TdF Timing?

Eyon

OK I'm new to watching the whole pro race thing, but what I can understand is with modern timing technology, why do they group times in the TdF? How can man 1 to 50 be the same time? Surely it would make the racing better if every single second counted and there could potentially be a 10 second gap between those 50 racers?

Or is it something I am not seeing which is very obvious?

Ian

iainf72

It would make the racing very dangerous, with everyone trying to get towards the front all the time. In the flatter stages, there are less than 20 people who could be up the front, but imagine the carnage if everyone was trying to get there.

Remember, if there is a 1 second gap between groups, that second is counted. But there must be a clear gap.

Rigga

iainf72 wrote:

It would make the racing very dangerous, with everyone trying to get towards the front all the time. In the flatter stages, there are less than 20 people who could be up the front, but imagine the carnage if everyone was trying to get there.

Yeah cos there hasn't been any carnage yet has there!! :roll:

Ben6899

Rigga wrote:

iainf72 wrote:

It would make the racing very dangerous, with everyone trying to get towards the front all the time. In the flatter stages, there are less than 20 people who could be up the front, but imagine the carnage if everyone was trying to get there.

Yeah cos there hasn't been any carnage yet has there!! :roll:

Erm, Iain's answer is spot on. Regardless of the 'carnage' so far in this year's Tour.

cougie

It's the only way it can work. If you are in one group you all get the same time - but you can get caught out if splits form.

Eyon

ah, as simple as that then!

And, another new boys question, whats the purpose of the break away group?

nakita222

Eyon wrote:

ah, as simple as that then!

And, another new boys question, whats the purpose of the break away group?

Ask Thomas Voeckler?

Mainly it is to please and show sponsors

cougie

So many options !

To win or to gain time or to gain points or to deprive others of points or to get tv exposure for your sponsor or to make another team ride hard etc etc

afx237vi

Eyon wrote:

ah, as simple as that then!

And, another new boys question, whats the purpose of the break away group?

To win. It does happen sometimes (Rui Costa earlier this week).

Or, if you can't win, to get your sponsors name on TV. Or to get yourself better known if your contract is expiring at the end of the year.

inkyfingers

afx237vi wrote:

Eyon wrote:

ah, as simple as that then!

And, another new boys question, whats the purpose of the break away group?

To win. It does happen sometimes (Rui Costa earlier this week).

Or, if you can't win, to get your sponsors name on TV. Or to get yourself better known if your contract is expiring at the end of the year.

You can also use them as a way to gain points for the King Of The Mountains or Points jerseys or even as a way of stealing points away from your rivals in these competitions (i.e. Hoogerland is in the KOTM but is not fit enough to defend it so Vaconsoleil may put a guy in the break to try and hoover up the mountains points to stop a rival stealing the jersey).

Alternatively, a team mate in a breakaway can be used to help a team leader if he attacks later in the stage and can bridge across to the break

sherer

breakaways also depend on who is in yellow at the time.

if one of the guys going for GC was in yellow in the first week they wouldn't really want to keep it for three weeks. If you hold yellow your team has to ride on the front on day and the top teams would rather save energy until the mountains.

That's how Voekler got in yellow in 04 when Postal didn't want to keep the jersey and so let the breakaway stay away.

This year Thor wanted to keep it until the rest day so lost of breakways were brought back and also Cav wanted as many points as he could get so his team chased them down as well