Sprinters quiting GTs

[Aapjes]

It would be easy to enforce if there were a rule that if a rider does not finish a GT, he is ineligible to start the next GT.

But then no major rider would ride the Giro and risk their chance at riding the TdF. The Giro would become a second-tier race.

 

[BroDeal]

C'mon. That would be harsh. You don't need that long to recover from, say, a stomach flu. It would also require the three GT organizers to work together.

"Recovery" would not be true recovery. The rider is just forced to take time off.

It would be harsh. Such a rule would not come into play very often. Of course it would negatively affect the Vuelta when misfortune prevents riders targeting the TdF from finishing and they could no longer try to save their seasons with the Vuelta.

 

[lanternrouge]

I hate the fact that sprinters drop out early. Who cares how many stages Cavendish wins if he only has to dose his effort for 1-1.5 weeks of a 3 week race? It is not an even playing field. They should award the wins at the end of the tour, so if you drop out (not crash) the stage goes to the sprinter who finishes the race in the next best time.

And i hate the fact that keyboard warriors can go on forums slagging off pro's when they have never ridden a GT stage in their life. Truth is that the sprinters complete mountain TDF stages quicker than any etape riders. PUt up or shut up.

 

[BroDeal]

And i hate the fact that keyboard warriors can go on forums slagging off pro's when they have never ridden a GT stage in their life. Truth is that the sprinters complete mountain TDF stages quicker than any etape riders. PUt up or shut up.

Uh-oh. Since none of us are worthy of commenting on the pros, we should shut this forum down...and all the other cycling forums on the web. Heck, maybe we should just get rid of fans altogether.

 

[ElChingon]

Its a forum! Allows people to post comments, opinions, views, jokes, rumors, information, facts, pictures, debate and more.

Geeze people! I think some of you are taking it a bit too serious and personal. Those of you should take a break and go for a ride, perferably alone

 

[lookkg386]

Its a forum! Allows people to post comments, opinions, views, jokes, rumors, information, facts, pictures, debate and more.

Geeze people! I think some of you are taking it a bit too serious and personal. Those of you should take a break and go for a ride, perferably alone

ElChingon you're spot on, forums are for stating and debating yours and others opinions. Certainly nothing posted should be or be taken personally.

Now if we all just settle down and do things my way it will be OK.

 

[lanternrouge]

Its a forum! Allows people to post comments, opinions, views, jokes, rumors, information, facts, pictures, debate and more.

Geeze people! I think some of you are taking it a bit too serious and personal. Those of you should take a break and go for a ride, perferably alone

Point taken Still don't see a problem with sprinters quiting earlier though, horses for courses and all that. If I were one of the fast twitch brigade I certainly would not be to keen on the last week especially if I had already won three stages and there was ****** all I could contribute to the team for the rest of the race. Lets remember this is a team sport.

 

[ElChingon]

Point taken Still don't see a problem with sprinters quiting earlier though, horses for courses and all that. If I were one of the fast twitch brigade I certainly would not be to keen on the last week especially if I had already won three stages and there was ****** all I could contribute to the team for the rest of the race. Lets remember this is a team sport.

Well just state so and move on.

 

[tifosa]

PUt up or shut up.

Too old to go pro, sorry.

 

[slcbiker]

The sprinters are paid by their teams and sponsors to win sprint stages. And in a few cases the Green Jersey. If they are not doing that, they might as well save their energy. If I was a sponsor, I'd be pretty ****ed if my sprinter decided to finish a GT in 150th position, but then failed at the next several big sprint races.

Cavendish in particular is young, I'm sure they don't want to burn him out by putting too many races in him too early.

 

[Jasper]

On the other hand, might it not be beneficial for their development, especially for younger riders, to finish a GT? It could earn them a bit of hardness, endurance and persistence, help expanding the engine and improve recuperation? Things even sprinters can benefit from in the future, both in GT's as in hard one day races. I realise it might be a delicate balance and thin line between improving as a cyclist or simply overdoing it and burning out. But surely, finishing a GT as a sprinter doesn't necessarily have to be bad, no?

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I agree with you Jasper, and I'm quite sure that Cavendish will aim to finish the TdF this season. He will fight for the green jersey, and the win in Paris. I don't think that would be possible for him if he was to finish the Giro now, as he has already raced 55 days this season, according to one of the Columbia directors.

