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Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

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emmea90
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Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by emmea90 »

Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour
Contest #4 it's again a Grand Tour, this time will be fully dedicated to the GOAT (after Mathieu Van der Poel, of course |rules )

Image

Constraints
  • You have to draw an European Grand Tour, you can choose the zones you want but must include Belgium, Italy and France plus a country at your choice. You must do at least 5 stages in each of those countries
  • At least 18 finishes must present the same finish (finish line positions / last climb if was a mountain stage / same finish if it was a classic) of a Merckx victory
  • You must include at least 2 finishes from a Giro d'Italia victory and 2 finishes from a Tour de France victory plus a finish from one of the four World Championships victories (that includes at least 3 laps of the World Circuit in the stage - remember, we have all the World Championships circuits in our archive: maps/races?calendar%5B0%5D=8&years=all)
  • For the classics:
  • Transfers between stages should be realistic
  • Tour should be fitted to riders with Merckx Characteristic, so ITT must be balanced with mtf
  • Grand Tour MUST be drawn with 1970s rules
    • Route will last 23 days. Up to you if you want to insert rest days, you can also not do it
    • You must insert half-stages from a minimum of 4 (one day = 2 or 3 half stages) and a maximum of 10 (five days) half stages.
    • You can insert only a day divided in 3 half-stages and you can't insert a day divided in more than 3 half-stages.
    • Stage limit is still 240Km, you can go up with one stage until a maximum of 330 km and not 260 as it's now (remember, if you split a stage in half stages, the limit is the sum of daily kms)
    • Route must start with a prologue, can be also a TTT prologue
    • There must be at least 3 ITTs and one TTT or four ITTs. Usually ITTs at that time were short half-stages when TDF visited big cities. I suggest to have a look at the routes of TDF won by Merckx
    • As tour tool doesn't support rest days and half-stages, please specify them in the description and/or in presentation
Deadline will be sunday, august 4, h 23.59

Please all use Tour de France 2019 2d style
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YellowJersey
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by YellowJersey »

I'm not sure where I saw but I have a feeling I read there was a limit on time-trial lenght if it's integrated in a half stage, is there?
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by emmea90 »

YellowJersey wrote: 22/07/2019, 0:06 I'm not sure where I saw but I have a feeling I read there was a limit on time-trial lenght if it's integrated in a half stage, is there?
Time trial limit is 60 kms. Doesn't change between full and half stage.
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by Bocmanis82 »

What is limit for prolouge ITT/TTT? I think in modern era it is 8km, but in Eddy's era I have seen 10km prolouge ITT.
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by kanon16 »

Here my Merckxian Grand Tour:
maps/tours/view/12262

The idea is to combine tradition and innovation, drawing a race that is not anachronistic for our days and at the same time a tribute to Eddy Merckx.

Statistics:
Total distance = 3555,8 km
6 high mountain stages, 7 medium mountain stages, 8 flat stages, 4 individual time-trials, 1 team time-trial.
3 mountain top finishes, 1 individual time-trial top finishes.
ITT total distance = 70.7 km
TTT total distance = 28.9 Km
Total HC climbs = 6
Total 1° category climbs = 13
Total 2° category climbs = 9
8 Bonus-Points sprints along the Route (like in the lasts Tour de France)

21 racing days, 2 rest days
8 stages in France, 7 stages in Italy, 6 stages in Belgium and 5 stages in Switzerland

STAGE 1a (Prologue ITT) Knokke-Heist > Heist-aan-Zee (9,7 Km) **
Image
1° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: Two victories by Eddy Merckx in Heist in Tour of Belgium 1970 and 1971, both in ITT!

STAGE 1b Bruges > Meerbeke (188,5 Km ) ***
Image
Hilly, It's a little Ronde Van Vlaanderen with 10 cotes.
2° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: Eddy won two times the Ronde Van Vlaanderen: in 1969 and 1975; the finish line was both the times in Meerbeke.


STAGE 2 Ninove > Forest (158 Km) *
Image
Flat, for sprinters.
3° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: Eddy won in Forest during the 1970 Tour de France.


STAGE 3a TTT Bruxelles-Palais > Bruxelles-Atomium (28,9 Km) ***
Image

STAGE 3b Bruxelles > Verviers (168,6 Km) **
Image
Hilly, probably for a puncheur, with the famous Mur de Huy and some cotes in the last 25 Kilometers.
4° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: In the Giro d'Italia of 1973 which started from Belgium, Merckx won the first ITT in Verviers.


STAGE 4 Verviers > Herbeumont (226,4 Km) ***
Image
Medium-Mountain stage with 7 easy climbs and more than 3500 m of ascent.
5° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: Eddy won in Herbeumont during the Tour of Belgium 1971, dominated by the Cannibal.


STAGE 5 Thionville > Strasbourg (243 Km) **
Image
Flat, for sprinters.
6° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: This stage remembers the victory by Eddy in Strasbourg in the Tour de France of 1971


STAGE 6 Mulhouse > Eschenbach (200,5 Km) **
Image
Flat, with 3 short climbs in the middle and the last kilometer at 3,5% of slope.
7° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won in Eschenbach during the Tour of Switzerland 1974.


STAGE 7 Luzern > Olten (207,5 Km) ***
Image
Hilly, several cotes with a difficult climb in the final (Engelberg).
8° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: The Cannibal won a ITT stage in Olten during the Tour of Switzerland 1974.


