Final stage abandon's

[craig1985]

Just saw on the last stage of Paris - Nice, that 54 riders started the stage and then packed it in during the stage. This is just one example, and I see on some stage races, on the final day that there a lot of DNF's.

I can understand if the weather is crap, or you crash, or you're injured, but on a perfectly fine day, so many riders just call it quits. On the final day of the Three Days of West Flanders, many riders threw in the towel, so to speak.

Why is this the case?

 

[Sasquatch]

Concentrate on the next lot of races you are doing?

I mean, you are at the back, you are going to endure a horrible day in the Autobus after crap conditions all week. You are not a chance to win the stage. I would throw in the towel too without any regrets.

 

[Michele]

I agree with Sas.
No big deal to finish it or not.

 

[Ripper]

Just saw on the last stage of Paris - Nice, that 54 riders started the stage and then packed it in during the stage. This is just one example, and I see on some stage races, on the final day that there a lot of DNF's.

I can understand if the weather is crap, or you crash, or you're injured, but on a perfectly fine day, so many riders just call it quits. On the final day of the Three Days of West Flanders, many riders threw in the towel, so to speak.

Why is this the case?

It can be one of a couple of things. If it is a support rider, then once there work is done, there is no need to dig deep over the last stage(s), as it is time to prep for another race. If it is either a GC rider who is way back, or someone who is not feeling well, there is often nothing to be gained from what can be an exhausting last day. In a race like P-N, the last day is just nutters, and with the GC battle pretty close, it is only worth the energy expense if it might make a difference.

 

[ravens]

It can be one of a couple of things. If it is a support rider, then once there work is done, there is no need to dig deep over the last stage(s), as it is time to prep for another race. If it is either a GC rider who is way back, or someone who is not feeling well, there is often nothing to be gained from what can be an exhausting last day. In a race like P-N, the last day is just nutters, and with the GC battle pretty close, it is only worth the energy expense if it might make a difference.

I am pretty open about being as clueless as I am. But it seems to me that on a shorter stage like that, I'd just try and finish in the autobus unless the time cutoff required me to put in a hard effort for no good reason.

The final 3 finishers on the stage were almost 19 mins down on the stage. Their avg speed was just over 23 mph for 74 miles. Do they abandon when they think they know what the cutoff will be and don't want to be bothered with the effort? Maybe it's just me, but I'd like to say I finished it. But if my boss told me to abandon...

 

[Ninety5rpm]

A big difference between bicycle racing and other types of racing is this DNF thing. I mean, runners do quit marathons, of course, but usually because of something serious, not simply because they realized they can't win. Yet that's exactly why hordes drop out of local crits every weekend. What is up with that?

 

[Ripper]

I am pretty open about being as clueless as I am. But it seems to me that on a shorter stage like that, I'd just try and finish in the autobus unless the time cutoff required me to put in a hard effort for no good reason.

The final 3 finishers on the stage were almost 19 mins down on the stage. Their avg speed was just over 23 mph for 74 miles. Do they abandon when they think they know what the cutoff will be and don't want to be bothered with the effort? Maybe it's just me, but I'd like to say I finished it. But if my boss told me to abandon...

It can be a personal choice, but a lot of folks don't really care about saying they finished, as they know they could have. It's more about digging too deep and preparing for the next race. It is a long and hard calendar.

 

[R.0.t.O]

A big difference between bicycle racing and other types of racing is this DNF thing. I mean, runners do quit marathons, of course, but usually because of something serious, not simply because they realized they can't win. Yet that's exactly why hordes drop out of local crits every weekend. What is up with that?

Because cycling has a long history as a professional team sport with riders doing what it takes for their jobs. Marathon runners don't pop back to the cars to get drinks for their team leader, they generally don't sacrifice their effort early in stages to set up their leader. And they don't generally fly straight off from the finish of one race to start another. Marathon runners also record finishing times which have some value to them even if it's nowhere near the fastest time of the day; there's no value whatsoever to finishing a bike race in 100th place - it doesn't even tell anyone whether you were rubbish and couldn't contribute, or whether you spent all your energy for your team and were wrecked by the end.

Once the race has gone you might as well get out of there.

 

[Polish]

7 Time Paris-Nice Winner Sean Kelly must be shaking his head with disgust. What a bunch of absolute wussies the current riders have become.

(Unless they finished outside of the time limit and were dnf'd - then nevermind)

(or unless they had a Global Summit to Chair - then again nevermind)

Boy, I remember a certain young Man by the name of Lance Armstrong who finished his first World Cup Classic in Dead Last Place. Windy, wet, brutal - but he FINISHED. Alone way off the back. I think he was outside the time limit, but the race organizers gifted the 21 year old a finish because of his Toughness and Moxie. He won that same race 3 years later BTW.

Do you think any of the weenies who dropped out on the last stage of Paris Nice will win it in three years? Doubt it!

 

[Andrichuk]

7 Time Paris-Nice Winner Sean Kelly must be shaking his head with disgust. What a bunch of absolute wussies the current riders have become.

(Unless they finished outside of the time limit and were dnf'd - then nevermind)

(or unless they had a Global Summit to Chair - then again nevermind)

Boy, I remember a certain young Man by the name of Lance Armstrong who finished his first World Cup Classic in Dead Last Place. Windy, wet, brutal - but he FINISHED. Alone way off the back. I think he was outside the time limit, but the race organizers gifted the 21 year old a finish because of his Toughness and Moxie. He won that same race 3 years later BTW.

