TDF dork question?

[eddief]

if it's sorta close on the last day...do they race or does tradition dictate otherwise?

[BdaGhisallo]

I can only think of one occasion when the lead changed hands on the final day, excluding years when the Tour finished with a time trial. That was in '47, the first post-WW2 Tour, when Jean Robic got into a break on the final stage and took the lead from Pierre Brambilla after taking fifteen minutes out of him on the stage. Robic sprinted early in the stage for a hill top prime, found himself off the front and then joined up with a break he didn't know was away. Communication wasn't what it is today so it was too late before Brambilla knew to do anything.

Aside from that, the tradition of an easy day with a thrash around the Champs Elysees (at least since 1975 - at the Parc des Princes before that) has pretty much held. It would take a super alignement of the stars to see Evans take all the bonuses and, thus, the win. I can't see the sprinters ceding the most prestigious sprint finish of the whole season to the gc contenders! That most certainly ain't gonna happen!!!

[dave thompson]

I can see Disco using Levi to protect Contador and take 2nd from Evans. One/two on the podium would be a great ending for the team.

[Bill Bove]

It will be interesting to see who works with who, what debts are repaid and what grudges are created. Will Quick Step, who still have all nine ridersand Tom Boonen work with Lotto to deny Disco any time bonuses to pad Contadors lead or versa visa.

It's gonna be a great finale.

[taz-t]

If Cadel tries anything, Levi marks his move and does NO work - so what's the point? Disco would flipflop 1st and 3rd, but Cadel gains nothing.

- taz

[A.L.Breguet]

if it's sorta close on the last day...do they race or does tradition dictate otherwise?
The only dumb question is the one never asked.

They probably will not attack the Yellow.

[whippettanker]

Aside from that, the tradition of an easy day with a thrash around the Champs Elysees (at least since 1975 - at the Parc des Princes before that) has pretty much held.

The -old- velodrome at Parc des Princes was torn down in '67. The '68-74 Tours de France ended at the (muni)cipale in the Bois de Vincennes.

:)

[stevep]

itll be a parade.

[Grant McLean]

I can see Disco using Levi to protect Contador and take 2nd from Evans. One/two on the podium would be a great ending for the team.

never going to happen. the race for the top 3 and yellow is over.
only thing left to decide is the final stage winner.


Even the green is basically done, as Boonen has 24 points lead over Hunter.
Hunter has his work cut out for him, with one intermediate sprint: 6, 4, and 2 points availble

and the points available at the finish:
35, 30, 26, 24, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,
3, 2 and 1 points are awarded to the first 25 riders across the finish.
g

[Elefantino]

itll be a parade.
Yep. They'll drink champagne and Cadel will hope to get part of the $10 million from the Astana suit.

Boonen will be kept safe by the Quick Steppers. He doesn't need to win the stage. It'd be nice if he does, though. Through all the cr*p going on in the last week, he has been the class of the bunch.

I love how they asked Leipheimer about Vinokourov and Paris. Looked like it still p*ssed him off two years later.

[dave thompson]

never going to happen. the race for the top 3 and yellow is over.
only thing left to decide is the final stage winner.


Even the green is basically done, as Boonen has 24 points lead over Hunter.
Hunter has his work cut out for him, with one intermediate sprint: 6, 4, and 2 points availble

and the points available at the finish:
35, 30, 26, 24, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4,
3, 2 and 1 points are awarded to the first 25 riders across the finish.
g
Think so? I dunno. I can't see Disco leaving 8 seconds on the table. How much pressure will Evans be under, or feel with only 23 seconds between 1st place and Not Tour Winner?

[Grant McLean]

Think so? I dunno. I can't see Disco leaving 8 seconds on the table. How much pressure will Evans be under, or feel with only 23 seconds between 1st place and Not Tour Winner?

It's all over but for the parade, as Steve says.

In the interview with Levi after the stage today, he said Cadel can relax.
In 2005 Vino took a 20 second time bonus on the last day to jump over Levi
from 6th to 5th place. Levi won't ever do the same thing. Bad form.

It's interesting going back and look at some of the results from a few
years ago, and see where some guys placed relative to each other...

g

2005
1 Lance Armstrong United States Discovery Channel 86h 15' 02"
(41.654 km/h)
2 Ivan Basso Italy Team CSC 4' 40"
3 Jan Ullrich Germany T-Mobile Team 6' 21"
4 Francisco Mancebo Spain Illes Balears 9' 59"
5 Alexander Vinokourov Kazakhstan T-Mobile 11' 01"
6 Levi Leipheimer United States Team Gerolsteiner 11' 21"
7 Michael Rasmussen Denmark Rabobank 11' 33"
8 Cadel Evans Australia Davitamon-Lotto 11' 55"

[Ray]

In the interview with Levi after the stage today, he said Cadel can relax.
In 2005 Vino took a 20 second time bonus on the last day to jump over Levi
from 6th to 5th place. Levi won't ever do the same thing. Bad form.

