2nd Round / Stichwahl / 2. tour December Tour 2011

[lesossies]

Yemen or Pakistan-India ?
The final decision

[team fl]

Weeee, first voter!

[Robyklebt]

The 2 tours:

Tour of Yemen

The preparation for this entry in this years contest started already in November 2009. After some preliminary talks with different representative from quite a few countries, everybody wanted to collaborate with the star designer RKL obviously, we decided to cooperate with Yemen for our 2011 tour. The contract was signed within days, the frame of the Tour stood already in January 10 and everything was basicaly finished in September 2010. Then, on the November 1st 2010 the big shock. In an unbelievable breach of contract, we had exlusive rights until 2011, and trust the local Yemeni organizing committee had cooperated with Falkenbier from Schafhausen to have a few stages in his 2010 december competition entry. Unacceptable, we immediately sued them in court. And after a prolonged court battle justice prevailed. The Yemeni organizing committee was forced to pay us 50k credits for breach of contract. So the Tour was saved we thought, but another surprise was waiting for us. Since the contract had been broken the court confirmed that we had to pay another 1 million credits to remake a contract. Thanks but no thanks, we'll design in Ethiopia, they trust us there was our answer, but then the judge informed us that in that case we'd have to pay 50k for breaking the contract and 1 million credits for suing in bad faith, since according to him we seemed to have no intention of honoring the contract. Our protests that the local committee was in breach of contract and we saw no reason to repay them money after they broke the contract somehow wasn't convincing, so in the end we were forced to pay another million. Still, it was worth it, Yemen offers not only outstanding landscape, but also, somewhat surprisingly, lots of paved roads. And with new and better Google earth material we redrew some stages, so weren't completely out of work in the past months.

First let's see an overview of the Tour:




Now a detailed look at the stages:

Stage 1: Aden-Al Bayda

http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_01

The tour starts with a bang. No, not a terrorist attack. The organizing committee in a painstaking 2 year effort has made contracts, drank tea, chew Qat, bribed all the groups in Yemen, from tribal leaders, government officials, terrorist organizations to simple truck drivers to guarantee the safety of the peloton. Not the team staff though, that would have been to expensive. But we have taken out an insurance policy with Herne Insurance Co., the leading RSF insurance company, so everything should be in order. Rest assured, the bang will not be an explosive blast on the side of the road, but purely a competitive one. Some riders might actually have preferred a dynamite detonation after all. The first stage starts in Aden , the former capital of the former South Yemen. The first 100 km are completely flat along the southern coast until Shaqra, where the road heads inland. A 17 km climb, brings the riders to the first GPM of the Tour, cat 2 at 960 meters above sea level. After another 50 mostly flat km, the main difficulty of the day awaits the riders. The Mortirolo and Stelvio of Yemen. Steep like the Mortirolo, 11 Km at over10% (or 10 Km at 11%) and switchbacks like the Stelvio, as you can see in the pictures below. From the top at 2280 pass it will be another 32 Km slighly downhill to reach Al Bayda. A first stage that could see different scenarios at the end, an elite climbers group, a sprint for a strong 70+70 sprinter, a combined superclassic/80-70 group. And the GC contenders of course will have to pay attention too.

Middle mountain stage
Length: 228 Km
Climbing: 2260 meters
mintact from km 186
weather: generally kind of a problem. No rain in Yemen usually in December it seems, temperatures fairly mild, no climate zone fits perfectly. So all is continental summer for the moment.

Pictures: Please click on the links. No direct pictures, since from what I understood that's not allowed by Panoramio unless you do complicated things. So click on the links. No need to read this short presentation. No need to look at the profiles. No need to vote for the Tour. But you have to see those pictures, some of the landscape, architecture, roads is just too beautiful to be ignored.

Aden Overview
Lawder Mountain Pass 1
Lawder Mountain Pass 2
Overview Lawdar Mountain Pass
OverviewAl Bayda





Stage 2: Al Bayda-Ibb

http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_02

After the long first stage, the riders will have to tackle an even longer one, the longest stage of the whole Tour. 260 Km from Al Bayda to Ibb. After a 10 km neutralized start, 2 early cat 4 climbs lead the peloton to Yafa, and to another, milder climate. Due to heavy rainfall in summer it's a very fertile region, which makes it densely populated. A population that seems to love Panoramio too, lots and lots of pictures to be found on google earth. Then follows a long downhill to 550 meters and a slighly rising flat section. At km 150 the second part of the stage starts, with a cat 4 and a cat 3 GPM. But the finale should only start at km 210. 3 cat 4, the last one (6 3) only 8 km from the finish, and one cat 3 climb will lead us to Ibb, where the finish line will be in the old center of Ibb, after after a 3 km climb, 3 4 4. Coming after the demanding opening stage, this stage will certainly favor riders with good regeneration, or riders that saved their power for this second day. There is no long tough climb like in stage one, but a series of shorter ones. Stage favorites are the strong classic riders, 80-70s once again, and again climbers might have their chance to in the uphill final in Ibb.