STAGE 8 Thun > Furkapass (104,6 Km) ****
Image
High Mountain stage with Top Finish


STAGE 9 Andermatt > Mendrisio (218,2 Km) ***
Image
Medium-Mountain stage.
9° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won the World Championship in Mendrisio in 1971. There are 3 laps of that circuit in this stage.


REST DAY in Mendrisio


STAGE 10 ITT Mendrisio > Mendrisio-Salorino (29 Km) ****
Image
Demanding and hilly ITT.

STAGE 11 Cernobbio > Brescia (154,4 Km) *
Image
Flat, for sprinters.
10° HOMAGE TO MERCKX who won in Brescia in the Giro d'Italia 1968.


STAGE 12 Villa Carcina > Brentonico (182,9 Km) ***
Image
Medium-Mountain stage, hard climb towards La Polsa in the final.
11° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won in Brentonico during the Giro 1970.


STAGE 13 Rovereto > Nova Ponente (169,4 Km) ****
Image
High-Mountain stage with 4500 m of ascent. The Passo Pampeago is the Moloch of the day (11 km at 9,1%)


STAGE 14 Cavalese > Tre Cime di Lavaredo (194 Km) *****
Image
High-Mountain stage with more than 5000 m of ascent and top finish at Rifugio Auronzo.
12° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won the 12th stage of Giro d'Italia 1968 from Gorizia to Auronzo-Tre Cime di Lavaredo.


STAGE 15 Cortina d'Ampezzo > Treviso *
Image
Flat, for sprinters.
13° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won in Treviso during the Giro d'Italia 1970 (ITT)


STAGE 16a Venezia > Lido degli Estensi (116,6 Km) *
Image
Flat, for sprinters.
14° HOMAGE TO MERCKX who won in Lido degli Estensi during the Giro d'Italia 1967.

STAGE 16b Ravenna S. Apollinare > Carpegna (117,6 Km) ****
Image
Medium-Mountain stage. Hard climb of Monte Carpegna and thrilling downhill in the final.
15° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won the stage in Carpegna during the Giro d'Italia 1973.


REST DAY in Italy


STAGE 17a Arma di Taggia > Nice (112,3 Km) **
Image
Flat with some climbs and a final circuit in Nice

STAGE 17b ITT Nice > Col d'Eze (11,5 Km) ***
Image
16° HOMAGE TO MERCKX, who won the final stage of the Paris-Nice 1969, a ITT which finished on the Col d'Eze with a very similar route.


STAGE 18 Nice > Allos (155,8 Km) ****
Image
High-Mountain stage with more than 4000 m of ascent.


STAGE 19 Saint-Andrè-les-Alpes > Briançon (205 Km) *****
Image
High-Mountain, queen stage of the Tour with 5500 m of ascent.
3 iconic Climbs like Allos, Vars and Izoard and the finish in the old city of Briançon (1 Km at 10%) which is the same of the Giro d'italia 2000.
17° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won in Briançon during the Tour de France 1972.


STAGE 20 La Chambre > Col du Galibier (91,7 Km) ****
Image
High-Mountain stage with top finish
Even if the historic stages didn't finish on the top of Galibier, this stage is also an homage to Eddy Merckx who in 1969 did the record on climbing the Col and in 1972 won in Valloire.


STAGE 21a ITT Versailles > Versailles (20,4 Km) ***
Image
18° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: He won the ITT in Versailles at the end of the Tour de France 1972.

STAGE 21b Versailles > Paris - Champs Elysée (90 Km) *
Image
Flat, for sprinters
19° HOMAGE TO MERCKX: Eddy won 3 times the last stage of the Tour de France arriving in Paris.
Last edited by kanon16 on 03/08/2019, 13:17, edited 10 times in total.
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david.tuci
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by david.tuci »

The 1973 stage did not finish on the top of Monte Carpegna (though the name of stage said so), but in the village of Carpegna; the 1970 stage in Brentonico had Cima Polsa as last climb before downhill.
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kanon16
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by kanon16 »

david.tuci wrote: 25/07/2019, 18:02 The 1973 stage did not finish on the top of Monte Carpegna (though the name of stage said so), but in the village of Carpegna; the 1970 stage in Brentonico had Cima Polsa as last climb before downhill.
Dear David, thank you for the clarifications!
I didn't get enough informations about the stage of Carpegna and I will change it.

:augh:
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by YellowJersey »

My route is here: maps/tours/view/12186

* For some reason the profiles in the first half of my race are completely flat and the gradients in the climbs are wrong. I don't know what's happening and why it only affects the first half, hoping that it's eventually fixed...

Distance: 3952.28 Km
Flat Stages: 9
Hill Stages: 7 (4 summit finishes)
Mountain Stages: 6 (3 summit finishes)
ITT: 3
TTT: 1
Finishes where Eddy Meckx won: 18

Image
Start of the race as a prologue in De Panne to set the first gaps.
Image
First road stage of the race, one to set the first lead change possibly and the sprinters get their opportunity.
Image
Here there is a Flandrien challenge, taking the bergs to set the first real gaps.
Image
Continue moving through Belgium with another sprint stage.
Image
A hilly finale to the Belgian racing around Liège.
Image
The race's TTT, a bit of importance in this stage as team strenght will propel the riders in the rugged terrain of Limburg.
Image
A final stage in the Benelux, despite having a start in Germany it finishes in the old Luxembourg city with a very steep finish.
Image
First stage in France with a flat finish in Strasbourg.
Image
First mountain challenge of the race deep in the Vosges.
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Transition from France to Swisse with a finish for the sprinters to enjoy.
Image
First of a half-stage, a hilly stage summiting in the outskirts of Zurich.
Image
The second moves south towards Aigle for another sprint finish in a tricky stage.
Image
A mountain marathon, almost 330 kilometers that will drain every rider, the absolute old-school stage where only the strongest will prevail.
Image
In a former Merckx' WC win in Mendrisio comes a tricky stage in the Lombardia region.

Rest Day

Image
After a rest day transfer there is another transition stage, pan-flat but with a steep finish in San Luca.
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An opportunity for the sprinters after a hard race, not the flattest of stages but they should have their way.
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Another one, rugged terrain familiar to all, it's a finish classic to Milano-Sanremo where the sprinters and puncheurs will fight for the win.
Image
The final flat time-trial of the race, a long one that will settle the gaps ahead of the real mountains to come.
Image
The entrance in the Alps where the first summit finish of a high mountain comes.
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In the high Alps is found a stage that could set total chaos in the peloton.
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The old Chemin de Écoliers in Valloire takes the finish of this exciting stage where the race comes back to France.
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The final time-trial of the race, starting and finishing in Briançon, in the Col du Glandon.
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The final stage in the Alps, another true marathon that will force the climbers to fly through start to finish.
Image
An easier transition, good for the sprinters remaining.
Image
The final mountain stage going through Provence's mountains. Mont Ventoux on the menu towards Manosque.
Image
And the final stage, having it's grand finale in Marseile.
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by Carlo33 »

My tour: maps/tours/view/12322

There are:
6 * stages
5 ** stages
8 *** stages
1 **** stage
2 ***** stages
1 TTT stage - 16.68 km
3 ITT stages - 51.95 km



Stage 1: Roses > Roses 16.68 km TTT
The first stage, the prologue, is a team time trial in Roses, in Catalonia, Spain. Eddy Merckx won a stage, a time trial, here in 1968, during the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya.
Image

Stage 2: Roses > Girona 154.05 km *
The second Stage of my Merckxian Grand Tour is from Roses to Girona. The stage isn't totally flat but sprinters can win this stage. This is a transfer stage cause Eddy didn't win a stage in Girona.
Image

Stage 3: Vic > Tàrrega 133.09 Km **
The third stage is more difficult than the previous one but sprinters can win if the group can reach the breakaway. Eddy Merckx won the 2nd stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya in Tàrrega in 1968.
Image

Stage 4: Tàrrega > Calafell 193.58 Km ***
The 4th stage is for puncheurs but also with sprinters who can stay with the group after the Sant Marc de Montmell, a 3rd category climb that is 35 km away from the finish line. There is also a little climb at the flamme rouge. Merckx won a stage of the Vuelta in Calafell in 1973.
Image

Stage 5: Terrassa > Barcelona - Montjuic 128.15 Km ***
This is the first top finish of a stage. The Stage 5 is the last of the stages of my Merckxian Grand Tour that are in Catalonia,Spain. The stage finishes on the top of the climb of Montjuic, Barcelona. Merckx won 6 editions of the Escalada a Montjuïc, which was a one-day, two-stage road bicycle racing race held in Barcelona and that finished on the top of the Montjuic.
Image


REST DAY


Stage 6 / A: Sassari > Sassari 14.79 Km ITT
The race moves to Sardinia, where there is the first half stage and also the first Individual time trial stage but, like the others, it's not long. Merckx won in a time trial that was in Sassari during the 1967 Tour of Sardinia.
Image

Stage 6 / B: Sassari > Alghero 150.62 Km **
This is the second and the last half-stage of the day in Sardinia. This stage is for all sprinters and puncheurs who can stay with the group duing the last hill and the long downhill. Merckx won a stage of the Tour of Sardinia in Alghero in 1975.
Image

Stage 7: Alghero > Cagliari 219.47 Km **
This is a flat stage but in the final there is a short climb, from 1.5 km to 0.4 km to the finish, that can help finisseurs. Merckx won three races in Caglari: two stages of Tour of Sardinia and one edition of Sassari-Cagliari, the old Classica Sarda.
Image

Stage 8: Orbetello > Forte dei Marmi 226.21 Km *
This stage, the longest of my Merckxian Grand Tour, is the first in the Italian peninsula and is from Orbetello to Forte dei Marmi, a tuscany town where Merckx won two stages. It's a totally flat stage for pure sprinters.
Image

Stage 9: Novi Ligure > Novara 183.67 Km *
There are 2 4th category climbs and one 3rd category climb at the beginning of the stage but the second part and the end is totally flat so sprinters are the favorite. Merckx won the 1st stage of the 1968 Giro d'Italia in Novara.
Image

Stage 10: Vercelli > Montechiaro d'Acqui 156.73 Km ***
The Stage 10 of my MGT is the second that has the finish on the top of an hill. The last climb is a 3rd category that is 4.3 km long. Before it there are also other climbs that can make the stage more nervous and unpredictable. Merckx never won a stage in Montechiaro d'Acqui.
Image

Stage 11: Genova > Sanremo 206.57 Km ***
The Stage 11 has the last 150 km that are the same of the Milano Sanremo that Merckx run, that didn't include the Cipressa. The race starts from Genova but, at the beginning of the race, before the Passo del Turchino, there is the Monte Orditano, a 2nd category climb. Merckx is the cyclist who has won more editions of the Milano Sanremo, seven.
Image


