posted Jul 3, 2008

I'd guess it would be of those with the same time, who is highest in the green jersey competition for most consistent finisher. But honestly I haven't got a clue, a good point you raise.

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posted Jul 4, 2008

i think there was a thread some months ago on the bbc that touched on this point. i don't think it was ever resolved, although i did venture that the "tactical" switch by the organisers was done to maximise the chance of a french yellow jersey wearer (given the absence of french sprinters and prologue TT specialists). i did not consider that fact that they were going to allow multiple wearers - but maybe that is their plan, circa 200 riders in yellow!

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posted Jul 4, 2008

Yeah good point, definitely a tactic to prevent the 'prologue' winner staying in yellow all week. I guess the yellow jersey will be swapped around for most of the first week then.

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posted Jul 4, 2008

I'm really disappointed they have scrapped time bonuses. It is the sprinters who make the event the spectacle it is.

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posted Jul 4, 2008

I think they are doing a first past the post style of resolution, i.e. the stage winner wears yellow the next day in the event bunch finishes. It was designed to encourage more agressive riding (but hopefully not aggressive sprinting) in the first week. Think of Michael Boogerd firing off the front in the final kilometre esque racing (the likes of Wegmann, Cancellara, Gilbert and Voigt will be trying it now). It should make the finishes more exciting because riders have a bigger incentives to attack. The only downside is, in the event of a bunch sprint, you'll get anyone and everyone trying to sprint for the line which means those who don't like tight conditions such as Cavendish getting blocked and frustrated.

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posted Jul 4, 2008

I agree with Clarke - could be thing and encourage teams to send a rider up the road, rather than 'relying' on one of the big guys whose sat in for 200k suddenly waking for the glory. I always want the break to survive, its what the road is all about, the lone crusade, the collaboration of half a dozen teams, putting rivalry to bed for 150k - no other sport provides the same contradiction and scapping the bonuses should mean that and time gained on GC is earnt not awarded. some of the tours have got so close on time in recent years - especially if you go back to lemond vs fignon, would some of the overall winners have been different if they had not been 'given' time?... lets encourage heroics again. (albeit 'unassisted' re:floyd. )

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posted Jul 4, 2008

so in this spirit of equality with respect to bonuses / points etc, why is the green jersey not subject to the same number of points daily (or has that now been brought in line too)?

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posted Jul 4, 2008

I don't think it will particularly help a breakaway come off in the first week. It will mean that the sprinter teams might actually have organise themselves to do some pulling in order to bring the breaks back though, instead of relying on the yellow jersey team.

Do they add up the riders finish positions for each stage to decide which rider leads if they are on the same time? This is what happens in pro cycling manager if the times are level. (nerd alert)

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posted Jul 4, 2008

So if (just say) the first 6 stages all finish in a bunch sprint with 6 different winners - but who've all finished in the lead group every day?

Who on earth wears the yellow jersey on stage 7?

Has every single time bonus in the entire race gone? All the 6 second ones within the stage?

I used to enjoy a non sprinter getting involved in them & then carrying off on break afterwards while Zabel & Boonen stopped & waited for the peloton. I suppose we won't see the sprint teams at all now until the last 20K.

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posted Jul 4, 2008

By the sound of things, it's whoever won stage 6. I'm rather glad now stage 4 is a time trial...

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