Middle mountain stage
Length: 260 Km
Climbing 3770
Mintact from km 210

Yafa
Overview Ibb
Ibb





Stage 3: Ibb-Jemel Sabir

http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_03

2 long and hard middle mountain stages so next is obviously a shorter, but not easier, mountain stage. 175 km with 4270 meters climbing. Right after Ibb the first climb, cat 2, from 1890 to 2640 meters in 11 Km. Until Km 102 there is barely a flat km, either it's up or down, 2 cat 3 and 2 cat 4 climbs. At around km 115 the road finally flattens out a bit, the riders will have about 35 slightly downhill, but still flat km to reach Ta'izz. There, a short cat 4 climb to reach Ta'izz castle will lead us to the final climb of the day. The Jebel Sabir: The first and the hardest mountain top arrival of the whole tour. 18 Km, with stunning views over the city of Ta'izz, with an average of 9% to reach 2970 meters above sea level. Here, the stage favorite seems clear, a strong climber. And while in the 2 preceeding stages differences, even important ones, if one of the favorites has a bad day, are possible, but by no means automatic, here we will see the first real GC fight.

Mountain stage
Length 175 Km
Climbing: 4270 meters
Mintact from 144

The first climb of the day
Cairo Castle in Taizz
Climb to Jebel Sabir
Landscape during the climb to Jebel Sabir
Climb to Jebel Sabir with Taizz in the background
The finish





Stage 4: Ta'izz-Zabid


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_04

Stage 4 will, finally, be the first chance for the sprinters. The first and only GPM of the stage is once again Ta'izz castle after only 3 km. After that it will be a gradual downhill to the Tihama. The 60 km coastal strip to the red sea. One of the hottest places on earth, the main problem is the high humidity, which makes summers in the Tihama almost unbearable. Fortunately and thanks to the immense wisdom of our star designer RKL our riders will be visiting it in december. At the first intermediate sprint of the day, we will turn north. Going west, the peloton would have reached Al Mokka, the port that gave the name to “mocca”. But the formerly most important port of Yemen nowadays is just a fishing village, it wouldn't have had the infrastructure to welcome the rowdy RSF peloton. Not that Zabid. where the stage will end after 177 km is much better equipped. The town of roughly 20'000 people is risking to lose it's inscription as a UNESCO World heritage site. For the managers interested in the whole problem, here a link. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/conserva ... yemen.html. As mentioned, it should be a stage for sprinters. But some might feel the hard beginning of the tour still in their legs, the fight for this stage will already start on stage 1. Only well protected sprinters or regeneration monsters can count as favorites for today.

flat stage
Length: 177 km
Climbing: 510 meters
Mintact from: 146

Overview Taizz
Zabid
Zabid
Zabid





Stage 5 Zabid-Al Qanawis

http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_05

Another stage for the sprinters, this time we'll spend the whole day in the Tihama. All in the eastern part, closer to the mountains, which due to the rainfalls in the mountains is more fertile and much more densely populated then near the cost. It should turn out to be a very easy stage for sprinters, maybe the easiest one of the whole tour. While on stage 4 some sprinters and their team might still feel the fatigue from the previous hard days, stage 5 seems completely hopeless for attackers. The finish in Al Qanawis, an undescript town of probably around 10'000 people so should see a sprint royal, and maybe a sprinter could take over the points jersey here.