REST DAY


Stage 12: Mondovì > Bardonecchia (Jafferau) 176.00 Km *****
The first high mountain finish and 5 stars category stage is from Mondovì to Jafferau, near Bardonecchia. In the stage there are two big mountains and climbers and GC riders are the favorite with the riders that are in the breakaway. The stage, with Sestriere and Jafferau, has the last 90 km that are the same of the Stage 14 of the 1972 Giro d'Italy, stage that was won by Eddy Merckx.
Image

Stage 13: Gap > Mont Ventoux 162.57 Km *****
The Stage 13 of my MGT is the hardest of the two high mountain stages. In the stage there is only one climb but it's the Mont Ventoux, one of the greatest and the hardest climb. In this stage puncheurs and GC riders have to withstand at the attacks of pure climbers. In the 14 Stage of the 1970 Tour de France, where there was the Mont Ventoux, Merckx had one of his greatest performance of his entire cyclist life.
Image

Stage 14 / A: Grenoble > Grenoble 19.27 Km ITT
In the first half-stage it's an individual time trial that, like the others of my MGT, is not too long but rouleurs can win it. Also the GC riders are the favourites and they can try to recover the time they have lost in the two last stages. Merckx won a stage of the 1970 Tour de France in Grenoble.
Image

Stage 14 / B: Grenoble > Passy (Aerodrome) 197.89 Km ***
The second part of the last half stage of the day take back the circuit of the 1964 World Championship. The stage isn't easy, with a 3rd category mountain and a 4th category hill which is in the last circuit and that the riders have to climb for 6 times. The stage is suitable for puncheurs, who could attack at the beginning of the circuit but also on the last lap, so that they can do the last downhill before the finish alone. In this circuit Eddy Merckx won his first World Championship, when he was amateur.
Image

Stage 15: Bellegarde-sur-Valserine > Le Creusot 188.93 Km *
The stage 15 is almost entirely flat and sprinters are the favourites, at least if they aren't exhausted after the previous stages and they can reach the breakaway. Eddy Merckx won a stage of the Paris-Nice in Le Creusot.
Image

Stage 16: Beaune > Ballon d'Alsace 226.10 Km ****
The stage 16 is the second longest stage of the Tour and there are, at the end, two climbs that are not easy, especially when you have already run 200 km. The favourites of the stages are not climbers or puncheurs or GC riders but simply the cyclist who aren't too tired after a long week and a 226 km stage. Merckx won his first Tour de France stage and wore his first yellow jersey on the Ballon d'Alsace in 1969.
Image

Stage 17: Saint Maurice sur Moselle > Strasbourg 173.33 Km **
This is another nice stage for the sprinters but there is a big climb, the Rocher du Panorama, which is 2nd category climb, that can help the riders who are in breakaway. Eddy Merckx won the 2nd stage of the 1971 Tour de France in Strasbourg.
Image


REST DAY


Stage 18: Valenciennes > Roubaix (Velodrome) 156.04 Km ***
The last week of my Merckxian Grand Tour restart from Valenciennes, with the last stage in France. In the stage there are 21 cobbles sectors and the hardest are Mons-en-Pevele and the Trounee d'Arenberg. The stage finishes at the velodrome, like the Paris Roubaix, one of the greatest and most important race that Eddy Merckx has won for three times.
Image

Stage 19 / A: Mons > Mons 17.89 Km ITT
The first stage in belgium is also the first half-stage of the day. It's an Individual time trial, the last of the Tour, and it could decide the winner of the Merckxian Grand Tour. Merckx won a stage of the Tour of Belgium in Mons.
Image

Stage 19 / B: Mons > Namur 129.83 Km **
The last half-stage of my MGT is a short hilly stage with a lot of hills and cotes. Two of these climbs are also 4th category. The last cote of the stage is only 5 km away from the finish.
Image

Stage 20: Namur > Liege (Rocourt) 193.26 Km ***
The last part of the Stage 20 of my Merckxian Grand Tour is very similiar to the Liege-Bastogne-Liege with the route that was run during the 70s, when Eddy Merckx won 5 times the LBL. The hardest cotes are the Col de Haussire, the Cote de Wanne, the Cote d'Andrimont and the Thier a Liege, that is only 5 km away from the finish line.
Image

Stage 21: Liège > Antwerp 198.02 Km *
Nothing to say aboute this stage cause it is almost totally flat like a biliard table.
Image

Stage 22: Antwerp > Ninove 194.32 Km ***
The last 80 km of the Stage 22 of my Merckxian Grand Tour are the same or almost the same of the Tour of Flandres with Muur and Bosberg that are 15/20 km away from the finish line in Ninove. Eddy Merckx has won the Tour of Flandres 2 times during his career. This is perhaps the last occasion for puncheurs but also for men who are not too much detached in the General Classification.
Image

Stage 23: Ninove > Meensel-Kiezegem 210.98 Km *
The last stage of my MGT departs from Ninove and arrives in Meensek-Kiezegem, the birthplace of Eddy Merckx.
Image
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AjachiChakrabarti
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by AjachiChakrabarti »

Here's my entry: maps/tours/view/12400

Le Tour Eddy Mercx

Prologue: Campione d'Italia to Caprino (53.4 km, TTT)
maps/viewtrack/288696
Like the 1968 Giro d'Italia, Mercx's first GT win, the race starts in Campione d'Italia, the Italian exclave in Switzerland. However, unlike the 5.7 km TT that year with times not counting for the GC, this prologue is a highly consequential team time trial around the shores of Lake Lugano, with almost 2500 m of climbing.
Image

