Vuelta a España Ninja of La Vuelta

[RedheadDane]

Hagen wins this by the length of the straight - There were even times when the commentators didn't recognise in a reduced group of 12 or 13.

But he got a stage top-10.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

I think the Zubeldia award should be won by the guy on that list whose best stage result is higher than his final GC position. I think there's something special about that.

Kelderman actually had a 5th place on stage 17, but that got missed out on updates (now corrected in my post above), so he doesn't meet that criterion.

 

[Anderis]

For any future Ninja competitions I propose a following formula. It might require some co-operation among participants but I think it would allow as to track down the true Ninja better than a simple "top10 on any stage" formula.

So a Ninja would be someone who finishes the highest on GC among riders who:

• didn't finish top3/top5* on any stage- I don't think a quiet 9th place on a stage should disqualify you from being a Ninja
• didn't wear leader's, points, KOM or youth leader's jersey on any stage
• wasn't spotted on TV by anyone in a group consisting of fewer than 6/7/8/9* riders that was the first group on the road at that point of a stage. So for example being in that final 6-men move on stage 2 would disqualify you from being a Ninja, but when there's a breakaway of 20 riders and it splits up at some point and you end up as the 4th rider on the road but there are riders ahead of you on the road with some time advantage, you can still be a Ninja as long as you never catch up to fhe first rider/group on the road

optionally we might add:

• didn't win any KOM or intermediate sprints
• wasn't spotted leading peloton/main favourites group by anyone

*- exact values could be a subject of further discussion

 

[Vino's Mum]

 

[hayneplane]

I would not disqualify anyone for wearing a classification jersey as long as they are not leading that classification and are merely wearing it on behalf of others with more significant jerseys to wear.

 

[Pantani_lives]

You could simply say it's the rider who sneaked into the GC top 10 in the least conspicuous manner. In that case it would be Hagen. I will have to look up his first name.

 

[Singularitarian]

Btw, is it actually possible (or even likely) to WIN Grand Tour being a Ninja? Probably yes, e.g. if breaks are always allowed to have their stage wins (and TT is and flat enough, so the winning ninja climber has no chance for TOP10).

 

[geisterhome]

Hagen OUT!

Does he have some back issue? You can barely see his head when looking from behind while he is biking. Checked on a photograph and while being upright he has at least average neck-length.

 

[Leinster]

Btw, is it actually possible (or even likely) to WIN Grand Tour being a Ninja? Probably yes, e.g. if breaks are always allowed to have their stage wins (and TT is and flat enough, so the winning ninja climber has no chance for TOP10).

Bernal is probably closest, winning this year without ever finishing top 3 in a stage. However, it must be said he had a significant lead with a mountain to go in the cancelled stage age this year.

Roger Walkowiak is probably the Ninjaest TdF winner ever; he won without ever wearing yellow in a stage, and is the only TdF winner to have never won a TdF stage in his career.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Btw, is it actually possible (or even likely) to WIN Grand Tour being a Ninja? Probably yes, e.g. if breaks are always allowed to have their stage wins (and TT is and flat enough, so the winning ninja climber has no chance for TOP10).

If this Vuelta had been cancelled after 8 stages it would have happened.

 

[Escarabajo]

If this Vuelta had been cancelled after 8 stages it would have happened.

What are the chances of that happening?

 

[Armchair cyclist]

What are the chances of that happening?

It establishes that it is possible to be in the lead while still ninja: the later in the race it is, the more possible. Maybe I should have put "It would have happened if the last 13 stages had all finished in group sprints."

Was there not a 2.1 race this year or last that was won totally on intermediate springs, by a guy whose best stage finish was about 80th?

 

[JosephK]

You could simply say it's the rider who sneaked into the GC top 10 in the least conspicuous manner. In that case it would be Hagen. I will have to look up his first name.

I still don't know what Hagen looks like, he was so invisible.

 

[SafeBet]

I still don't know what Hagen looks like, he was so invisible.

Here's a shot of him so you can recognize him in the future: