Spoiler : Paris - Nice. 3-10 March
- Thread starter thom
- Start date
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Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
Well, one thing's for sure - that prologue isn't going to have any impact on the final standings.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
It will do if the top few riders end up within seconds of each other on the final day!
Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
I'm pretty sure that the steep Cat 1 finish on Stage 5 will prevent that from happening. And Stage 4 is pretty evil too. Plus there's a 10k final TT.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
I remember 1989!
(The TdF, that is.)
Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
I remember 1989!
Me too - but how many times does that happen?
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
An interesting question. In the Tour de France, 8 seconds, just the once, but there have been several sub-minute victories:
8' (1989) Greg LeMond – Laurent Fignon
23' (2007) Alberto Contador – Cadel Evans
32' (2006) Óscar Pereiro – Andreas Klöden
38' (1968) Jan Janssen – Herman Van Springel
40' (1987) Stephen Roche – Pedro Delgado
48' (1977) Bernard Thévenet – Hennie Kuiper
55' (1964) Jacques Anquetil – Raymond Poulidor
58' (2008) Carlos Sastre – Cadel Evans
Don't forget that Ryder Hesjedal beat Joaquim Rodríguez by only 16 seconds in last year's Giro d'Italia.
So, normally a few seconds would not make a decisive difference, but from time to time they do!
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
The 1989 prologue didn't really affect the final result since Lemond and Fignon finished within a few hundredths of a second of each other (and Sean Kelly).
Actually, tell a lie - the 1989 prologue probably did affect the final result, but not in the way you mean: if Delgado hadn't missed his slot by nearly three minutes, he probably would have won the Tour that year.
(Delgado also bonked in the team time trial in stage two, possibly as a result of his attempts to limit his losses in the prologue, costing him more time; his total losses on those two stages amounting to more than his final deficit to Lemond.)
d.
Actually, tell a lie - the 1989 prologue probably did affect the final result, but not in the way you mean: if Delgado hadn't missed his slot by nearly three minutes, he probably would have won the Tour that year.
(Delgado also bonked in the team time trial in stage two, possibly as a result of his attempts to limit his losses in the prologue, costing him more time; his total losses on those two stages amounting to more than his final deficit to Lemond.)
d.
beastie
Guru
I have limited sympathy for Delgado.
oldroadman
Veteran
Some lost seconds are easier to get back than others for the GC guys. In this year's race, a few seconds now is not likely to make a huge difference, but the race will still, I think, be a matter of less than a minute or so between the final podium players.Longer TTs and mountain finishes have a bigger say than a little prologue which is only there to find a leaders jersey for the first proper race stage.
A good result here will be an indicator of Giro and TdF possibilities, even better a result in Suisse (which can be a bit challenging!) will refine the likely contenders.
Quite an open sort of season to come this year, I think, and it's quite possible that a lot of the big classics players will be at the Ride London race (I hear around 220 km) which will be a nice restart to the late season races.
A good result here will be an indicator of Giro and TdF possibilities, even better a result in Suisse (which can be a bit challenging!) will refine the likely contenders.
Quite an open sort of season to come this year, I think, and it's quite possible that a lot of the big classics players will be at the Ride London race (I hear around 220 km) which will be a nice restart to the late season races.
PpPete
Legendary Member
And squeaks into yellowwoohoo! Bouhanni wins
