Lanterne Rouge
Comments
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I was impressed with Jesus' tactics yesterday, throwing the bike down on a flat, straight road while looking at a horse. He even made sure he was at the very back of the peloton, so that he didn't help any of his competitors by taking them out too. Very impressive.0
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Yes, many riders have, over the years, made a career out of chasing the Lanterne. There's still good money to be made in the crits that follow the Tour, and, let's face it, no-one ever remembers who came second last.
There was a rider in the Giro in the fifties who became famous, but I can't for the life of me remember who he was. The Giro's Lanterne wore a black jersey then (I think). Anyway, he was Italian, and I think the article was in Cycle Sport- I'll have a look when I've got some time.
The Tour did once try to eliminate the last rider after every stage when they felt that the Lanterne Rouge was getting far too much publicity. All that happened instead was that the competition required more skill and thus gained more publicity, so they junked the idea for good.
So, yes, there is competition. If you're a domestique, and you're no longer needed for your GC man (or even if you can manage those duties), then you still have plenty of time to earn the Lanterne.
And, let's face it, he's the rider who has spent more time than the others actually riding. Last to arrive at the finish, sometimes when they've already started to take down the paraphernalia that travels overnight and the photographers have all packed up and gone to find the nearest pub, long, long after the podium presentations and press conferences, and last on the team bus (if it's even waited for him).
Which is why they're heroes.0 -
whyamihere wrote:I was impressed with Jesus' tactics yesterday, throwing the bike down on a flat, straight road while looking at a horse. He even made sure he was at the very back of the peloton, so that he didn't help any of his competitors by taking them out too. Very impressive.
Not being near a TV, I missed that, but an excellent example of Lanterne tactics.0 -
The excitement builds- less than three minutes separate the top three-
MALORI Adriano LAMPRE - FARNESE 71h 02' 08" + 2h 59' 38"
GRABSCH Bert TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 71h 04' 09" + 3h 01' 39"
ROUX Anthony FDJ 71h 05' 06" + 3h 02' 36"
The chef is looking good for Paris.0 -
Tusher wrote:The excitement builds- less than three minutes separate the top three-
MALORI Adriano LAMPRE - FARNESE 71h 02' 08" + 2h 59' 38"
GRABSCH Bert TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 71h 04' 09" + 3h 01' 39"
ROUX Anthony FDJ 71h 05' 06" + 3h 02' 36"
The chef is looking good for Paris.
Much like Andy Schleck, Bert Grabsch is going to lose it in the time-trial.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Reckon you're right.
Unless someone comes crawling out the peloton to challenge. There's a certain Robbie McEwan in tenth place, and David Millar is made of the stuff Lanterne's relish in- battling on against all the odds, overcoming injury and pain but still having time to smile at photographers and chat to interviewers.
Come to think of it, Millar (19 places down and around half an hour behind Roux) would make a good LR. He'd relish the status it would give him to continue his crusade against doping.0 -
Stage 15- Bert Grabsch grabs the lead by 2 minutes and one second over Adriano Malori! A magnificent move by the HTC-Columbia squad.
Radioshack's Dmitriy Muravyev is ten and a half minutes behind, and our chef has faltered badly today. Anthony Roux now lies in fourth place, just ahead of Marcus Burghardt, but over twelve minutes behind Grabsch.0 -
We may not have a Yellow Jersey challenger, our Green Jersey hopes may be hanging by a thread and as for the polka dots? Pah!
But these shores of Great Britain do have one thing to celebrate, the most number of riders in the race for the Lanterne Rouge, with 5 in the Top 20!
Only the EyeTies and the Convicts come close to us0 -
Tusher wrote:
There was a rider in the Giro in the fifties who became famous, but I can't for the life of me remember who he was. The Giro's Lanterne wore a black jersey then (I think). Anyway, he was Italian, and I think the article was in Cycle Sport- I'll have a look when I've got some time.
I'll save you looking, it was Mr Pinarello of bike building fame. I believe that he was paid not to enter one year. (&, yes, in the 50's, last place in the Giro wore a black jersey)0 -
Pinarello, yes, that was the name- thankyou Richard.
And thankyou TTHR- we do indeed have a British stage winner today- step forward Jérémy Hunt. David Millar was third. Although they did have the same time a 83 other riders so it must have been crowded in today's autobus. They came in 34' 48" behind Pierrick Fedrigo and had 6 hours and 6 minutes in the saddle today.
In the overall standings, Bert Grabsch retains the overall lead.
BURGHARDT Marcus BMC RACING TEAM 82h 12' 01" + 3h 42' 51"
ROUX Anthony FDJ 82h 12' 12" + 3h 43' 02"
MALORI Adriano LAMPRE - FARNESE 82h 22' 19" + 3h 53' 09"
GRABSCH Bert TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 82h 24' 20" + 3h 55' 10"0 -
Just had a look at the Young Riders Classification, and Anthony Roux (4 hours 14' 3") is second to Andriano Malori (4 hours 23' 6"). That handsome Mr Cavendish is third. 32 young riders remain (although I continue to consider someone who is 25 as young, but not that young. The Young Riders Competition should be for those aged under23).
