Tour de France 2017 ***SPOILERS***

[smutchin]

prologue time trials do seem to be probably have been the commonest way to start the Tour over recent years

Looking back over the last 10 years, its been a pretty even split - there have been three prologue openers, and two slightly longer individual time trials (both under 15km). The rest have been road race stages, of which three finished in bunch sprints, and two were a bit more suited to the one day classics specialists.

I'd say they generally get the mix about right, and the sprinters do get a fair crack of the whip. I mean, I'm sure it's nice for them to wear the yellow jersey, but it also seems fair that the likes of Gilbert get a turn as well.

Prologue - 2007 (Cancellara), 2010 (Cancellara), 2012 (Cancellara)
ITT - 2009 (Cancellara), 2015 (Dennis)
Road race - 2008 (Valverde), 2011 (Gilbert), 2013 (Kittel), 2014 (Kittel), 2016 (Cav)

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

I prefer that a rider who puts in a full shift in a time trial gets to wear the jersey, rather than a sprinter who wheelsucks for 99.9% of the stage.

Graham

 

[smutchin]

I should have known some clever clogs would come along with pesky facts and figures to demolish my post.

Yeah, I'm a smartarse, I know. Thing is, I probably wouldn't have bothered to check but ISTR a few years ago they made a point of changing it from having prologues every year in favour of road race stages.

In fact, going back through the records, unless I've missed something, 2005 was the first year the Tour didn't open with a prologue since 1966 (apart from 2000 which was a 16.5km ITT).

If you do it the other way round, the time gaps are such that by the time the first sprint stage comes up, the winning sprinter is too far off the GC lead to wear yellow.

Like I said, I think they get a fair crack of the whip - three of the last four opening stages have ended in bunch sprints. It doesn't hurt to mix it up a bit. Plus the sprinters get their crack at glory on the final stage too, so they can hardly claim to be hard done by.

Besides, if it weren't for prologues, Chris Boardman would never have got to wear yellow. Why shouldn't people like Boardman get a chance as well?

 

[smutchin]

I prefer that a rider who puts in a full shift in a time trial gets to wear the jersey, rather than a sprinter who wheelsucks for 99.9% of the stage.

It's a team sport, you know.

 

[Adam4868]

The thing about prologues is it gives the opening city something of a show.Plus it gives someone different the chance to wear 'the jersey'.Its not a stage I like on TV,but being there is different.Even my kids like em ! You get to see each rider as opposed to "dad is that it ?" Each to their own I guess.

 

[smutchin]

They did indeed. That's the subject of the inrng I linked above.

Eh? Oh yeah... sorry, missed your edit. Good piece that.

One of the commenters makes the good point that time bonuses are another way to shake up the GC in the early stages.

2015 was good - four different yellow jersey wearers after the first four stages.

 

[Adam4868]

Cavendish and Cummings confirmed for the Tour.

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

It's a team sport, you know.

Yeah, and I do appreciate that. They do get the satisfaction of a stage win for their effort after all. The way teams work to bring back the breakaway, or not, just in time for the sprint is fascinating to watch and often turns a relatively mundane stage into an exciting one.

I just like to see someone who has put in a huge effort throughout the day in yellow. Perhaps best of all those days when they have been working in a breakaway that manages not to get caught.

Can't wait for it to get started.

Graham

 

[User269]

How can there be ***SPOILERS*** ??
It hasn't even started yet.
Mods.............dump this thread or change it to "TdF build up" or something, then we can all enjoy another thread about the actual event once it's started. Along with all it's fascinating insights and news which none of us would have heard about without coming here.

PS I'm in France at the moment, and have seen piles of barriers stored at the roadside somewhere, but wouldn't want to ***SPOIL*** your life by telling you about it.

 

[Milzy]

Will Tony Martin win stage 1 though, that's the big question???

 

[smutchin]

Will Tony Martin win stage 1 though, that's the big question???

It's not the certainty it might have been once upon a time.

Küng, Dennis and Roglic all look like contenders. Some others too. Maybe even Sütterlin.

Being a short course doesn't work in Martin's favour, does it?

 

[Milzy]

It's not the certainty it might have been once upon a time.

Küng, Dennis and Roglic all look like contenders. Some others too. Maybe even Sütterlin.

Being a short course doesn't work in Martin's favour, does it?

I'd say not. Though bookies think otherwise.

 

[Shadow]

Küng, Dennis and Roglic all look like contenders

Dennis who?


(I cannae find Dennis on a startlist!!!)

 

[smutchin]

Dennis who?

Ah! I was sure I saw Rohan Dennis on the startlist but just checked again and apparently not.

Anyway, Küng and Porte could still potentially make it a BMC 1-2.

 

[Shadow]

could still potentially make it a BMC 1-2.

Indeed. 'Potentially' being the key word.

And talking of team 1-2's, how about Roglic and van Emden.