I thought it was bad form when Vino was taking bonus points out on the course that day, but then he went and WON THE FRIGGIN' STAGE, getting a jump on the sprinters. There was some confusion during the ride about whether the time bonus would count and that stunk, but Gerolsteiner couldn't seem to stop Vino from doing what he wanted that day and I doubt they'd have kept him from the stage win. When he won the stage, I figured he deserved the bonus for the stage win and the jump up the standings. That said, no way Levi or Cadel wins the stage and I can't see either team letting the other guy pick up any points out on the course. So they should just relax, enjoy the day, and wait for the final doping controls to see if they get to keep these places.

-Ray

[Climb01742]

would have been interesting if only a few seconds had separated two or all three of them. i wonder at what point does the gentlemen's agreement go out the window? if separation was less than :10? less than :05?

[dave thompson]

would have been interesting if only a few seconds had separated two or all three of them. i wonder at what point does the gentlemen's agreement go out the window? if separation was less than :10? less than :05?
Sorta my thoughts too.

Levi's near the end of his career and he's finishing this Tour strong. Disco is looking for a new sponsor. What's 8 seconds worth to him?

[SoCalSteve]

Sorta my thoughts too.

Levi's near the end of his career and he's finishing this Tour strong. Disco is looking for a new sponsor. What's 8 seconds worth to him?

I truly think its about etiquette, sportsmanship and Levi just being a true gentleman...

He rode a great intellegent race, he is no reason in the world not to be very proud of himself.

Nuff said,

Steve

[Grant McLean]

I truly think its about etiquette, sportsmanship and Levi just being a true gentleman...

He rode a great intellegent race, he is no reason in the world not to be very proud of himself.

Nuff said,

Steve

+1

Levi got his stage win, and a podium, and the team wins the Yellow,
and the team classification. He's very happy, no need to be bitter
or greedy about anything...

g

[Elefantino]

+1

Levi got his stage win, and a podium, and the team wins the Yellow,
and the team classification. He's very happy, no need to be bitter
or greedy about anything...

g
Plus, he goes home to Odessa and the dogs. Eventually.

[Climb01742]

agree that levi -- especially with what vino did to him in 05 -- wouldn't, and shouldn't, try to move from 3rd to 2nd place.

but if it were another year, and you were in 2nd by single digit seconds, i'm not sure i'd be so gentlemanly. hard to say where the line is, but if it meant winning the tour, would a 6-second time bonus sprint be so bad? ;)

[michael white]

he's for the team thru and thru, and it seems to me that's the impression he wants to leave, when all is said and done. and I like it, though it would be fun if he did suddenly go all rambo on us

[cadence90]

If Levi hadn't received that 10 second penalty early....
If Levi had attacked once or twice more....
If Levi had picked up a few bonus points here and there....

No ifs, ands, or buts; the race is finished.

[Elefantino]

I say Levi goes all Cinzano on Evans.

http://www.worldcycling.com/graphics/00000002/JERSEY-cinzano-blk1.jpg

[Bobbo]

This conjecture is silly. The podium has been decided. Tomorrow's a parade, except for the sprint finish. Second place is that much better than third? That's ridiculous. After the Yellow Jersey, second and third may as well be interchangeable - it doesn't matter; they're both on the podium.

Taking back 8 seconds on the parade lap to Paris would be a classless move. Cadel earned his 2nd place, and I'm sure Levi respects that. Regardless of how the image of pro cyclists has been tarnished by doping, there is still honor, respect and class among professionals.

[taz-t]

because... and not because of sportsmanship or tradition,etc.

If Cadel goes, Levi will follow and doesn't work. If for some reason, Cadel's break with Levi stays away, Levi stays fresh and wins the sprint bonuses. Disco flip/flops 1st and 3rd, but no change for Cadel.

Levi goes? Cadel definitely goes with him and Levi potentially tows Cadel into the yellow jersey? Right.. not going to happen. Levi will not attack.

Cadel goes and Contador follows. Same result as #1, no benefit for Cadel.

Cadel goes and Disco misses the break? Disco team time trials to bring it back, with the help of all the sprinter's teams that aren't going to let *that* kind of move get away.

Levi temporarily loses his mind (or decides to retire immediately after the race in a blaze of glory) and tries #2 anyway. Disco still goes to the front and pulls back the break.

So... no scenario where any of the three have an incentive to race tomorrow. Did I miss anything?

Okay - crazy specatator from the Athens Olympic marathon runs out and knocks Contador off his bike. THAT might spark a race between Cadel and Levi.

- taz

[cadence90]

Did I miss anything?
- taz
You forgot the one where Mike Rasmussen dresses up as Jean-Marie Leblanc and scatters thumb tacks all over the road from a Mavic-decaled Trabi.
All but 5 of 141 riders flat and Thor pips Wim Vansevenant at the line for stage and jaune.