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No Prologue.
No sprint finish on stage 1.
2 mountain stages in Italy (the Prato Nevoso, which sees the finish of stage 15, and the mighty Col de la Bonette (also known as the Restefond).
A formidable stage 17, over the Galibier and Croix de Fer passes before a finish at L'Alpe d'Huez, and a closing time trial of 53km from Cérilly to St. Amand-Montrond the day before the July 27 finish in Paris.
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No prologue=no whining from Millar about why he didn't win it.
Works for me.
Sucks to be a sprinter, huh?
Why did they do away with time bonuses? With no prologue it seems like it might be hard to actually award a yellow jersey for the first 3 stages. If everyone comes through s.t., do you give the yellow jersey to the stage winner or just not award one at all? I don't think it's in anyone's best interest not to award a yellow jersey.
Anyway, I like the idea that "the race will never be asleep; we'll never go back to having a long procession [of flat stages] through the first 10 days." It will be interesting to see how this new setup plays out.
I'm also confused as to how they plan to award yellow jerseys for the first few stages. Stage one is obvious. Winner of stage takes it. But after that? If a few people have the same time for the first few days, do you start averaging finishing positions? Or does the winner of the first stage keep it as long as he gets the same time as the first group of finishers?
I still find it to be such a shame that they are not having team time trials. Such grace and beauty, and yet missing..........
I still find it to be such a shame that they are not having team time trials. Such grace and beauty, and yet missing..........
Have to agree but I think that Discovery set up such a good record- that it had to be dropped to give the other teams a chance.
I still find it to be such a shame that they are not having team time trials. Such grace and beauty, and yet missing..........
I agree too. They were a lot of fun and great viewing.
Have to agree but I think that Discovery set up such a good record- that it had to be dropped to give the other teams a chance.
That's a bit lame. It's like doing away with sprint finishes because someone is too fast.
Does anyone know the reasonning behind doing away with the prologue?
Richard
I agree too. They were a lot of fun and great viewing.
That's a bit lame. It's like doing away with sprint finishes because someone is too fast.
Does anyone know the reasonning behind doing away with the prologue?
Richard
No French prologue specialists? (just kidding... sort of)
Have to agree but I think that Discovery set up such a good record- that it had to be dropped to give the other teams a chance.
2005 1) Discovery 2) CSC @:02
2004 1) U.S. Postal 2) Phonak @1:07
2003 1) U.S. Postal 2) ONCE @:30
2002 1) Once 2) U.S. Postal @:16
2001 1) C.A. 4) U.S. Postal @1:26
2000 1) Once 2) U.S. Postal @:26
Note the team time trial was not included from 1995-1999
There are 21 stages; if the TdF had a Prologue, by UCI definition it would have 22 stages. UCI has said the limit for these grand tours is to be 21 stages.
The Tour is a business, to make money. Cut a stage or a Prologue?
It is not so important to have a Yellow jersey in the beginning; the rider that gets it on the first day will get to wear it just as the Prologue winner got to; until there's a gap in the peloton.
I would like to see the team time trial return but it did seem to further increase the advantage of a strong team. Lance could do well in the time trials and then ride behind his team as they set tempo for the rest of the peloton. Some fool tried to attack, Lance was on him like white on rice with rested teammates along. Made for a dull Tour. Unless you were a rabid Lance fan.
I understand there is a detailed guide to the tour route that goes out to teams and the press. Does anyone have an idea how to procure a copy?
I understand there is a detailed guide to the tour route that goes out to teams and the press. Does anyone have an idea how to procure a copy?
Sounds like material for a new thread. I'd like to see that, myself.
apply for a press pass...but probably too late for this year and you need some sort of credentials to get one. i had a press pass in 2001 and you get all kinds of stuff. a book on the history of the tour with tons of statistics, detailed maps, etc. but you don't get this stuff until fairly close to the start, maybe within a month. none of this stuff will be available online. they will provide an itinerary on the letour.com website that shows the timetable for multiple points on the route, but this also might not be available until june.
No time Bonuses wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still find it to be such a shame that they are not having team time trials. Such grace and beauty, and yet missing..........
+1 billion. I love the team time trial. They should bring that back.
I'm also confused as to how they plan to award yellow jerseys for the first few stages. Stage one is obvious. Winner of stage takes it. But after that? If a few people have the same time for the first few days, do you start averaging finishing positions? Or does the winner of the first stage keep it as long as he gets the same time as the first group of finishers?
Whoever wins the first stage will wear it. You always get the same time as the group you finish in. There's no time bonuses for the GC, but as long as the yellow is in the lead 'group' everyday, he'll keep it. Maybe they'll be more aggressive with assigning everyone an individual time rather than lumping them together, or maybe you'll just have to survive a break-away to get the jersey.
The yellow jersey will be based on time, if two or more riders share the same time then it comes down to who has had better finish positions.
+1 billion. I love the team time trial. They should bring that back.
I agree. If they are so worried about the time differences, then just shorten the stage.
There are 21 stages; if the TdF had a Prologue, by UCI definition it would have 22 stages. UCI has said the limit for these grand tours is to be 21 stages.
Not Quite but it's still money driven.
Britany paid for the right to hold the Prologue. Since it is a region rather than a town, the powers that be ditched the prologue and held the first 3 or 4 stages in Britany instead.
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