extended detour to Guinea on stage 2. Ebola in the end hit Guinea less hard than its neighbours, after rising cases early on, later the number of infections and death toll consistently stayed below that of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Probably because the health system hadn't been completely destroyed by a civil war.

The first sprint stage, there is only one obstacle, a 7 or 9% climb, depending on which map you use, while paving the street we checked and realized it was 7%. But with almost 100 km to go, nothing more than 3% after that it shouldn't have a big influence on the stage outcome. And as category 4 neither for the GPM classification. This stage will be the first test on how well the sprinters collaborate. The longest sprint stage too. If the sprinters don't collaborate though, it will open up the race to attacks, not only here, but also in the 3 other flat stages later on, and change the whole GC situation, thus the whole dynamic of the race.

Stage 3: Ganta-Mont Nimba 97 km, HC

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_03

We start in Liberia, so now it's time to talk about that country. From 1822 on black Americans, freed slaves, were sent (but not forced as far as we know) to what is now Liberia. The theory was that black people would do better there than if they stayed in the US. 1847 Liberia declared its independence. The country tagged along unremarkably until 1980 when Samuel Doe overthrew the president, William Tolbert. Samuel Doe was the first non Americo-Liberian president, until then the returnees had dominated the country over the indigenous people. And with Doe in command things became remarkable soon. After winning elections that were regarded as rigged, in 1989 armed opposition formed and attacked Doe. The infamous Charles Taylor the most famous of them, but it was Prince Johnson who finally captured, tortured who killed Doe. The civil war continued, at first mostly between the factions of Johnson and Taylor, later Taylor vs others, lots of child soldiers. Finally in 97, after 8 years of fighting Taylor won elections and became president of Liberia. But in 99 the second civil war started, in 03 Taylor resigned, went to Nigeria, was later extradited to The Hague and is now serving a 50 year sentence in the UK. And of course like Sierra Leone Liberia too was hit hard by Ebola in 2014/15. So they need our help.
The race will finish in Guinea though, on Mont NImba. A narrow 40 km long mountain range, a mountain reserve in Guinea and Ivory Coast, while the Liberian side is not as pristine, due to mining (that seems to have stopped now though)

The first HC stage. Short, easy to control, but the control will have to be rather tight, since the final climb will be only 3 km long. But the climbers should not miss this first opportunity for a stage win. In GC differences between the time trial specialist will be made automatically, so not a stage where you can do too much with tactics.

Stage 4: Gbkaré-Man, 147 km, flat

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_04

The last stage of the Recovery part, but we spend just very little time in Guinea, crossing into Ivory Coast after 24 km. Since everything is said about the recovery part and this is not technically part of the Design-section, to everybody's relief we have nothing more to say here.

The second stage for sprinters, completely flat. And rather long again. With the TT coming the next day, the GC outsiders will wait for another day to gain time most likely. A sprint to be expected, the +1 finish gives a slight advantage to sprinters with some climbing talent.

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_05

Stage 5: Abidjan ITT, 40 km, ITT

Abidjan, the former capital and still financial and cultural center of Ivory Coast. We start the TT at la Pyramide Image
and finish at the Cathédrale Saint-Paul d'Abidjan.
Image
2 of the most iconic buildings of Abidjan.
We will refrain from posting more pictures, otherwise the scrolling here will never end, from now on it's just links.

The most important stage for GC, the 40km TT. The race of the truth. Flat, never more than 3% up or down. The wind might play a role here, if it gets stronger or weaker during the day might advantage early or late starters. Anyway, a TT for pure specialists

Stage 6: Aboisso-Esiama, 126 km, flat

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_06

Today we reach Ghana, famous for its Kente cloth. See the link for more information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kente_cloth
Ivory Coast, we want more Ivory Coast you say? Ok, Bondoukou cloth. From the following link: "At first glance many of them could be mistaken for unusual variants within the Ewe traditions that flourished in the Volta region of eastern Ghana but closer scrutiny reveals instead a group of cloths that combine affinities with the main Ghanaian “kente” styles with other aspects closer to certain forms of Baule and Gouro textiles from central Côte D’Ivoire"
https://www.adireafricantextiles.com/te ... e-divoire/
But since after all this recovery, too much design might be too much for our riders, we'll finish in a beach town, supposedly some of the best beaches in Ghana are found here, perfect for the riders' recovery!

The third sprint stage, after taking it easy in the ITT the sprinter teams should have enough energy to control this stage. Shorter than the previous ones, only slight difficulty is a km at 5% early in the stage, the finish is completely flat.

Stage 7: Accra-Akosombo 146km, hilly, mintact at km 108

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_07

Start from Accra, so we introduce you to 5 young designers. https://www.vogue.com/article/ghanaian- ... week-accra
Ghana is not only Kente cloth, but young modern designers as well. There's not much of interest going on in Akosombo, there's a big dam, the Akosombo or Volta dam. The design is nothing special, pretty bloody standard, but as is usual with dams, the ecological impact is not overly positive. For those interested less in design, more in health and environment here's a link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akosombo_Dam

The second hilly stage, the second chance for classics to earn time against the flatter time trialists. An early category 3, but with only 1 km a 7%, followed by a category 4, with nothing over 4% will be too early, but from km 71 on the race is harder. 3 km over 6% in the 2 GPMs, but there's still over 30 km to go to the next climb, Krobo. Here is probably where the classic teams will stop controlling possible escapes, and start attacking their GC opponents, 4-5-8-7-5 the climb, then at km 135 a single 7. And downhill-slight downhill to the finish.


Stage 8: Juapong-Mont Agou, 134 km, HC

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_08

Togo next, Kwalimé, the town closest to Mont Agou, is famous for its crafts. From Wikipedia: "Kpalimé is Togo's main centre for crafts such as wood sculpture, weaving, wickerwork, decorated calabashes, batiks, painting, pottery, ceramics and mounted butterflies.[12] There are 36 artisanal workshops and retail outlets in the town,[13] and also an artisanal training college.[14]"
For an overview over craft and arts see here, there's a picture, either from Kpalimé or Lomé.
https://www.opulentroutes.com/services/ ... s-in-togo/
We will finish on Mont Agou, the highest moutain in Togo. And we won't have to pave the road, it already is paved.

Forget craft and design, the only craft needed on this day is climbing. Mont Agou, the end of the dream for many pretenders. 11 km of climbing at just over 7% average, everything between 6% and 9%. Here it will be fundamental to get the helping right, to bring the leaders up the mountain as fast as possible. The stage win seems impossible to escape the climbers, and the fight for the stage will most likely be more interesting than on stage 3, due to the longer climb. But the real fight will be further back, the fight for the GC. We hope RKL-TV will get it right, and have their camera bikes follow the right groups. Here the 5x TT stars will very likely be eliminated from the GC, even if they managed to minimize the time loss on the hilly stages, this here should be too difficult for them.

Stage 9: Kara-Natitingou, 172 km, Hilly, mintact 148

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... er_tour_09

Benin! Not Togo, we go to Benin! But c4f seems to have imposed sanctions on Benin, so to get correct weather we gave the Togo flag to Benin. The border region is famous for its mud castles. Tata. https://www.youngpioneertours.com/tata- ... ogo-benin/
Natitingou itself is a city of 35'000 people, lying in a valley at the entrance to a mountain range, surrounded by mountains on 3 sides, so it's not surprising that there will be some climbs today too.

The longest stage at 172km, with only 6 riders, third GC stage in a row, some teams won't have too many fit riders, even if the HC stage on the previous day should be ok to recover a bit for some helpers of GC teams. We start in Kara with a festival of climbing, up down, up down, up, further up, down. But with the last of these climbs coming at km 29 it's hard to imagine they will have a direct impact on the stage today. But attention, some teams might lose some helpers early, then having to chase for quite a while. The early climbs will of course decide the King of the mountains classification, unless it's already decided. The favorites here should be the climbers, that's by design. Only one HC and cat 1 in the whole race, the 2 mountain top arrivals, here points early, close to the start, perfect for climbers, if they want it. After the early fireworks, there won't be any noteworthy climb until we enter Benin at km 91, already at 94 a short climb, followed by the tougher climb to Coussoucoingou. Then we ride on the plateau, with slight up and downs, and plunge down to Natitingou after 133km. But another 39 km await us, a category 3 with one 6% and a category 4 consisting of a single 6% at km 162 will be the final hurdles. The same pattern as the other hilly stages, a single climbing km not too far from the end, but there there will be the least flat after that climb, 3 km at -1, the last kms climbing again, 2 3 3, so dropped leaders risk losing a bit more than on other days. But on the other hand they will be harder to drop on that 6% climb.

Stage 10: Cotonou-Lagos, 112 km, flat

Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... igner22_10

We start in Benin, Benin! not Togo. Cotonou, biggest city, seat of government, but not capital, that's Porto Novo, a few km to the northeast. Cotonou is the home of the Africa design school, the first design school in West Africa. According to their website at least. https://www.africadesign.school/
We will finish in Lagos, the biggest city of West Africa, estimated at 15 millions, second biggest in all of Africa, just behind Kinshasa. So obviously a paradise for culture vultures, as this article puts it: https://www.culturedmag.com/article/202 ... sign-scene.

Finally, Lagos, can't take any more of the pointless recovery&art&design babbling of RKL. Mud castles? Titi Ogufere? And I was forced to listen to Burna Boy during this whole presentation. Good thing it's only 10 stages, if it were 13 plus a rest day... suicide! Ah, the stage, 112 km, max +1, a clear and easy sprint. Although... 6 riders, lately the commitment for sprinters at c4f hasn't always been convicing, it could turn into the last big GC battle, in that case with 90% of riders starting unfit as well. And even in a more structured race, if sprinter teams were dropped early on the previous day, forced to chase, they might not be fit. But should be a rather easy sprint, a procession for the GC winner, only the points jersey could still be up for grab here. Kente design of course, oh fuck it RKL, really? Kente design?
Kraftsystemrevision! Include the distance!
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flockmastoR
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Re: December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by flockmastoR » Tue Oct 11, 2022 8:35 pm

Calexico 2022

Calexico Tour will take place in december 2022 both in California and Mexico.

Overview
The stage race offers options for many kind of riders. With 5 flat stages, the sprinters will have lots of chances. They will also be the first rider type to fight for the leader jersey on stage 1. Next chance for the sprinters will be at stage 6 after 2 hilly stages (stage 2, 5), a mountain stage (3) and a long ITT (4). The second part of the tour will offer 3 chances for the sprinters, with one light hilly finish (7) and 2 more or less totally flat stages (8, 11). 2 mountain stages (9, 12) and 2 hilly stages (10, 13) will finally decide the GC, the latter will probably also give the sprinters another chance.

Part 1: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... sp=sharing
Part 2: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... sp=sharing

9 riders/team
5 flat stages
4 hilly stages
3 mountain stages
1 ITT
1 rest day

Route
The first half of the tour will take place in California ending at the U.S./Mexican border Calexico/Mexicali. A long transfer on the rest day will take place to Mexico city and the tour will head north/north-west in the direction back to the border. A little ferry will bring the remaining teams and riders on the California peninsula (Mexican territory) for a final hilly lap.

Calexico St 1: Santa Barbara - Los Angeles (length: 189 km, stage type: flat, min tact: 160)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
The tour starts in Santa Barbara heading to Los Angeles/Hollywood finishing on the famos Walk of Fame. After some km down on the coast, the riders pass the red mountain (max. +7) which should not be a problem for the sprinters.

Calexico St 2: Hollywood Hills Forever (210 km, hilly, 5 rounds, 190)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
The round course in the Hollywood Hills will be ridden 5 times. The course starts at the Walk of Fame heads to the east, into the Griffith Park, passing the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign and the Hollywood Reservoir, back to the Hollywood Hills West and back to the Hall of Fame. The ciruit has some very steep km (max. +8) and could be interessting for classics with good sprint skills or good hill sprinters.

Calexico St 3: Pasadena - Lake Arrowhead (180 km, mountain, 154)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
On clear days, you can see the mountains from Downtown Los Angeles that we are about to enter now. Angeles National Forest and Mount San Antonio are the very southern parts of the Sierra Nevada. The riders will start in Pasadena but the first long and steep climb of the tour is waiting for them. After a long downhill the riders will fight for the stage on top of Lake Arrowhead. The finish line will be right before the lake after a small downhill part. It is the first chance for the climbers to get some time on faster TT riders and the King Stage already on day 3.
Image

Calexico St 4: Lucerne Valley - Big Bear Lake (55 km, ITT, 0)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
After a long and hard mountain stage, the only stage to fight against the clock. A very long ITT with a climb up to the Silver Peak with finishing at Big Bear Lake. How much energy can you invest to gain time in this long ITT?

Calexico St 5: San Bernadino - Palm Springs (217 km, hilly, 200)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
Stage 5 starts in San Bernardino and has some early steep climbs up to Crafts Peak , Onyx Peak and through the San Bernardino National Forest. The stage ends after a long downhill part in Palm Springs. On paper a hilly but not too hard stage, but after stage 3, 4 it can still happen a lot regarding the GC.

