I don't get it (Page 2)

They really take each other on in the TTT too...

Both play the media well and have a rivalry, even a friendly one increases the profile of the sport so its a good thing too!

Its all a great idea dont you think? Play the media right, make it more competitve, give journos something to talk about.... PLUS these are elite athletes... most of whom (I would imagine) thrive on competition so its great motivation for them!

Ok...

Youve been given some GREAT answers so Im going to try and help fill in some of the gaps but I tend to get really long winded because I LOVE this stuff... so please forgive me... will try try try to be good!

One of the descriptions I hear a lot to describe professional road racing is 'chess on wheels' - the implication is that there is a lot of strategy and forward thinkng and planning that goes in before we often see the restuls or reactions on the road...

An basic example would be... when there is a breakaway on a flat stage... if your team has the guy in yellow, your team is responsible for controlling the pace on the front of the main bunch, it part tradition but also common sense as theoretically you should all be working to protect your team leader and their lead. If, however, your team is struggling or needs help you could think ahead to the teams that might WANT to chase down the breakaway then wait until they come to the front to work rather than expend the energy of your team - this is something we see with Team Columbia a lot sofar in the tour.

Another good example of smart strategy (and this is off the bike) is how Astana have been playing the press to play up the supposed disharmony within the team. Playing the press is nothing new to Bruyneel or Armstrong... they have both done it very well in the past. But its another form of strategy to confuse competitors and can be effective if done well... all the team directors and many cyclists do read the cycling press and reports to glean information on the race and competitors strategies such as who is targetting what stages or competitions...

There are lots of common tactics that you see play out every year and you get a feel for what might happen on certain stages as a result. 

As has already been mentioned, different teams have different goals for the Tour De France based on the 9 riders on their team. Goals can include working for the team leader to win one of the jerseys: Green, yellow, polka dots (king of the mountains) or even white jersey while others are looking for stage wins. As an aside teams such as Skil Shimano who are wildcard entries are not just looking for tv exposure for their sponsors but ALSO want to prove to the Tour organisers ASO that they make the race exciting and are a valid inclusion for the future - especially when they arent French teams!

If you are used to watching sport that was one way of *winning* then this can be really eye opening... winning doesnt always mean finishing with the yellow jersey... but that doesnt neccesarily matter! You can be considered having a great race if someone on your team won a stage or was in most of the breakaways... 

A grand tour race like the Tour De France is about consistency across all of the cycling disciplines while giving specialists in various areas suchas mountain climbing or TTs a chance to shine. It just provides SO many opportunities for success to be achieved.

So what if you arent a team leader or a potential stage winner - well you still have a role to play. It might be to collect the water bottles for the team, or to ride with the team leader and keep them out of trouble, to pull your guys back to the main group ater a back or ride on the front of the peloton to keep the pace up or chase down a breakaway or even leadouts for the sprinter... whipping up the pace and dragging them as fast and close to the line in the slipstream before they launch their attack (Mark Renshaw does this role for Mark Cavendish and he is very very good at it... one of the best lead out men right now). The role is referred to as domestiques... usually amazing cyclists in their own right these riders are often race winners or stage winners in their own right during other events OR just so well recognised for their talents... often the very best are referred to as super domestiques and prime examples would be Jens Voigt and George Hincapie. Strong riders, stage winners, one day racers, phenomenal workhorses, strong cyclists and hard workers.

Which brings me on to your question about money.... you were asking about money... well there is cash on the money for wearing any of the jerseys for a day, stage winning and at the intermediate sprint and mountains points during stages. It is traditional for ALL money won by individuals to be put into the team kitty so to speak and the winings at the end of the Tour are then shared amongst the riders on the team AND support crew. Mechanics, soigneurs etc may all get a cut of the prize many too!

Customarily (another of those crazy traditions) yellow jersey winners will often not take a cut of the prize money as it is accepted that the endorsements/sponsorship deals etc that they will get as a result of the yellow jersey will more than set them up for life.... in addition to their standard salary. Lance,for example, has this arrangement when he was winning, he also put on a BIG party for his team at the end of the race- it is traditional for each team to have a party with riders and family in Paris at the end of the tour.

Talking of traditions... there are a lot... and its due to the whole evolution of the sport and I guess the general idea that cyclists were gentlemen! And also... that if you win you want to win on talent not just by taking advantage of anothers misfortune...

Some traditions you will be aware of include not attacking if one of the main contenders crashes or has a mechanical problem - the race will continue as is until they join the main group... also not attacking while they are having a 'natural break'.

Other traditions is when riders will be allowed to ride off the front of the bunch through their home town to say hello to people who have come out to support them as well as talk to family and friends  Christophe Moreau did this the other day....Other things that might not be traditional but have some history or significance include... the French riders wanting a stage win for a Frenchman on Bastille Day (happens more that you would think)

I was going to go on and start talking about how its less politics and more strategy/tradition.... how the Tour De France is one race in an entire cycling racing season (Giro D'Italia and Vuelta Espana are the other grandtours plus there are all the one dayraces, stage races etc etc etc all steeped in tradition) and how there is so much more going on than just who is in yellow at the end of the day or who wins the stage.

I could talk about this stuff a lot... so please keep asking questions and Im sure all these guys and girls will keep trying to answer. There are many ways of reading whats going on in terms of tactics, and teams and who is doing right so if you arent in the team meeting we may never know 100% what was strategy and what was luck... what was predetermined and was a strategy evolved n the road due to circumstances.....

But its great that it keeps us guessing!

D001 - 2009-07-22 10:36 AM

kaqphin - 2009-07-20 11:45 PM Wow was it that obvious I was going to get all riled up?

 

And start the history of cycling and the Tour De France 101?

Yes. And yes.

Well i tried to be good...

I should get organised in advance next year and ask for questions....