Green Jersey

Martingale
Martingale Posts: 71
edited July 2009 in Pro race
Looks like the Columbia team screwed up yesterday in letting Thor go for the intermediary sprints. At 11 points behind not sure Cav can get it back, no? Shame.
Martingale
"Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades " - Eddy Merckx

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Is possible but Cavendish has repeatedly stated, his aim is stage wins and to actually finish.


    Like he stated that he was doing Milan-San Remo this year just for experience...
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    At 35 points for a flat stage win, I think Cav will be confident of being able to make that 11 points back...
  • Martingale
    Martingale Posts: 71
    It's 35 points for a stage win, but 30 for a second place. Assuming Thor manages to get seconds, Can would need to win 3 stages more, which I think is a lot.
    Martingale
    "Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades " - Eddy Merckx
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Martingale wrote:
    It's 35 points for a stage win, but 30 for a second place. Assuming Thor manages to get seconds, Can would need to win 3 stages more, which I think is a lot.

    I think that Hushovd taking second to Cav every time is a big assumption. Surely Freire, Boonen, Farrar, Feillu and Ciolek will have a say in some of the upcoming stages.

    Hopefully, whatever the conclusion, the jersey will still be up for grabs in Paris.
  • Martingale
    Martingale Posts: 71
    Yep; and Cav winning all the next flat stages is probably a big assumption. He can probably do it.
    Would be so sweet to see the Green Jersey decided in Paris. Oh gee, I can't wait.
    Martingale
    "Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades " - Eddy Merckx
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    There are going to be breaks every day. The peleton will do very little to bring them back on the flat stages. Can be a good thing if the breaks take all the intermediate sprint points and Cav consistently finishes ahead of Thor. Good chance of having the Green decided in Paris that way.

    Cav may still win a few more stages though. You just don't know....
  • inaperfectworld
    inaperfectworld Posts: 219
    but i don't see why cavendish doesn't go for some intermediate sprints then. yes he wants to go for wins and finish in paris but he'll be hugely disapponted if he doesn't win green. seems to be the points are not allocated to reflect acheivement: hasn't cavendish in winning 3 stages done miles better than hushovd? shouldn't there be a bigger points difference between 1st and 2nd?
  • chriskempton
    chriskempton Posts: 1,245
    Have to agree with perfectworld. If you get an intermediate sprint and a second at the finish, you get more points than the stage winner. Seems unbalanced.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    chriskempton wrote:
    Have to agree with perfectworld. If you get an intermediate sprint and a second at the finish, you get more points than the stage winner. Seems unbalanced.

    It's because it's not a sprinter's competition. It's a points competition. It's not based on who finishes the stage best - it's based on who rides the stages most consistently.

    Just so happens that most of the points go to the sprinters.
  • tarquin_foxglove
    tarquin_foxglove Posts: 554
    Erik Zabel was the master of that competition, something like 6 Green jerseys but only 12 stage wins. 2 jerseys won with no stage victories in that year. Zabel was all about picking up points consistently.

    If Cav decides to go for the green jersey rather than stage wins he couldn't have a better coach.
  • bikerZA
    bikerZA Posts: 314
    As has been said, it's about consistency. Which I don't think he has yet, and it will be interesting to see if he can get over the mountains or not.
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  • keef_zip
    keef_zip Posts: 295
    bikerZA wrote:
    As has been said, it's about consistency. Which I don't think he has yet, and it will be interesting to see if he can get over the mountains or not.

    How can you ever say he's not consistent. He's won more races than anyone else this year, and if he's in the mix he pretty much always wins. I think he averages more than 85% when in a bunch sprint - that's pretty awesome consistency...

    I guess that means that everyone else is inconsistent too...?
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    keef_zip wrote:
    bikerZA wrote:
    As has been said, it's about consistency. Which I don't think he has yet, and it will be interesting to see if he can get over the mountains or not.

    How can you ever say he's not consistent. He's won more races than anyone else this year, and if he's in the mix he pretty much always wins. I think he averages more than 85% when in a bunch sprint - that's pretty awesome consistency...

    I guess that means that everyone else is inconsistent too...?

    It's about consistency DURING THE STAGE. Not about who consistently wins. Sitting in the bunch all day and then sprinting to victory at the end of the stage isn't what the Green Jersey is about. It's about who can do that - but also ride at or near the front of the peleton during the stage itself and pick up those extra valuable points.

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