mike868y

This is my first year seriously watching the tour, and after watching the time trial today all of the announcers are treating it as the last stage, but there is another tommorow. Couldn't theoretically a GC rider such as Vandevelde attack the peloton tommorow and completely change around the results? Just wondering.

bac

He could try, but the group would never let him get away.

... Brad

BananaTugger

No one would let someone go off the front/is a big enough ahole to do so.

The ride into Paris signifies that you made it. It's a place for the sprinters, or those who don't want to sprint.

Bullseye

Only if you're a jack-arse like Vinokourov.

Thankfully no time bonuses this year though.

-bullseye

marin1

I thought that was one of the more exciting finishes, besides he was only looking for 1 second or so.

justinb

Which he didn't get.

BananaTugger

Vino waited until last KM, just like everyone else did...

marin1

Are you bitter because they put him in 5th and not levi?

Surferbruce

it's an unwritten rule you just don't attck yellow on the last day.

HigherGround

Traditionally the first part of the final stage is treated like a celebration. At some point during a three week grand tour, everyone is going to suffer or struggle at some point. They've dragged their bodies over the Pyrenees and the Alps, through the heat and the rain, come back from mechanicals and flat tires, dealt with crazed fans and road hazards, some of the riders have battled through illness, dehydration, or bonking... After kicking the ***** out of each other for three weeks, it's a chance for them to celebrate that they have finally made it. While some riders focus on the general classification standings, stage wins, or winning a jersey, many of the riders just struggle to finish within the time cut and keep going another day. This is a chance to enjoy the Tour, rather than surviving it.

That all changes once the Eiffel Tower is within sight. There's still a final stage to be won, and many years the green jersey is still to be decided. Traditionally the competition resumes once the Tower is in sight, and then the engines get fired up for one final showdown in to Paris.

justinb

No. Don't care about that. I forgot about the time bonuses still available then, and looked in the archives, where Vino was given the win, but also the same time as the rest of the peloton. my bad.

Demit

It's not an unwritten rule as much as it is just that the route makes it nearly impossible to gain anymore than a second or two. Even breakaways of people completely out of contention never survive on the last day, it's just too flat and too big of a win for the sprinters' team to let go.

Walter

In this year's case how in the world would either Lotto or Gerolsteiner run away from CSC anyways? With Voight and Cancellara you have 2 of the very best roleurs; possibly ever. They'd chase any contender down in a heartbeat. If a non-contender tries the sprinter's teams will chase them down.

As noted above attacks can and do happen after the Yellow Jersey has entered Paris. Wouldn't shock me if Cancellara tried to get off the front in the last 2 kms. He hasn't won yet and it would further stamp CSC all over the race.

Valverde might try too. The GC didn't work out but he might fancy winning the 1st and last stages.

dsilver668

If Valverde did try I would be upset. He may not take yellow but what's to say he doesn't get a podium. That would be awesome for the burrito boys. I can't wait to see them in the TOC.
I want CSC to take yellow since we all want Wim to have the red jersey and be on a winning team for once.

Suzie Green

Wim's our man!

2wheeled

There too busy drinking champagne. I wonder if there'll pass a glass to Evans

Sci-Fi

It's happened before. Think Levi Leipheimer lost a place on the last day to Alexandre Vinokourov back in 2005. Goes to show that you need to pay attention to your closest competitors until the very end. Contador couldn't relax too much with Cadel Evans only 23 seconds back last year and they pretty much stayed together until the end.

If the last stage is supposed to be 'parade laps', then the ASO should just freeze the standings and only award points for the sprinters and have the usual podium ceremony for the top 3 finishers. It's very rare that the TdF schedules something like a time trial on the last day.

efuentes

Specially since they lost to Lemond by 8 seconds

robema

touché!