Road Cycling · Public discussion

Weighted TTT in 2004 TdF ??

Lindsay · 2003-10-24T02:44:09+00:00

http://www.newsday.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-cyc-tour-de-france-changes,0,1584699.story?co- ll=sns-ap-sports-headlines Changes in Store for 2004 Tour De France By Associated Press October 23, 2003, 12:42 PM EDT PARIS -- A time trial in the Alps, cobblestone roads, changes to the scoring system. The 2004 Tour de France will feature new wrinkles as Lance Armstrong bids for a record sixth title. The race has been revamped to "make sure the favorites never feel settled and keep the suspense going until the very end," tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc said Thursday in unveiling the route. The 2,071-mile race will start July 3 in Liege, Belgium, and finish in Paris on July 25. Leblanc said that although the mountain climbs will not be as high as in 2003, they will be "full of difficulty and danger." There will be six mountain stages, one fewer than this year, but a climbing time trial is being added. Typically, time trials are raced on mostly flat routes. But on July 21, with riders feeling the strain after nearly three weeks in the saddle, there will be a 9.2-mile uphill race against the clock up to the legendary Alpe d'Huez. "How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty." Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes, 30 seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said. Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press

Started by Lindsay · 24 October 2003 · Last activity 25 October 2003 · 12 posts · 789 views

← Back to Road Cycling

Thread navigation

Jump through the discussion

Go to the original post, the replies on this page, or the latest preserved contribution.

01 / Original postWeighted TTT in 2004 TdF ??Lindsay · 24 Oct 2003 02 / This pagePosts 1–12Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #12Ryan Cousineau · 25 Oct 2003

Thread details

What we know about this thread

Original section: Road Cycling
Published: 24 October 2003
Last activity: 25 October 2003
Original author: Lindsay
Posts: 12
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 789
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Time trials Tour de France Lance Armstrong

The navigation and discussion metadata provide context. Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Original post
Lindsay
Archived post

24 October 2003, 02:44 UTC #1

newsday.comsns ap cyc tour de france changes,0,1584699.story
ll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
Changes in Store for 2004 Tour De France
By Associated Press
October 23, 2003, 12:42 PM EDT
PARIS -- A time trial in the Alps, cobblestone roads, changes to the scoring system. The 2004 Tour
de France will feature new wrinkles as Lance Armstrong bids for a record sixth title.
The race has been revamped to "make sure the favorites never feel settled and keep the suspense
going until the very end," tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc said Thursday in unveiling the route.
The 2,071-mile race will start July 3 in Liege, Belgium, and finish in Paris on July 25.
Leblanc said that although the mountain climbs will not be as high as in 2003, they will be "full of
difficulty and danger." There will be six mountain stages, one fewer than this year, but a climbing
time trial is being added.
Typically, time trials are raced on mostly flat routes. But on July 21, with riders feeling the
strain after nearly three weeks in the saddle, there will be a 9.2-mile uphill race against the
clock up to the legendary Alpe d'Huez.
"How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the
mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty."
Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes, 30
seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press

Report
Monty
Archived post

24 October 2003, 14:43 UTC #2

I give up, how are they planning accomplishing this:
Quoted message said:
Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes, 30
seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press

Report
Ryan Cousineau
Archived post

24 October 2003, 15:45 UTC #3

In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay
<[email hidden]> wrote:
newsday.comsns ap cyc tour de france
changes,0,1584699.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
Quoted message said:
"How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the
mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty."
Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes, 30
seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

Report
Kurgan Gringion
Archived post

24 October 2003, 15:45 UTC #4

"Ryan Cousineau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay
<[email hidden]> wrote:
newsday.comsns ap cyc tour de france
changes,0,1584699.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
Quoted message said:
"How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the
mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty."
Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes,
30 seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
Dumbass -
Bianchi didn't lose that much time in the TTT. 38(?) seconds?
Something like that. Certainly not 2 min 30 sec.

Report
Richard Adams
Archived post

24 October 2003, 15:45 UTC #5

Ryan Cousineau said:
In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay
<[email hidden]> wrote:
newsday.comsns ap cyc tour de france
changes,0,1584699.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
Quoted message said:
"How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the
mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty."
Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes, 30
seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
More like the Euskaltel rule. Jan's back with Telekom, in case you hadn't noticed.