Stage 1: Campione d'Italia to Como (214.9 km)
maps/viewtrack/288718
Como used to be the finishing town of the Giro di Lombardia, which Mercx won in 1971 and 1972. Although the start and finish towns are quite close to each other, the stage takes the long route, going around the shores of Lake Como, with four significant climbs—San Fedele Intelvi, Casargo, Belisio and Civiglio.
Image

Stage 2: Mendrisio to Mendrisio (220.4 km)
maps/viewtrack/289161
I couldn't figure out how to work with the Editor, and the free version of RideWithGPS did not allow me to import GPX files, so the World Championship circuits haven't come out as I would have liked. This stage has 12, rather than 15, laps of the 1971 WC circuit at Mendrisio.
Image

Stage 3: Como to Saint-Vincent (172.8 km)
maps/viewtrack/288747
Saint-Vincent was the site of two stage wins by Mercx, in the 1968 and 1970 Giros, so the next two stages are centred in the alpine town. This one is a fairly straightforward transition stage, with the second-category climb to Valico di Croce Serra followed by the final climb into Saint-Vincent itself, with the gradient reaching 16 percent in the final kilometre.
Image

Stage 4: Moron to Moron (164.3 km)
maps/viewtrack/289767
This stage is a mountainous circuit around Saint-Vincent, with almost seven thousand kilometres of climbing. It begins on the descent of the Col de Joux, and the climbing starts within the first 25 km. After two second-category climbs, the race ends with the first-category Col du Saint-Panthaleon and Col de Joux, with 13 km of descending to the start-finish line.
Image

Stage 5: Moron to Novara (182.3 km)
maps/viewtrack/288750
Mercx won a stage to Novara in the 1968 Giro, and this stage is roughly the reverse of the Novara to Saint-Vincent stage he won the following day. It has plenty of climbing in the first 114 kilometres, which should force a selection before a 30-km downhill and 40 kilometres of flat at the end leading up to a likely reduced sprint.
Image

Stage 6: Milan to San Remo (296.3 km)
maps/viewtrack/288869
Mercx won Milan-San Remo seven times—in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975 and 1976—so what better use of the one really long stage we're allowed than having a full MSR course? The stage roughly corresponds to the course used in the 1970s, with the Passo del Turchino followed by Capo Cervo and Capo Berta before the Poggio, six kilometres from the finish.
Image

Stage 7A: San Remo to Nice (184.7 km)
maps/viewtrack/288896
The first half-stage of the race ends at the finishing city of Mercx's three consecutive Paris-Nice wins, between 1969 and 1971. Rather than simply travelling down the Riviera, though, this stage has almost ten thousand kilometres of climbing, with the second-category Col de Brouis followed by the first-category Col de Turini, and three further minor climbs before the run into Nice.
Image

Stage 7B: Nice to Cannes (35.9 km, ITT)
maps/viewtrack/288935
The time trial does proceed down the Riviera, with only a minor four-kilometre climb near the end.
Image