Flat stage
Length: 173 Km
Climbing: 400 meters
Mintact from km 142

Tihama
Tihama
Road Tihama
Village Tihama





Stage 6 Al Qanawis-Amran

http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_06

On stage 6 we will head back to the mountains, the second HC stage of the tour. After the start in Al Qanawis after 17km in Radmat Qubarra, where the first intermediate sprint of the day is located, we turn east, and the climbing slowly starts. At first on a very slightly ascending road, then at km 56 there is the first GPM of the day. Right after that, the climb to Hajjah starts.14 Km at 7,1%, Hajjah like many towns in Yemen is on top of a mountain. After the downhill, the second and last climb of the day starts immediately. Longer, but not as steep as the first one 28 Km, 1850 meters climbing, an average of 5,6%. The first part of the climb though is tougher, The first 10 Km at 6,6%, then after 20 Km 2 flatter km, even downhill, passing near Kuhlan, where the second sprint of the day will be contested. Another roughly 10 spectacular Km to the top of the pass near the village of Al Ashmur. From there it will be 24 km to the goal, a short downhill followed by climb to a second highpoint, then the downhill and a few flat km. Here we could see another change in the leaders jersey, depending on the form of the different climbers.

HC Stage
Length 145 Km
Climbing: 3710
Mintact from km 92

Climb to Hajjah
Hajjah
Kuhlan
Kuhlan
Climb after Kuhlan
Azizi training in Amran



REST DAY:
The riders will transfer to Sana'a Airport in the morning, from there they will fly to Al Mukalla, the capital of the eastern Hadramaut region.

Sana Airport



Stage 7 Al Mukalla-Subaykh


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_07

After the rest day we restart the Tour in the Hadramaut Governate, the largest governate of Yemen. We start in the capital Al Mukalla. The 4th biggest city in Yemen and another important port. The first 84 Km of the stage look like a HC stage. 6 GPMs, 4 4th category one 1st category and last a 3rd category. But after that it will be roughly 100 mostly flat, slightly descending km to the goal in Wadi Doan. All in all not an easy stage to qualify. Is it a flat stage or a middle mountain stage? Can sprinters compete for the win or will energy the attackers and hill sprinters have be too much for them? We'll see. A middle mountain stage after all, but if the sprinters decide to fight, they could get that one too.

Middle mountain stage
Length: 181 Km
Climbing: 2720 meters
Mintact from Km 150

Al Mukalla
Wadi Doan
Wadi Doan
Wadi Doan
Sobaikh
strange house somewhere in Wadi Doan





Stage 8 Al Hajarain-Al Abr


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_08

Stage 8 is an easy stage for sprinters. After a short transfer, mostly due to the imprecision of google earth/srtm there, the start will be in Al Hajarain, the lower end of Wadi Doan. After less then 30 Km we will enter the Raslat Al Sabatayn. Another desert, this one a real sand-desert. The finish will be in Al Abr, a small village in a very small mountain range roughly in the middle of the desert. After dismissing the idea of letting the riders sleep in tents, we decided to force them to transfer by bus to Marib, which is at the western end of the Raslat Al Sabatayn, roughly 250 km from the finish

Flat stage
Length 166 km
Climbing 350 meters
Mintact: Km 136

Al Hajarain
Overview Wadi Doan
Raslat Al Sabatayn





Stage 9: Marib-Sana


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_09

From Marib, the capital of the historical Saba kingdom, we go back to the highland and reach the capital Sana for the first time. Despite 2 fairly steep, but short category 3 climbs in the first half of the stage, it should be another sprinter stage. The second GPM is at Km 105, still 74 Km from the finish line in Sana. From there on it's slightly ascending to the finish in Sana Sana or San'a or Sana'a? Everybody seems to have a different opinion, so we went for Sana for simplicity's sake. The finish line of the 9th stage will be just south of the old city, on Zubayri Street. This stage should decide if a pure flat sprinter will win the points jersey. Here again the hillsprinters, if any show up, could have a chance to drop the flat sprinters, not as big as on stage 7 obviously, but if they manage here they would get the full points.

Flat stage
Length: 179Km
Climbing 2000 meters
Mintact from km 148

Overview Marib
Sana overview





Stage 10: Sana-Al Hudayda


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_10

From Sana we go once again to the Red Sea coast, actually the first time, but again to the Tihama, but this time all the way to the coast, to Al Hudayda, nowadays the most important Red Sea port of Yemen. The 3rd stage in a row for sprinters, and although the first part of the stage is anything but easy, this one here should safely end in a big bunch sprint. After the start in the outskirts of Sana, the road immediately starts to climb. Until km 88 there will be 3 GPM, then the final big downhill to the Tihama starts. The last 100 km then will be flat, slightly downhill. Still, the sprinter teams won't be able to take it too easy, it will be the 3rd maybe 4th day in a row they are working, plus with the long downhill riders in the attack won't lose too much time and energy. What will be in the sprinters favor though is a)that Al Hudayda seems fairly ugly, so who'd want to arrive there early? b) the next 3 days will be hard, many riders might want to have an easy day before that..

