This image depicts the routes of each stage of the 2014 Tour de France. I used .GPX GPS files and processing to visualize the entire race. I chose not to include a background map as I didn’t think there was any need since this image is focused on comparative distances and elevation between stages, not looking at the distance of the race as a whole and therefore a contextualizing background is not necessary. I like how seemingly random the GPS files appear which is ironic as they are actually a series of extremely precise plotted points. The circles allow us further understanding of each stage as the circumference of each circle represents distance and the stroke weight of each circle represents elevation gain, using this we can realize that:
Large Circle/ Thin stroke = Long flatter stage.
Small Circle/ Thin Stroke = Short flatter stage.
Large Circle/ Thick Stroke = Long stage with lots of climbs.
Small Circle/ Thick Stroke = Short stage with lots of climbs.
We must also keep in mind that if two circles have the same stroke weight but one is smaller, then the small one must have a steeper average gradient as it has the same elevation gain but it is spread out over a shorter distance.
The final look of this piece is quite clean and minimal which I feel is quite successful as a piece of graphic design and the 3 colour colour-scheme I feel works well as each aspect of the piece stands out.
