08 TDF no time bonuses

Quoted message said:

So all the big sprints (after stage 1) will not put anybody in
yellow. The first stage sprint ought to be a battle royale since the
winner will likely keep the yellow for 4 days. The leader after the
first time trial will likely keep it until the mountains.

This isn't true. GC is, per 2006:

1. time
2. if tied, lower sum of placings
3. if still tied, who did better on last stage
4. if still tied, a full-contact track-standing competition is held prior to the awards ceremony.

The time bonuses were extended to mountain stages to combat the Indurain-giving-away-mountain-stage syndrome. I like them.

This is a welcome change. Hopefully this will help reduce some of the
crashes and other distractions in the TDF.

On Oct 26, 10:55 am, "[email hidden]" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

So all the big sprints (after stage 1) will not put anybody in
yellow. The first stage sprint ought to be a battle royale since the
winner will likely keep the yellow for 4 days. The leader after the
first time trial will likely keep it until the mountains.

The lack of time bonuses in the mountains means the up hill sprinters
like Contador and Valverde will gain nothing.

Quoted post said:

This is a welcome change. Hopefully this will help reduce some of the
crashes and other distractions in the TDF.

- Show quoted text -

I have to disagree. For the most part, in the early stages there are
only two or three sprinters, at best, who have a chance to take over
the yellow jersey with bonus seconds. But, ALL the sprinters want the
stage win and many of them are concerned about the green jersey. The
sprints will be as hectic as ever.

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted post said:

This is a welcome change. Hopefully this will help reduce some of the
crashes and other distractions in the TDF.

- Show quoted text -

I have to disagree. For the most part, in the early stages there are
only two or three sprinters, at best, who have a chance to take over
the yellow jersey with bonus seconds. But, ALL the sprinters want the
stage win and many of them are concerned about the green jersey. The
sprints will be as hectic as ever.

Indeed!

By using the placings on previous stages to break ties means every
place in every sprint becomes important, not just the top 20. The
contenders will have to sprint out every stage early on in the tdf.
No sitting up because they can't win like some often do. The stage 1
winner will have to sprint thru the pack even if he is 50 riders
back. Sounds like even more kaos in the final kilometers. Until
someone wins with a time gap, the yellow jersey will mostly reflect
the green. The real incentive will be to win with a time gap. Look
for many break attempts on the first few stages until it happens.

Quoted message said:

By using the placings on previous stages to break ties means every
place in every sprint becomes important, not just the top 20. The
contenders will have to sprint out every stage early on in the tdf.
No sitting up because they can't win like some often do. The stage 1
winner will have to sprint thru the pack even if he is 50 riders
back. Sounds like even more kaos in the final kilometers. Until
someone wins with a time gap, the yellow jersey will mostly reflect
the green. The real incentive will be to win with a time gap. Look
for many break attempts on the first few stages until it happens.

The stage placings will matter only until the first time trial, which is early, at which point fractions of a second from the time trial will dominate.

So it'll be a "virtual green" jersey until the first time trial, then it'll be dominated by the time trail result until the first mountain split, at least for those riders who were able to finish in the lead pack each day.

Dan

Quoted message said:

By using the placings on previous stages to break ties means every
place in every sprint becomes important, not just the top 20. The
contenders will have to sprint out every stage early on in the tdf.

I don't think the contenders are going to be too worried about the
possibility of a tie.

Kyle Legate said:

Quoted message said:

By using the placings on previous stages to break ties means every
place in every sprint becomes important, not just the top 20. The
contenders will have to sprint out every stage early on in the tdf.

I don't think the contenders are going to be too worried about the
possibility of a tie.

Doh, I meant sprint contenders.

Quoted message said:

Kyle Legate said:

Quoted message said:

By using the placings on previous stages to break ties means every
place in every sprint becomes important, not just the top 20. The
contenders will have to sprint out every stage early on in the tdf.

I don't think the contenders are going to be too worried about the
possibility of a tie.

Doh, I meant sprint contenders.

The green jersey is as it was before. So I don't understand your point.

If you're "sprinting from the back", you're already out of contention for a placings-based yellow jersey anyway, so don't bother.

The exception would be if there is a breakaway on, for example, stage 1, then for stage 2 the small number who were st on the stage 1 will want to maximize their placings on sprints up to the first time trial, even if that place is 20th. That could be an issue.

I like time bonuses. When they were added to hill-top finishes, the racing got better. What's "pure" about GC contenders giving away stages?

Dan

Quoted message said:

Kyle Legate said:

Quoted message said:

By using the placings on previous stages to break ties means every
place in every sprint becomes important, not just the top 20. The
contenders will have to sprint out every stage early on in the tdf.

I don't think the contenders are going to be too worried about the
possibility of a tie.

Doh, I meant sprint contenders.

The green jersey is as it was before. So I don't understand your point.

If you're "sprinting from the back", you're already out of contention for a placings-based yellow jersey anyway, so don't bother.

The exception would be if there is a breakaway on, for example, stage 1, then for stage 2 the small number who were st on the stage 1 will want to maximize their placings on sprints up to the first time trial, even if that place is 20th. That could be an issue.

I like time bonuses. When they were added to hill-top finishes, the racing got better. What's "pure" about GC contenders giving away stages?

Dan