Has The Sub 8 Hour Stage

[boardhanger]

Has the sub 8 hour stage created a different type of rider. For instance Ulrich was in his domain on super long 7 hours plus stages. Has the shortening of stages introduced a different type racer to us? There is alot to question between a 5 hour lenght stage mountain TDF winner and an 8 hour TDF mountain stage winner?

 

[Hoop Dogg]

Yes it's called no drugs.

 

[boardhanger]

When did cycling stop being an endurance sport?

 

[Izzy eviel]

I don't think the TV people would be too fond of 8 hour stages.

 

[Parrulo]

When did cycling stop being an endurance sport?

ya lol

i would like to see 8 hour long stages again to see who has the better engine. i can see guys like basso being great on thos stages.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Has the sub 8 hour stage created a different type of rider. ...?

Probably has. But for me I'm not sure that much long than 6 hours would be more interesting to watch. It might make things more boring.

 

[Kwibus]

Probably has. But for me I'm not sure that much long than 6 hours would be more interesting to watch. It might make things more boring.

It doesn't really matter for me. I rarely watch races right from the start and if I do I do other stuff the first hours. Imo there should be more 250km+ stages. They really won't be taking more or less dope.

 

[ingsve]

I think super long stages give too big gaps in the GC and I prefer a GC that is as tight and exciting as possible and not a GC where there are 2-3 minutes between each rider and 9 minutes between 1st and 2nd.

 

[Mambo95]

There hasn't been a stage over 8 hours since 1985.
7+ hours has been rare since 1993 (none in the last ten years).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

In the Tour, yes. In the Giro, the Monte Petrano stage of the '09 Giro went over 7 hours.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

It doesn't really matter for me. I rarely watch races right from the start and if I do I do other stuff the first hours. Imo there should be more 250km+ stages. They really won't be taking more or less dope.

Probably right on there. You mention the idea not watching right from the start, which brings to mind not all races/stages are aired in full. Like the Tour coverage many times skips the first 20km or so after the start. To ME, those first kms can be some of the most interesting with all the breaks trying to get away with a peloton chasing them down.

 

[Kwibus]

Probably right on there. You mention the idea not watching right from the start, which brings to mind not all races/stages are aired in full. Like the Tour coverage many times skips the first 20km or so after the start. To ME, those first kms can be some of the most interesting with all the breaks trying to get away with a peloton chasing them down.

Yeh the first 50km can be very interesting. It's where the break gets formed which can be quite a spectacle.

 

[Matthijs]

even on the Dutch NOS, Belgium (Flandres) Sporza and eurosport only the Tour and some Monument get full coverage. For 80-90% of cycling on TV their will be no difference...

 

[royalpig180]

In case anyone's wondering, the longest GT stage this year was Giro Stage 11 to L'Aquila (stage of epic breakaway/pack split). 6h 28' 29".

 

[ergmonkey]

One of the more interesting comments on this subject, in my opinion, comes from Dr. Michele Ferrari himself. The good doctor claims that it's harder to "tweak" the long-distance engine/metabolism through doping than it is to raise a rider's peak power for threshold efforts through doping. So, epic long stages could actually shift a little bit of the advantage back towards the innate talent and away from the doping of that talent. Take the Doctor's words as you will.

 

[kuat2770]

there was a stage in the 2000 tdf which was 249k to briancon which took about 8hrs (went over the izoard and others iirc). was pretty awesome...

 

[Rominger]

Fignon in his biography says that only the truly greatest riders can win when you get up to the 250k mark I agree with him and reckon we would see a different, perhaps more honest result.... think of the silly gaps we used to see in the LeMond, Hinault, etc 80's tours

 

[boardhanger]

Ulrichs 1997 stage Andorra Arcalis 1997 win was 7hrs49secs. Im not saying we should have all 8 hour stages. Maybe 1 in the mountains to keep the epic tradition going. I know the UCI have implemented rules to clean up the sport shorter GT's and more rest days. But that also gives other riders who react badly to rest days less of a chance. Some riders did excell during the longer harder stages. Surely the winner of a GT should be tested in all aspects. Super endurance being one. Beyond the science lab of watts and numbers. Give the 'diesel rider' a chance just like sprinters have flats stages, T.T'ers timetrials. etc