Stage 8A: Sainte-Maxime to Bédoin (181.5 km)
maps/viewtrack/289168
The second Sunday of the race has another two half-stages. First up is a medium-mountain stage to Bédoin.
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Stage 8B: Bédoin to Mont Ventoux (23.5 km, ITT)
maps/viewtrack/289169
Of course, if we are in Bédoin, you know what's coming next. An individual time trial up Mont Ventoux, with a two-kilometre descent at the end. Mercx won the stage to Ventoux in the 1970 Tour de France.
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Stage 9: Sisteron to Alpe d'Huez (217.5 km)
maps/viewtrack/289658
The race shifts to the Alps, passing through Briançon, where Mercx won a stage in the 1972 Tour, before going up the Col du Lautaret and Alpe d'Huez.
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Stage 10: Grenoble to Col du Galibier (160.4 km)
maps/viewtrack/289696
The stage begins in Grenoble, where Mercx won a stage in the 1970 Tour. The HC Col de la Croix-le-Fer is followed by the second-category Col du Mollard and the first-category Col du Telégraohe before reaching Valloire, where Mercx won a half-stage in the 1972 Tour. That 51-kilometre half-stage from Briançon would have had the Galibier, which is a good excuse to finish with an ascent of the col.
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Stage 11: Briançon to Aix-les-Bains (207.5 km)
maps/viewtrack/289724
The race doubles back on itself, essentially replicating that 1972 half-stage before proceeding to Aix-les-Bains, where Mercx won a stage in the 1974 Tour. After going up the Galibier and Telégraohe the other way, the riders face the first-category Col du Grand Cucheron, the third-category Col de Champ-Laurent and the first-category Les Désserts.
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Stage 12: Aix-les-Bains to Plaine Joux (183.1 km)
maps/viewtrack/289735
The race heads to Sallanches, where Mercx won the 1964 amateur world championship. After two second-category climbs--the Col de la Colombière and Romme sur Cluses--the stage includes six laps of the WC circuit, before climbing to Plaine Joux (18 km @ 7.3%, reaching 20% at one point, so I guess I can call this an HC?).
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Stage 13A: Sallanches to Gaillard (128.6 km)
maps/viewtrack/289742
Mercx won a stage at Gaillard in the 1974 Tour. This half-stage has nearly five thousand metres of climbing, with a third-category climb right out of the gate, followed by the second-category Col des Aravis, the first-category Col des Glières and another first-category ascent to La Croisette near the end.
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Stage 13B: Geneva to Lausanne (65.2 km, Pairs Time Trial)
maps/viewtrack/289744
The race's obsession with lakeside racing continues, as it slips across the Swiss border for a two-man TTT, along the lines of the prologue to the 1973 Giro, when Mercx and Roger Swerts won at Verviers. A flat parcours proceeds along the shore of Lake Geneva until the road ascends towards Lausanne, with a climb to Parc de l'Hermitage near the finish.
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Stage 14: Lausanne to Eschenbach (207.6 km)
maps/viewtrack/289749
Mercx won a stage to Eschenbach on his way to winning the 1974 Tour de Suisse. This relatively easy transition stage still has the first-category Jaunpass and the second-category Col du Rengg.
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Stage 15: Basel to Ballon d'Alsace (145.6 km)
maps/viewtrack/289755
A Sunday stage into the Vosges. After climbing an abridged version of La Planche des Belles Filles, the race loops around before finishing on top of Ballon d'Alsace, where Mercx won a stage in the 1969 Tour.
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Stage 16: Cernay to Strasbourg (217.8 km)
maps/viewtrack/289773
There are no high mountains in the final week of the race, but it is by no means easy. This long transition stage travels into Germany, with the second-category climb to Kniebis 66 km before the finish in Strasbourg, where Mercx won a stage in the 1971 Tour.
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Stage 17: Strasbourg to Luxembourg (227.2 km)
maps/viewtrack/290021
Another transition stage, this is a hilly ride into Luxembourg, as the race prepares to enter Belgium.
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Stage 18: Luxembourg to Liège (200 km)
maps/viewtrack/290078
The stage proceeds to Bastogne, before following the route of the 1969 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the first of Mercx's five victories in the Monument. The race ends at the velodrome in Rocourt.
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Stage 19: Liège to Heerlen (216 km)
maps/viewtrack/290115
The race travels into the Netherlands. After climbing the Cauberg, it reaches Heerlen, the venue of Mercx's 1967 world championship victory. Again, I've had trouble working with WC circuits, so the profile doesn't reflect the fact that the stage ends with 10 laps of the circuit, instead of one.
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Stage 20: Charleroi to Roubaix (239.4 km)
maps/viewtrack/290355
This stage incorporates 28 of the 29 cobble sections currently used in Paris-Roubaix, a race Mercx won thrice, in 1968, 1970 and 1973. It ends in the velodrome at Roubaix.
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Stage 21: Harelbeke to Ninove (205.5 km)
maps/viewtrack/290662
This stage includes almost all the hills and cobbles of the Ronde van Wlaanderen, which Mercx won in 1969 and 1975.
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Stage 22A: Ninove to Forest (44.8 km, ITT)
maps/viewtrack/290652
With three Monument homages and one WC circuit in the final week, after the brutal climbs of the week before, the peloton will be at the end of its reserves by this, the final day of the race. First, they must face another test against the clock in a longish time trial to Forest, the Brussels suburb where Mercx won a half-stage in the 1970 Tour de France.
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Stage 22B: Forest to Brussels (100.1 km, Individual Pursuit)
maps/viewtrack/290662
But we're not done yet. The top 10 in the GC after the time trial get to race a further hundred kilometres against the clock, and each other, in an individual pursuit. The race leaders starts first, with the others starting sequentially, using the GC time gaps. The usual TT prohibitions against drafting don't apply, so rivals are allowed to cooperate with each other. The first one across the line, in front of the royal palace in Brussels, wins the whole race.
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Arnorius
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by Arnorius »

This is my Tour de Merckx: maps/tours/view/12264

I made a quite European tour of it, In total the tour visits 6 countries.

There are 5 half stages
Total of 3393.89 Km
- 9 Sprinters stages
- 9 High Mountain stages (5 MTF)
- 4 ITT's (77.61 Km total)
Spoiler!

Stage 1a: Prologue Brussels
This grand tour starts in Brussels with a prologue. The finish line is in Merckx hometown Woluwe St. Pierre, where he grew up. This is also the place where he won his first stage in the TdF, a TTT with his team Faema in the Tour of 69.
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Stage 1b:
After the prologue the stage isn’t over yet. There is a flat stage of 120km with start and finish in Woluwe St. Pierre.
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Stage 2:
Stage two is another one for the sprinters. Looking a lot like the parcours of Ghent-Wevelgem (but really starting in Ghent), a classic Merckx won three times during his career.
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Stage 3:
The next stage is a short but hard Tour of Flanders stage, finishing in Ninove.
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Stage 4a:
The fourth stage is the second split stage. First there is a short but hard stage towards the circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, finishing in top of the short but steep Radillion climb.
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Stage 4b:
The second part of this stage is a ITT. Starting in Spa, riders have to climb towards the circuit and then do one lap on it, finishing again on the radillion climb.
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Stage 5:
The fifth stage is where we leave Belgium. A Hilly stage with finish in Luxembourg, honouring Merckx wins in the Paris-Luxembourg stage race.
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Stage 6:
Stage 6 takes the riders from France to Germany. Finish is in Baden-Baden, just over the border. Merckx won a duo-time trial there in 1971.
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Stage 7:
Stage 7 is the first mountain stage. As it should be, this stage takes us towards the first MTF where Merckx won.
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Stage 8:
The next stage should be something for the (strong?) sprinters. Finish is in Gippingen where Merckx won the prologue of the Tour de Suisse in 1974.
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Stage 9a:
Just before the rest day we have another half stage day. A flat stage towards Eschenbach in the morning is just to wake up the legs before the afternoon stage.
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Stage 9b:
In the afternoon the race goes towards Liechtenstein, where the hard climb towards Malbun awaits. This steep climb just before the first rest day could bet he day where GC contenders have to show what they can do.
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REST DAY 1: VADUZ