Report
Donald Munro
Archived post

24 October 2003, 15:45 UTC #6

Ryan Cousineau said:
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
More like the Règle de MAYOnnaise

Report
Just An Observe
Archived post

24 October 2003, 15:45 UTC #7

"Richard Adams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Ryan Cousineau said:
In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay <[email hidden]>
wrote:

newsday.comsns ap cyc tour de france
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
changes,0,1584699.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
Quoted message said:
"How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the
mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty."
Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes,
30 seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
More like the Euskaltel rule. Jan's back with Telekom, in case you hadn't noticed.
Yeah and do you think that the rest of the riders in Telekom ( now known as T-Mobile if you haven't
noticed) are going to be in love with Ullrich? That is something to be seen. I see that the team
members won't be a supportive as before. Who is going to sacrifice his ass for him.........time
will tell.

Report
Kurgan Gringion
Archived post

24 October 2003, 15:45 UTC #8

"Just an Observer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Yeah and do you think that the rest of the riders in Telekom ( now known as T-Mobile if you
haven't noticed) are going to be in love with Ullrich? That is something to be seen. I see that
the team members won't be a supportive as before. Who is going to sacrifice his ass for

him.........time
Quoted message said:
will tell.
Idiot -
They will sacrifice because it's their job and that's what they're paid to
do.
Telekom is not a Masters Fattie team where team support depends upon popularity.

Report
Donald Munro
Archived post

24 October 2003, 15:45 UTC #9

Just an Observer said:
Yeah and do you think that the rest of the riders in Telekom ( now known as T-Mobile if you
haven't noticed) are going to be in love with Ullrich? That is something to be seen. I see that
the team members won't be a supportive as before. Who is going to sacrifice his ass for
him.........time will tell.
They get a nice big bonus after the race if they sacrifice their ass for him and he comes 1st or
even 2nd. After all they are professionals riders and many of them would probably have done what he
did if they were in his shoes.

Report
Nick Burns
Archived post

24 October 2003, 16:45 UTC #10

"Ryan Cousineau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:

Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes,
30 seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
This is not the first Tour to use that method.

Report
Richard Adams
Archived post

24 October 2003, 16:45 UTC #11

Just an Observer said:
"Richard Adams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Ryan Cousineau said:
In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay
<[email hidden]> wrote:
newsday.comsns ap cyc tour de france
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
changes,0,1584699.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
>"How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the
>mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty."
>
>Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2 minutes,
>30 seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage," Leblanc said.
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
More like the Euskaltel rule. Jan's back with Telekom, in case you hadn't noticed.
Yeah and do you think that the rest of the riders in Telekom ( now known as T-Mobile if you
haven't noticed) are going to be in love with Ullrich? That is something to be seen. I see that
the team members won't be a supportive as before. Who is going to sacrifice his ass for
him.........time will tell.
A very important one appears to be Vinokourov, who only got 3rd, behind Jan in the '03 TdF and he
appears very enthusiastic that Jan is back. They've been training together in Kazakhstan and
remain good friends. Botero remains to be seen, he was dead weight on the team this year. To my
surprise Erik Zabel is happy to have Jan back. As for the rest of the team, they know who buys the
meal tickets.

Report
Ryan Cousineau
Archived post

25 October 2003, 09:42 UTC #12

In article <[email hidden]>, "Kurgan Gringioni"
Quoted message said:
"Ryan Cousineau" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay <[email hidden]>
wrote:
newsday.comsns ap cyc tour de france
changes,0,1584699.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
Quoted message said:
"How could we make the 2004 Tour unconventional?" Leblanc said. "By having a time trial in the
mountains to mess up established tactics and game plans and provide more uncertainty."
Also, the July 7 team time trial will be weighted so that no team can gain more than 2
minutes, 30 seconds, so as not to "give good riders in weaker teams too much disadvantage,"
Leblanc said.
Henceforth, this shall be called the "Ullrich rule".
Dumbass -
Bianchi didn't lose that much time in the TTT. 38(?) seconds?
Something like that. Certainly not 2 min 30 sec.
Yeah, yeah. I blew it. As other have pointed out, the "Mayo rule" would be more appropriate.
Now, a rule letting you skip riding the ITT until the weather gets better...
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] sfu.ca~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

Report

Active in the last 60 minutes

Active in this thread

0 users · 0 guests ·0 bots ·0 total

No signed-in users are active right now.

No known search crawlers active right now.

Jump through the discussion

What we know about this thread

Continue through CyclingForums

Active in this thread