Stage 21 theoretical question

Mac9

If, after the time trial today, Cadel Evans and Andy Schleck were seperated by only 2 or three seconds, which is still possible, is there any chance of the final stage into Paris being a race? Or is it agreed by etiquette that the stage along the Champs-Elysees is a procession and a sprint finish regardless of the GC?

iainf72

It's a procession. The winner is decided today

Tom Butcher

They'd race if there was any chance of them getting a time gap - don' t think it's etiquette so much as accepting the inevitable - if we had gale force cross winds my money would be on the champagne drinking going out of the window.

mz__jo

There are always lone attacks and small breaks on the Champs, but it would take an extraordinarily strong team to take even 2 seconds out of the yellow jersey with all the sprinters fancying their day. Just about the only way it could happen would be a gap between groups in the final sprint or a technical problem in the last lap. Usually the yellow jersey takes much too much care for this to happen. Not impossible but a lot of riders would not want to take the jersey in Paris on a mishap; it would be viewed very badly by all the other riders, the sort of thing that follows you all your subsequent career. You can never be patron if you do things like that! (Except for a genuine gap between groups due to inattention; that would be accepted!)

jerry3571

it is thought of as bad form to do anything with the GC on the last day as they've had almost 3 weeks to do something already. Cycling is a funny sport and this non written rule could always be ignored as riders don't seem to have the respect they used to; one day it might. If the rule were to ever be broken then the Team who does this will have the rest of the season or year with other Teams giving Payback for that days decision.

The last day is when riders drink booze, wear wig, the largest rider swaps bike with the smallest rider etc, etc, last day at school thing.

-Jerry

plowmar

It doesn't matter now does it?

sherer

jerry3571 wrote:

The last day is when riders drink booze, wear wig, the largest rider swaps bike with the smallest rider etc, etc, last day at school thing.

-Jerry

don't forget wearing a non aproved jersey and having to change it before the depart real

RichN95.

sherer wrote:

don't forget wearing a non aproved jersey and having to change it before the depart real

The funny thing with that episode was Voeckler and a Cofidis rider (Auge?) got away with swapping their own jerseys far longer. Auge was even shown on telly wearing the French champs jersey with the caption 'Thomas Voeckler', while everyone watching at home said 'that's not Voeckler'.

dilemna

As long as Cav is first over the line the rest is academic.