The Tour de France. Atlas. Christian Carter. July 6, 2011

Transcription

1 The Tour de France Atlas Christian Carter July 6,

2 The 2011 Tour de France will take place across France from July 2, 2011 through the concluding ride into Paris on July 24, The riders will cover more than 3400 kilometers riding along the coast, through farmland and vineyards, over the mountains of the Alps and Pyrenees and on into Paris. The 2011 race marks the 100 th anniversary of the first climb in the Tour de France. Figure 1: The Tour de France traverses France beginning along the western coast, moving through Brittany and on the central and southern France, the peleton enters Italy before coming back to France and concluding in Paris. Each stage of the Tour de France presents its own difficulties based upon the geographical characteristics of the stage. Some stages are very flat and require the riders to maintain a high level of speed testing their stamina and cardiovascular capabilities. Other stages involve the climbing of mountains, which involves a great deal of muscular endurance and energy to lift themselves and their bike over very high peaks. Weather can also play a role as wind, rain and snow are possible based upon the elevation and location of each stage. As each stage has its own unique characteristics and difficulties, bike selection is of critical importance to the riders. The gear selection, frame selection, and aerodynamics all need to be considered before each stage. To help team 2

3 managers make an appropriate selection. A review of the stage s profile and map are considered. Stage 19 of this year s tour is a high mountain stage. The journey begins in Mondane Valfrejus and concluding at the summit of Alp de Huez. This stage is relatively short as it covers almost 110 km. The concluding summit is at an elevation of 1800 m requiring a steep climb after two day previous days of climbing in the mountains. A stage such as this will almost certainly produce the winner, as only the best riders will finish near the front of the pack. The following map compliments the race profile as it allows the riders and teams to contextualize the race profile as they determine how best to navigate and conquer the course as an individual rider and as part of a team. Alp de Huez is a mountain and stage in the Tour de France that has a great history in the tour. It has been used on many occasions and the weather on Alp de Huez is sometimes as interesting as the climb. This mountain has been the scene of snow, wind, rain and fog making the ride even more difficult for the riders. It is a historic mountain and one that the riders look forward to ascending. Alp de Huez is a ski resort in the winter and summertime pasture when not hosting the Tour de France. Stage 7 of this year s tour is very flat and becomes a day when the finish is dominated by sprinters with the peleton working as teams to be sure that each team s sprinter is in the ideal location to try to win the stage. Chateauroux is located in central France on the Indres River. The town takes its name from a castle built in the 10 th century. The stage map is of critical importance as each team determines which rider should lead the team at which point in the race. The race begins in Le Mans and ends in Chateauroux. 3

4 Figure 2: Stage 7 ends in a sprint after covering 218 km. Team mangers have a great deal of data to consider when making decisions related which team riders will ride in the Tour de France and the bikes to be selected for riding. Team Garmin- Cervelo chose nine riders to help the team secure the yellow jersey at the conclusion of the event. Each rider has a different specialty and therefore requires a bike that can meet the rider s needs as well as help the rider succeed on a particular stage. For instance, the chosen squad features World Champion and Norwegian God of Thunder Thor Hushovd and fellow sprinter Tyler Farrar, who has claimed stage wins in two other Grand Tours. Headed by experienced and tough lead- out man Julian Dean the couple will be aiming for blasting stage wins for the team (Valentinsen, 2011). This atlas provides information on two of the twenty- one stages in this year s Tour de France. The amount of information that must be analyzed by team managers, teams, and riders is daunting. Using maps, geographical data, and pictures can help teams make the best decisions when it comes to choosing the best bike for the ride. 4

5 References Le Tour de France (2011). Map of the Tour. Retrieved July 5, 2011 from Le Tour de France (2011). Stage by stage: Stage 19. Retrieved on July 6, 2011 from Le Tour de France (2011). Stage by stage: Stage 7. Retrieved on July 6, 2011 from Valentinsen, T. A. (2011, June 28). Team Garmin- Cervelo announces 2011 Tour de France roster. Retrieved on July 7, 2011 from Garmin- Cervelo- Announces Tour- de- France- Roster_ shtml 5