As far as I can remember, TDF organizers have been "suspected" of designing a race profile to fit the leading champ of the time. When Hinault was racing there was something like 3 ITTs for maybe a total of 100+ km. Compare to this year where the only ITT is at the end, the so-called "strong man's " iTT that rarely changes much (1989 being the exception, but then Fignon had a 3rd testicle that day, so...
Since 1999, the first mountain difficult mountain stage has had a top finish and everyone knows that with Armstrong in a normal/decent shape, he'll blow everyone one up, 2003 being the exception, although Ullrich did blow up in the Alpe d'Huez. So with the competition trounced after that first mountain stage, it makes it much easier for him. Incidentally, the only time Ullrich won, the first mountain stage in the Pyrenees didn't have a top finish.
As far as I can remember, TDF organizers have been "suspected" of designing a race profile to fit the leading champ of the time. When Hinault was racing there was something like 3 ITTs for maybe a total of 100+ km. Compare to this year where the only ITT is at the end, the so-called "strong man's " iTT that rarely changes much (1989 being the exception, but then Fignon had a 3rd testicle that day, so...
Since 1999, the first mountain difficult mountain stage has had a top finish and everyone knows that with Armstrong in a normal/decent shape, he'll blow everyone one up, 2003 being the exception, although Ullrich did blow up in the Alpe d'Huez. So with the competition trounced after that first mountain stage, it makes it much easier for him. Incidentally, the only time Ullrich won, the first mountain stage in the Pyrenees didn't have a top finish.
Generally speaking, athletic event organizers try to make things more even for everyone to create less of a gap in the end.
Like lengthening The Masters a few years ago to handicap Tiger Woods.
Not only does that sort of thing never seem to work but rather it makes things worse.
"Keith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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As far as I can remember, TDF organizers have been "suspected" of designing a race profile to fit the leading champ of the time.
I think that if you study the history of the tour a case can be made for the exact opposite. Many people have argued that the courses starting in 2000 were designed to give other riders a better chance than Lance.
Adding the TTT back in the race in 2000 and limiting loses in TTT in 2004 come to mind quickly.
"Frank Drackman" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
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"Keith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
As far as I can remember, TDF organizers have been "suspected" of designing a race profile to fit the leading champ of the time.
I think that if you study the history of the tour a case can be made for the exact opposite. Many people have argued that the courses starting in 2000 were designed to give other riders a better chance than Lance.
Adding the TTT back in the race in 2000 and limiting loses in TTT in 2004 come to mind quickly.
Yup. Or having the Alpe d'Huez TT last year and the short Stage 1 TT this year seemed to be designed to reduce Armstrong's and Ullrich's advantage over others on the flats.
"Frank Drackman" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
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"Keith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
As far as I can remember, TDF organizers have been "suspected" of designing a race profile to fit the leading champ of the time.
I think that if you study the history of the tour a case can be made for the exact opposite. Many people have argued that the courses starting in 2000 were designed to give other riders a better chance than Lance.
Adding the TTT back in the race in 2000 and limiting loses in TTT in 2004 come to mind quickly.
Yup. Or having the Alpe d'Huez TT last year and the short Stage 1 TT this year seemed to be designed to reduce Armstrong's and Ullrich's advantage over others on the flats.
The utter ineffectiveness of all of these "biases" just underscores the fact that you have to be a complete rider to truly dominate the Tour. Cobbled roads, rolling wine-country hills, short steep hills, long grinding hills, technical descents, technical ITT's, technical TTT's, rain, heat, wind... you've got to weather it all just to finish, let alone win.
By the way... there's a little factoid that has slipped under the radar. Stage 19, the St. Etienne ITT, will be ridden on exactly the same parcours on which Jan Ullrich finished 3:04 ahead of the next-fastest rider in 1997.
"Frank Drackman" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
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Quoted message said:
"Keith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I think that if you study the history of the tour a case can be made for the exact opposite. Many people have argued that the courses starting in 2000 were designed to give other riders a better chance than Lance.
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Adding the TTT back in the race in 2000 and limiting loses in TTT in 2004 come to mind quickly.
Quoted message said:
Yup. Or having the Alpe d'Huez TT last year and the short Stage 1 TT this year seemed to be designed to reduce Armstrong's and Ullrich's advantage over others on the flats.
When I read someone posting here at the start about a conspiracy on the first stage I was a bit surprised it was an anti-Armstrong conspiracy. There seems to be a lot of like for Lance in France and if there is one thing sports organisers like its record setting and the publicity from a start to finish 7th win?
"Keith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
As far as I can remember, TDF organizers have been "suspected" of designing a race profile to fit the leading champ of the time.
I think that if you study the history of the tour a case can be made for the exact opposite. Many people have argued that the courses starting in 2000 were designed to give other riders a better chance than Lance.
Adding the TTT back in the race in 2000 and limiting loses in TTT in 2004 come to mind quickly.
It seems everybody missed my main point that if the first difficult mountain stage did not have a top finish, it wouldn't have allowed Armstrong to crush Ullrich psychologically each time. Just look at what's going on today, they are all more tired and Ullrich is doing much better.
Bounty Bob <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
Quoted message said:
When I read someone posting here at the start about a conspiracy on the first stage I was a bit surprised it was an anti-Armstrong conspiracy. There seems to be a lot of like for Lance in France and if there is one thing sports organisers like its record setting and the publicity from a start to finish 7th win?
I think the biggest complaint about the Lance era is that the races have been boring except for '03, and what the organizers like is a competitive race so viewers continue to tune in. So it is possible they could take some emphasis off of TTs to keep the time gaps to some of the climbers closer.
So I wouldn't call it an anti-anybody conspiracy, but rather trying to make it better entertainment.
Bounty Bob <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
Quoted message said:
When I read someone posting here at the start about a conspiracy on the first stage I was a bit surprised it was an anti-Armstrong conspiracy. There seems to be a lot of like for Lance in France and if there is one thing sports organisers like its record setting and the publicity from a start to finish 7th win?
I think the biggest complaint about the Lance era is that the races have been boring except for '03, and what the organizers like is a competitive race so viewers continue to tune in. So it is possible they could take some emphasis off of TTs to keep the time gaps to some of the climbers closer.
So I wouldn't call it an anti-anybody conspiracy, but rather trying to make it better entertainment.
Right, I guess it won't be an issue anymore with Lance gone, but that first top finish really killed the suspense in the TDF since 1999...except in 2003 when Armstrong was in a bad shape
It seems everybody missed my main point that if the first difficult mountain stage did not have a top finish, it wouldn't have allowed Armstrong to crush Ullrich psychologically each time. Just look at what's going on today, they are all more tired and Ullrich is doing much better.
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We saw your point and provided historical facts to show that it was not the case.