Stage 10:
The day after the rest day we have the first really big climbers day. Going through the Swiss Alps, this stage finishes just over the border with Italy in famous mountain town of Livigno. Merckx won a Giro stage there.
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Stage 11:
Just a flat stage in the valleys of the Italian Alps.
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Stage 12:
This is another high mountain stage wich takes us towards the Dolomites. Finish is on top of Tre Cime di Lavaredo, where Merckx also won a Giro stage.
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Stage 13:
This is the last mountain stage in this part of the Alps. After two hard climbs the stage ends with a long downhill towords Bassano del Grappa. Another stagewin of Merckx in the Giro.
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Stage 14:
And the next finish place is also a city where Merckx won a Giro stage.
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Stage 15a:
In 1968 Merckx won a race in this town near Milano.
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Stage 15b:
The second part of the stage is a ITT. This wone looks a lot like the one we had in the 2017 Giro, only the first 10k are different.
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REST DAY 2: MILANO

Stage 16:
After the rest day riders head towards france. Finish is in the famous town of Briançon where Merckx won a TdF stage.
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Stage 17:
The next stage brings the riders over the col de Luitel and chamrousse and has a downhill finish in Grenoble, where Merckx also won a TdF stage
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Stage 18:
This is a very short mountain stage with only 2 climbs, but they will hurt fors ure.
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Stage 19:
This stage honours Merckx first world title in 1964 in sallanches. After a hard day in the mountains riders have to do 3 laps of the world championships.
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Stage 20:
The last mountain stage brings the riders back to Switzerland. With some hard climbs in the middle already, the stage ends with a brutal double HC climb. The finish is on top of the Barrage de la Grande-Dixence. The last few km are on an unpaved road and the finish is on the middle of the barrage. I chose an unpaved climb because in the era of Merckx a lot of famous climbs still were unpaved or had really bad road conditions.
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Stage 21a:
The first part of the final day is flat and brings the riders to Lausanne, where Merckx won a lot.
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Stage 21b:
The tour ends with a TT on the shores of Lac Léman in Geneva, where Merckx won several races.
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Bocmanis82
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by Bocmanis82 »

maps/tours/view/12488

The Merckxian Grand Tour with 5 countries visited (Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy and Spain). Race will have 21 racing days and 2 rest days. Three racing days will be divided in half stages which are put in first week. 20 stage finishes will be dedicated to Eddy Merckx victories and 4 stages will not be dedicated to him.

Apart from mandatory Eddy finishes race will also visit MTFs which are considered to be the hardest in each of three major Grand Tours: Mont Ventoux in France, Monte Zoncolan in Italy and Alto de l'Angliru in Spain. I wanted to visit these climbs because the real selection among GC contenders takes place there. You might think it is too crazy to visit all these climbs in a single tour but in total I have 14 climbs which are 1st cat.+ in high mountain stages (1.75 1st cat+ climbs per stage).

I tried to keep stage transfers realistic. During rest days the biggest transfer will be 150km from Mont Ventoux to Montpellier. During regular days transfers does not exceed 130km (for example, in recent TDF Tourmalet - Limoux transfer in Pyrenees was 240km). The only exception is final transfer to Madrid.

Race will have 8 flat stages, 8 high mountain stages with 5 MTFs, 4 medium mountain stages, 3 ITT and 1 TTT.

Prolouge. Verviers > Verviers, ITT
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The Merckxian Grand Tour opens with 8km Prologue ITT in Verviers (Belgium). Stage designed for ITT specialists.
In 1973 Giro d'Italia Eddy Merckx in pair with Roger Swerts won opening two-man time trial in Verviers.

Stage 1. Verviers > Liège (Rocourt): 149.09 Km Medium Mountain
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After opening prologue riders will do mini Liège-Bastogne-Liège facing 11 categorized climbs over 149km. Stage will likely be contested by breakaway or reduced peloton.
Finish will be near former Vélodrome de Rocourt where Eddy Merckx won Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 1969.

Stage 2a. Liège > Forest: 173.11 Km Plain
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First part of stage 2 will be a flat run from Liège to Forest. Stage will feature four cobbled sections. The last section, Hoogveld, will be 35km before finish and should not prevent mass sprint.
Eddy Merckx won stage in Forest in 1970 Tour de France.

Stage 2b. Forest > Woluwe-Saint-Pierre: 23.10 Km Team time trial
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Second part of day 2 will be 23km team time trial.
Eddy Merckx and his Faema team won TTT in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre in 1969 Tour de France.

Stage 3. Bruxelles > Wevelgem: 185.06 Km Plain
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Stage 3 will be flat stage for sprinters and will honor wins of Eddy Merckx in 1967, 1970 and 1973 Gent–Wevelgem classics.

Stage 4a. Mons > Herbeumont: 151.09 Km Plain
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Stage 4 will be divided in two parts. Both half stages will be flat and dedicated to victories of Eddy Merckx in Tour of Belgium. Stage 4a will finish in Herbeumont where Eddy won in 1971.
Côte de la Chapelle 8km before finish could be tricky but bunch sprint is still very likely.

