Tour of detour

... or 'deux Tours' ...or 'two Tours'... In Italian it doesn't work but could be Giri raggirati': 'tricked Tours'. You probably know that the itinerary of the most important races in cycledom have been published for a mistake – or maybe not – on the ASO web page and quikly re-posted by many blogs and site till cyclingnews, The Bible of us cyclemaniacs.

Personally I don't see the point in publishing something that will be officially showed in few weeks and regarding next May/July events. Honestly, what does it change for us? The news could be that the ASO published it too early. Not a big news in my opinion. It could be a mistake, it could be a comunication strategy. Anyway the only serious consequence of it is that we are here talking about these Tours some weeks earlier.

Ok, lets talk about. If that is Tour de France, it's quite boring, few exciting and doesn't suit at all climbers. If that is the Giro, it is at the opposite very hard, interesting and suits climbers definitely. If that is the menu for the next season and as far as my personal Schleck fan thoughs are concerned, Andy Schleck would be better to come to Italy this time. Unfortunately we read that Jakob Fuglsang – supposed to be his best helper – linked his decision to stay with the new-old team to the assurance he will be the one leader in the Giro. A good mess once again. I think – if that is the Tour – that Andy can't win it. Miracle are possible but I can't include them here.

Finally: the new Giro boss, Acquarone looks a cool guy, decided to give a new, 'younger' image to the race. The use of FaceBook and Twitter, the try to involve people in doing the race – jersey, itinerary -, the choice of different and new roads are good signs. The Tour instead seems to miss a bit his 'mission': I can't see any logic in this itinerary, any symbol stage. I wait for the official presentation: maybe we will find out that isn't the Tour or that it is like that for a reason at the moment I can't see.

So? what do you think? Do you like them? Which one do you prefere?

2012 Tour de France stages:
P Prologue Sat 30 June Liège > Liège 6.1 km
1 Road stage Sun 1 July Liège > Seraing 198 km
2 Road stage Mon 2 July Visé > Tournai 207 km
3 Road stage Tues 3 July Orchies > Boulogne-sur-Mer 197 km
4 Road stage Weds 4 July Abbeville > Rouen 214 km
5 Road stage Thurs 5 July Rouen > Saint-Quentin 197 km
6 Road stage Fri 6 July Épernay > Metz 210 km
7 Road stage Sat 7 July Tomblaine > La Planche des Belles Filles 199 km
8 Road stage Sun 8 July Belfort > Porrentruy 154 km
9 Time trial Mon 9 July Arc-et-Senans > Besançon 38 km
10 Road stage Weds 11 July Mâcon > Bellegarde-sur-Valserine 194 km
11 Mountains Thurs 12 July Albertville > La Toussuire - Les Sybelles 140 km
12 Mountains Fri 13 July Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne > Annonay 220 km
13 Road stage Sat 14 July Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux > Le Cap d’Agde 215 km
14 Road stage Sun 15 July Limoux > Foix 192 km
15 Road stage Mon 16 July Samatan > Pau 160 km
16 Mountains Weds 18 July Pau > Bagnères-de-Luchon 197 km
17 Mountains Thurs 19 July Bagnères-de-Luchon > Peyragudes 144 km
18 Road stage Fri 20 July Blagnac > Brive-la-Gaillarde 215 km
19 Time trial Sat 21 July Bonneval > Chartres 52 km
20 Road stage Sun 22 July Rambouillet > Paris Champs-Élysées 130 km
Source http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2012-tour-de-france-route-revealed
Alleged Giro d’Italia stages
5 May: Herning – Herning ITT (8.7 km)
6 May: Herning – Herning (206 km)
7 May: Horsens – Horsens (190 Km)
8 May: Rest day, transfer to Italy
9 May: Verona – Verona TTT (32.2 km)
10 May: Modena – Fano (199 km)
11 May: Urbino – Porto Sant’Elpidio (207 Km)
12 May: Recanati – Rocca di Cambio (202 km)
13 May: Sulmona – Lago Laceno (229 km)
14 May: San Giorgio nel Sannio – Frosinone (171 km)
15 May: Civitavecchia – Assisi (187 km)
16 May: Assisi – Montecatini Terme (243 Km)
17 May: Seravezza – Sestri Levante (157 km)
18 May: Savona – Cervere (121 km)
19 May: Cherasco – Cervinia (205 km)
20 May: Busto Arsizio – Lecco/Pian dei Resinelli (172 km)
21 May: Rest day
22 May: Limone sul Garda – Falzes/Pfalzen (174 km)
23 May: Falzes/Pfalzen – Cortina d’Ampezzo (187 km)
24 May: San Vito di Cadore – Vedelago (139 km)
25 May: Treviso – Alpe di Pampeago (197km)
26 May: Caldes/Val di Sole – Passo dello Stelvio (218 km)
27 May: Milano – Milano ITT (31.5 km)
Source http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-ditalia-stages-also-leaked