Stage time bonus, back for 2015 TdF?

Flat footed
Flat footed Posts: 36
edited March 2015 in Pro race
My French might not amazing but I'm sure I've just read in L'equipe that time bonuses are back this years TdF.

Comments

  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,158
    Yeah, it was announced with the route. It's only for stages 2-8 though. 10,6 & 4 seconds.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,470
    Inner ring is reporting that it may be throughout the race.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,158
    gsk82 wrote:
    Inner ring is reporting that it may be throughout the race.
    I hadn't seen that. A mistake if you ask me.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,333
    A disaster. Time bonuses are the work of the devil. They promote conservative riding, wheelsucking and getting the jump in the last 100m.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,195
    RichN95 wrote:
    gsk82 wrote:
    Inner ring is reporting that it may be throughout the race.
    I hadn't seen that. A mistake if you ask me.
    I agree. Having bonuses in the early stages to let the MJ change hands between the sprinters is a reasonable idea, but thereafter the time gains from attacking riding should be reward enough. The bonuses in La Vuelta seem to stifle attacks until the closing metres.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    It's a bit weird. L'Equipe are reporting all stages, but they aren't too.

    http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-rout ... our/541079
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    I hate time bonuses with a passion verging on the irrational.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    i'm not as against it as some here, is lessens the likelihood of it being won in the TTs which IMO is a good thing
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,333
    Above The Cows wrote:
    I hate time bonuses with a passion verging on the irrational.

    It's an entirely rational passionate hatred. Liking them, or even being indifferent, that's irrational.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,158
    ozzzyosborn206 wrote:
    i'm not as against it as some here, is lessens the likelihood of it being won in the TTs which IMO is a good thing
    But there's only a 14km ITT and a 28km TTT. And at least with TTs the gaps are earned and not given.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    I hate time bonuses with a passion verging on the irrational.

    It's an entirely rational passionate hatred. Liking them, or even being indifferent, that's irrational.

    OK, I hate time bonuses with a passionate hatred that is entirely rational. :D
    Correlation is not causation.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Bad decision from the organisers. The only good thing is that Contador, Froome, Quintana and Nibali are the kind of riders that will still try and attack from quite a way out rather than just looking at each other until the last 500m.

    Hopefully.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    My favoured hairstyle back in the day was a bit too close to notadoc's avi for comfort. Notwithstanding, the decision to neuter breakaways is bound to rouse Jack Bauer.
    Tour de France, stage 15: Alexander Kristoff denies Jack Bauer great breakaway win by pipping rival in final 50m
    Norwegian sprinter denies New Zealander, who came within 50 metres of winning after breakaway of more than 200km, while Britain's Simon Yates quits race

    Perhaps the source of the Kristoff distaff?
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Detest time bonuses, it lets loser like Valverde sit on and then sprint for 40m and get a bigger time gap than they deserve.

    Winning a big gap in a TT is a skill (if it was easy every rider would be good at it) and deserves credit.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,743
    So I'll be the only one who likes it then.
    _
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    So I'll be the only one who likes it then.

    What do you like about them in a Grand Tour?
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 1,763
    I like them.

    Race leaders have to be extra vigilant or have their lead whittled away. No sitting in all the time and finishing safely in the bunch.

    Also, I like to see the leader win a stage or two.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,646
    The biggest criticism of time bonuses is that a rider can win the race despite having ridden around the course slower than another rider. The problem with this is that it accepts that all riders in a group should get the same time. For example, I'm fairly sure that Cadel Evans would have ridden the tour quicker than someone else on the "same time". So basically, if you accept one form of time manipulation it shouldn't be the basis of the criticism for another.

    That said, I still think there pros and cons.
  • ozzzyosborn206
    ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    everyone saying they promote negative riding as you can sit on and sprint at the end, but without time bonuses how many stages will they just roll in whereas with time bonuses they will sprint it out at the end or for example Nibs would probably put Froome away in a sprint which means froome has more reason to try and drop him before they get to the sprint
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    ozzzyosborn206 wrote:
    everyone saying they promote negative riding as you can sit on and sprint at the end, but without time bonuses how many stages will they just roll in whereas with time bonuses they will sprint it out at the end or for example Nibs would probably put Froome away in a sprint which means froome has more reason to try and drop him before they get to the sprint
    Or you could argue that not having time bonuses encourages them not to "just roll in" and instead try and create gaps before the finish... IMO it's a little more exciting to watch people attacking each other on a climb than riding up it together then sprinting the last few seconds.
  • menchovʹsstabilisers
    menchovʹsstabilisers Posts: 122
    Put the time bonuses in random positions eg 2nd, 11th, 42nd and 118th.

    And then ban team radios.

    Adds an extra tactical consideration.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,743
    cyd190468 wrote:
    TTT before first mountains. Let's hope we don't have too big of a spread between the GC riders.

    Why not?

    Tight spread = lots of people with lots to lose.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 13,333
    ozzzyosborn206 wrote:
    everyone saying they promote negative riding as you can sit on and sprint at the end, but without time bonuses how many stages will they just roll in whereas with time bonuses they will sprint it out at the end or for example Nibs would probably put Froome away in a sprint which means froome has more reason to try and drop him before they get to the sprint

    Time bonuses only go to the first few over the line.
    I don't think I've ever seen a tour stage where the first ten places aren't contested.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,158
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    cyd190468 wrote:
    TTT before first mountains. Let's hope we don't have too big of a spread between the GC riders.

    Why not?

    Tight spread = lots of people with lots to lose.
    Alternatively, there's plenty to gain for the ballsy. For example De Gendt at the Giro.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Flat footed
    Flat footed Posts: 36
    I quite like the idea David Miller mentioned on twitter the other day of a mystery TTT, Teams don't know the route before hand or even how far they are riding, yes i know in practice its impossible to do, but would make things interesting.
  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    Flat footed wrote:
    I quite like the idea David Miller mentioned on twitter the other day of a mystery TTT, Teams don't know the route before hand or even how far they are riding, yes i know in practice its impossible to do, but would make things interesting.

    Even better, a mystery mixed teams TTT. That would liven things up.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,743
    RichN95 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    cyd190468 wrote:
    TTT before first mountains. Let's hope we don't have too big of a spread between the GC riders.

    Why not?

    Tight spread = lots of people with lots to lose.
    Alternatively, there's plenty to gain for the ballsy. For example De Gendt at the Giro.

    This is the Tour, where it's not that uncommon to see entire teams defending their top 8 on GC position.
    _
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    I like the fact that the spinters now get a chance to compete for the yellow jersey in the first week as well as stage wins.

    Maybe just have it for the first week only, or make teams nominate one sprinter who is the only one who can get time bonuses.

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