Bigger achievement - Red or Green?

mouth

Jez mon wrote:

Mouth wrote:

Red over Green for me I'm afraid.

To win the red or indeed any GT for that matter you must complete the whole race. For the green you can (THEORETICALLY) ride the first 11 or so stages, win all the intermediate and final sprints to gain unassailable points and go home to watch ITV's (other channels are available...) coverage, whereas Brad will still be slogging away listening to race radio.

Having said that, if someone were to win the first 11 stages and the intermediate sprints as well, he'd probably be crowned a hero and a cycling legend for all of time.

It's a bit like trying to say Birmingham City should be lauded over United because they won the Carling Cup.

Wrong



You have to cross the finish line in Paris to win the green or polka dot jerseys.

Yeh but he could coast to the line just hitting the time limits, whereas to win the overall Tour (any of the three) you gotta keep going hard right until the last second.

inkyfingers

Mouth wrote:

Jez mon wrote:

Mouth wrote:

Red over Green for me I'm afraid.

To win the red or indeed any GT for that matter you must complete the whole race. For the green you can (THEORETICALLY) ride the first 11 or so stages, win all the intermediate and final sprints to gain unassailable points and go home to watch ITV's (other channels are available...) coverage, whereas Brad will still be slogging away listening to race radio.

Having said that, if someone were to win the first 11 stages and the intermediate sprints as well, he'd probably be crowned a hero and a cycling legend for all of time.

It's a bit like trying to say Birmingham City should be lauded over United because they won the Carling Cup.

Wrong



You have to cross the finish line in Paris to win the green or polka dot jerseys.

Yeh but he could coast to the line just hitting the time limits, whereas to win the overall Tour (any of the three) you gotta keep going hard right until the last second.

I can't think of a recent example of a rider who has been so dominant in the green jersey that they've been able to coast for the second half of the tour, even Cav could have lost it this year if he'd messed up on the final day and Rojas had won. Even guys that have won the polka dot by going in a couple of long breaks have to keep trying to pick up points or at least have to send teamates up the to hoover them up.

In short nobody is going to be able to win a jersey by coasting anywhere, in fact you are unlikely to finish the tour if you try and coast around the course.