Calexico St 6: Indio - Mexicali (151 km, flat, 120)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
The last stage before the rest day, brings the peloton from Indio to the Mexican border, crossing it in Calexico/Mexicali. The stage is very flat, we will see how the sprinters and their helpers survived the last stages and if the GC contenders can recover.

RESTDAY
Image

Calexico St 7: Mexico City - Santiago de Queretaro (228 km, flat, 216)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
After traveling to Mexico City, the riders will head to the north again. The first flat stage of part 2 has a hilly ending with 4 0 3 1 3 finish it will be hard to block and other sprinter types have chances there too.

Calexico St 8: Irapuato - Aguascalientes (181 km, flat, 160)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
The next flat stage starts at Irapuato and leads to Aguascalientes. A single sieb km (6) in the first third of the race will not be enough to distance the sprinters.

Calexico St 9: Calvilla - Crucero (204 km, mountain, 178)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
Stage 9 starts with two medium steep climbs up to La Luz and El Nogal, after 100 km in hilly but not steep terrain, the profile leads down to the Rio Bolanos and from there the final climb on Crucero ends with a mountain top finish. The climb is long but has flatter parts in the beginning and the end. Another chance for the climbers and GC contenders may be alerted.

Calexico St 10: Puente de Camotlan - Tepic (196 km, hilly, 188)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
Another hilly stage close to 200 km, the riders start in Puente de Camotlan, after some medium climbs, a long downhill part down to the Rio Grande de Santiago can be used to regenerate. A steep but short climb up to Las Yeguas can bring some helpers in problems, the stage finishes in a very hilly terrain. Depending on how hard the first part will be ridden, there are different rider types that can win stage 10.

Calexico St 11: Acoponeta - Mazatlan (155 km, flat, 120)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
Another flat stage for the sprinters, starting in Acoponeta and leading to Mazatlan.

Calexico St 12: Badiraguato - Santa Gertrudis (115 km, mountain, 94)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
After a short car transport to Badiraguato, the riders face a short but very steep finish with km up to +16%. The finish in Santa Gertrudis is not too steep with +7 +5 +5 but the decision for the stage will propably have been made earlier.

Calexico St 13: San Jose del Cabo (167 km, hilly, 150)
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
After a short ferry tranport to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, the tour ends with a hilly circuit from and to San Jose del Cabo. Last chance to fight for the mountain and points classification.

Image

PS: KM tact added
Boaz Trakhtenbrot:
  • Winner Giro 2022
  • 10 GC wins
  • 16.609 Eternal Points
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Chense
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Re: December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by Chense » Thu Oct 27, 2022 10:08 pm

TOUR OF ATLAS 2022

Another year another December Tour contest and for the third time in a row TTV is competing, for the third time in a row we hope to win the first time and for the third time in a Row it will be Africa where we want to ride.

After "Tour of Maroc" and "RASTA" we are proud to present you the TOUR OF ATLAS 2022.

The Atlas mountains are around 2300km long and head alongst Maroc, Algeria and partly also Tunesia.
Their highest point is the Toubkal in the south of Marocco with 4167 meters above sealevel (nono you wont have to climb it!).
It also separates the wet climate zone of the Maghreb and the extremely dry saharazone.
In Greek mythology the Atlas mountains were the wester border of the world and here heaven was supported by the mythologic person "Atlas".

So this sounds like a very mountainous tour no? Well just in parts. As Always we will try to give sprinters a chance, as well as classic riders and mountain guys.
In addition this tour up and around the Atlas will have a very long and hard tt as those guys really fell kind of short this year. Still beeing a 42 mt rider wont make you happy!
Oh and we tried to make every stage some kind of challenge ... high reg will surely nothing you are unhappy to have here if you want to compete on more then one field even if all in all the stages are much shorter then the ones last year in RASTA!

But before we start the presentation lets have the facts!

On their journey riders will face:

2060 km in total
158 km per stage (168 km without ITT)
35150 hm of total ascent
2703 hm of ascent per stage (2770 hm without ITT)

The tour consists of:
5 flat stages
3 middle mountain stages
4 HC stages
1 ITT

Riders per Team: 9

The Stages will be presented as follows:
Stage Number: Stage Start to Stage Finish - Stage Type - Stage length - Stage ascent - Mintact at km: xxx - Stage duration: xxx min

The GPM will be categorized and presented as follows:
Cat. 4 - >250hm or presenters choice - Name - KM - Length - HM - average steepness
Cat. 3 - >500hm or over 350hm and 6% - Name - KM - Length - HM - average steepness
Cat. 2 - >800hm or over 500hm and 6% - Name - KM - Length - HM - average steepness - Steepest KM
Cat. 1 - >1200hm or over 800hm and 6% - Name - KM - Length - HM - average steepness - Last 10km and Steepest km
HC - >1500 hm or over 1000hm and 8% or Most HM - Name - KM - Length - HM - average steepness - All km starting from the first 4+ and Steepest km

The IS will be categorized and presented as follows:
IS - Name - KM

The last 10km will be presented as follows:
x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x

Also important landmarks and other nice things to see will be named as well as the starting and the endpoint of each stage.

The first 6 stages take part in Algeria around the so called "Tellatlas" its the lower part of the atlas mountains but the one that also is better reachable by bike and with except of some things youll get to know in the second part the bigger height differences - So we will see some hills but not the big ones?

Thats why also 2 of those stages here are categorized as HC even if one of them is not really HC but more like very hard hilly ... the real HC ones wait in the second part.

Stage 1: Algiers to Beni Ksila - Flat - 191km - 1850 hm - Mintact at km: 166 - Stage duration: 108 min

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The tour around and through the Atlas mountains starts in the capital of Algeria Algiers. From there the riders will go mostly east along the coast
until Boumerdes were we see the first sprint. This continues until around km 100 where it is time to leave the beach and have a first little look into the Atlas (here its especially the so called "Tellatlas"). The first mountain of this tour "Adrar Bru Emar" is already a Cat.3 and reached at KM 117.
Its long and has some siebkm but should not be decisive as all in all its not that steep and far from finish.

A short flat part over "la crete" is followed by a long downhill nearly back to sealevel. But before we come back to the coast the decisive point of this point in terms of sprint or not will be reached. The village of Ummaden can only be reached by a road that is only a Cat. 4 but with a 9 at the end.
After beeing back at the coast road it is nearly totally flat but as coast roads are with some +2 and -2 until the finish so sprinters can have their try to comeback. Still before maybe someone wants seconds or points at KM 164 in Azzefoun. Finally the stage ends after 191km in "Beni Ksila" a beach resort. So riders can take the tired legs into the sea and wait for tomorrow!

Intermediates and KOM:
IS - Boumerdes - KM 50
Cat. 3 - Adrar Bru Emar - KM 118 - 18km - 760hm - 4,2%
Cat. 4 - Ummaden - KM 148 - 4km - 220hm - 5,5%
IS - Azzefoun - KM 164

Last 10km:
-3, -1, -1, 2, -1, -1, -1, 1, 1, -2

Stage 2: Bejala to El Qern - H.C. Mountain - 168km - 4210 hm - Mintact at km: 137 - Stage duration: 90 min
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After the first more or less flat stage the riders will get to know the (lower part of the) Atlas.
Beeing transferred 55km to Bejala (or Beijala) after some km on the coast road the action starts already at KM 12 with the climb to Ikherrazen (KM 19) a Cat. 2. The following downhill to Taguemmont (IS!) is pretty much a normal downhill before a somehow unconventional long climb with some up and downs, flat and steep km follows (Tourkine, km 46). Its all in all a Cat. 3 only but with a 13% in it! The road then goes further up and down with also some more >10% uphills for nearly 50km to Darguin where sealevel is nearly reached again (but not the sea! Thats just at Souk el Tenine with the second IS at KM 108). After some relaxing KM at the sea the riders start to climb again in this very hilly stage.

Those climbs are some kind of "steps" then until the big final. First at KM 129 we go up to the hill of Aghil Amrane. A short flat and slightly downhill part leads then into the second "step" to Fedj Eriah. Before the last step it goes down again to Ghar Dibar. The last step is then a short nameless Cat. 3 pass followed by a little flat and the final km (+7) up to El Qern. So who is willing on the steps that are not really HC Mountain in overall but who knows ... Theres enough height to gain!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 2 - Ikherrazen - KM 19 - 8km - 620hm - 7,8% - Max. 12%
IS - Taguemmount - KM 30
Cat. 3 - Tourkine - KM 46 - 14km - 690hm - 4,9%
IS - Souk el Tenine - KM 108
Cat. 3 - Aghil Amrane - KM 129 - 10km - 590hm - 5,9%
Cat. 4 - Fedj Eriah - KM 144 - 8km - 390hm - 4,9%
Cat. 3 - Nameless - KM 162 - 6km - 420hm - 7%

Last 10 km:
7, 11, 5, 5, -2, -3, 1, -1, 1, 7

Stage 3: Jijel to Constantine - Flat - 177km - 1900 hm - Mintact at km: 151 - Stage duration: 87 min

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Thats the day to really leave the coast and its a day that might make riders and managers think after yesterday (or even make them think if they want to go allin stage 2 if they are sprinters). The first half of the stage is not hard to describe ... Flat, Flatter, Stage 3! We start in the city of Jijel and follow the coast more far to the west before we leave it until the end of the tour there is a sprint at Sidi Abdelaziz. Then the riders turn south and follow the "Qued El Kebir" river to the "Beni Haroum lake" with its Dam which is the biggest all over Algeria.

At Grarem Gouga the lake is passed after riding around 10km alongst it. Thats already the last IS of the day and it slowly gets hillier, with the big climb of the day starting at the city of Mila.
Here 15km of climbing to a place near Marechou (you will here that name again!) are awaiting that might already decide if its more a hillsprinters or a sprinters race.

Then i calms down a bit without a real downhill but mostly down the hill riders follow the next 70km to Constantine the third biggest city of Algeria (after Algiers and Oran). This city with its long tradition is a bit hilly which can also be seen in the finish ... theres a little hill and downhill before the nearly flat end. So could the sprinters also keep a blocker fit?

Intermediates and KOM:
IS - Sidi Abdelaziz - KM 30
IS - Grarem el Gouga - KM 85
Cat. 2 - Marechou - KM 106 - 15km - 860hm - 5,7% - Max. 11%

Last 10 km:
3, 3, 3, 1, 1, -3, -3, -2, -2, -1, -1

Stage 4: Constantine to Marechou - ITT - 46km - 1900 hm - Mintact at km: 1 - Stage duration: 46 min


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Some guys might still know that song ... "Go West ... Life is peaceful there" - Yeah Pet Shop Boys might have been right in 1993 but not in 2022
This stage from the most easter point of the tour will be everything but surely not peaceful! The opposite is the case it will be a start into 3 really
hard days before the riders can rest - it will be the ITT! And it will be long and hard!

This time riders wont follow the main street but a narrow one with some curves but we head pretty flat and even downhill out of Constantine! That could make for an interesting race as it starts all in all flat - but flat can be 0,0,0,0,0,0 or it can be 1,4,0,-3-,2,-1 ... so tactics will be asked here even more as the length alone might take some guys under pressure and theres still a final climb. Oh so not so much more to say about the stage until km 34. But then we have a 13km climb to Marechou to go ... so full power now? Or keep some for tomorrow? Or ride constant? ... Hard to say! Oh and btw rumours say theres also mountain points to gain!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 3 - Marechou - KM 46 - 13km - 750hm - 5,8%

Last 10 km:
5, 2, 1, 1, -2, -2, 8, 9, 8, 10

Stage 5: Ahmet Rahfedi to Bedou - Hilly - 139km - 3740 hm - Mintact at km: 90 - Stage duration: 89 min
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A stage without a single 0km? Okay we tried it but we found a round with only one 0 km so lets have fun after that long ITT ... who is not somehow fit
here or not protected might suffer ... Keep some guys in the game for some place in GC and risk to have no helpers early here? Well thoughts.
Anyway before thoughts lets present the road. Just some km away from yesterdays finish the village of Ahmet Rahfedi is located and here we start.
Mechtat Taleb a village situated on a hill is our first goal - Some downhill will lead riders to Tiberguent with a first IS.

Then directly more up and down is awaiting but until km 42 it should be pretty calm without big sieb KM. Here the Djebel Tenougat is the next hill to try. Oh and then at KM 48 we will see what we all waited for ... THERE is the 0! And now it wont be a siebless thing anymore ... a nameless little Cat. 4 near Lentia is following on the way to the last sprint - Agarou a nice sightseeing point at a river will be a good place! The pass to Tamentout will then be the first somehow bigger mountain ... Is the field still together?

