World Rankings Leader Jersey to make a Comeback?

[jaylew]

If the TdF was held now (under the top 20 automatic qualification plan), Androni & Acqua e Sapone would be in it, and the ASO would have 4 French teams to pick from for the 2 wildcards (assuming they don't care about Milram and the German market) - there'd be more Italian teams than French teams at the Tour..

I don't have a huge problem with that but I could see how it could be a problem. Maybe you have some kind of provision that ensures 3 French teams are in. Anyway, it's definitely something to think about.

 

[jaylew]

So, because their race is more important, they should have less say in how it's run? I'm not sure I like that direction.

In sportscar racing, the Le Mans 24hr Race is the one race which is seen across the globe. It is the absolute pinnacle, the face of international sportscar racing.

Because the FIA recognise this, they homologate their GT series based on ACO (the runners of the 24hr) rules so that their GT teams can participate. The ALMS and the LMS, two of the most prestigious sportscar championships in the world, include Le Mans in their name, and run to an approximation of ACO rules. The ACO gives out automatic invites to the winning team and runners-up in these series, but overall, the people at the ACO are given absolute control over how they want their race to be run and who they want to be there. You may quibble with their selections but, ultimately, they should be in control since it's their race that the world sportscar calendar revolves around.

Similarly, the ASO have the biggest race on the calendar. The fact that they have the biggest race on the calendar by far in the eyes of most people (mostly casual, non-cycling fans) acts as vindication of their policies to date, and that their race has not diminished in lustre is an indication of their competence to run it, therefore the control over it should not be taken out of their hands.

I hear you, but we'll have to just agree to disagree.

 

[luckyboy]

Also, I don't think that people will stop watching it if Skil Shimano are invited instead of Footon or something like that. As long as the big names are there, casual fans aren't going to be bothered.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

But a fair few French fans might be less inclined to follow it, go to the roadside, and French companies will be less keen on supporting teams and events if there aren't any French teams there to support. The Giro and the Vuelta are safe under your ideas, they keep their national identity, but the Tour de France should be punished for being the biggest race there is? There are a LOT of UCI points available at the Tour. If you give the freedom of invites to the Giro and Vuelta, teams like Androni Giocattoli and Acqua e Sapone will rack up points in the Giro, which puts them in the top 20, and so they have to be invited to the Tour. Getting two GTs a year means they are in a dominant position for getting into those top 20 rankings again, and it becomes a cosy old boys' club, where the same teams always get in.

Far easier to go with, say, the top 15 or 16 and give the ASO freedom of which other teams to bring. Remember in 2009 only 20 teams came for whatever reason. The ASO should be given a modicum of flexibility, and we should trust the ASO to be able to run the race that they made famous.

 

[sherer]

the pro tour was a nice idea but as we all know it never really worked out.

It's been great seeing Evans and Contador actually try and win the monuments this season and if the UCI could do something to make that happen more often then giving a jersey out would be a good thing although with stage races we sometimes have enough jerseys out there already

 

[il_fiammingo]

We want the world cup back!

Anyone has an idea about the virtual WCup wins since 2005?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

It's completely ridiculous to honor leading a ranking that noone cares about and that is fundamentally flawed.

I agree, if the system was better, and included points for all the great races - not just PT races - then I would love to see a jersey representing the leader, until that point it is a joke.

 

[il_fiammingo]

We want the world cup back!

Anyone has an idea about the virtual WCup wins since 2005?

I did the math myself:

2005:
1 Paolo Bettini 240
2 Tom Boonen 224
3 Erik Zabel 162
4 Danilo Di Luca 140
5 Davide Rebellin 140
6 Frank Schleck 120
7 Michael Boogerd 120
8 Filippo Pozzato 112
9 Allan Davis 111
10 Mirko Celestino 111

2006:
1 Paolo Bettini 222
2 Tom Boonen 210
3 Filippo Pozzato 206
4 Samuel Sanchez 192
5 Fabian Cancellara 169
6 Frank Schleck 167
7 Oscar Freire 153
8 Michael Boogerd 150
9 Alessandro Ballan 135
10 Davide Rebellin 131

2007:
1 Oscar Freire 244
2 Alessandro Ballan 240
3 Davide Rebellin 189
4 Alejandro Valverde 152
5 Stuart O'Grady 152
6 Danilo Di Luca 150
7 Damiano Cunego 128
8 Alessandro Petacchi 124
9 Stefan Schumacher 110
10 Allan Davis 106

2008:
1 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro 250
2 CUNEGO Damiano 200
3 REBELLIN Davide 200
4 CANCELLARA Fabian 173
5 GILBERT Philippe 161
6 MCEWEN Robbie 132
7 DEVOLDER Stijn 128
8 BOONEN Tom 125
9 SCHLECK Fränk 120
10 BALLAN Alessandro 112

2009:
1 GILBERT Philippe 333
2 BOONEN Tom 187
3 POZZATO Filippo 182
4 IVANOV Serguei 174
5 HAUSSLER Heinrich 168
6 SCHLECK Andy 120
7 BRESCHEL Matti 118
8 KOLOBNEV Alexandr 112
9 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel 105
10 DEVOLDER Stijn 103

2010: after LBL
1 GILBERT Philippe 210
2 CANCELLARA Fabian 209
3 BOONEN Tom 176
4 FREIRE GOMEZ Oscar 112
5 HUSHOVD Thor 102
6 VINOKOUROV Alexandre 100
7 HESJEDAL Ryder 83
8 KOLOBNEV Alexandr 74
9 LEUKEMANS Björn 74
10 HAMMOND Roger 68