What Didn’t Happen at the Tour Intro

The route for the 2010 Tour route was unveiled in Paris and you’ve read all about it. Here’s what you may not have read.

by Joe Lindsey

Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador didn’t get in a fight. They didn’t hug. There was, however, an awkward-seeming handshake between a confident-looking Contador and a clearly uncomfortable Armstrong. Carlos Sastre didn’t even come, and intimated the next day he wasn’t sure if he’d do the race. Alejandro Valverde wasn’t there either. There’s no team time trial, and not everyone misses it. Even the flat stages aren’t really all that flat.

There are actually four more kilometers of individual time trial than the 2009 edition; it just doesn’t seem that way. Although everyone says the course is ideal for Alberto Contador (which it is), it’s also pretty well-suited for Andy Schleck. Recall that he lost 1:54 to Contador in the Annecy time trial, but was fifth best among GC riders. The last time the race visited the cobblestones, in 2004, defending champion and overwhelming favorite Lance Armstrong merely wanted to stay out of trouble. In 2010, he is painting himself as the underdog and may even race the Tour of Flanders as a dress rehearsal.

The race crosses the Tourmalet twice, but the first time won’t be any kind of recon of the route because they take a longer, steeper route to the Stage 17 summit finish. That said, everyone’s familiar with the Tourmalet. There are more mountains, but again, the effect of the Pyreneean stages is blunted by their layout. Ax 3 Domaines is neither long enough nor steep enough to force a major selection, and the Aubisque, on Stage 16, is too far from the finish (58km) to matter.

The traditional “unlooked-for” stage that may matter? The 210km 12th stage to Mende, a short but steep climb that has been done in only two Tours - 1995 and 2005. Each time, it was significant. In 1995 Alex Zulle showed cracks, while Laurent Jalabert reinvented himself as a climber. In 2005, it was trouble for Alexandre Vinokourov, Michael Rasmussen and several others.

For more of what is and is not, check out our podcast, read Jim Startt’s preview or view the route presentation and 3D flyover.