The Downhill to Djimlat and the small uphill to Mechtat Berraka will show us if it comes together again before the pass of the "wood of trees" yes its really called so is reached making the last chance for not mountainriders to attack. Because then a downhill brings riders nearly back to sealevel and after that in quite a second up back to where we where to Tassaft! From There its just 7km of a bit soft downhill and the day is done ... but another hard thing awaits!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 3 - Mechtat Taleb - KM 7 - 7km - 420hm - 6%
IS - Tiberguent - KM 16
Cat. 3 - Djebel Tenougat - KM 46 - 5km - 400hm - 8%
Cat. 4 - Nameless Pass - KM 62 - 7km - 350hm - 5%
IS - Agarou - KM 74
Cat. 2 - Tamentout - KM 82 - 8km - 510hm - 6,4%
Cat. 3 - Forret des Arbres - KM 108 - 410hm - 6km - 6,8%
Cat. 2 - Tassaft - KM 131 - 630hm - 7km - 9% - Max. 12%

Last 10 km:
11, 12, 3, -4, -5, -4, -5, -2, -1, 0

Stage 6: Saharidji to Le Gouffre - HC Mountain - 140km - 4640 hm - Mintact at km: 88 - Stage duration: 96 min

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After those hard stages riders really need a restday no? NO! The really need the first real mountain top finish before the restday! But they also need a short stage so the start in Sajaridji after around 4 hours of transfer looks perfect for them! This kind of a round course starts with a first uphill until an (unluckily) nameless but long and not to steep pass which at least is enough to be another Cat. 2. From that point a downhill helps the riders to regain power for the sprint in the village of Ouacif where also the next (smaller) climb begins.

Until now the riders rode nearly straight to the north to turn south until the reach the top at Tizi Mellai.
Ait Bouaddou is then the next village to reach and guess what its up on a hill! Some km up an down follow before we go near to the final but not to the final climb!

The 13km long way up to Inesmane starts steep gets a bit easier then before a really hard finish - So its a 1 - the first one of that tour!
The last climb then starts after the IS in Merkalla - first its a short up and down again thats not categorized before riders have to cope
with the Le Gouffre thats unrhytmic and maybe not so hard for the real mountain guys but maybe for some tt guys that won time the days before ... AND NOW ITS TIME TO REST!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 2 - Nameless - KM 17 - 17km - 890hm - 5,2% - Max. 8%
IS - Ouacif - KM 36
Cat. 3 - Tizi Mellai - KM 48 - 13km - 740hm - 5,7%
Cat. 3 - Ait Bouaddou - KM 66 - 6km - 440hm - 7,3%
Cat. 1 - Inesmane - KM 100 - 13km - 870hm - 6,7% - Max. 12% - 9, 4, 4, 1, -4, 5, 10, 10, 11, 7
IS - Merkalla - KM 116
Cat. 1 - Le Gouffre - KM 140 - 19km - 1170hm - 6,2% - Max. 11% - 0, -1, 1, 7, 6, 10, 9, 11, -2, 5

Last 10 km:
0, -1, 1, 7, 6, 10, 9, 11, -2, 5

REST DAY! REST DAY! REST DAY!

Yeah guys after those 3 hard stages you deserved it! And we promise you that this has been the hardest triple of this tour - Now we will have some softer stages and then it could be harder again :)
Next is after those 6 days in Algeria a long transfer to Maroc. Here we will see 3 more flat, 2 more hilly and 2 more HC stages

Stage 7: Quidja to Gercif - Flat - 158km - 670 hm - Mintact at km: 133 - Stage duration: 91 min

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The Ride through Maroc aims until the so called "High Atlas mountains" but it starts very flat near to the border of Algeria in Quidja. The riders then dont follow the highway but a parallel road in western direction to El Addouin Sidi Mellouk (longest name of the tour that deserves an IS at km 56!) before a small hill (not more then +2) and then a downhill brings the riders to the second IS at the village of Douar Ouled Ramdane.

The rest of the way (around 50km left) ist just boring for everyone except sprinters and their helpers that should really be fit again now culminating in a most possibly big bunch sprint in Gerfic thats reached after 158km on the flattest stage of the tour (besides the last one!)

Intermediates and KOM:
IS - El Addouin Sidi Mellouk - KM 56
IS - Douar Ouled Ramdane - KM 104

Last 10 km:
-1, 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1

Stage 8: Tancherfi to El Atef - Hilly - 169km - 2570 hm - Mintact at km: 138 - Stage duration: 100 min
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After that easy stage also classic riders should have a chance we think and even more maybe not monster classics but some with sprint and decent helpers so we found a stage for them. Starting at Tancherfi thats located somehow in the middle between the bigger cities of Taza and Quidja we start the race with a double hill. First part of it is a Cat. 3 still belongign to Tancherfi with a downhill and another 140hm afterwards. Then the road goes down to the "Hassan Dam" where the first IS of the day is held.

Will sprinters still be there or will it be some escapers to take it? After the Dam riders climb south to village of Sidi Lahsen. Even if theres some +6 and +7 in it due to not beeing a constant climb this one remains uncategorized but it could give some brave escapers a chance for an early try to get many seconds if the peloton sleeps. Riders then turn west again to "Sidi Ali Belkassem" where they find the second IS of the day and then the road turns direction again to the south following a little "mountain river" up to the second pass of the day. 4,5% on 11km also dont really deserve a name but some gravel maybe does? Its not the last gravel of the tour so be ready for it later on!

Then it goes back around 2km on the same road and up to Debdou where the last difficulty of the day is starting. 5,4% over 13km might not sound that horribly but the first 2km are pretty easy and the last 2 are also while the rest is over 6% in average so nothing for weakened guys.
The decision for the stagewin has then to be made on the last 19km that are slightly downhill (around -1,2% in average). Which kind of rider wins?

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 3 - Tancherfi - KM 9 - 9km - 460hm - 7%
IS - Barage Hassan - KM 47
IS - Sidi Ali Belkassem - KM 90
Cat. 3 - Nameless - KM 106 - 11km - 500hm - 4,5%
Cat. 3 - Debdou Pass - KM 151 - 13km - 700hm - 5,4%

Last 10 km:
-2, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -2, 0, -2, -1

Stage 9: Missour to Errichidia - Flat - 196km - 1290 hm - Mintact at km: 165 - Stage duration: 114 min


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Before the riders have to ride the final GC stages they get a chance to go for a Mass sprint (or maybe a reduced Mass sprint?)
We start in the city of Missour and from there it mostly goes south. Around Zebzate the first and bigger climb of the day is starting.

While the uphill is all in all nearly 40km long and has 900hm the categorized part is much shorter and easier starting at km 70, which makes it a Cat. 3 on the Route to "Station RPM". The following 80km are something like a long downhill with 2 sprints and Ait Balansane and Er-Rich on the way.

Afterwards the sprinters have to face a little difficulty that could cost them the win. So the have to be attentive from KM 166 on the way up
to the Al Hassan Addakhil Dam and Lake. The rest of the way is then totally flat so that after this 5 and 6 on 30km the sprinters can catch up!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 3 - Station RTM - KM 82 - 14km - 500hm - 3,6%
IS - Ait Balansane - KM 96
IS - Er-Rich - KM 129
Cat. 4 - Al Hassan Addakhil Dam - KM 169 - 4km - 170hm - 4,3%

Last 10 km:
0, 0, -2, -1, -1, 1, 1, 0, 1

Stage 10: Ait Attab to Imilchil - Hilly - 169km - 3840 hm - Mintact at km: 148 - Stage duration: 99 min


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Starting at Ait Attab in the Lowlands the most likely last chance for strong classic riders is on the way.
The road (on the first km paved!) heads all over to the east from there (afterwards we return to the west on the next stages) reaching first the village
of Ait Quaarda with a first Cat. 3 climb thats short but steep and then the Bin El Ouidane Dam with the first IS. From there on riders will see some flat km until the difficulties for low mountain guys begin.

Then another climb to Isseksi (or near to it starts) ... but that does not mean that the climb is sexy indeed! Or can a Cat. 3
be sexy? Well for some riders maybe yes so they could try to early start a hard race!

After beeing so sexy and having a downhill its time for another sprint in Tagleft before the riders really start in what makes those 3 days
really hard ... long climbs with many hm! The hardest of those (nearly 1000hm) is unluckily nameless but nonetheless not worthless.
The next climb then directly follows after a short flat part and only 6,2% on 6km seem not so hard but the last 3 are % in average. The up and down continues with a long and flat Cat. 4 (nameless) that could be helpful to some guys that escaped earlier before the final climb shortly before Imilchil awaits. This one is another Cat. 4 that has siebkm in the beginning but then gets less steep followed by a downhill nt the city where we finish!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 3 - Ait Quaarda - KM 26 - 5km - 380hm - 7,6%
IS - Bin El Ouidane - KM 38
Cat. 2 - Isseksi - KM 59 - 10km - 630hm - 6,3% - Max. 9%
IS - Tagleft - KM 89
Cat. 2 - Nameless - KM 108 - 17km - 1070hm - 6,3% - Max. 11% - 11, 10, 9, 8, 11, 3, 7, 5, 3, 3
Cat. 3 - Tasraft N Ait Abdi - KM 125 - 6km - 370hm - 6,2%
Cat. 4 - Nameless - KM 144 - 11km - 320hm - 2,9%
Cat. 4 - Imilchil - KM 163 - 11km - 450hm - 4,1%

Last 10 km:
3, 3, 4, 2, -8, -2, -2, -3, -3, -2

Stage 11: Tilloguite to Tizi el Fouqani - H.C. Mountain - 152km - 4300 hm - Mintact at km: 108 - Stage duration: 98 min

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Somehow you could call this stage the mad big brother of yesterday. Riders again start in the lowlands to climb higher and higher. (Spoiler Alert 3 of the passes will be climbed again tomorrow but vice versa!) Following from Tilloguite south along the Assif Ahansal River valley and then up to the source of that little river it starts already not too easy but surely makeable so maybe even some sprinters could survive this first Cat. 2 mountain and reach the IS located at Tifouina. Even more as the second IS of the day is only 10km more far and located on the start of the second climb in Zaouia Ahansal.

This double climb to Ihrinie then is something like Marocs Galibier at least if you look at the profile. Still we dont call the first bigger step "Lautaret" and keep it just unnamed as it is. Due to the long and not so steep profile its unlikely we already find a decision for the stage here but chances are big that weak teams lose many helpers here!

The longest downhill of the day brings the riders to Rabat (near Tabant where tomorrow the race finishes) and the famous 3 passes of maroc starting with the hardest part up to the Tizi n Ait Aimi (dont overlook the wunderfull sights into the so called "lucky valley" if you have time!) It used to be gravel from here but organisation team was lucky and they proofed that the gravel is indeed like asphalt so no * here just later on the final passes.

Anyway this HC is hard enough by itself. A 15km before the gravel starts leads the riders then into this beautiful valley while the final passes Tizi n Tounsa and Tizi El Fouquani (nearly reaching the 3000m mark!) are awaiting. So have fun on the clash boys but dont forget that tomorrow is another mountain day!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 2 - Assif Ahansal - KM 23 - 10km - 650hm - 6,5% - Max. 10%
IS - Tiffouina - KM 43
IS - Zaouia Ahansal - KM 53
Cat. 1 - Nameless - KM 69 - 16km - 960hm - 6% - Max. 8% - 4, 6, 5, 7, 7, 2, 7, 6, 7, 8
Cat. 4 - Ihrinie - KM 84 - 9km - 440hm - 4,9%
Cat. HC - Tizi n Ait Aimi - KM 120 - 12km - 1000hm - 8,3% - Max. 10% - 7, 7, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 8, 7, 7
Cat. 3 - Tizi n Tounsa - KM 144 - 10km - 530hm - 5,3%
Cat. 3 - Tizi El Fouquani - KM 152 - 5km - 330hm - 6,6%

Last 10 km:
6, 6, -3, -6, -6, 8, 7, 3, 9, 6

Stage 12: Ait Alla to Tabant - H.C. Mountain - 167km - 3490 hm - Mintact at km: 139 - Stage duration: 98 min

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The last mountain stage - The last chance to do something for GC but to be honest it might be the easiest mountain stage - Maybe even a stage
for some really strong classics guy. Or an early hard attack of a strong mountain team ... at least no classical killer!

Starting at Ait Alla the road directly starts rising but with very low percentages until Amezri (including the IS Nr.1) where a first but not to steep climb awaits (But riders surely couldnt regenerate to much as first 30km already mean over 600hm but with not more then a 3!) Here some teams might first have to think what they do as a short but steep Nameless pass is waiting. After 20km of downhill to Aguerd our heros again have to climb nearly 500hm but again with max. 5% (in the end of the climb)

Then there is really some time to relax until Ait Khalifa (2nd IS of the day) before the climbs start in reversed order from yesterday. While yesterday the Tizi El Fouquani was pretty short and easy today riders have to take the hard side from the south. Btw the first part is not hard but its long so due to the 1200hm and beeing the highest point its our 2nd H.C. of this tour! (Spoiler: For Anti-bug reasons there is no gravel oin the downhill from Tizi el Fouquani today! Nobody knows how they could repare the street in a day!) The road from now is known - the short downhill to Tizi n Tounsa which is just kind of a little Cat. 4 hill today and then the long way down into Happy Valley!

The way to Tizi n Ait Aimi is also not easy but its all in all not very steep and afterwards a downhill follows before riders leave yesterdays road
to head until Tabant which is well known as the regular start of this 3 passes tour!

