Have a few questions for some of you cycle buffs out there: Please remember that my knowledge oof bicycles is limited to the one I rode as a kid fifty years ago.

1 The race started with a short time trial. Why so short?

2 The third day is another time trial. Why do another one so quick?

3 The DMN says that people are awarded seconds for doing certain things. Why ? That doesn"t seem real fair since the time awarded is subtracted directly from the cumulative total.

Thanks

Keep'em moving Colonel, a man that eloquent has to be saved.

ag58,
Since no one else answered your questions I thought I would give you a little help on your Tour de France queries.

1. The initial time trial is called the "Prologue" and is held simply to determine who is the race leader at the start of the stages. The ride is so short because it is basically just a seeding run. The short distance doesn't allow for major time differences between first and last place, but gives an order as to where riders will start in the peloton at the beginning of the first stage.

2. The second time trial this year was the team time trial. The stronger and deeper a team is the better they will do in this event, but this is also true of normal stages. There is a definite advantage to having a strong team in both. If Lance did not have Heras and Rubiero pulling in the mountains or Hincapie and Landis pulling in the flats it is doubtful he would enjoy such a lead as he has right now. The time trials are held at different times in the Tour every year and this year it just so happened to be during the first week. I don't know the reasoning behind it other than that is what the TDF felt was best.

3. It is true that things like stage wins or top 3 finishes give you bonuses it is not as much of an issue as you might think. Mostly you gain points for sprint finishes towards the green jersey (General Individual Points Classification) or points for placement to the peak of hills and mountains (King of the Mountain jersey or polka dot jersey). The 5-10 second advantage that one gains for winning a stage is not really anything of significance considering a stage generally takes between 2-6 hours and the cumulative time spent racing is about usually over 80 hours total. You also have to remember that there is usually no actual time between first and second and third place across the line during a stage so the one who takes the win has to have something to set him apart.


All I can say about the Tour de France is that Lance Armstrong is one bad man and hopefully he can win 2 more after this one and we can have a Texan as the greatest rider of all time and the French can suffer more!

alohahorn:

Thanks for the info. Since I posted those questions, I have been watching the race and have, at last count, about three hundred more questions.

However, I sure agree with you about Lance! When he makes a move,he is a real bad ass! ! ! !. From what the paper said, he is under contract thru o4. That gives him two more, I hope.

Just out of curiosity, Anyone know what these wins mean to him financially?

Thanks.



Keep'em moving Colonel, a man that eloquent has to be saved.

If I heard right, an OLN announcer indicated that his agent booked him $30-35 million worth of endorsements this past year.

Holy doodoo!!!!!

Iknew I chose the wrong profession!

With the fourth from today, and probally the fifth from next year ---- hell, I can't even think that high.

Keep'em moving Colonel, a man that eloquent has to be saved.