I digress.
Today's Lanterne is Andreas Klier 33' 14" in front, with David Millar 27 seconds behind.
Overall, Bert Grabsch leads Malori by 3 minutes and 42 seconds, with Anthony Roux in third place, adrift by 12 minutes and 45 seconds.
Methinks Malori has it in the bag.0 -
Tusher wrote:
Today's Lanterne is Andreas Klier 33' 14" in front, with David Millar 27 seconds behind.
Overall, Bert Grabsch leads Malori by 3 minutes and 42 seconds, with Anthony Roux in third place, adrift by 12 minutes and 45 seconds.
Methinks Malori has it in the bag.
Don't be so sure. Malori can time trial. He was 12th in the Prologue and 3rd at the Italian Nationals. Plus Grabsch will be working hard for Cav in two of the last stages and is likely to finish behind the peloton.Twitter: @RichN950 -
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/4977/ ... -bike.aspx
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/4879/ ... e-cut.aspx
From this year, Jens and Davy Millar demonstrating the greatness, strength of spirit and sheer bloody mindedness that makes a champion.
And from last year, Kenny-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV259aVutq8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T653OkfVTAk (in Dutch, but easy to get the gist, especially when he's shown the article in L'Equipe where Prudhomme describes him as the worst climber the Tour has ever known. )
Away to hunt out the better video, where he's being followed by the team car.0 -
RichN95 wrote:Tusher wrote:
Today's Lanterne is Andreas Klier 33' 14" in front, with David Millar 27 seconds behind.
Overall, Bert Grabsch leads Malori by 3 minutes and 42 seconds, with Anthony Roux in third place, adrift by 12 minutes and 45 seconds.
Methinks Malori has it in the bag.
Don't be so sure. Malori can time trial. He was 12th in the Prologue and 3rd at the Italian Nationals. Plus Grabsch will be working hard for Cav in two of the last stages and is likely to finish behind the peloton.
True, Bert'll be completely wrecked by the time he reaches the Champs.
Which is where this year's Lanterne will likely be decided.0 -
Tusher wrote:
Did anyone else read this article doing a German accent in their head? Very odd.
Poor Anthony Roux looked like he was really suffering in today's stage. One of the first riders out the back, so he got a fair bit of camera time. I think being the last-placed Frenchman must be as much of an honour as the first placed Frenchman.0 -
Yes, I can see the French would love that, afx. And he's young.
Whether or not he can make up over twelve minutes with two sprinting stages and a time trial, well, it's a tall order.0 -
Big jens voigt....In the words of Bruce Forsyth, he really is my favourite !!!0
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I never realised that the Lanterne Rouge was held in such high esteem. If I had known this as a junior I'd have been far happier with winning it in my only ever stage race when I took it in style by finishing last on Stage 2 (55 minutes down having been dropped as soon as the neutralised ended) and photo finish for last on Stage 3 (45 minutes down). I only blotted my copybook with a top 30 place on Stage 1. I reckon I could beat all of these pros for the lanterne rouge as long as they did away with elimination on time grounds
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Never mind, Mr Pross, you can always find fame in a few decades as a Senior.
So, today our Lanterne was Jesus Hernandez. Clearly, Something Happened as he arrived 6' 31 seconds behind our gorgeous and poorly winner. He's still an hour behind though, and 30 minutes gain on the TT tomorrow and then the Champs would risk being time-barred, so I doubt it was a last ditch attempt at glory. In context, 139 riders finished with the same time as Cav, with the remainder between 22" and 1' 41" behind. Marcus Burghardt managed to come in 2' 16" behind. A mechanical perhaps?
I am disappointed in today's stage, and I suspect that the principal players are Just Not Taking The Race Seriously this year. This was exactly the type of stage where time could have lost. Wim would have grabbed this opportunity.
Overall, Grabsch leads Malori by 2 minutes and a second, whilst our petit chef is third, 12' 45" seconds behind Grabsch.0 -
Tusher wrote:
I am disappointed in today's stage, and I suspect that the principal players are Just Not Taking The Race Seriously this year. This was exactly the type of stage where time could have lost. Wim would have grabbed this opportunity.
Overall, Grabsch leads Malori by 2 minutes and a second, whilst our petit chef is third, 12' 45" seconds behind Grabsch.
Are you kidding? Malori was majestic today. Using his work for Petacchi he managed to gain 1.41 minutes on Grabsch. Bert could have done the same but choked.
Adriano is now within two minutes of the former World TT champion, and I'm not sure that Grabsch's head is really in the game - he's broken in my opinion.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Tusher wrote:Yes, many riders have, over the years, made a career out of chasing the Lanterne. There's still good money to be made in the crits that follow the Tour, and, let's face it, no-one ever remembers who came second last.
There was a rider in the Giro in the fifties who became famous, but I can't for the life of me remember who he was. The Giro's Lanterne wore a black jersey then (I think). Anyway, he was Italian, and I think the article was in Cycle Sport- I'll have a look when I've got some time.
