Tour De France

1 lurker | 18 watchers

Gobi Jul 2010 8:21am, 1 Jul 2010 36,471 posts	0 Gobi Time to jump this baby back to the top Rotterdam here we come
Old Croc Jul 2010 8:23am, 1 Jul 2010 10,668 posts	0 Old Croc http://www.fetcheveryone.com/viewtopic.php?id=38813
Dai Bank Jul 2010 8:49am, 1 Jul 2010 1,641 posts	0 Dai Bank When I have time I must look and see what crap I posted on this thread last year so that I shall try and post less nonsense on the 2010 thread-Fat cahnce of both happening I suspect
Dai Bank Jul 2010 8:49am, 1 Jul 2010 1,642 posts	0 Dai Bank And I might learn to type as well
Gobi Jul 2010 9:06am, 5 Jul 2010 36,481 posts	0 Gobi SPA finish today and Rach and I will be there
GordonG Jul 2010 9:16am, 5 Jul 2010 5,326 posts	0 GordonG OK, numpty TdF questions here: why do some riders sometimes make a break for the finish with mega miles to go? Like yesterdays race. I thought that each team had a 'main man' and that the rest of the team were there to help him win. How does one guy breaking away with loads of miles to go help his team mate? And equally, why do one or two other riders from other teams follow the break away guy, especially if he's not one of the main men? How are the riders from other teams helping their man by chasing after a guy who - like yesterday's race - isn't going to win TdF anyway. I know the commentators yesterday were saying he was a Belgian guy and was looking for home glory so fair enough, but why did those other riders go with him - why didn't they just stay in the pack and let the pack hunt him down (as it did) and save their energy? sorry, lots of questions but i'd really like to understand the basic rules of TdF more!
Gobi Jul 2010 9:21am, 5 Jul 2010 36,485 posts	0 Gobi GG There are prizes for stage wins Good for the sponsors Home soil There are various crazy reasons
Meglet Jul 2010 9:25am, 5 Jul 2010 4,943 posts	0 Meglet aargh, which thread are we using?
Nellers Jul 2010 9:27am, 5 Jul 2010 11,013 posts	0 Nellers If you're a lone break then you are going to get on the telly a lot that day, and your sponsors names are plastered all over your jersey so they'll like that, like Gobi said. Also, if you aren't expected to do anything dramatic overall the bunch will sometimes not bother chasing you down, particularly if you pick the day before a big vital stage and they want to save their legs, or late in the tour when the big jerseys are already decided. Also, if you've got a decent sprinter in your team, getting in a break obliges other teams to do the chasing, saving your team for the vital bit near the end. If one rider goes on his own, though, often a few riders from other teams will try to get across to him to "police" the break. If the lone rider goes all-out to stay ahead of the pack and you sit on his wheel you'll probably take him in the sprint, so what does he gain? He might as well sit up and drop back to the bunch. Alternatively, if there's not much of a chase you can still try to take him in the sprint and get a stage for your team, or at least stop him getting the big points and threatening your Points Jersey rider. Then again, some are just plain daft and like showing off.;-)
GordonG Jul 2010 9:35am, 5 Jul 2010 5,327 posts	0 GordonG ah OK, thanks all!