Bonus seconds impact on the GC?

larkim

Is there any analysis anywhere of the impact of having bonus seconds back in the TDF for the last couple of years? e.g. a GC table with the time gaps incl bonus seconds and the same excl bonus seconds? Just interested if they actually make any difference to anything other than the relative position of the sprinters after they've been dragged kicking and screaming through the mountains?

No_Ta_Doctor

It's almost impossible to analyze, as they affect the race as it progresses, as well as affecting tactics.

larkim

Of course, that goes without saying. But I'm still interested in the numerical impact at the end of the day.

RichN95.

I think the only Tour that they had any mild impact on the final podium GC was 2007. Which may have been why they got rid of them for a few years after that.

One year Vinokourov jumped up a place (6th to 5th??) by winning the final stage.

larkim

I've just tried to do this vs the 2016 result.

Froome's 16s made no difference at all.
Bardet's gap over Nairo was 16s, would have been just 6s without the 10s bonus - worthy of an effort by NQ?
Valverde had 8s, no real difference
Rodrigues had 10s, would have dropped 1 place to 8th without those
Dan Martin would have lost 6s but no change in position
No other high place changes of note. Sagan was the main beneficiary with 54s of bonus time, would have only dropped him 1 place down to 96th without them. Bodnar would have tied with Groenewegen for 160th spot (on time) with the 4s of bonuses.

Cav's were the most wasted bonus seconds (40) with the other 46 seconds lost spread across Dumoulin, Cummings, Izagirre, Majka and Navarro (each with 10s or less earned).

One race is clearly not statistically significant. Presume the points are really there to give the sprinters some yellow jersey earning potential more than anything else.

takethehighroad

The Dauphine this year was won on bonus seconds. Richie Porte finished the course quicker than Fuglsang but JF won more seconds out on the road