Sprinters being eliminated? (May contain SPOILERS)
- Thread starter Kbrook
- Start date
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It was a short stage and pretty horrible from a sprinters point of view. I think Cav missed the cut by about 30 minutes! To be fair, the sprinters said before the race that this could happen, but they were ignored or the ACO / UCI were okay with the consequences.
Thanks but you would think with a short stage that the gaps would be smaller, I understand it was hilly. Also why didn't they get together at the back when presumably there would be too many to eliminate. Seems a shame that the best sprinters are gone, the boring flat stages are going to be even more boring!
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
The time cut is based on a percentage of the finisher's time, so a shorter stage means a shorter overall time, which means a smaller margin for the cut-off.
They did - there was a big group that came in with about two minutes to spare, but there were a number of stragglers who weren't able to hang on even with that group. The autobus/gruppetto is usually pretty good at calculating the pace they need to ride at to finish inside the cut, but they've still got to be seen to be making an effort or they'll get fined by the commissaires. They were about 30 minutes behind the race winner, and as @Milkfloat says, Cav was another 30 minutes behind them, so it's not like he only just missed the cut.
You know what, I think it might even have the opposite effect - you won't get the big trains hammering it on the front, so any bunch finish will be more open to a wider range of riders, and it's also more likely that a break will succeed in staying away.
He was dropped on the very first climb of the day, he finished 1 hour behind Thomas. As sprinter, there is no way I would drop significantly back risking my race to help a rival.
edit - cross posted with Smut - his answers are better than mine.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Cav is past it and will retire soon.
- Location
- Next door to Mr Benn at No 54
KneesUp
Guru
I agree that without sprinters it is less interesting, but
It does look that way - he's been distant even in the sprint finishes so far. You can't out-sprint father time.
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
That's cold! I considered exactly the same thing but in less blunt terms. You could have added a smiley or at least entertained the possibility of being wrong!
I hear he refused to abandon; he finished the stage, and was praised by Prudhomme for 'respecting the tour' or something.
Speculation: that wouldn't be a bad way to end his LAST tour.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Today's cut-off time, for anyone who's interested, is 41m 25s - ie a full 10 minutes more than yesterday's stage.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
They suggested on the Cycling podcast yesterday that his ride had a 'valedictory feel' about it. I must admit I was thinking along the same lines. Huge respect to him for plugging away and finishing the stage - it takes real guts to do that, shows the class of the man and his respect for the race, which is repaid in kind. One of the all-time greats, undoubtedly.
That sounds like a retirement to me. I know it’s been said already, but he’s out of contract this year.
Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
Strange to see Taaramae outside the limit, anyone know why?
Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
That would be a spectacular miscalculation in a 3 week stage race.
He must have had other issues.
