TdF 2019 positives and negatives!

[BrumJim]

Positives: Bernal was amazing and Geraint Thomas was great support, even though he wanted to win himself.
Negatives: Neither won a single stage*. Nor did Kruijswijk or Buchmann. You have to get down to 5th in the GC to find a stage winner.

*Noting, of course, that Bernal was first at the end of the 19th stage, but no winner declared.

 

[nickyboy]

Positives: Bernal was amazing and Geraint Thomas was great support, even though he wanted to win himself.
Negatives: Neither won a single stage*. Nor did Kruijswijk or Buchmann. You have to get down to 5th in the GC to find a stage winner.

*Noting, of course, that Bernal was first at the end of the 19th stage, but no winner declared.

Now that's a rule change that would make for exciting racing....

It is a prerequisite for the winner of the TdF to have won a stage. Failure DQs them

 

[Dogtrousers]

Now that's a rule change that would make for exciting racing....

It is a prerequisite for the winner of the TdF to have won a stage. Failure DQs them

Do TTTs count? Kruijswijk won stage 2 (with the help of his jolly Jumbo pals)

 

[ColinJ]

Now that's a rule change that would make for exciting racing....

It is a prerequisite for the winner of the TdF to have won a stage. Failure DQs them

An interesting idea but I'm not sure how you would allow for the situation where stages get 'cancelled'? Bernal looked extremely likely to win stage 19 so it would be unfair to DQ him.

You could argue that he would then have to win stage 20, but what if it had been stage 20 instead of stage 19? You couldn't expect anyone except a sprinter to win the Paris stage.

Another thing... About the final stage - I always worry that a freak accident is going to take out the yellow jersey rider (or any other rider) with a few minutes to go. I think that the final stage should not count towards GC and anybody injured on the final stage could withdraw without being considered a DNF. Abdoujaporov knocked himself out in the last 100 m in 1991 and ended up being helped over the line to claim the green jersey. That is clearly a nonsense, and medically unwise too. I don't think there would be a rush of riders faking injury to have the last day off. I'm sure that most of them love riding it.

 

[MichaelW2]

Almost 7:00. Are you suffering TdF cold turkey? Get yourself a little fix to help you through the evening.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Bl8ViWp6k

 

[Dogtrousers]

An interesting idea but I'm not sure how you would allow for the situation where stages get 'cancelled'? Bernal looked extremely likely to win stage 19 so it would be unfair to DQ him.

You could argue that he would then have to win stage 20, but what if it had been stage 20 instead of stage 19? You couldn't expect anyone except a sprinter to win the Paris stage.

Another thing... About the final stage - I always worry that a freak accident is going to take out the yellow jersey rider (or any other rider) with a few minutes to go. I think that the final stage should not count towards GC and anybody injured on the final stage could withdraw without being considered a DNF. Abdoujaporov knocked himself out in the last 100 m in 1991 and ended up being helped over the line to claim the green jersey. That is clearly a nonsense, and medically unwise too. I don't think there would be a rush of riders faking injury to have the last day off. I'm sure that most of them love riding it.

I quite like @nickyboy 's idea. In a kind of silly hypothetical way. It would be completely impractical but let's not let that bother us.

The cancelled stage thing this year was a bit of an oddity. But the very possibility would provide an added incentive for GC riders to go for a victory early and spice up the racing. All part of the cunning @nickyboy masterplan. Like win bonifications with knobs on.

I'm not so worried about the final stage. The reason it's not raced is partly tradition, but it's also because a GC attack would be utterly futile. But it is a proper sprint stage so I don't see why riders should need protection from accidents that is not available on any other sprint stage. It's not like Paris is extra dangerous. If anything it's safer because there is less full on racing.

 

[Ian H]

Check out the winners of the three main jerseys in 1969.

 

[Elybazza61]

Who were the two jokers who made a pointless breakaway just to get some decent photos of themselves?


And who deserves the Hoogerland medal for surviving the knarliest crash

DeGendt and Wellens ; and why not after their efforts during the 3 weeks,nice to see a bit of humour in the peloton (not forgetting Sasans 'antics')

Highlights;

Tom and Tim's double act through the tour
Caleb (bit of a Ridley/Lotto Soudal theme)
Van Aert
Pinot
Woods
Bernal
Allaphillipe


Negatives;
Van Aert and Pinot not finishing
Tim not keeping the Polka Dot jersey

 

[sheddy]

Positive - (mostly) fab weather allowing for superb heli shots on every stage.

Negative - the outrageous stunt jump over the road.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dUBQIL9uLQ

 

[smutchin]

the final stage should not count towards GC and anybody injured on the final stage could withdraw without being considered a DNF

No! To finish first, first you must finish. That’s the incontrovertible rule.

Besides, don’t they stop the clock for the last few laps of the final stage? So there’s never any need for the yellow jersey to get involved in the madness at the pointy end.

 

[ColinJ]

Besides, don’t they stop the clock for the last few laps of the final stage?

In 2005 Vinokourov broke away and gained enough time on Leipheimer to leapfrog over him to 5th place, so, no - unless the rules have changed since then.

Because of bad weather, the Tour organisers declared the overall classification neutralised upon entry to the Champs-Élysées in 2015, but normally it isn't AFAIK.

 

[smutchin]

Because of bad weather, the Tour organisers declared the overall classification neutralised upon entry to the Champs-Élysées in 2015, but normally it isn't AFAIK.

Yes, that’s probably what I was thinking of.

 

[johnblack]

Positive until stage 20 when Rob Hatch could finally go full fanboy over Nibbles. He managed to get in all his shark cliches in the space of one hour, had a full Vincenzogasm.