Edit: before you start throwing tomatoes, "the win in Paris" means the stage of course, not the GC

 

[180mmCrank]

I don't think Cav wil go for Green this year. But my bold prediction will be that he will one year in the not to far off future

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think Cav wil go for Green this year. But my bold prediction will be that he will one year in the not to far off future

youre really sticking your neck on the line with that one aint ya...

 

[lucybears]

Everyone's talking about you going for the green jersey, but will you be chasing points or stage wins?
MC: I'm going to try to win as many stages as I possibly can, and if I do well, the green jersey should, hopefully, look after itself.

 

[elapid]

I don't think Cav wil go for Green this year. But my bold prediction will be that he will one year in the not to far off future

I seem to remember similar things being said about Cav and the MSR this year.

 

[avantage]

Well, the points jersey is very valuable, so if one don't want it, so be it.
But having 1-2 sprint finishes for the last few days in the GTs should motivate them even more, I guess.

 

[JoeVelo]

I don't matter

You have to look at GT as a collection of one-day races with an overall classification for the riders who stay til the end. What difference does it make if Cavendish stays to see Roma? Who wants to see him finish in the gruppetto for the last week of racing? Will we see him on TV?

 

[Pietro]

The climber's don't quit on the flat stages, they merely complain endlessly about the length and the flatness. So what's worse, a whiner or sprinter who knows his limits and quits?

Personally, I think the sprinters should just suck it up and learn to motor up those climbs like the rest of us mortals.

Climbers aren't getting their *** kicked on a long flat stage. Sprinters do on climbs. I think a more liberal time cutoff policy and a fine if they leave w/o being hurt or sick. It's like racing a 24 hour car race, be on the front at the beginning, then just leave about 1/2 thru to get ready for the next one..lame.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

You have to look at GT as a collection of one-day races with an overall classification for the riders who stay til the end. What difference does it make if Cavendish stays to see Roma? Who wants to see him finish in the gruppetto for the last week of racing? Will we see him on TV?

If Lance Armstrong was a sprinter, we would see nothing but the gruppetto - remember that!

 

[dgodave]

If Lance Armstrong was a sprinter, we would see nothing but the gruppetto - remember that!

Why? He would never have won a tour, and wouldnt be mega-famous.
.

 

[Sheltowee]

Agreed. At least Cippolini would fake a crash or something to give a reason for his exit. These guys just bail with no excuse other than they can't handle the mountains.

For one part I do think they are not doing themselves any good staying in to just hit the autobus the whole time, then again teams could use them early in the stage so as to not use up all their climbers so fast on the climbing stages.

Its really a toss up for me, I do think they shoud compete on all stages and at least give it the old college try. Then the other part of me thinks why risk anything for stages they have no chance at, just pack it in and call it a day.

I do think their winnings should be factored in if they bail like these guys did. If they had a real injury I could see them taking all their prizes but just bailing, nagh they should only take part of it.

Their employer should cut their salaries. That's what happens to other working folk.

 

[BYOP88]

Some great replies here about having to miss the Tour if you pull out of the Giro etc. Why not insist that all 9 men have to finish the race if one abandons then the rest have to leave the race too. The penalty of having to miss a race(s) should apply to Euskaltel, Cassie etc in RVV/P-R and if they don't finish those races the team can't enter AGR, F-W or L-B-L. Riders leave races for various reasons, I'm sure Cavendish said he was doing the first 2 weeks of the Giro then pulling out(following the McEwen plan), so months ago RCS Sport could've have said to him, sorry you can't ride the Giro if you aren't planning to finish it but they wouldn't because they'd rather have the best sprinter(at the moment) in their race for 2 weeks than not being there at all.

 

[boalio]

Their employer should cut their salaries. That's what happens to other working folk.

Nope. They are doing their job by winning sprints (winning sprints = publicity = sponsors = $$). They didn't get employed to finish GTs.

 

[BroDeal]

I don't think Cav wil go for Green this year. But my bold prediction will be that he will one year in the not to far off future

Who will challenge Cav for green this year? Boonen and Petaacchi won't be there. He will win by default.