Intermediates and KOM:
IS - Amezri - KM 30
Cat. 3 - Nameless - KM 36 - 6km - 470hm - 7,8%
Cat. 4 - Nameless - KM 69 - 12km - 420hm - 3,5%
IS - Ait Khalifa - KM 93
Cat. HC - Tizi El Fouquani - KM 119 - 23km - 1200hm - 5,2% - Max. 10% - 5, 2, 3, 4, 7, 3, 3, 0, 3, 2, 2, 4, 4, 6, 9, 8, 6, 8, 9, 8, 8, 10, 9
Cat. 4 - Tizi n Tounsa - KM 127 - 3km - 150hm - 5%
Cat. 3 - Tizi n Ait Aimi - KM 150 - 12km - 600hm - 5%

Last 10 km:
-9, -9, -7, -7, -2, -1, 0, -1, 0, 0

Stage 13: Tabant to Marrakesh - Flat - 188km - 750 hm - Mintact at km: 169 - Stage duration: 89 min

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Sugar were going down? Yes down to Marrakesh ... Heroes youve done it so be pleased of this last stage with much much downhill and only a little ascent - Everyone of you that has finished has deserved
to relax now! Starting in Tabant again our riders that have passed their "Personal Everest" climb their last one at Asameur (but just a small one as its a Cat. 4)
The next 70km (passing the IS at Demnate KM 85) will feel wonderful and maybe make some sprinters feel like their legs are perfect today!
And then after 153km and much flat at Ait Ourir its really done the last intermediate of this years December Tour with Marrakesh already in sight!
PREPARE FOR MS AND CELEBRATION!

Intermediates and KOM:
Cat. 4 - Asameur - KM 31 - 8km - 280hm - 3,5%
IS - Demnate - KM 85
IS - Demnate - KM 153

Last 10 km:
0, 0, 0, 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

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Re: December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by Chemnitz Pro Cycling Team » Fri Oct 28, 2022 11:56 am

CALIFORNICATION TOUR 2022

Our December Tour will take place in California (and Las Vegas at the final stage) and leads us past some highlights of the Golden State, especially in terms of Sports and Basketball history.

Overview

California is a sunny state, which means we should have good whether most of the time. We will ride all kind of areas - flat stages at the Pacific coast, HC mountains at the Sierra Nevada or dessert at Mojave. On 13 stages with 1 rest day we will have a lot of fun during a total of 2.465 km with a total ascent of 28.966 hm. 9 riders of each team will challenge each other until we know the winner of the 2022 Californication Tour.

Stages

Stage 1: Sacramento - Richmond

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As mentioned in the introduction of the presentation, we will past a few iconic points of Basketball history. The start of this stage is at the Golden 1 Center, home of the famous (and right now most unsuccessful team of the top4 sports in the USA) Sacramento Kings. After riding through Sacramento, we head South to Rio Vista, having an intermediate sprint in Walnut Grove and another one in Antioch. Right behind the boarders of Antioch the first hills start, and won't stop until the finish line. We pass cities like Clayton, Walnut Creek (we could name the stage "Walnut Stage") and Moraga before climbing up to Grizzly Peak. The finish in Richmond will be at Richmond High School, known from the movie "Coach Carter", which tells the true story of a basketball coach deciding to sit the team because of bad their grades at school. I expect a sprint of hill sprinters, which will have a good chance here.

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200 km - 1.809 hm - last 10 km: -5, -3, -1, 0, -1, -1, 0, 0, -1, 0


Stage 2: Richmond - Suno Peak

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The stage starts at Richmond High and gets the nickname "Bridge Stage" since we will cross a few more or less famous bridges at the Bay Area. The first one we cross is the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Arriving in San Rafael, we are looking for our way to the Golden Gate Bridge, which should be well known. We will pass the first hills on our way (Muir Woods) and do some coast riding at Sausalito before heading to San Francisco. The worlds steepest street, Lombard Street, is one part of the stage, as well as the baseball stadium Oracle Park and the new basketball arena of the Golden State Warriors (the most successful basketball team of the recent years) Chase Cente. We leave San Francisco with the third bridge today, Bay Bridge. After an intermediate sprint in Oakland we move South to San Leandro, where we climb up some hills on the Skyline Boulevard and finally finish on Suno Peak, close to Fremont.

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181 km - 2.035 hm - last 10 km: 0, 0, 1, 6, 8, 5, 3, 4, 1, 4


Stage 3: Hayward - San José

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After a short transfer to Hayward, the shortest stage of the tour (besides the ITT) brings us to Silicon Valley. But before, we obviously have to past over another bridge - Hayward Bridge. There is even an intermediate sprint on it. On the other side of the Bay we cross Foster City, San Mateo, Redwood City, Palo Alto and take one round around Stanford University, where we have another sprint. After going to Ladera (where the tour creator had some good time as an au pair a few years ago), the Woodside Highlands are waiting for the riders. The mountain is not to steep and long and should leave sprinter teams the chance to regain their energy after it. The final takes place in San Jose, where we cycle two laps with the finish at the home of ice hockey club San Jose Sharks, the SAP Center.

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160 km - 1.585 hm - last 10 km: -1, 0, 0, -1, 0, -1, 0, 1, 0, 0


Stage 4: San Jose - Los Banos

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This one won't be fun for the sprinter teams. Starting in San Jose we cross the first summits shortly after leaving the city. Our way to Santa Cruz (of course we visit the next basketball arena of G-League-team Santa Cruz Warriors) crosses some national park with incredible nature. A short coast ride with fresh wind leads us to Gilroy before riding towards the dessert. We climb up to Dinosaur Point, which has nothing to do with Jurassic Park. The finish in Los Banos is not spectacular, but totally flat.

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211 km - 2.242 hm - last 10 km: -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0


Stage 5: Fresno - Kanawyers

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A longer transfer brings us to Fresno, a city with more than 500k inhabitants. We head east to Sierra Nevada, sprinters did not sleep well tonight. Almost 4k hm of ascent, no big cities, but some high mountains like the HC Kings Canyon or the finish in Cedar Grove are waiting. At the finish line the teams have a spectacular view on Sierra Nevada with some of its highest mountains and peaks. This is worth all the energy they lost before.

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178 km - 3.864 hm - last 10 km: 1, 3, 2, 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 1, 1


Stage 6: Visalia - Porterville

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Sierra Nevada is again waiting with some of his nicest mountains. We are starting from Visalia into the Kings Canyon National Park. The highlight is the Balch Park HC mountain, where we climb 22 km with some pavè parts. The long descent after the mountain gives all riders the chance to breathe. In the evening there is a big party in Porterville, because tomorrow is rest day. We hope that RSV Flaschenbier brings some free beer from Germany to the US, because we all know that German beer is the better beer.

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192 km - 3.854 hm - last 10 km: -1, 0, 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0


REST DAY


Stage 7: Bakersfield - Santa Barbara

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The riders are happy, because the hangover after the Porterville party has gone during the rest day. Also, we are heading to the coast and famous Santa Barbara! But before seeing the Pacific Ocean, a long stage with 233 km is waiting. After passing Taft and Bitter Creek we are climbing Pine Mountain (cat 1) and have an intermediate sprint in Ojai. The finishing sprint in Santa Barbara is right at the Harbor.

Image

233 km - 2.710 hm - last 10 km: 3, -5, 0, 1, 1, -2, 0, 0, 0, 1


Stage 8: Santa Barbara - Los Angeles

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A dream for escapers! The stage starts with the HC mountain Gibraltar Rock, followed by another cat 1 ascent with a lot of pavé. But right after that climb, more than 150 km with almost no obstacles are waiting. Most of the route is a coast street, crossing Ventura, Oxnard and even famous Malibu. The riders may find time to visit Charlie and Alan Harper and have beer with them. Another beach is waiting at the finish line: Santa Monica Beach in the city of angels - Los Angeles!

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198 km - 2.774 hm - last 10 km: -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, -1, 0


Stage 9: Los Angeles ITT

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Some riders might be disappointed that they haven't had their rest day in LA, but since we just ride the one and only time trial of the Californication Tour here, they still have time for sightseeing and the beach. The time trial itself is an individual one, and it's not gonna be easy. The start and the finish is on North Fairfax Avenue, but after the start we turn right on the Hollywood Boulevard and head to Walk of Fame. By the way, it is very expensive to shut down this street and all riders received a note, that they please don't crash on one of the Hollywood stars. After some flat kilometers, the riders turn north into the Hollywood Hills and then come back to Hollywood Boulevard. This lap will be ridden two times.

Image

32 km - 605 hm


Stage 10: Los Angeles - San Diego

Image

An almost flat stage leads us though 249 km from los Angeles to San Diego. This years longest stage is ridden on Highway 1 and mostly at the coast. The start in Los Angeles is on the Walk of Fame, later we pass the basketball arena of the Los Angeles Lakers (and the Clippers, but nobody likes the Clippers), Staples Center - which is now named Crypto.com-Arena. What a dumb name. Anyway, a lot of city flair during the first 100km since we ride through the metropolitan region of LA. The finish is in San Diego and almost at the Mexican Boarder, which we don't want to cross, because we don't know whether they let us back. A few small hills at the end giving the stage some spice.

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249 km - 1.563 hm - last 10 km: 0, 0, 2, 3, 3, 0, 3, -1, 1, -1


Stage 11: San Diego - Salton City

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Starting in the green Balboa Park Golf Parcours this might be the last time the riders see something else than sand. We are heading towards the dessert and the Salton Sea. Mount Laguna, an HC mountain, is on our way. It might not be the steepest hill, but boy, its a long ride to the top!

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214 km - 3.159 hm - last 10 km: -2, -1, -5, -1, -1, 0, 0, -2, -1, 1


Stage 12: Palm Springs - Mojave Reservoire

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A transfer brings us to Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley. As a sightseeing event, the Mayor organized a ride with the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the longest tramway in the world. And up it goes for the teams as well. It gets hot and dusty, since we are on our way to Mojave. Not a lot of people live here and now we know, why. The final mountain will be hard for most riders, but maybe not hard enough for pure climbers.

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199 km - 2.514 hm - last 10 km: 5, 5, 4, 4, 3, 0, 0, -2, 0, 3


Stage 13: Baker - Las Vegas

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Final stage, and we are heading to Las Vegas with the same joy as young people who celebrate their bachelor parties there. Unfortunately, they don't have to climb the mountains like our riders have to do. It's not a stage for the sprinters, beside the flat finish. Finally, all riders party together and the winners will los their money in the casinos of Sin City.

Image

218 km - 2.491 hm - last 10 km: 2, 3, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1

lennylenny
Posts: 437
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:22 am
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Re: December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by lennylenny » Fri Oct 28, 2022 3:58 pm

Madagascar
Titelbild.jpg
Titelbild.jpg (295.83 KiB) Viewed 603 times
Madagascar will follow the story of the Madagascar movie in 2005, first few stages in New York before a rest day and then the remaining stages in Madagascar

disclaimer: "slightly" adjusted story compared to the movie

General
8 riders per team

3 mountain stages
4 hilly stages
4 flat stages
1 ITT
1 TTT
1 rest day

Maps
New York Map total.png
New York Map total.png (962.68 KiB) Viewed 603 times
Madagascar Map.png
Madagascar Map.png (71.07 KiB) Viewed 603 times

Stages
Stage 1: Central Park Zoo
ITT | 6km | km1 mintact | 6 minutes

After planning the escape on the day before, we escape Central Park Zoo one by one on this short and flat ITT
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: none
final kms: 1 0 0 0 1 0

during the night between stages 1 and 2 we move north outside of New York City to escape the city officials


Stage 2: Alex
Mountain | 146km | km125 mintact | 84 minutes

Lead by Alex the Lion, we escape into the mountains of Upstate New York to hide until the chase is called off
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Cragsmoor (Cat 1): 1 4 8 7 13 7
Red Hill (Cat 1): 1 4 3 6 7 8 12 9
Winnisook Lake (Cat 4): 2 4 1 4 6
Belleayre Mountain (Cat 3): 1 2 3 2 7 4 6 5 2 4
Dry Brook Ridge (Cat 2): 1 3 10 5 6
final kms: -3 -9 -6 -6 -1 1 3 10 5 6


Stage 3: Marty
Hilly | 198km | km160 mintact | 118 minutes

Due to Marty the Zebra stepping out of the hiding to explore the surroundings in the early morning, we have to escape another chase
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Mountain Lake (Cat 3): 2 3 3 6 7 5 4
Edgewood lakes (Cat 4): 5 4 3 1
Conklin Brook (Cat 4): 7 6 -2 3
Ashokan High Point (Cat 4): 2 2 1 2 2 2 0 1 1 3 2
Stony Clove Notch (Cat 4): 3 3 5 3 3 3
Deep Notch (Cat 3): 7 6
Birch Creek (Cat 2): 9 13 5
Halcottsville (Cat 4): 2 7 -2 -2 -1 7
final kms: 7 -7 -6 -1 0 -3 -3 -1 0 1


Stage 4: Melman
Flat | 156km | km147 mintact | 83 minutes

After the chase seems to be called off, we are lead back to New York City in order to get on a ship by Melman the Giraffe due to his ability to see possible authorities early
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Silver Lake (Cat 4): 1 3 0 1 2 0 2 1 2 1
Woodward Hill (Cat 4): 2 0 3 4
final kms: 0 2 1 0 -2 -1 0 0 0 0


Stage 5: Gloria
Flat | 137km | km128 mintact | 73 minutes

Because Gloria the Hippo wasn't careful on the final stretch to New York Harbor and damaged some street lamps we are caught by the Authorities at Grand Central Station. Due to public outrage we are put on a ship to a Kenyan Wildlife Reserve anyway.
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Dennytown Road (Cat 4): 1 1 3 4 4 3
Rockhill Pond (Cat 4): 5 2 2
Beech Hill (Cat 4): 1 2 5
Sprain Brook (Cat 4): 1 5
final kms: -1 -1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 -1

-----------
--Rest day--
-----------
Rest day on the ship that was kidnapped by some penguins who then moved the ship through a storm during which we fall off the ship


Stage 6: Madagascar
TTT | 36km | km1 mintact | 36 minutes

We land at a beach (on Madagascar) without any orientation, so we move to explore the surroundings as a team
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: none*
*note: there is a 1 2 2 6 2 hill at the start, but no categorized climb due to TTT
final kms: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0


Stage 7: King Julien XIII
Flat | 172km | km163 mintact | 91 minutes

We meet some lemurs and their leader called King Julien XIII invites us to join them as they roam around the flat parts of the island
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Ambondro (Cat 4): 3 2 1
Soatsifa (Cat 4): 2 2 1 1 2 1 3 -1 2
Bevilany (Cat 4): 1 2 2 4
final kms: 1 0 -1 1 2 2 4 -6 -1 1


Stage 8: Maurice
Mountain | 135km | km120 mintact | 75 minutes

King Julien XIII's advisor Maurice helps us settle in the pack as we also get to see the first mountain of the island
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Belay (Cat 4): 1 6
Lac Ranfotsy (Cat 4): 4 4
Sarivoro (HC): 3 7 7 6 8 13 18 3
final kms: 8 13 18 3 -9 -11 -9 -8 -11 -4


Stage 9: Mort
Hilly | 159km | km140 mintact | 89 minutes

After having warmed up to new members of the pack, Mort, the best friend of King Julien and Maurice introduces himself and shows us his favorite place of the island as we take the night's rest on a plateau
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Vondrozo (Cat 2): 3 6 7 7 10 4
final kms: 2 3 -2 -3 1 -2 -1 0 1 -2


Stage 10: Skipper
Hilly | 162km | km140 mintact | 92 minutes

The penguins who kidnapped the ship and got it to Antarctica didn't like the coldness there and decided to move to Madagascar instead, today we meet the leader called Skipper
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Andranolava (Cat 4): 4 4
Vondrozo (Cat 2): 3 6 7 7 10 4
Angodongadona (Cat 2): 4 8 5 5 4 7 5 3 1 2
final kms: -2 2 -9 -10 -5 -2 -3 -5 -2 1

Stage 11: Kowalski
Hilly | 200km | km175 mintact | 113 minutes

We meet the right hand of Skipper called Kowalski as we move further north
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Besoa (Cat 3): 2 3 0 1 5 5 5 5 3 5 2
Anosiarivo (Cat 2): 5 2 4 3 3 4 9
Ambalavao (Cat 3): 1 3 2 5 7 3 -4 2 6
final kms: 0 -1 -2 0 4 -2 -2 3 1 -4

Stage 12: Rico
Flat | 162km | km153 mintact | 86 minutes

Once again we move further north as we meet the next penguin who doesn't really talk, but Skipper introduces him as Rico
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Iarinoro (Cat 4): 2 0 1 5
Sandrandahy (Cat 4): 5 2 4
Mahatsanda (Cat 4): 2 0 4 3 2 2 2
Ampandrotrarana (Cat 4): 4 5
Antsampanimahazo (Cat 4): 2 0 1 -1 4 1
final kms: -1 1 -1 0 0 0 1 -1 1 0


Stage 13: Private
Mountain | 145km | km130 mintact | 80 minutes

Today we meet the youngest penguin of the group called Private who wants to see a sunset on a big mountain where our journey ends for the time being
Image
http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... ension=c4f
climbs: Mandraka Falls (Cat 1): 2 5 6 12 -2 5 1 2 4 3 9 2
Lambanandriana (Cat 4): 4 5 6 3
Tsiafajavona (HC): 1 1 3 3 6 4 0 2 10 6 8 8 13 8 6
final kms: 4 0 2 10 6 8 8 13 8 6


I like to move it, move it
I like to move it, move it
I like to move it, move it
Ya like to (move it!)

User avatar
Laugenspitze
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:27 pm
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Re: December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by Laugenspitze » Sun Oct 30, 2022 7:35 pm

Madagascar Baobabs

11 stages, no rest day - because of two TT, one TTT and one ITT.

Probable battle in the general classification between climbers and classics with time trial skills. I'm betting on classics, as a rather inexperienced tour driver.


Image

Unfortunately, we didn't recognize the strangely dressed guys on the bus and in the helicopter next door as "Lenny's" team. Otherwise we would probably have chosen a different area. But now it is how it is and "voilà", Madagascar again.

Let`s go.

Image***Image***Image

Under the strict eyes of the lemurs, you will go through the north and middle of the island. We're excluding the south for reasons I'll explain later.


First an overview in small pictures.


1Image2Image
3
Image4Image

5Image6Image

7Image8Image

9Image10Image

11Image


First Stage:

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Prolog - ITT with one km light gravel, then flat.

2. Stage:

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Flat stage for Sprintteams. Two intermediates to start the fight for the mountain jersey (some +4, 5, 3...).

3. Stage:

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Another opportunity for sprinters with a little (+4) at km 175.

Image I'll block it - hehe.

4. Stage:

Image

First real climbs here. At 149 (+10) and four times (+8) till the final DH. Mountain specialists in demand.

5. Stage:

Image

Another Flat stage.

Image I am on the way. I´m on my way, pffff....

6. Stage:

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Our destination this time, the capital. Some climbs on the way there. (1,3,7,8,3,5,3,2,3,4,8,2 and 3,4,3,4)

Image***Image


7. Stage:

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TTT this time in Antananarivo. Up and Down is the motto (5, -7 / 4, -2 / 7, -9, 9, -8).

8. Stage:

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Probably one of the most exciting stages with from km 152 (4,7,7,7,8,2,4,1,3,7,4,6,1) and at km 169 (8,6).

9. Stage:

Image

Image

Now it gets tricky. Easy stage but at km 185 some (7, 6, 4, 2) and at 202 (4, 4, 2) are waiting.

10. Stage:

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Pure flat stage.

11. Stage:

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The king's stage. No, better the queens stage. In fact, the stage is dedicated to the Queen, who unsuccessfully rebelled against colonialism. We will have to climb a bit. (1,4,5,5 / 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 5, 8, 4 / 1, 1, 6, 5, 2, 2, 5 / finally 1, 6, 6, 5, 7, 6, 4, 3, 3, 5, 6)


Image***Madagascar
Ranavalona III

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally. Why are we leaving out the south of the island? The people there have other worries right now, big worries.
Bike racing is not what they need now.


World Food Programme
Welthungerhilfe

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have fun and happy voting! Danke, merci, thank you for your attention.
> Formerly known as ogopogo-racing < > ... doesn`t matter <

FSG Sattelpuper
Posts: 84
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:57 pm
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Re: December Tour 2022: Presentation

Post by FSG Sattelpuper » Tue Nov 01, 2022 12:43 am

Herzlich Willkommen liebe Pressevertreter und alle Radsportfreaks!

Wir haben sie hier am Rande des Münsterland-Giros eingeladen, weil wir ihnen gleich einen Vorschlag zur Dezember-Tour präsentieren möchten.
Wer sind wir? Das ist einmal das Touristikministerium von Neuseeland und meine Wenigkeit, TJ Düsterwech, der Manager von FSG Sattelpuper. Wir bekammen eine Anfrage, ob wir nicht das Ministerum unterstützen wollten, bei dem Entwurf für eine Rundfahrt durch Neuseeland. Wir fühlten uns natürlich geehrt, da wir erst so kurz dabei sind und schon eine Unterstützung für ein so großes Land sein zu dürfen. Da die Fahrer andersweitig eingespannt sind, viel mir die Aufgabe zu. Ich werde die Präsentation auf Deutsch halten, da wir ja nunmal hier sind und ich auch hier aus dem erweiterten Umfeld stamme, eine Übersetzung werden sie natürlich unten finden, denn der Radsport ist und bleibt international.

Translation:
Welcome dear press representatives and all cycling freaks!
We have invited you here on the fringes of the Münsterland-Giro because we would like to present you with the proposal for the December Tour right away.
Who are we? That is the New Zealand Ministry of Tourism and myself, TJ Düsterwech, the manager of FSG Sattelpuper. We received a request to assist the Ministry in designing a tour of New Zealand. We felt honoured, of course, as we had only been there for such a short time and were already able to support such a large country. As the riders are otherwise engaged, the task fell to me. I will give the presentation in German, since we are here and I also come from the extended environment here. You will of course find a translation below, because cycling is and remains international.


Die Rahmenbedingungen waren leider nicht ganz so schnell abgesteckt, da es doch viele Dörfer und Städte gab, die gerne Etappenort geworden wären. Es musste also eine Auswahl getroffen werden und eine Möglichkeit gefunden werden, um diese Orte mit schönen und interessanten Etappen verbinden zu können. Und dann sollte ja auch noch unterschiedliches Gelände dabei sein. Von Beginn an stand fest, das Auckland der Zielort für die letzte Etappe sein sollte. Wir haben uns dann entschieden am anderen Ende von Neuseeland zu starten, ganz im Süden, in Invercargill und so war auch schon der Name der Tour gefunden:

Neuseeland Süd nach Nord


Translation:
Unfortunately, the framework conditions were not set quite so quickly, as there were many villages and towns that would have liked to become stage locations. So a selection had to be made and a way found to connect these places with beautiful and interesting stages. And then there should also be different terrain. From the beginning, it was clear that Auckland would be the destination for the last stage. We then decided to start at the other end of New Zealand, in the very south, in Invercargill, and so the name of the tour was already found:

New Zealand South to North


Hier nun ein kurzer Überblick über die gesamte Tour, bevor ich die einzelnen Etappen vorstelle. Auf der südlichen Insel haben wir viel flaches und nicht so dicht besiedeltes Land, allerdings auch die neuseländischen Alpen. Da es die größere Insel ist, werden wir hier die ersten sieben Etappen fahren. Dreimal wird es überwiegend flach sein, zweimal warten Hügel in den Etappen, einmal gibt es eine Bergankunft und einmal fahren wir über zwei große Berge. Etapenziele in den Alpen zu finden ist hier sehr schwierig, da es da kaum Dörfer gibt und schon gar keine, die groß genug wären.
Zum Wechsel der Inseln nimmt sich der Radsporttross einen Tag Pause, bevor es in Wellington wieder weitergeht. Auf der nördlichen Insel wartet dann ein Einzelzeitfahren, eine Flachetappe und eine Bergankunft, die restlichen drei Rennen sind hügelig gestaltet. Hier gibt es auch noch einen kleinen Transfer zum Startort, sonst wäre die Bergetappe zu lang geworden.
Insgesamt haben wir somit 13 Etappen und einen Ruhetag und damit den maximalen Rahmen ausgefüllt. In jedem Rennen, ausser dem Zeitfahren, wird es zwei Zwischensprints geben, hierfür dank auch an die beiden Sponsoren. Die Bergwertungen sind natürlich ganz unterschiedlich auf den Etappen verteilt, aber jede Etappe hat mindestens eine. Es wird auch nur die Kategorie 1 erreicht, ganz genaue Vorgaben gab es für die Wertungen nicht, da auch sehr unterschiedliche Steigungen dabei sind, von flachen langen bis hin zu kurzen steilen Anstiegen. Auch die Pave-Spezialisten, haben eine oder eventuell zwei Etappen, die ihnen liegen müsste, bei der dritten sind aber wohl doch klar die Bergflöhe im Vorteil.
Wir hoffen, wir haben die Tour so gestalten können, dass alle Wertungen bis zum letzten Tag spannend bleiben. Dazu müssen natürlich auch möglichst Teams mit verschiedenen Schwerpunkten melden und die passenden Fahrer mitbringen, dass können wir nur in so fern beeinflussen, dass wir für alle passende Etappen dabeihaben und das war unser Ziel.

Translation:
Here is a brief overview of the whole tour before I present the individual stages. On the southern island we have a lot of flat and not so densely populated land, but also the New Zealand Alps. As it is the larger island, we will ride the first seven stages here. Three times it will be mostly flat, twice there will be hills in the stages, once there will be a mountain finish and once we will ride over two big mountains. Finding stage finishes in the Alps is very difficult here, as there are hardly any villages and certainly none that are big enough.
To change islands, the cycling pack takes a day's break before continuing again in Wellington. On the northern island there is an individual time trial, a flat stage and a mountain finish, the remaining three races are hilly. There is also a short transfer to the starting point, otherwise the mountain stage would have been too long.
All in all, we have 13 stages and one rest day, so we have filled the maximum frame. In each race, except for the time trial, there will be two intermediate sprints, thanks to the two sponsors. The mountain classifications are, of course, distributed quite differently over the stages, but each stage has at least one. Only category 1 will be reached, there were no exact specifications for the classifications, as there are also very different climbs, from flat long climbs to short steep climbs. Even the Pave specialists have a stage, or two that should suit them, but the mountain fleas have a clear advantage on the third one.
We hope that we have been able to organise the tour in such a way that all classifications remain exciting until the last day. Of course, we have to register teams with different focuses and bring the right riders, but we can only influence that in so far as we have suitable stages for everyone, and that was our goal.


Image
Image

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Etappe 1: Invercargill - Dunedin 202 km, Flach

Image

Sprint: km 50, km 188
Mountain: km 63 (4)
Gelände ab km 188: 0/ 2/ 5/ -1/ -2/ -3/ -3/ 1/ 1/ 1/ 2/ 3/ 2/ -5/ -4
min tact: km 186

Wir hatten uns vorgenommen für jede Etappe etwas besonders bieten zu können, auch wenn es nur klein ist. Wir starten mit einer Etappe durch das südliche Flachland, hier war es schon schwer etwas besonderes zu finden. Es ist gleich die längste Etappe, 202 km! Das wars aber nicht, auch dass den Ausreißern wohl nur das Bergtrikot winkt ist hier zu erwarten und bis zum zweiten Zwischensprint gibt es maximal eine 4er Steigung. Die Lage von Dunedin ist etwas besonders, es ist von einem kleinen Hügelring umgeben oder besser es ist ein Tal was im Meer endet. Wir haben hier schon die flacheste Einfahrt gesucht, um nicht den Sprintern in der ersten Etappe den Spaß zu verderben. Die letzten zwei km zum Ziel sind dafür sehr schnell, da es im Schnitt mit 4% bis 5% bergab geht und so einen Bergabsprint, gibt es nur sehr selten.

Translation:
We had planned to offer something special for each stage, even if it is only small. We start with a stage through the southern lowlands, where it was difficult to find something special. It is the longest stage, 202 km! But that's not all, it's also to be expected that the breakaways will only win the mountain jersey, and there is a maximum of one 4-point climb up to the second intermediate sprint. The location of Dunedin is a bit special, it is surrounded by a small ring of hills or rather it is a valley that ends in the sea. We were looking for the flattest entrance so as not to spoil the fun for the sprinters in the first stage. The last two km to the finish are very fast, as the average descent is 4% to 5%, and such a downhill sprint is very rare.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Etappe 2: Dunedin - Karow 172 km, Flach

Image

Sprint: km 59, km 151
Mountain: km 9 (3), km 25 (4), km 93 (4), km 124 (4)
Gelände ab km 163: 0/ 0/ -1/ 0/ 0/ +1/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0
min tact: km 149

Wer in einen Kessel reinfährt, muss auch wieder raus und da haben wir diesmal eine schwere Ausfahrt genommen. 0/ 1/ 3/ 9/ 6/ 7/ 4/ 1/ 4 sind die Steigungen bis zur Bergwertung der Cat. 3 und kurz danach geht es nochmal mit 5/ 9/ 5 zur Bergwertung der Cat. 4. Hier könnte sich schon ein Bergfahrer erstmal das Bergtrikot sichern, wenn er die Körner investieren möchte. Danach wird es wieder flach, maximale Steigung von 5 und am Ende dürften die Sprinter wieder die Nase vorne haben und um das Führungstrikot kämpfen. Landschaftlich wird es sehr schön, erst geht es am Pazifik entlang und zum Ende fährt man dem Lauf des Waitaki River hoch.

Translation:
If you ride into a cauldron, you also have to ride out again and this time we took a difficult exit. 0/ 1/ 3/ 9/ 6/ 7/ 4/ 1/ 4 are the climbs up to the climb classification of Cat. 3 and shortly after that it's another 5/ 9/ 5 to the climb classification of Cat. 4. Here a mountaineer could secure the mountains jersey for the first time if he wants to invest the energy. After that it will be flat again, maximum gradient of 5 and at the end the sprinters will probably be ahead again and fight for the leader's jersey. The scenery is beautiful, first along the Pacific and then up the Waitaki River at the end.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Etappe 3: Karow - Geraldine 186 km, Hügel

Image

Sprint: km 8, km 162
Mountain: km 61 (2), km 91 (4)
Gravelsection: km 36 - km 77
Gelände ab km 177: +1/ 0/ +1/ +1/ +1/ +1/ 0/ 0/ 0/ +1
min tact: 178

Am dritten Tag kommen wir erstmals ins Alpenvorland und bewältigen einen Ausläufer der Gebirgskette. Im der wenig besiedelten Gegend gibt es nur eine Schotterstraße auf einer Strecke von 40 km, dazu ist die Steigung sehr lang aber auch recht flach, mehr als 5 % werden auf den letzten beiden Kilometern vor der Bergwertung der Cat. 2 nicht erreicht. Danach kommen wir wieder auf die Straße und noch zu einer Bergwertung der Cat. 4, bevor es in der zweiten Hälfte fast nur noch leicht bergab geht. Insgesamt keine wirklich schwere Etappe. Die Pave-Spezialisten haben hier aber als Ausreißer durchaus eine Chance nicht nur das Bertrikot zu holen, sondern auch als erstes das Ziel zu erreichen. Vermutlich werden aber die Sprinterteams nochmal alles daran setzen, es am Ende zu einem Massensprint kommen zu lassen, denn am nächsten Tag wird es dann zu steil für sie und sie müssen das Leadertrikot abgeben.

Translation:
On the third day, we enter the foothills of the Alps for the first time and tackle a foothill of the mountain range. In the sparsely populated area there is only one gravel road over a distance of 40 km, in addition the gradient is very long but also quite flat, more than 5% are not reached on the last two kilometres before the Cat. 2 mountain classification. After that we get back on the road and another Cat. 4 hill classification, before the second half is almost only slightly downhill. All in all, not a really difficult stage. The Pave specialists, however, have a chance as breakaway riders not only to win the moutain jersey, but also to reach the finish first. But probably the sprinterteams will do everything they can to make it a mass sprint at the end, because the next day it will be too steep for them and they will have to give up the leader's jersey.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Etappe 4: Geraldine - Porters Pass 187 km, Berg

Image

Sprint: km 52, km 146
Mountain: km 100 (4), km 111 (4), km 187 (2)
Gelände ab km 178: +2/ +1/ +3/ +2/ +1/ +4/ +2/ +4/ +9/ +8
min tact: 175

Auf der sehnsüchtig von den Bergfahrern erwarteten vierten Etappe geht es zunächst aber ins Flachland. Über Ashburton und einen Zwischensprint fährt das Feld in Richtung Mount Hutt. Kurz vor dem Berg, biegen wir rechts ab und überqueren den großen Rakaira Fluß, der sich tief ins Gestein gefräst hat. Das leicht ansteigende Gelände führt zur Cat. 4 Bergwertung, dann geht es in die Schlucht hinunter und über die fast 200 Meter lange Flußbrücke bevor es zwei Kilometer lang mit einer 5er Steigung wieder raus geht. Hier ist die nächste Cat. 4 Wertung. Nach einen Schlenker um die Gebirgsausläufer geht es dann hoch zum Porters Pass, wo am Aussichtspunkt genug Platz für eine Zielankunft war. Dort wartet nicht nur die Siegerprämie, sondern auch das Geld für die Cat. 2 Bergwertung. Für das Führungstrikot wird es vorausichtlich für den Ersten reichen, dass Bergtrikot wird er aber wohl nicht in Empfang nehmen dürfen und so sollten die Wertungstrikots auf drei verschiedenen Schultern ruhen. Landschaftlich gesehen, die bisher schönste Etappe, wofür die Fahrer wohl keine Zeit haben dürften diese zu bewundern, denn die Kapitäne und Favoriten auf den Gesamtsieg werden sich hier in Stellung bringen und da es doch erst recht lang flach ist, werden die Helfer auch zu tun bekommen. Der für eine Bergankunft nicht allzusteile und kurze Anstieg wird noch keine großen Abstände zulassen, aber man wird sehen, wer die Form mitbringt um hier um den Toursieg mitfahren zu können.

Translation:
On the fourth stage, which is eagerly awaited by the mountain riders, it's first the flat country. Via Ashburton and an intermediate sprint, the peloton heads towards Mount Hutt. Just before the mountain, we turn right and cross the big Rakaira River, which has cut deep into the rock. The slightly uphill terrain leads to the Cat. 4 hill climb, then we descend into the gorge and cross the almost 200 metre long river bridge before heading out again for two kilometres with a 5 grade. Here is the next Cat. 4 classification. After a detour around the foothills, it's up to Porters Pass, where there was enough room for a finish at the viewpoint. There, not only the winner's bonus awaits, but also the money for the Cat. 2 mountain classification. It will probably be enough for the leader's jersey for the first rider, but he will probably not be allowed to take the mountain jersey and so the classification jerseys should rest on three different shoulders. From a scenic point of view, this is the most beautiful stage so far, but the riders probably won't have time to admire it, because the captains and favourites for the overall victory will get into position here and since it is flat for quite a long time, the helpers will also have their work cut out for them. The climb, which is not too steep and short for a mountain finish, will not allow for large gaps, but we will see who has the form to compete for the Tour victory.
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Etappe 5: Darfield - Christchurch 189 km, Hügel

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Sprint: km 12, km 92
Mountain: km 147 (2), km 172 (4)
Gelände ab km 180: -1/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0
min tact: 164

Nachdem der Tourtross von Porters Pass wieder nach Darfield runtergekommen ist, wird auch hier die 5. Etappe gestartet. Endlich geht es in die größte Stadt der Südinsel, Christchurch. Zunächst werden wir aber einen Zwischensprint in Sheffield einlegen und dann den nächsten großen Fluß überqueren. An einem kleinen Fluß entlang fahren wir dann schnurgerade dem Meer entgegen. Zu besichtigen gibt es hier - Schafe, eine Menge Schafe. Bevor wir leider nicht baden gehen können, geht es rechts ab wieder über den Waimakariri Fluß nach Christchurch rein, wo uns ein Sprint erwartet, denen die Sprinter schon gerne als Ziel hätten. Da aber erst 91 flache Kilometer gefahren sind und wir den Zuschauern noch was bieten wollen, geht die Strecke wieder raus aus Christchurch und macht eine Runde über die Vorstädte um dann vom südosten wieder in die Stadt zu kommen. Und hier liegt das Problem der Sprinter, die knapp 500 Meter hohe Hügelkette die erklimmt werden muss. Ab km 141, haben wir Steigungen von 5/ 6/ 3/ 4/ 10/ 8/ 8 um Coopers Knob (Mountian Cat. 2) zu erreichen. Nach einer kurzen Strecke auf dem Kamm, geht es runter ans Meer und dann nochmal über den Engers Pass bei km 170 - 172 mit den Steigungen 4/ 5/ 5 (Mountain Cat. 4) nach Christchurch rein. Die Sprintspezialsten werden dann nicht mehr vorne dabei sein, für die Bergflöhe wird es auf den letzten flachen 15 km auch schwer werden, denn hier werden die Fahrer mit beiden Skills wahrscheinlich die Nase vorne haben.

Translation:
After the Tourtross has come back down from Porters Pass to Darfield, the 5th stage starts here as well. At last we are heading for the largest city in the South Island, Christchurch. But first we will have an intermediate sprint in Sheffield and then cross the next big river. Along a small river we drive straight towards the sea. There is something to see here - sheep, lots of sheep. Before we unfortunately can't go swimming, we turn right again across the Waimakariri River into Christchurch, where a sprint awaits us, which the sprinters would like to have as a finish. But since we have only ridden 91 flat kilometres and we still want to give the spectators something to watch, the route goes out of Christchurch again and does a lap of the suburbs to then come back into the city from the south-east. And here lies the problem for the sprinters, the almost 500 metre high hill range that has to be climbed. From km 141, we have climbs of 5/ 6/ 3/ 4/ 10/ 8/ 8 to reach Coopers Knob (Mountian Cat. 2). After a short stretch on the ridge, it's down to the sea and then again over Engers Pass at km 170 - 172 with gradients of 4/ 5/ 5 (Mountain Cat. 4) into Christchurch. The sprint specialists will then no longer be at the front, it will also be difficult for the mountain fleas on the last flat 15 km, because here the riders with both skills will probably have their noses in front.
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Etappe 6: Christchurch - Hanmer Springs 153 km, Flach

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Sprint: km 37, km 117
Mountain: km 92 (4)
Gelände ab km 142: -1/ 0/ 0/ -1/ +1/ +1/ 0/ +1/ +1/ +2
min tact: 138

Die 6. Etappe könnte auch für gute Amateurfahrer eine schöne Strecke mit einem lohnenden Ziel sein. Es geht von Christchurch nach Hanmar Springs, hier könnte man im Winter mit Sicherheit Ski fahren, aber das ganze Jahr geben die warmen und heissen Quellen ihr Wasser in denen man sehr gut entspannen kann. Die kurze Strecke ist was für die Sprinter, es geht nie mehr als 3% hoch, nur der Zielsprint steigt auch 2% an. Nach dem ersten Zwischensprint in Rangiora geht es über den nächsten großen Fluß, den Ashley River. Eine echte Bergwertung gibt es eigentlich nicht, obwohl wir im Alpenvorland unterwegs sind, trotzdem ist mit einem hohen Tempo zu rechnen, denn Zeit haben die Fahrer nach dem Rennen kaum, um sich in den Quellen zu entspannen. Es steht noch ein Transport von 250 km an und am nächsten Tag wartet die Königsetappe, da müssen alle wieder fit sein.

Translation:
Stage 6 could also be a nice route for good amateur riders with a rewarding finish. It goes from Christchurch to Hanmar Springs, here you could ski in winter for sure, but all year round the warm and hot springs give their water in which you can relax very well. The short course is something for sprinters, it never goes up more than 3%, only the finish sprint also goes up 2%. After the first intermediate sprint in Rangiora, the route crosses the next big river, the Ashley River. There is actually no real mountain classification, even though we are in the foothills of the Alps, but you can still expect a fast pace, because the riders hardly have time to relax in the springs after the race. There is still a transport of 250 km to go and the next day the queen stage is waiting, everyone has to be fit again.

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Etappe 7: Blenheim - Richmond 138 km, Berg

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Sprint: km 11, km 41
Mountain: km 82 (1) ( +9/ +10/ +6/ +5/ +10/ +13/ +11/ +11/ -2/ +15)
km 96 (4)
km 110 (1) ( +3/ +7/ +25/ +18/ +17/ +20)
Gravelsection: km 60 - km 125
Gelände ab km 129: 0/ -1/ -1/ 0/ 0/ +1/ -1/ 0/ 0/ 0
min tact: 104

Die Köningsetappe! Nicht nur von den Steigungen und der Höhe, es ist auch landschaftlich die schönste Etappe und dazu ist sie auch noch die Kürzeste mit 138 km. Es gibt soviele taktische Möglichkeiten für die verschiedenen Teams, dass ich hoffe, dass es auch die spannenste Etappe der Tour wird. Was man wohl schon mit Sicherheit sagen kann, wer am Ziel nicht in einer der vorderen Gruppen ist, kann den Gesamtsieg abschreiben, denn hier könnten schon große Zeitabstände entstehen und die Fahrer müssen aufpassen, dass sie am Ende nicht aus der Karrenzzeit fallen, das begrenzt vielleicht auch die Aktivitäten am Anfang und die taktische Auswahl der Teams. Gestartet wird in Blenheim, nach 11 km gibt es den ersten Zwischensprint, den sich vielleicht die Sprinter noch holen möchten, wenn ihre Teams das Feld bis dahin zusammenhalten können. Nachdem dann der Wairau River überquert ist, geht es in eine Art Schlucht ganze 25 flache Kilometer durch die Alpen nach Havelock zum zweiten Zwischensprint bei km 41. Es wird sich zeigen, ob sich da schon eine Ausreißergruppe gebildet hat, Kandidaten dafür wären Dockstationen für die Kapitäne, Bergpunktejäger und auch Sprinter für die Punkte in Havelock, dass Ausreißer eine Chance auf den Etappensieg haben, würde ich an diesem Tag bezweifeln. Allerdings wird es auch genügend Teams geben, die diese Kandidaten gar nicht erst weg lassen wollen, daher kann es auch sein, dass das Peloton noch geschlossen hier ankommt. Danach geht es 30 sehr sehenswerte Kilometer am Fluss Te Hoiere entlang, der mit Sicherheit zum Baden einlädt. An der Pelrous Brigde biegen die Fahrer dann vom Asphalt auf den Schotter ab. Nun kommt die Zeit der Pavespezialisten, um groß Vorsprung rauszufahren, dürfte der flache Teil aber zu kurz sein. Die 10 km hoch zum Rocks Hut (Cat. 1) haben dann im Durchschnitt 9% Steigung, oben wird man dann mit einer schönen Aussicht belohnt. Ob dort noch Ausreißer vorne sein werden, ist hier einer der spannenden Fragen. Auf dem Gebirgskamm entlang geht es dann hoch und runter. Ab km 97 geht es dann bergab um 2 km dem Miner River zu folgen. Danach kommt der knackige Anstieg zum Starveall (Cat. 1) erst zwei Kilometer seicht, aber die vier folgenden Kilometer haben eine durchschnittliche Steigung von 20%. Der ganze Bergereich führt duch den Mount Richmond Forest Park, aber dafür dürften die Fahrer keine Augen haben. Nach der steilen Abfahrt sind aber noch ca. 15 km im flachen zu absolvieren bevor man die Ziellinie in Richmond passieren kann. Hier wird man sehen, welche Bergfahrer noch genügend Kraft haben die Strecke alleine oder in einer kleinen Gruppe zu meistern. Es könnte aber auch sein, das die besten Hüegelspezialisten noch aufschließen und ein Wörtchen um den Tagessieg mitreden wollen. Ist die anstrengende Etappe geschafft, wartet auch noch der Rücktransport nach Blenheim, wo man wenigsten dann ein zweites mal im gleichen Bett schlafen kann, bevor es am folgenden Tag mit der Fähre auf die nördliche Insel nach Wellington geht.

Translation:
The kings stage! Not only because of the climbs and the altitude, it is also the most beautiful stage in terms of scenery, and it is also the shortest at 138 km. There are so many tactical possibilities for the different teams that I hope it will also be the most exciting stage of the Tour. What you can say for sure is that if you are not in one of the front groups at the finish, you can write off the overall victory, because there could be big time gaps and the riders have to be careful not to fall behind at the end, which might also limit the activities at the start and the tactical choices of the teams. The start is in Blenheim, after 11 km there is the first intermediate sprint, which the sprinters might want to take if their teams can keep the field together until then. After the Wairau River is crossed, the route goes into a kind of gorge for a whole 25 flat kilometres through the Alps to Havelock for the second intermediate sprint at km 41. It remains to be seen whether a breakaway group has already formed, candidates for this would be docking stations for the captains, mountain point chasers and also sprinters for the points in Havelock, that breakaways have a chance of winning the stage, I would doubt on this day. However, there will also be enough teams who don't want to let these candidates get away at all, so it's also possible that the peloton will still arrive here united. After that, it's 30 kilometres along the Te Hoiere river, which is well worth seeing and certainly invites you to take a swim. At the Pelrous Brigde, the riders turn off the asphalt onto the gravel. Now it's time for the pavement specialists, but the flat part might be too short to gain a big lead. The 10 km up to the Rocks Hut (Cat. 1) have an average gradient of 9%, at the top you are rewarded with a beautiful view. Whether there will be any breakaways at the front is one of the exciting questions here. The course goes up and down along the ridge. From km 97 onwards, the route goes downhill to follow the Miner River for 2 km. Then comes the crisp climb up to Starveall (Cat. 1), shallow for two kilometres at first, but the four kilometres that follow have an average gradient of 20%. The whole mountain section passes through Mount Richmond Forest Park, but riders may not have eyes for that. After the steep descent, however, there are still about 15 kilometres of flat riding to be done before passing the finish line in Richmond. Here we will see which climbers still have enough strength to master the course alone or in a small group. But it could also be that the best hill specialists will catch up and want to have a say in the day's victory. Once the strenuous stage is over, the transport back to Blenheim awaits, where you can at least sleep in the same bed for a second time before taking the ferry to the northern island of Wellington the following day.

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Es folgt ein Ruhetag, der genutzt wird, damit der Renntross von der Südinsel zur Nordinsel nach Wellington umziehen kann.

Translation:
A rest day follows, which is used so that the race pack can move from the South Island to the North Island in Wellington.
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Etappe 8: Wellington - Lower Hutt 25 km, ITT

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Mountain: km 7 (4)
Gelände km 5 - 12: +5/ +6/ +4/ -2/ 0/ -2/ -6/ -5
min tact: 1

Ein mittleres Einzeitfahren eröffnet am ersten Tag auf der Nordinsel die Möglichkeit eines Wechsels in der Gesamtwertung. Hier werden sich vorallem die Favoriten und die Spezialisten reinhängen, der Rest wartet auf Chancen in anderen Etappen. Der Start ist in Wellington, der Stadt, die in Neuseeland für Profiradrennsport steht wie keine andere. Los geht es am Hafen, mit einem kleinen Schlenker für die Bergwertung (Cat. 4), läuft die Etappe Richtung Lower Hutt, wo auch schon das Ziel nach 25 km wartet.

Translation:
A medium time trial on the first day on the North Island opens up the possibility of a change in the overall classification. This is where the favourites and the specialists will put in the work, the rest will wait for their chances in other stages. The start is in Wellington, the city that stands for professional cycling in New Zealand like no other. It starts at the harbour, with a small detour for the mountain classification (Cat. 4), the stage runs towards Lower Hutt, where the finish is already waiting after 25 km.
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Etappe 9: Lower Hutt - Palmerston North 182 km, Flach

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Sprint: km 85, km 167
Mountain: km 9 (4), km 29 (4)
Gelände ab km 173: 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0
min tact: 166

Die letzte Etappe für die reinen Sprinter, dürfte die 9. sein. Von Lower Hutt geht es zwar am Anfang über zwei Hügel (Cat. 4), der Rest ist aber fast flach, nur noch ein kleiner Hügel wartet kurz vor dem zweiten Zwischensprint in Fielding, aber dieser hat keine nennswerte Steigung. Anders sieht das bei Haywards Hill bei km 9 aus, da sind 6% und 8% zu bewältigen, der Paekakriki Hill hat maximal 5% Steigung und danach folgt nur noch bei km 37 eine Steigung mit 6%. Insgesamt also ehr eine leichte Etappe, die Sprinterteams haben genug Zeit die Ausreißer wieder einzufangen. Der Wind könnte eine Rolle spielen, denn die meiste Zeit geht es am Meer entlang. In Palmerston North erwartet uns dann ein ganz flacher Sprint. duch die windgeschützten Straßenschluchten, könnte es am Ende durchaus nochmal Attacken geben, da müssen die Sprinterteams das Tempo richtig hochhalten, damit sie am Ende den Tagessieg unter sich ausmachen.

Translation:
The last stage for the pure sprinters should be the 9th. From Lower Hutt there are two hills at the beginning (Cat. 4), but the rest is almost flat, only one small hill awaits shortly before the second intermediate sprint in Fielding, but this one has no significant gradient. The situation is different at Haywards Hill at km 9, where there is a 6% and 8% gradient, Paekakriki Hill has a maximum gradient of 5% and after that there is only a 6% gradient at km 37. All in all it's an easy stage, the sprinters have enough time to catch the escapees. The wind could play a role, as most of the stage goes along the sea. In Palmerston North, a very flat sprint awaits us. Due to the wind-protected road canyons, there could be attacks at the end, where the sprinter teams have to keep the pace really high, so that they can decide the day's victory among themselves at the end.
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Etappe 10: Mangaweka - Whakapapa 166 km, Berg

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Sprint: km 51, km 113
Mountain: km 7 (4), km 32 (4), km 121 (3), km 166 (1)
Gelände ab km 151: +2/ +2/ +3/ +4/ +4/ +2/ +5/ +6/ +5/ +6/ +6/ +8/ +7/ +8/ +9/ +13
min tact: 150

Auf der 10. Etappe wird es wohl eine Vorentscheidung über den Gesamtsieg geben, denn danach ist es schwer noch größere Zeitrückstände gut zu machen besonders für die Bergfahrer, die Hügelspezialisten haben noch mehr Chancen mal ein paar Sekunden zu gewinnen. Es geht auf den Mount Ruapehu, an seiner Nordseite liegt das Skigebiet um Whakapapa, welches unser Ziel sein wird. Zunächst müssen aber vor dem Startschuss die 80 km auf vier Rädern zum Startort bewältigt werden. Auf hügeligen Gelände starten wir in Mangaweka, nach 7 km warte schon die erste Bergwertung der Cat. 4, nach 32 km auf Spooners Hill kommt die nächste, hier sind auch schon 9% zu bewältigen. Die schöne Hügellandschaft und verschiedene Flüsse begleiten uns bis zum Zwischensprint in Waiouru. Auf der Strecke südöstlich am Mount Ruapehu und am Mount Ngauruhoe vorbei, zum zweiten Zwischensprint nach Turangi ist es nicht wirklich flach, erst geht es mehrheitlich bergauf und dann wieder runter. Am Te Ponanga Saddle (Mountian Cat. 3) geht es dann schon zur Sache, auf sechs Kilometer mit 6/ 7/ 9/ 5/ 7/ 3% Steigung könnten hier die Helfer fürs Flache abgeschüttelt werden. Nach einer kurzen Abfahrt, fängt das Gelände seicht an zu steigen. Wenn wir dann links abbiegen und den Highway 47 Richtung Vulkan verlassen, geht es nur noch bergauf und die Steigungen nehmen immer mehr zu. Der letzte Kilometer hat 13%, hier sollte die Vorentscheidung um den Gesamtsieg fallen, da heisst es den richtigen Moment für die Attacke erwischen.