Flat stage
Length 221 Km
Climbing: 1500 meters
Mintact from km 190

Fans preparing early to see the Tour of Yemen 2011
Mountains along the way
Overview Al Hudayda





Stage 11: Al Hudayda-At Tawila


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_11

The final 3 days, that like the first 3 days, will be very hard The start of the final showdown though is easy. A100 km flat approach to the mountains. But from there the battle for the GC win will be full on. From the first climb to Bani Amr, to the 5th and last one to At Tawila there will be barely a flat km, 4 big climbs, for a total of 4200 meters altitude gain in the last 120 km of this stage. It's of course almost identical to a stage of last years December tour, the difference is that we stop at At Tawila, so the climbers we won't have the a long flat part before the finish.

HC stage
Length 216 Km
Climbing: 4380 meters
Mintact: km 156

Al Mahwit
Al Mahwit
Near Al Mahwit
At Tawila
At Tawila





Stage 12: Al Tawila-Jebel an Nabi Shu'ayb


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_12

The last mountain stage of the Tour is a short one. Only79 km. The finish though will be at 3650 meters, the highest mountain of the whole Arabien peninsula, so obviously the highest mountain of Yemen too. Well, not that obvious now that I think of it, after all the Mulhacen is the highest mountain of the Iberian peninsula, but not the highest one of Spain. Theoretically it could be the same here, but don't worry, the Jebel an Nabi Shu'ayb is indeed the highest mountain in Yemen. The race very likely will be raced intensly, the approach to Jebel an Nabi Shu'ayb won't be too difficult, but difficult enough to allow to isolate leaders without a strong team. And then of course the final climb, 10 km with 860 meters climbing will be the last chance for a stage win for the climbers, and the last chance to gain some time for weaker time trialists.

HC stage
Length: 97 km
Climbing 1850 meters
Mintact: km10

Somewhere in the region
Road
Near Mathnah
Fans installing their business waiting for the Peloton and Fabulous Conti
Jebel an Nabi Shu'ayb





Stage 13: Sana-Sana TT


http://www.radsportfreaks.de/radsport/p ... yemen11_13

So, after 12 stages, 2200 km, 28'120 meters climbing, 41 GPMs and 24 intermediate sprints it will all come down to this. The final TT. Have the climbers gained enough time on the “Huber”? Are the contenders all fit after the mountainous last 2 days? And can the contenders for the GC win fight for the stage win too, or are there some fit TT specialists around? But it won't be a TT for a pure specialist. A total of 4 climbs will have to be tackled. The toughest one will be from km 46 to 50.

ITT
Length 69 Km
Climbing 960 meters
mintact: Km 1

Wadi Road.
Wadi Road
If it rains...
Pavé, but not worth pavé at RSF
the lower part of the downhill+climb km 40-50
Back to the centre (the roads will be closed to traffic of course, here the riders of team Zauberlehrlinge were visiting Sana. And we pass over the bridge anyway
Back to the Wadi Road
Finish line under this bridge
Between the finish and the start


Overall:

5 flat stages
4 HC stages, 3 mountain top arrivals
3 Middle mountain stages, 2 hard ones, one easier one
1 ITT
2269 km and 29080meters climbing, 4 stages over 200 km, 2 under 150 Average stage length 183,33 Km not including the TT, average climbing per day without TT again is 2343,33

So mein Vorschlag für die Dezember-Tour ist fertig.
11 Tagesabschnitte plus ein Ruhetag, fertig sind 12 hoffentlich abwechslungsreiche Tage durch Pakistan und Indian.

I finished December tour and i hope that it will join the race calendar in December.
11 stages plus one rest day: 12 varied days through Pakistan and India are ready to start.

