Generous time bonuses

[Armchair cyclist]

After the time trial, Farrar in 47th was 24 seconds behind third placed Evans. By winning today, and finishing three seconds ahead of Evans, he is only 1 second behind him.

20 seconds seems an extraordinarily generous time bonus. Has it ever been thus in the Giro? Is this only on the flat stages? IIRC, the now abandoned TdF bonuses were about 6 seconds. Obviously it would take a hell of a big time bonus to turn any sprinter into a GC contender, but it can certainly make the Pink Jersey more volatile.

At risk of getting a lmgtfy from issoisso, can anyone refer me to details of the full bonus times details.

 

[Jamsque]

For grand tours 20 seconds for first is standard. When the TdF has bonifcations they were the same as the Giro's are now.

I like them for flat or hilly stages, they give the sprinters something to shoot for in the first week and keep the leader's jersey moving around, which makes the race a bit more interesting.

 

[issoisso]

For grand tours 20 seconds for first is standard. When the TdF has bonifcations they were the same as the Giro's are now.

I like them for flat or hilly stages, they give the sprinters something to shoot for in the first week and keep the leader's jersey moving around, which makes the race a bit more interesting.

I agree. I don't like them in mountain stages, though. They interfere with the GC too much. Especially when the courses lately are already far too biased towards climbers

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I agree. I don't like them in mountain stages, though. They interfere with the GC too much. Especially when the courses lately are already far too biased towards climbers

You can NEVER bias a course too much towards climbers.

And besides, since races like the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse are pulling the climbs out of their race, it's only fair that this be compensated for elsewhere!

 

[issoisso]

And besides, since races like the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse are pulling the climbs out of their race, it's only fair that this be compensated for elsewhere!

True that.

 

[Anonymous]

You can NEVER bias a course too much towards climbers.

And besides, since races like the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse are pulling the climbs out of their race, it's only fair that this be compensated for elsewhere!

I hear they are even considering renaming the Tour de Suisse the Tour de Cancellara...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The Chrono International de Suisse. 7 ITTs, a flat road stage and a TTT.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I hear they are even considering renaming the Tour de Suisse the Tour de Cancellara...

Nice. The Tour of California is already Tour de Leipheimer.

 

[adambarnes]

could you imagine how boring the 1st week would be with no time bonuses? it is boring enough *with* time bonuses

 

[the vagabond]

If you want to benefit the climbers and the aggressive riders, then get rid of the KOM and points system and make every intermediate sprint and every mountain time bonuses instead of points.

Would be interesting to see that happen in a tour, or even for a week in a tour, to see some different racing tactics.

 

[offbyone]

This kind of thing is why I find it extremely hard to believe wiggo will be competitive. I don't think he will be on the podium. I also don't see how Millar can compete.

 

[adambarnes]

i do find it funny that in one interview he bangs on about the honour of the pink jersey and how amazing it all is and his life story about watching his heroes win it, then in another interview says that he is using the giro as a training ride and isnt even going to try in the last week

 

[movingtarget]

Time Bonuses

If Valverde was in the race he would win it just on time bonuses. It's real advantage for a climber who can also sprint. I prefer to see no bonuses. Base the leader's jersey on real time. Wiggins makes as much sense as he usually does. Apart from the time bonuses I would also have preferred a longer final time trial instead of 3 short ones but it is an interesting route and very hard.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If you want to benefit the climbers and the aggressive riders, then get rid of the KOM and points system and make every intermediate sprint and every mountain time bonuses instead of points.

Would be interesting to see that happen in a tour, or even for a week in a tour, to see some different racing tactics.

There's already bonuses at intermediates, and that does sometimes change tactics. In stage 5 of the 2008 Vuelta (the ITT) Sylvain Chavanel finished 2 seconds behind Levi Leipheimer in the maillot oro. The following day there was no breakaway, as though Astana held the maillot oro, Cofidis bossed the péloton and kept the pace too high for attacks throughout. Chavanel then won the intermediate sprints, with Dumoulin and Duque acting as wingmen, so as to pick up the leader's jersey. Astana were happy to let them do this, as Leipheimer holding the maillot oro created leadership dissension and they knew they'd need to do more work later in the race if all went to plan.

Offering time bonuses for mountain passes and all will just lead to situations like the first half of the 2009 Giro when di Luca held every jersey but the young rider's one.

 

[icefire]

Here are the rules for time bonuses:

http://www.uci.ch/includes/asp/getTarget.asp?type=FILE&id=34028

Just Ctrl-F 'bonus'