The Tour did once try to eliminate the last rider after every stage when they felt that the Lanterne Rouge was getting far too much publicity. All that happened instead was that the competition required more skill and thus gained more publicity, so they junked the idea for good.
So, yes, there is competition. If you're a domestique, and you're no longer needed for your GC man (or even if you can manage those duties), then you still have plenty of time to earn the Lanterne.
And, let's face it, he's the rider who has spent more time than the others actually riding. Last to arrive at the finish, sometimes when they've already started to take down the paraphernalia that travels overnight and the photographers have all packed up and gone to find the nearest pub, long, long after the podium presentations and press conferences, and last on the team bus (if it's even waited for him).
Which is why they're heroes.
Does cycle sport still have an article every issue on past cycling history? That was the best part of the magazine, it'd be good to put all of those articles into a book. That was the best part of cycle sport but on a monthly basis a bit expensive.0 -
Yup, "Blondie" Bert bottled it today in the TT, 3rd :shock: What was he thinking of? A 'blonde moment' indeed.
Despite having 5 in the top 20 it seems that the Brits are destined to be also rans this year; their best placed man is still almost 20 minutes off the scorching pace of young Adrian Malori who is riding an absolute blinder in his first tour, with almost 94 hours in the saddle.
Back in the day he would have done justice to the famous maillot noir. It would be his to lose now but I am sure he will come through tomorrow.0 -
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Stage 19- Richard was absolutely right- like Andy Schleck, Bert Grabsch lost it today in the time trial. John Gadret appeared from nowhere to take today's Lanterne. The French cyclo- tour champion is still alive, which will come as a relief to his family and the gendarmerie as his life was threatened earlier on in the race- "If John Gadret is found dead in his hotel room in the morning, I will probably be the primary suspect." Nicholas Roche wrote in his excellent column in the Irish Independent on Tuesday- http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-s ... 64978.html
II am curious as to why he is a John and not a Jean, but I'm attributing this to likely anglo ancestry.
Overall, Bertie G ends up 3 minutes 25 seconds behind Malori, with Andreas Klier third and Anthony Roux fourth. British interest lies in not one, not two, but five riders in the top twenty. Dan Lloyd in 7th, Jérémy Hunt in 8th, David Millar 13th, the delicious Mr Cavendish in 17th and Stephen Cummings in 20th place. A fine tour for the Brits.0 -
Now Tusher, the Roche one's blather is typical of the Blackrock College alumni; their rants are generally fuelled by some desperate Dublin brew - Guinness and the like, and therefore unworthy of them, poor souls. John Gadret was never in a moment's danger. Mind you, if Roche had turned his coat and taken some Murphy's on board then it may have been a different matter.
John Gadret was due a result; he has been knocking on the door for a year or two now and I find it significant that he has raised his game after being roasted by the "Am I Irish or am I French?" fellow. Your quote confirms my suspicion that psychosis may be at the root of this fine little to do in the Irish Indie and the Irish Times. After all the man declared for France but wins in Ireland only.
Yes, presumably Gadret has a history, perhaps the 100 years war? Or can it be down to an international liason, vin rouge, or the effects of "Old Speckled Hobgoblin" or a similar arcane beverage from the shires of England?
G'luck.0 -
I was once told by a wise man never to mix alcoholic beverage and a keyboard. And, generally speaking, I find this advice still to be sound. Mister/Monsieur Roche should probably have slept on his ire before tapping away, but I'm glad he didn't-it was a most refreshing read.
Just home from a soup lunch (held by kind and generous people who had no idea that I was desperate to Get Away) and am sitting in front of the TV. What on earth am I going to do tomorrow?0 -
The riders are on the Champs- and Anthony Roux is leading
What on earth is he doing?0 -
Tusher wrote:The riders are on the Champs- and Anthony Roux is leading
What on earth is he doing?
And to think how good he was looking a few days ago.
Great first and second week, but as they say the third week is decisive. You could forgive the guy for slipping back a little - everyone has their bad days - but after seeing him dropping off the front of the peloton on the Champs Elysees you've got to question his commitment. Shameful performance.0 -
Stage 20- 161 riders crossed the line with the same time as our hero and winner, Mark Cavendish. The Lanterne Rouge is officially recorded on the Tour web-site as Steve Morabito, a Swiss rider with BMC, who is given the same time as the first 161, so I'm guessing he must have Done Something to be relegated.
And (trumpets in background please) this year's winner is- Adriano Malori of Lampre, who spent 4 hours 27 minutes and 3 seconds longer riding than the Spanish accountant.
In second place, we have Bert Grabsch of HTC-Columbia, with a time of 4 hours, 23 minutes and 1 second, and in third place Andreas Klier of Cervelo (4 hours 17' 16"). Anthony Roux was fourth (4 hours, 13' 37") and the highest place Brit was Dan Lloyd in 7th place.
I can't find any pictures of Malori receiving a red lantern from Belgium or Flemish TV, but if I do, I'll post them here.
I'm desolate. Another Tour over. Only 48 weeks and 6 days to go. [/b]0