Etappen/Stages
1. Karachi Time Trial 11km Sonntag/Sunday
2. Karachi - Hyderabad 225km Montag/Monday
3. Faysalabad - Lahore 157km DIenstag/Tuesday
4. Sialokot - Jammu 43km (EZF/TT) Mittwoch/Wednesday
5. Jammu - Darhal 175km Donnerstag/Thursday
6. Khanetar - Dhanwan 105km Freitag/Friday
7. Ruhetag/Rest day Samstag/Saturday
8. Islamabad - Muzaffarabad 205km Sonntag/Sunday
9. Nausadda - Reshian 118km Montag/Monday
10. Srinagar - Kamah 162km Dienstag/Tuesday
11. Srinagar - Dacham Nationalpark 35km (EZF/TT) Mittwoch/Wednesday
12. Rotak - Delhi 100km Donnerstag/Thursday



Los geht die Rundfahrt mit einem kurzen, leichtansteigenden Einzelzeitfahren in Karachi. Vom Hafen geht es hinauf in die etwas höher gelegenen Stadtteile.

The tour begins with an easy, increasing Time Trial in Karachi. From harbour the riders go up to the higher located boroughs.



Von Karachi aus geht es auf direkt auf den längsten Tagesabschnitt. Die 225km von Karachi nach Hyderabad sind mit Ausnahme des leicht welligen Beginns durchgehend flach.
Problematisch dürften Wind und die Hitze am Rande der Wüste sein. In Karachi geht es zunächst nach Norden in das angesprochene leicht wellige Terrain, ehe der Kurs einen Knick nach Südosten macht. Er schlängelt sich dann entlang der Nationalstraße 5, ehe es ab 150km auf dieser Straße in Richtung Hyderabad geht. Highlight acht Kilometer vor dem Ziel dürfte der SPrint auf der Brücke des Indus sein, ehe es dann nach Hyderabad City geht.
Ein Massensprint dürfte hier am chancenreichsten sein.

In Karachi the tour begins with the longest stage. The 225km long stage from Karachi to Hyderabad is very flat, except for the beginning. The biggest problems for the riders might be heat and Wind at the edge of the desert. In Karachi the stage goes to the north with an light undulating terrain before the course goes to the southwest.
Until km 150 the stage goes along the National Street 5, after it it goes directly on this street t Hyderabad. A highlight could be the sprint 8km before finish on the Indus Bridge.
A massed sprint will have the biggest chances.




In Richtung Norden geht es weiter sehr flach zu. Die Strecke von Faysalabad nach Lahore ist absolut unspektakulär
und ein Massensprint ist mehr als wahrscheinlich.

Directing to the north, it is totally flat. The stage from Faysalabad to Lahore ist not very spectacular and a massed sprint is in all probability.




Die Favoriten müssen die Hosen runterlassen. Auf dem langen Zeitfahren von Sialkot ins indische Jammu müssen vor allem die nicht
so bergstarken Klassementfahrer zeigen, was sie können. 33 km geht es absolut flach über die Grenze, ehe es dann in die in die zweitgrößte Stadt Kashmirs leicht ansteigend wird.
Mal gucken wie die Favoriten drauf sind.

The favorite riders must show if they are fit. On the long time trial from Silakot to the Indian city of Jammu the riders who are not as strong in the mountains as the others must win several seconds for the classement. 33km from Sialkot to India are very flat, the last ten km to the second largest city in Kashmir it will be light increasing



Es geht endlich, endlich ins Gebirge und auf den 175km zur Bergankunft in Darhal wird es für die sprinter wenig zu lachen geben.
Nach 30km geht es nach Kandi und Bagot leicht bergauf, so dass sich vor allem Fahrer für das Bergtrikot und Ausreißer die Punkte sichern können. Danach geht es wieder flach ins Tal von Rajouri, ehe es ab km 105 leicht bergauf geht. Der Sprint in Rajouri kurz vor Beginn des Schlussanstiegs wird den meisten Sprintern wohl eher nicht schmecken. Danach geht es leicht bergauf auf ein kleines Plateau, ehe die letzten 10km mit durchschnittlich 5,5% Steigung zu bewältigen sind. Hier dürften die Favoriten erstmals vorfühlen, wer stark ist und wer nicht.

Finally the tour goes to the mountains and the sprinters will suffer on the 175km from Jammu to Darhal.
After 30km it goes with small slope to the mountains of Kandi and Bagot. This is the chance for breakaways and mountain-trikot-riders to get the moints. After tha the stage becomes flat into the valley of Rajouri until km 105. Then stage begins to rise with an sprint not for sprinter in Rajouri. The last 10km will be difficult with an avery slope of 5,5%.