Translation:
On the 10th stage there will probably be a preliminary decision about the overall victory, because after that it is difficult to make up more time gaps, especially for the mountain riders, the hill specialists have even more chances to gain a few seconds. We are heading up Mount Ruapehu, on its northern side lies the ski area around Whakapapa, which will be our destination. But first we have to cover the 80 km on four wheels to the starting point before the starting gun. We start on hilly terrain in Mangaweka, after 7 km the first mountain classification of Cat. 4 is waiting for us, after 32 km on Spooners Hill the next one is coming, here we already have to cope with 9%. The beautiful hilly landscape and various rivers accompany us until the intermediate sprint in Waiouru. On the route southeast past Mount Ruapehu and Mount Ngauruhoe, to the second intermediate sprint to Turangi it is not really flat, first it is mostly uphill and then down again. At Te Ponanga Saddle (Mountian Cat. 3) it's already getting down to business, on six kilometres with 6/ 7/ 9/ 5/ 7/ 3% gradients the helpers for the flat could be shaken off here. After a short descent, the terrain begins to climb gently. When we then turn left and leave Highway 47 towards the volcano, it is all uphill and the gradients increase more and more. The last kilometre has 13%, here the preliminary decision for the overall victory should be made, so we have to catch the right moment for the attack.

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Etappe 11: Torangi - Rotorua 167 km, Hügel

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Sprint: km 50, km 130
Mountain: km 29 (4), km 69 (4), km 138 (4), km 148 (4)
Gravelsection: km 144 - km 149
Gelände ab km 158: -2/ -2/ -1/ -2/ 0/ 0/ -1/ -1/ -1/ -1
min tact: 144

Heute könnte der Tag der Ausreißer sein. Eine Vorentscheidung ist im Gesamtklassement gefallen und für die Sprinter dürfte die Etappe zu schwer sein. Besonders der letzte Hügel hat es in sich, da es hier nochmal auf Schotter geht und sollte das Feld hier geschlossen ankommen, gäbe es mit Sicherheit Attacken. Gestartet wird in Torangi, den Ort kennen wir ja noch vom Zwischensprint gestern. Entlang des wunderschönen Lake Taupo liegt die erste Bergwertung (Cat. 4) in Hatepe, die mit 6% und 5% Steigung auf zwei Kilometer bewältigt werden muss. In Taupo angekommen gibt es den ersten Zwischensprint. Dann geht es vom See weg ins hügelige Land, ein flacher Anstieg bei Oruanui bringt die nächste Bergwertung (Cat.4). Vorbei am Atiamuri Dam, folgen wir dem Weg nach Rotorua, dort angekommen gibt es bei km 130 die nächste Sprintwertung. Anschließend wird noch ein Schleife um den Whakarewarewa Forest Park und den blauen und grünen See gemacht bevor es in Rotorua zum Zielsprint kommt. Auf der Schleife warten zwei weitere Bergwertungen (Cat. 4) und bei km 133 - 135 eine Steigung von 5/ 6/ 4% und bei km 144 -149 auf Schotter nochmal 2/ 9/ 0/ 4/ 5/ 0%. Dies gibt vielleicht den einen oder anderen Hügelfahrer die Möglichkeit einen Angriff zu starten um noch ein paar Sekunden gewinnen.

Translation:
Today could be the day of the escapees. A preliminary decision has been made in the overall classification and the stage might be too difficult for the sprinters. Especially the last hill is a challenge, because here it's gravel again and if the peloton arrives here united, there would be attacks for sure. The start is in Torangi, a place we know from yesterday's intermediate sprint. Along the beautiful Lake Taupo lies the first mountain classification (Cat. 4) in Hatepe, which has to be mastered with 6% and 5% gradient over two kilometres. Arriving in Taupo there is the first intermediate sprint. Then it's off the lake into hilly country, a flat climb at Oruanui brings the next mountain classification (Cat.4). Passing the Atiamuri Dam, we follow the road to Rotorua, where the next sprint classification is at km 130. Afterwards we will do a loop around Whakarewarewa Forest Park and the blue and green lake before the finish sprint in Rotorua. On the loop two more mountain classifications (Cat. 4) are waiting and at km 133 - 135 a climb of 5/ 6/ 4% and at km 144 -149 on gravel another 2/ 9/ 0/ 4/ 5/ 0%. This might give the one or other hill rider the opportunity to start an attack to gain a few more seconds.

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Etappe 12: Rotorua - Hamilton 161 km, Hügel

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Sprint: km 59, km 143
Mountain: km 26 (4), km 90 (2)
Gelände ab km 152: 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0/ -1/ +1/ 0
min tact: 142

Bei der vorletzten Etappe von Rotorua über Tauranga nach Hamilton könnten wieder viele Szenarien entstehen, jenachdem wie es bei den Trikotwertungen aussieht. Dies beeinflusst auch ganz stark die Chancen der Ausreißer, denn die erste Hälfte des Rennens ist hügelig, die Zweite ist flach. Geht es in der Sprintwertung eng zu, wird zum Ende wohl viel Tempo gemacht. Aber fangen wir vorne an. Der erste Zwischensprint ist in Tauranga, welches von Hügeln umgeben ist. Die Hinfahrt ist etwas flacher, hier wartet die Bergwertung (Cat. 4) an einer 7% Steigung bei Mangorewa. Die Ausfahrt wird schwerer, daher gibt es auch eine Bergwertung der Cat. 2 mit 10 Punkte für den Ersten. Diese können auch sehr wichtig für das Bergtrikot sein. Die Steigung zieht sich über einige km hin, dabei wird es am steilsten bei km 89 mit 7% und bei den km 77 und 84 mit 8% bevor es nach km 90 recht steil wieder ins Flachland geht. Auf der Fahrt nach Hamilton begleitet uns der Waikato River über etliche Kilometer und 18 km vor dem Ziel kommt es nochmal zu einem Zwischensprint in Cambridge. Was uns dann genau auf der Zielgeraden in Hamilton erwartet, kann ich jetzt unmöglich voraussagen.

Translation:
In the penultimate stage from Rotorua via Tauranga to Hamilton, many scenarios could arise again, depending on how the jersey rankings look. This also strongly influences the chances of the escapees, because the first half of the race is hilly, the second half is flat. If it's close in the sprint classification, there will probably be a lot of speed at the end. But let's start at the front. The first intermediate sprint is in Tauranga, which is surrounded by hills. The outward leg is a bit flatter, here the mountain classification (Cat. 4) awaits at a 7% climb near Mangorewa. The exit will be harder, so there is also a Cat. 2 hill classification with 10 points for the first. These can also be very important for the mountains jersey. The climb continues for a few kilometres, getting steepest at km 89 with 7% and at km 77 and 84 with 8% before it gets quite steep again after km 90. On the way to Hamilton the Waikato River accompanies us for several kilometres and 18 km before the finish there is another intermediate sprint in Cambridge. It is impossible for me to predict exactly what awaits us on the home stretch in Hamilton.
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Etappe 13: Hamilton - Auckland 186 km, Hügel

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Sprint: km 16, km 119
Mountain: km 26 (4), km 58 (4), km 63 (4), km 70 (4), km 78 (4), km 101 (4), km 134 (4), km 153 (4), km 171 (4)
Gelände ab km 177: 0/ 0/ -1/ -1/ +2/ -1/ 0/ -1/ 0/ +1
min tact: 168

Die 13. und letzte Etappe führt von Hamilton nach Auckland. Hier werden die letzten Entscheidungen in den jeweiligen Klassements fallen. Es wäre jetzt ein leichtes gewesen, eine schöne Flachetappe auf dem Highway 1 zu organsieren, wie es sie z.B. in Paris bei der Tour gibt. Aber wir haben hier keine Tour de France und wir wollten den Zuschauern nochmal was bieten und den Fahrern nochmal eine Chance geben ihr können zu zeigen. Daher sind etliche Hügel auf dem Weg nach Auckland zu überfahren. Dementsprechend viele Bergwertungen gibt es auch, 9 Stück der Cat. 4, was bedeutet, dass es noch 27 Bergpunkte zu holen gibt. Ich kann mir zwar nicht vorstellen, dass ein Fahrer alle bekommt, aber vermutlich wird der finale Träger des Bergtrikos erst am Ende dieser Etappe feststehen. Es gibt viele kurze Anstiege zu bewältigen 5% bei km 26, 75, 89 und 134, 6% bei km 63, 133 und 152, 7% bei km 58, 8% bei km 153 und 9% bei km 70. Dieses rauf und runter wird den reinen Sprintern nicht schmecken, vielleicht schaffen sie es aber durch gute Teamarbeit den Anschluss zu halten. Sonst gäbe es noch die Chance auf den ersten flachen 20 km den Zwischensprint in Ngaruawahia zu gewinnen. Der zweite Zwischensprint bei km 119 in Pokeno liegt zwischen den ganzen Anstiegen und wird wohl an Ausreißer gehen. Ab km 154 warten keine steileren Anstiege mehr, hier ist dann die Frage, welche Sprinter noch in Reichweite des Pelotons sind und wer abgehängt ist, denn bei km 153 wird das Feld mit Sicherheit nochmal auseinandergerissen. Vermutlich wird dann eine größere oder große Gruppe zum Sprint in Auckland antreten.

Translation:
The 13th and final stage leads from Hamilton to Auckland. Here the last decisions in the respective classifications will be made. It would have been easy to organise a nice flat stage on Highway 1, like the ones in Paris at the Tour. But we don't have a Tour de France here and we wanted to offer the spectators something and give the riders another chance to show their skills. That's why there are a lot of hills on the way to Auckland. Accordingly, there are many hill classifications, 9 of them of the Cat. 4, which means that there are still 27 hill points to get. I can't imagine that one rider will get all of them, but probably the final bearer of the mountain trike will only be known at the end of this stage. There are a lot of short climbs - 5% at 26km, 75km, 89km and 134km, 6% at 63km, 133km and 152km, 7% at 58km, 8% at 153km and 9% at 70km. This up and down will not be to the liking of the pure sprinters, but maybe they will manage to keep up with them through good teamwork. Otherwise, there would still be a chance to win the intermediate sprint in Ngaruawahia on the first flat 20 km. The second intermediate sprint at 119km in Pokeno is located between the climbs and will probably go to the escapees. From km 154 onwards there are no steep climbs, so the question is which sprinters are still within reach of the peloton and who is left behind, because at km 153 the peloton will surely be torn apart again. Probably a bigger or larger group will then start the sprint in Auckland.
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Dies soll es erstmal gewesen sein mit unserer Präsentation. Ich hoffe sie hat ihnen gefallen und wenn unsere Tour gewählt wird, dass wir eine sehr spannende Rundfahrt erleben, am besten erst mit den Entscheidungen in jeweiligen Klassements auf der letzten Etappe. Noch Fragen? Ja - Welchen Rennfahrertyp ich als Favorit auf die jeweiligen Trikots sehe. Nun bei dem Sprinttrikot wird es eng werden, ob ein reiner Sprinter oder ein Hügelsprinter das Trikot holt, mit einem guten Team, würde ich aber auf einen reinen Sprinter tippen. Das Bergtrikot sehe ehr nicht bei einem Bergfahrer, es sei denn, es dominiert ein Fahrer alles, dort gibt es aber mehr als genug kleine Wertungen auf den verschiedenen Etappen zu holen, dass ich hier einen Hügelspezialisten vorne sehe. Das weiße Trikot dürfte an einen jungen Bergfahrer gehen. Das Gesamtwertung werden wohl die Rundfahrer unter sich ausmachen, ohne einen guten Bergskill geht zwar nichts, aber wer nicht auch beim Zeitfahren eine gute Leistung zeigt, dürfte da die entscheidenden Sekunden verlieren.

Vielen Dank für ihre Aufmerksamkeit!


Translation:
This should be it for now with our presentation. I hope you enjoyed it and if our tour is chosen, that we will experience a very exciting tour, preferably with the decisions in the respective classifications on the last stage. Any questions? Yes - Which type of racer I see as favourite for the respective jerseys. Well, for the sprint jersey it will be tight whether a pure sprinter or a hill sprinter will get the jersey, but with a good team I would bet on a pure sprinter. I don't see the mountain jersey going to a mountain rider, unless one rider dominates everything, but there are more than enough small scores on the different stages that I see a hill specialist in front. The white jersey should go to a young climber. The overall classification will probably be decided by the cyclists themselves, without good climbing skills nothing will work, but if you don't also show a good performance in the time trial, you will probably lose the decisive seconds.

Thank you for your attention!

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