TdF 2019 - road closure timing on mountain stages

[larscjoh]

Hi

We are going to Alps to watch stage 16-20, (this is our first time).

When is to mountain-passes closing for traffic(motorhome) and cyclists on stage days?
Like Col du Galibier, Val Thorens, Col de l'Iseran, La Sentinelle?
Do we have to come the afternoon before?

Why isn't stage 17s profil offical yet?


-Lars

[avalonian]

I would suggest the day before, especially if you are in a camper van, the mountain stages get full very quickly.

[andrew_s]

In general you should work on the basis that a pass will be closed to motor traffic on the day of the race, until after the race has passed through.
Cycle traffic is generally fairly free until maybe an hour before the publicity caravan is due through.
There's always some uncertainty, as what the police accept will depend on how many people are there - eg if the police take the view that all the parking spaces are taken, it is possible that a road gets closed sooner, or if roadside numbers are such that you can't just stop & park your bike, cycling may get stopped sooner.

Detailed timings for the caravan and a fast/medium/slow race will be available before the race, but usually aren't published until a couple of weeks beforehand (i.e. used to be in the Cycling Weekly race issue, but not in anything else available in the UK). If all else fails, look in l'Equipe on the previous day.o
At this stage, it's normal that only the highlights have been published (i.e. stage towns and major cols). The lack of any info for stage 17 means that they aren't going over the Ventoux, nothing more.

Parking a camper van, or car & tent, will depend on how popular the location is. People may park for the Alpe d'Huez two weeks beforehand to bag a good spot, but if the col is fairly early in the stage the previous day may well be OK. The size of the required parking space will doubtless also have a bearing. Bear in mind that if you are not properly off the road, the police may shift you the previous evening, by which time there may not be any alternative location.

Glancing at next year's route, I'd expect the following to be popular enough to require some thought, the Galibier above the Lautaret, top part of the Iseran, Tignes, top 7 km or so of Val Thorens.
Tignes and Val Thorens are sizeable ski resorts, so parking there and riding down to do the spectating may be an option. This would limit picnic provender to what you can carry on the bike, and would also mean you couldn't leave until several hours after the race finished.

[Cyril Haearn]

TDC the tragedy of drive-cycling rears its ugly head again
Much better to stay home and watch the race on tivi

[TrevA]

TDC the tragedy of drive-cycling rears its ugly head again
Much better to stay home and watch the race on tivi

No. Much better to follow by bike. We incorporated watching the Tour into a 2 week cycletour of the Alps. Managed to watch 4 mountain stages and the highlight was jumping in behind the broom wagon after watching the race up the Colombiere climb and being cheered all the way to the top by the spectators.

No doubt you will complain about the Tragedy of Fly Cycling as we flew to Geneva and didn’t cycle all the way from home.

[Cyril Haearn]

TDC the tragedy of drive-cycling rears its ugly head again
Much better to stay home and watch the race on tivi

No. Much better to follow by bike
..

Plus One
Even better to go by train to cycle

[100%JR]

TDC the tragedy of drive-cycling rears its ugly head again
Much better to stay home and watch the race on tivi

No. Much better to follow by bike
..

Plus One
Even better to go by train to cycle

But surely that's the TTC?

Really the old TDC thing is wearing a bit thin now.Let it go

[mjr]

TDC the tragedy of drive-cycling rears its ugly head again
Much better to stay home and watch the race on tivi

Have you seen how many motorbikes, cars, lorries, helicopters and planes are used to bring you the live TV coverage? I hope you only watch the highlights, but even though they could be produced with fewer vehicles, they're not!

[Cyril Haearn]

No. Much better to follow by bike
..

Plus One
Even better to go by train to cycle

But surely that's the TTC?

Really the old TDC thing is wearing a bit thin now.Let it go

I had almost forgotten it but thanks very much for reminding me, started wondering again how to fight TDC
I shall certainly not let it go!

[st599_uk]

TDC the tragedy of drive-cycling rears its ugly head again
Much better to stay home and watch the race on tivi

Have you seen how many motorbikes, cars, lorries, helicopters and planes are used to bring you the live TV coverage? I hope you only watch the highlights, but even though they could be produced with fewer vehicles, they're not!

Like most sporting events, the feed to European broadcasters is shared via Eurovision. This feed is also sold to many of the foreign channels.

Euromedia and France TV use about the same number of trucks and cameras as a small Premier League game plus two helicopters to provide links and overhead shots. I know that some smaller races are moving to drones for overheads - if 5G lives up to the hype, the helicopters won;t be needed for links either.

[st599_uk]

Glancing at next year's route, I'd expect the following to be popular enough to require some thought, the Galibier above the Lautaret, top part of the Iseran, Tignes, top 7 km or so of Val Thorens.
Tignes and Val Thorens are sizeable ski resorts, so parking there and riding down to do the spectating may be an option. This would limit picnic provender to what you can carry on the bike, and would also mean you couldn't leave until several hours after the race finished.

Never had to drive through without a pass from ASO, but the timing for road closures seems very variable. If there's any resurfacing needs done, if will close earlier than if not. Also, you will be moved on if you're not well clear of the roadside.

Downhill sections are more empty than uphill - because you only see them for a split second - but you may see more than on TV as in recent years, there are some downhill sections where the camera bikes have pulled out as they considered the speed to be too dangerous.

I seem to remember quite a few parking up in Ski resorts and taking the lifts to near the action.

[TrevA]

Roads are closed to cars early in the morning on the day of the race, but you can still get along the race route by bike until about an hour before the race caravan comes through. If you are watching at a mountain top, it may be better to ride up the reverse side of the mountain than along the race route in the direction of the race. Not always possible or convenient.

[100%JR]

Plus One
Even better to go by train to cycle

But surely that's the TTC?

Really the old TDC thing is wearing a bit thin now.Let it go

I had almost forgotten it but thanks very much for reminding me, started wondering again how to fight TDC
I shall certainly not let it go!

Your "TDC" was boring last year and it's still boring now It's just complete nonsense.
Why you think train cycling is better is beyond me.You just seem to want to belittle anyone who doesn't conform to your views
Personally I think trains are outdated,slow and expensive but if people want to use them that's fine.I want to use my car and when MTBing I always drive to where I want to ride.That should be fine too.No tragedy in it at all.
Let it go.

[Cyril Haearn]

I do not want to belittle anyone, I am interested in opinions, debate, persuasion
I was not the first to mention 'TDC'!
I am for less travel altogether, especially less motoring, plenty here agree with that, I certainly do not want more train travel or more cycling

I shall certainly not let it go, your opinion is a useful motivation!

'He who has many enemies, has many friends'!

[hamster]

Why isn't stage 17s profil offical yet?

Usually the detailed route is not released until (IIRC) 3 months or so beforehand for any stage. In the case of mountain stages, that ensures that winter rockfalls etc are not severe enough to have block the road impassably.