Favoriten, wo seid ihr?
Auf der Etappe zurück nach Pakistan sind vor allem die Favoriten gefordert. Viel Zeit kann man beim Auf- und Abstieg auf die Abbaspur Road verlieren. 20km geht es bergauf mit Steigungen von bis zu 12%. Rasant geht es dann auch bergab: maximal 13% Gefälle fordern gute Abfahrer qualitäten. Nach dem zweiten Berg geht es weitesgehend flach weiter, eher der recht leichte Schlussanstieg nach Dhanwan folgt.
Der Ausgang ist recht offen: zwar ist ein Massensprint eher unwahrscheinlich, aber neben den Tourfavoriten haben auch Klassikerfahrer hier eine Chance zu gewinnen.

Favorites, where are you?
On the stage back to Pakistan especially the favorites are challenged. They can loose much time on the ascent and descent of Abbaspur Road. 20km the stage goes uphill with slopes up to 12%. Rapidly the stage goes downhill with 13% maximum. Good downhill drivers are asked to do something. After the second mountain of the day the stage becomes flatter and flatter before the last uphill to the finish in Dhanwan.
Winners could be everywhere: a massed sprint is unlikely, but besides the tour favorites classical drivers can win here.



Nach dem Ruhetag geht es in Pakistans Hauptstadt Islamabad auf die zweitlängste Etappe der Rundfahrt. 120km geht es flach bis leicht wellig los, ehe dann der lange, aber nicht sonderlich schwere Aufstieg nach Attar Sheesha beginnt. Fahrer für das Bergtrikot können mächtig Punkte sammeln, ohne im Hochgebirge ran zu müssen. Nach Attar Sheesha geht es bergab nach Muzaffarabad mit einem kurzen Anstieg kurz vor Ende.
Die Favoriten werden sich schonen, aber Klassikerfahrer ahben gute Chancen hier was zu reißen.

After rest day the stage begins in Pakistans capital Islamabad. The second longest stage of the tour is 120km very flat to light undulating until the uphill to Attar Sheesha, a mountain of the second value. Riders running for the mountain trikot can collect many points for their aim. After passing Attar Sheesha the track goes down to Muzaffarabad with a last uphill before finish.
The favorites will rest theirselves. Break aways have great chances to win.


Die Etappe ins Herzen des Kashmirs hat es in sich. Die ersten 20km fühlen sich für die Fahrer an wie eine Achterbahn: Steigungen und Gefälle von bis zu 15% wechseln sich nahezu auf jedem Kilometer ab. Danach geht es bis Hattian Bala nur leicht bergan weiter, bevor es dann beim Aufstieg nach Reshian zum Showdown kommt.
Dann geht es 34km fast nur bergan und speziell die letzten acht werden eine Tortur. Mit Steigungsspitzen von 20% und durchschnittlich 9,75% geht es auf das Dach der Rundfahrt auf 3000m Höhe.
Eine erste Vorentscheidung kann hier fallen und die ersten Favoriten könnten den Sieg abschenken.

The stage into the heart of Kashmir is very difficult. The first 20km is a rollercoaster for the riders: slopes upto 15% up- and downhill chance every kilometre.
After that it goes light uphill to Hattian Bala with its sprint. Then begins the 34km uphill to the finish of Reshian and especially the last acht km will be a torture. With slopes up to 20% and an average slope of 9,75% the tour goes on its highest point on 3000m above sea level.
The first decisions will be made and the first favorites will lose their chance to win.



Die letzte Hochgebirgsetappe führt in den äußersten Norden Kashmirs.
Nach 26 flachen Kilometern geht es bergan auf den Gulmarg, einen Berg der höchsten Kategorie. Nach dem Abstieg und dem Aufstieg auf den Udur geht es dann flach weiter bis Kupwara. Hier wird das Feld von den Sprinterteams zusammengeführt, um sich in Kupwara Punkte zu sichern. Beim Aufstieg nach Kamah geht es relativ gemächlich zu, einzig die Strecke prädestiniert dieses Gelände für die Bergziegen im Feld.

The last stage through high mountains goes to the north of Kashmir.
After 26 very flat kilometres the stage rises up to the Gulmarg, a mountain of the highest value. After Downhill and updill on the Udur the stage becomes flat for mehr then 50km. The field will be aligned by the sprinterteams who want the points in Kupwara. Then the last uphill to Kamah begins which is very long and a paradise for mountain riders.