Stage 4b. Herbeumont > Virton: 100.64 Km Plain
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Stage 4b will finish in Virton where Eddy Merckx won 1970 Tour of Belgium stage. Stage does not have any categorized climbs.
Last day in Belgium

Stage 5. Thionville > Strasbourg: 227.11 Km Medium Mountain
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Tour enters France. Stage from Thionville to Strasbourg will go through Vosges mountain and will have three 2nd category climbs, including Mont Saint-Odile 39.5km before finish. Stage will be contested by breakaway or reduced peloton.
Eddy Merckx won in Strasbourg in 1971 Tour de France.

Stage 6. Strasbourg > Ballon d'Alsace: 158.13 Km High mountain
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After six days of racing riders will face the first high mountain stage running from Strasbourg to Ballon d'Alsace. Eddy won MTF at Ballon d'Alsace in 1969 Tour de France.

Stage 7a. Belfort > Boncourt: 33.16 Km Individual Time Trial
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Stage 7 will divided in two parts. First part will be 33km ITT from Belfort in France to Boncourt in Switzerland. Eddy Merckx won 1968 Tour de Romandie stage in Boncourt.

Stage 7b. Boncourt > Olten: 102.62 Km Medium Mountain
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Stage 7b will be short medium mountain stage with Santelhochi climb (4.1km - 9.1%) 10km before finish. Eddy Merckx won in Olten in 1974 Tour de Suisse.

Stage 8. Altdorf > Mendrisio: 196.64 Km Medium Mountain
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In stage 8 riders will face long and grueling San Gottardo pass after 47km of racing followed by long decent to Bellinzona and a number of smaller climbs in the second part of the stage. In Mendrisio riders will pass through World Championship circuit where Eddy Merckx won in 1971. Stage for breakaway and last before rest day.

REST DAY 1

Stage 9. Sondrio > Livigno: 145.05 Km High mountain
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After rest day race enters Italy. Riders will face first Alpine stage and climb Passo Gavia, the highest point of the race, followed by Foscagno 14km before finish.
Eddy Merckx won in Livigno in 1972 Giro d'Italia.

Stage 10. Bolzano > Monte Zoncolan: 193.12 Km High mountain
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Second day in Italian Alps will have less climbing but the riders will face one of the hardest MTFs in Europe, Monte Zoncolan. This stage is expected to make major selection among GC contenders.
This stage has no reference to Eddy Merckx carrier.

Stage 11. Udine > Bassano del Grappa: 183.63 Km High mountain
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Final Alpine stage in Italy will be flat for first 135km followed by long and steep Monte Grappa climb. GC contenders should be careful in this stage.
Eddy Merckx 1974 Giro d'Italia stage in Bassano del Grappa.

Stage 12. Peschiera del Garda > Novara: 187.10 Km Plain
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After three difficult days in Italian Alps riders will have flat stage to Novara designed for sprinters to win.
Eddy Merckx won 1968 Giro d'Italia in Novara.

Stage 13. Alessandria > Sanremo: 206.09 Km Plain
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Stage 13 will be another flat stage designed for sprinters to win. Poggio climb should not prevent mass sprint in Grand Tour.
Eddy Merckx has won Milan - San Remo race seven times.

Stage 14. Puget-sur-Argens > Mont Ventoux: 223.06 Km High mountain
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On final day of the second week riders will face another big test, MTF at Mont Ventoux, one of the most legendary climbs of Tour de France.
Eddy Merckx won on Mont Ventoux in 1970 Tour de France.

REST DAY 2

Stage 15. Montpellier > Revel: 191.09 Km Plain
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After rest day sprinters will have one of their final chances to win a stage. In order to make life easier for them Saint-Ferréol climb will not be climbed in Revel.
Eddy Merckx won time trial in Revel in 1969 Tour de France.

Stage 16. Carbonne > Bagnères-de-Luchon: 190.17 Km High mountain
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After flat stage to Revel riders will briefly visit French side of Pyrennes facing Aspin, Ancizan, Azet and Peyresourde.
Eddy Merckx in Luchon in 1972 Tour de France.

Stage 17. Tarbes > San Sebastián: 207.63 Km Plain
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On Stage 17 sprinters will have their final chance to win a stage as peloton will do a flat stage between Tarbes in France and San Sebastián in Spain. 3rd category Arkale climb will be sprinters' biggest hurdle to glory.

Stage 18. Eibar > Peña Cabarga: 173.13 Km High mountain
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Stage 18 will be a difficult test for GC contenders as riders will climb a mix of nasty second and third category climbs before ascending to very steep Peña Cabarga climb.

Stage 19. Llanes > Alto de l'Angliru: 158.12 Km High mountain
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Stage 19 will be a final chance for climbers to gain time on ITT specialists. During the stage riders will do one of the most difficult combos of race, Cuchu Puercu and Alto de l'Angliru.

Stage 20. Madrid > Madrid: 20.07 Km Individual Time Trial
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Final stage of the Merckxian Grand Tour will be ITT in streets of Madrid.
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by adriamedina »

This is my Merckxian Grand Tour:
maps/tours/view/12462
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Xander66
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by Xander66 »

My Merckxian Grand Tour for this contest:

maps/tours/view/12516


I don't have enough time to add a full presentation, but I do want to take some time to explain my choice for multiple sprints in a stage. In the 1970's-1980's most Grand Tours (or at least Giro and Tour) had a 'Intermediate Sprint Classification'. That's mainly why I put 3 sprints in every stage (only 2 if it's a half day stage). Like this the Intermediate Classification could make a comeback in this Tour de Merckx, alongside the regular "green jersey".
Last edited by Xander66 on 09/08/2019, 20:31, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Contest #4 - The Merckxian Grand Tour

Post by emmea90 »

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