Do you think any of the weenies who dropped out on the last stage of Paris Nice will win it in three years? Doubt it!

Cool story bro

 

[Tugboat]

I know that Henderson abandoned (don't think he even started the last stage) because he'd been called into the squad for MSR. No point for him to risk injury or exhaustion by trying to darg himself over 3 cat 1 climbs a week out from the first monument.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Because cycling has a long history as a professional team sport with riders doing what it takes for their jobs. Marathon runners don't pop back to the cars to get drinks for their team leader, they generally don't sacrifice their effort early in stages to set up their leader. And they don't generally fly straight off from the finish of one race to start another. Marathon runners also record finishing times which have some value to them even if it's nowhere near the fastest time of the day; there's no value whatsoever to finishing a bike race in 100th place - it doesn't even tell anyone whether you were rubbish and couldn't contribute, or whether you spent all your energy for your team and were wrecked by the end.

Once the race has gone you might as well get out of there.

I just wish there was a significant motivation for finishing the race. I mean, being last, but finishing, should be a lot better than DNF. Actually winning should just be the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

 

[MacRoadie]

Boy, I remember a certain young Man by the name of Lance Armstrong who finished his first World Cup Classic in Dead Last Place. Windy, wet, brutal - but he FINISHED.

Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now.

 

[SirLes]

Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now.

Don't stop him, he's on a roll


got to love that film

 

[Andrichuk]

I just wish there was a significant motivation for finishing the race. I mean, being last, but finishing, should be a lot better than DNF. Actually winning should just be the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

I don't agree. These are pros who ride for a living, not 10 year olds who are racing for 'fun'. Rarely anything good comes out of finishing last on the final stage.

 

[Kerbdog]

For me its a respect thing. I believe you should have the decency to finish out of respect for fellow competitors, however this is cycling so i wouldnt bet on any morals entering the equation any time too soon.
They should give up Omerta & replace it by having the unwritten law that if you purposely DNF then you are regarded as a super Wuss & can be jeered at all day & in other races.
Yeah Sean Kelly must be rolling over laughing at them & i hope he is.
The DNF en masses disgusts me.

 

[BroDeal]

It is lame but also understandable. These guys are pros. They race for money. It is a job, and it is a long season. Once they have given whatever support that is required of them in the stage, their job for the day is over. There is no reason to beat themselves up for nothing.

 

[craig1985]

So won't so many guys so DNF or DNS en masse for the final stage of the Giro which is usually a TT nowadays and the vast majority have no chance of winning?

 

[python]

i never quit a race i was in. but then again, i never competed at the highest professional level in cycling where the demands are quite unique.

what im saying is, i dont have a problem when a team or a rider take a rational decision to size a useless efforts. yes road cycling is a spectator sport but how much did they pay ? race organizers often put unreasonable obstacles in addition to random unsafe elements. why riders shouldn't have a small 'exit' option ?

the only time id have a problem with an abandon if some contract or an appearance fee restrict it.

 

[Andrichuk]

So won't so many guys so DNF or DNS en masse for the final stage of the Giro which is usually a TT nowadays and the vast majority have no chance of winning?

Stop trying to twist our opinions. If you have to ask, ask the riders. All we are saying is it is understandable to quit if you have done your job and have no hope of winning. Like everything its situational and I think you know this.

 

[Sasquatch]

7 Time Paris-Nice Winner Sean Kelly must be shaking his head with disgust. What a bunch of absolute wussies the current riders have become.

(Unless they finished outside of the time limit and were dnf'd - then nevermind)

(or unless they had a Global Summit to Chair - then again nevermind)

Boy, I remember a certain young Man by the name of Lance Armstrong who finished his first World Cup Classic in Dead Last Place. Windy, wet, brutal - but he FINISHED. Alone way off the back. I think he was outside the time limit, but the race organizers gifted the 21 year old a finish because of his Toughness and Moxie. He won that same race 3 years later BTW.

Do you think any of the weenies who dropped out on the last stage of Paris Nice will win it in three years? Doubt it!

Who really cares about what Armstrong did. He is not cycling.

 

[Fourier]

Just saw on the last stage of Paris - Nice, that 54 riders started the stage and then packed it in during the stage. This is just one example, and I see on some stage races, on the final day that there a lot of DNF's.

I can understand if the weather is crap, or you crash, or you're injured, but on a perfectly fine day, so many riders just call it quits. On the final day of the Three Days of West Flanders, many riders threw in the towel, so to speak.

Why is this the case?

Respect to LeMevel, he had a nasty crash in the final kilometers and he still managed to make it through the line.
That crash looked horrible, I thought he was out

 

[TRDean]

Just another reason to root for Kenny van Hummel...a rider who does not know the meaning of the word quit!!

 

[Avoriaz]

Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now.

When was that by the way?

 

[R.0.t.O]

For me its a respect thing. I believe you should have the decency to finish out of respect for fellow competitors.

I agree with this about respect to an extent, but not respect for their competitors. The only people that they owe any respect to is the public that turn out to watch the races. There have been some cases, I'm thinking especially of the Tour of Ireland last year, where a lot of riders took the mickey out of the public. Funny that someone mentioned a Texan guy finishing races, because he was one that pulled out on the final stage in Ireland - how many casual sports fans had shown up specifically to see Armstrong that day? Probably quite a few, and he would have known that and that should have carried some responsibility. Different standards should apply to the big stars of the sport than to the also-rans in terms of the respect that they show to the public.