# Team Time trial - better with or without?



## Smokin Joe (17 Jul 2007)

I personally think a team time trial distorts the overall result at the expense of good riders who may be in a weak team.


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## Keith Oates (17 Jul 2007)

It can do, but all riders rely on their teams to get to winning positions whether it's in the sprints or getting taken to and partly up the climbs!!!!!!


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## andy_wrx (17 Jul 2007)

I think it adds greatly to the spactacle of cycle racing.

A team of guys, all in same colourful kit, in full TT pointy-helmets, lycra overshoes, etc, on carbon lo-pro TT bikes, doing through-and-off at seriously high speeds...

It looks great, a superb photo opp, it's good PR for the sport.


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## Steve Austin (17 Jul 2007)

i agree, its great for the cameras, and photos. but it can seriously dent the weaker/ less organized teams if it leaves them with five minutes down after the TTT

Rasmussen could have lost minutes before the first climb of this year if it had a TTT in it, then he may not have attacked.
If we must have a TTT, then the potential time losses should be limited


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## Tim Bennet. (17 Jul 2007)

The teams do have the option of practicing before hand. It was always clearly obvious which had practiced and which hadn't. Some were just a shambles with no plan, structure or specific skills. They were usually the ones complaining about how unfair it was.


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## Squaggles (17 Jul 2007)

I voted to bring it back , as long as it is instead of one of the individual TTs . I was never much of a fan of Indurain or Armstrong destroying all the climbers in the TTs .


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## Keith Oates (17 Jul 2007)

I thought the final TT by Armstrong in the 2005 TdF was one of the finest rides I've ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Smokin Joe (17 Jul 2007)

I'm not a great fan of time trialing, either riding them or watching so I will admit to some personal prdjudice here. But I would like to see a few experiments to jazz them up a bit. keep the prologue and the final tt as they are, but the mid race event could be held over 50 miles with the first 25 solo and then pick up a pacing Derny at the half way point for the final 25. Restrict that one to standard road bikes too, I think it could make for an more exciting stage.

Apart from the GC contenders at the final stages of a tt, watching the other 150 or so plod round is a bit like watching paint dry.


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## chris42 (17 Jul 2007)

I love the TTT!


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## Rob S (17 Jul 2007)

I don't think having a weak team for a time trial is any different to having a weak team in the mountains.

Perhaps you could limit the damage of the distortion by having a trial of say no more than 25-30 miles. But if they are going to limit the distortion by introducing Micky Mouse gimmicks like they did a couple of times in recent years then they should drop it.


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## Tetedelacourse (17 Jul 2007)

Rob S said:


> I don't think having a weak team for a time trial is any different to having a weak team in the mountains.
> 
> Perhaps you could limit the damage of the distortion by having a trial of say no more than 25-30 miles. But if they are going to limit the distortion by introducing Micky Mouse gimmicks like they did a couple of times in recent years then they should drop it.



I voted to keep it out. What does it add? I think yes it's a spectacle and good for cameras but no more so than any other stage. And there's plenty opportunity in training for photos like these for folk who want them.

The organisers obviously recognised the unfairness of the stronger teams in it as I think Rob S is alluding to, when a team lost no more than 3 minutes based on what rank you came in as, not when you came in in real terms. Which kind of defeats the purpose if a really great ride only gets you 20 seconds advantage.

You can't really compare TTT to mountains as there are far more variables to factor in, much more exciting. I think there is a place for the solo contre-la-montre though as it's still a good chance to see how the main contenders shape up in the absence of any assistance.


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## Rob S (17 Jul 2007)

Exactly...so a proper TTT of no more than 25 miles will give the spectacle, a challenge without distorting the overall greatly. Smokin Joe's point that it disadvantages a good rider in a weak team could also be said about a team leader with very few climbing domestiques.


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## Tetedelacourse (18 Jul 2007)

Rob S said:


> Exactly...so a proper TTT of no more than 25 miles will give the spectacle, a challenge without distorting the overall greatly. Smokin Joe's point that it disadvantages a good rider in a weak team could also be said about a team leader with very few climbing domestiques.



Yeah but to a much lesser extent I reckon, as you still have the opportunity to climb with other climbers from other teams as we've seen so far this year.


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## fuzzy29 (18 Jul 2007)

Personally, I like to see climbers given a chance of winning over the TT experts that just follow in the mountains. Whilst we all know that it is a team event, who do you think of when asked about previous winners.


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## ac (18 Jul 2007)

Should definitely be back in. Used to be one of my favourite stages, mainly due to aesthetic reasons, but to try and gain credibility, the TTT does add to the whole variability of the race by adding another dimension and a further skill requirement....


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## ac (18 Jul 2007)

I want to know who clicked on 'No opinion'? What's going on there?

I'm on a cycling website, I click on a topic entitled "Better with or without?", get a multi choice question, and then click on the 'No Opinion' button. Surely the back button would have been better?


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## Tetedelacourse (18 Jul 2007)

ac said:


> I want to know who clicked on 'No opinion'? What's going on there?
> 
> I'm on a cycling website, I click on a topic entitled "Better with or without?", get a multi choice question, and then click on the 'No Opinion' button. Surely the back button would have been better?



 :?:


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## Flying_Monkey (19 Jul 2007)

I hate TTTs. I know teams are important in racing, but for me that is primarily about tactics - the result is still about individuals. I think the TTT can bias the race against talented individuals in less wealthy teams, reducing the chance of tight contests. I also find them very boring. I am very happy without one. I'm not a big fan of ITTs either but I can see their point.


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