Letzte Runde im Kampf um den Sieg. Von Srinagar geht es zunächst nach Süden, ehe man von der Nationalstraße abbiegt und sich dem Dacham National Park zuwendet.
28km geht es zumeist flach, ehe es dann hinauf geht mit Steigungen von 7%.
Bergfahrer mit passablen Zeitfahrerqualitäten oder Zeitfahrer, die am Berg nicht automatisch abreißen lassen haben hier bessere Chancen als reine Zeit- oder Bergfahrer.

Last Round of the fight for the win. From Srinagar the stage goes to the south, but then it is leaving the National Street to the Dacham National Park.
28km are very flat, but the last seven km show slopes up to 7%.
Mountrain drivers with competent time trial qualities oder time trialist which are medium mountain riders have better chances to win then mountain- or time trial-specialists



Zum Ausfahren eine kurze Etappe nach Delhi.
100 flache Kilometer für Sprinter und solche die es werden wollen. Am Ende ist nach 12 Tagen alles vorbei.

For the finish the last stage to Delhi.
100 flat kilometres for sprinters and those who want to become one. The end of 12 days.


Das ist das Ende meiner Präsentation. Ich hoffe ihr mögt es ein bißchen trotz der drei Zeitfahren.

This is the end of my presentation, hopefully you like it

[iBanesto]

What a surprise, it's the Tour of Yemen.

[team fl]

I really don't know why Pakistan-India reached the 2nd round anyway.

Means: Don't know why people voted for it, you Töpflischisser

[claw]

I really don't know why Pakistan-India reached the 2nd round anyway.

[Robyklebt]

Because enough people voted for it. Ok, personnally wouldn't have voted (and didn't, and would have voted for my own tour for the first and last time if it had been close) for it either, there were 5 other tours in the first round I liked much better.

That said, how about an old idea from skullz.

Winner Dec tour, cat 3. How about using the runner up as cat 2 or cat 1 tour at the beginning of January? Tachira if I'm not mistaken is dead, will not be raced in 2012 (could be mistaken though) early January so is free... Another long tour maybe not ideal, but as a "reward" for the designers, not only 2011 but 2012 and so on? So Pakistan-India for January my proposal. But have Woddel rework some of it. Those ugly intermediate sprints at the finish have to go.. tell him to add the name of the tour etc.

[team fl]

I really don't know why Pakistan-India reached the 2nd round anyway.

Means: Don't know why people voted for it, you Tüpflischisser

[Robyklebt]

I really don't know why Pakistan-India reached the 2nd round anyway.

Means: Don't know why people voted for it, you Tüpflischisser

Because they liked it

[Woddeltown Team]

´@Roby: you can tell it to me as well

@FL: maybe they did not want Roby winning in the 1st Round

[team fl]

I really don't know why Pakistan-India reached the 2nd round anyway.

Means: Don't know why people voted for it, you Tüpflischisser

Because they liked it

Then I don't know why they liked it

[team fl]

´@Roby: you can tell it to me as well

@FL: maybe they did not want Roby winning in the 1st Round

No offence, you did a nice work. But I saw at least two or even three tours in front of yours. Obviously my opinion was not shared by some users

[Woddeltown Team]

´@Roby: you can tell it to me as well

@FL: maybe they did not want Roby winning in the 1st Round

No offence, you did a nice work. But I saw at least two or even three tours in front of yours. Obviously my opinion was not shared by some users

No problem. Everyone as its own opinion. But with you i would not talk any more...fuck i do it at the moment

[Gipfelstuermer]

Congrats, Roby!
I'm sorry, I didn't find the time to write something about your tour in detail. But I think the choice is okay. And I'm sure it's much better than Pakistan-India. (Also couldn't understand the votes )
Personally I found VAC and Pura Vida much better. But we had to share our votes, so both tours had no big chance.

Roby's suggestion of riding the 2nd placed tour in January is very nice. Would be really friendly for those, who did their best. If you really do so, I want to suggest (for 2012 competition) to put at least 3 tours in the final voting. Otherwise the final voting isn't really interesting. And there are reasons for the olympic voting system... ok, that would probably be too complicated.

[Robyklebt]

I really don't know why Pakistan-India reached the 2nd round anyway.

Means: Don't know why people voted for it, you Tüpflischisser

Because they liked it

Then I don't know why they liked it

Oh, now I got it!
I don't actually understand how anybody could like any of the other 7 better than Yemen

Now the only problem is: Just realize have absolutely no team for this shit... sprinter team around Yrjönpoika maybe?