why wouldn't a team want the yellow jersey?

Kind of new to cycling here. I read this article and was confused
about a few things:

1. Why wouldn't you want the yellow jersey?

2. Why wouldn't you want to control the peleton?

3. Why does the yellow jersey have to control the peleton? Is this due
to tradition or is forced upon you due to strategy?

"Bruyneel also said it plays into Astana's hands to have Cancellara
retain the yellow jersey after the team time trial, a strong
possibility now given the size of his margin. That would give Saxo
Bank the unenviable duty of controlling the peloton in the two long,
hot and mostly flat stages that remain before the race's first
mountaintop finish on Friday."
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf200...e_d&id=4309675

On Tue, 7 Jul 2009 11:02:58 -0700 (PDT), bucky3
wrote:

Kind of new to cycling here. I read this article and was confused
about a few things:

1. Why wouldn't you want the yellow jersey?

2. Why wouldn't you want to control the peleton?

3. Why does the yellow jersey have to control the peleton? Is this due
to tradition or is forced upon you due to strategy?

"Bruyneel also said it plays into Astana's hands to have Cancellara
retain the yellow jersey after the team time trial, a strong
possibility now given the size of his margin. That would give Saxo
Bank the unenviable duty of controlling the peloton in the two long,
hot and mostly flat stages that remain before the race's first
mountaintop finish on Friday."
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf200...e_d&id=4309675

Essentially, it means the team of the yellow jersey has to defend it,
burning energy, having to ride at the front, because once you have it,
there's a fair urge not to lose it. This means that it may be
strategically advantageous to hand it off to a team that doesn't
defend it very well, ride in their slipstream, cause them to drive the
peloton, while your team can conserve energy. Then your team can take
it back when conditions are optimal (such as a mountain stage).

On flat stages there's little chance to get substantial time gains, as
the sprinters will take the stage. In the event of a break-away, only
riders who are far down in time will be allowed to remain away, but if
anyone has to chase them down, the yellow jersey team has to drive.

On Jul 7, 11:02*am, bucky3 wrote:
Kind of new to cycling here. I read this article and was confused
about a few things:

1. Why wouldn't you want the yellow jersey?



Hi Bucky -

They don't want to increase the workload of the soigneurs. They
already have to wash and sort a tremendous amount of laundry every
evening and adding a new, different jersey make it that much more
difficult.

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.

On Jul 7, 2:02*pm, bucky3 wrote:
Kind of new to cycling here. I read this article and was confused
about a few things:

1. Why wouldn't you want the yellow jersey?

2. Why wouldn't you want to control the peleton?

3. Why does the yellow jersey have to control the peleton? Is this due
to tradition or is forced upon you due to strategy?

"Bruyneel also said it plays into Astana's hands to have Cancellara
retain the yellow jersey after the team time trial, a strong
possibility now given the size of his margin. That would give Saxo
Bank the unenviable duty of controlling the peloton in the two long,
hot and mostly flat stages that remain before the race's first
mountaintop finish on Friday."http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf2009/columns/story?columnist=ford_bo...


Because whoever has the yellow has to work harder up front to keep it.
Some strategists would prefer that another team hold the yellow for a
while so that they can rest and not have the responsibility of chasing
down escapees.

On Jul 7, 1:18*pm, KG wrote:
On Jul 7, 11:02*am, bucky3 wrote:

Kind of new to cycling here. I read this article and was confused
about a few things:

1. Why wouldn't you want the yellow jersey?

Hi Bucky -

They don't want to increase the workload of the soigneurs. They
already have to wash and sort a tremendous amount of laundry every
evening and adding a new, different jersey make it that much more
difficult.

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.

Bucky -

Kurgan is entirely wrong. You should ignore him in this newsgroup, as
he never knows what he is talking about. All of the teams have high-
capacity washing machines in their buses now.

There is actually a strategic reason to avoid the yellow jersey. It's
stealth - the yellow is designed to be very easy to see, so that every
rider can pick out the leader. This makes it harder for the leader to
make a move, which is actually the purpose of making the jersey
yellow. It's like camouflage in reverse.

By being just behind the yellow jersey in the standings, it is almost
like leading the race from undercover.

-rj

Nobodys' response was pretty right on. Really though, it hardly makes
a difference because the race is won and lost in the mountains and one
bad day will take even the best riders out. The interest this year is
that a 'probable climber' may have the jersey earlier then they may
have normally would have wanted it and that will take some energy to
defend.

On Tue, 7 Jul 2009 11:27:56 -0700 (PDT), ronaldo_jeremiah
wrote:

There is actually a strategic reason to avoid the yellow jersey. It's
stealth - the yellow is designed to be very easy to see, so that every
rider can pick out the leader. This makes it harder for the leader to
make a move, which is actually the purpose of making the jersey
yellow. It's like camouflage in reverse.

Attracts insects, too.

On Tue, 7 Jul 2009 11:20:06 -0700 (PDT), Andre
wrote:

Because whoever has the yellow has to work harder up front to keep it.
Some strategists would prefer that another team hold the yellow for a
while so that they can rest and not have the responsibility of chasing
down escapees.

Except mostly French teams, which find an early Yellow Jersey with the
entire team blown trying to defend a rider that has absolutely no
chance of winning or coming close not only creates mythos, but mythos
with excuses for lame finishes.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

bucky3 wrote:
Kind of new to cycling here. I read this article and was confused
about a few things:

1. Why wouldn't you want the yellow jersey?

2. Why wouldn't you want to control the peleton?

3. Why does the yellow jersey have to control the peleton? Is this due
to tradition or is forced upon you due to strategy?

"Bruyneel also said it plays into Astana's hands to have Cancellara
retain the yellow jersey after the team time trial, a strong
possibility now given the size of his margin. That would give Saxo
Bank the unenviable duty of controlling the peloton in the two long,
hot and mostly flat stages that remain before the race's first
mountaintop finish on Friday."
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf200...e_d&id=4309675

Bruyneel didn't want the yellow jersey today for the same reason I
didn't want to have sex with Jessica Simpson.

On Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:02:07 -0700, Fred Fredburger
wrote:

Bruyneel didn't want the yellow jersey today for the same reason I
didn't want to have sex with Jessica Simpson.

This may be obvious to you, but why IS the reason that Bruyneel didn't
want the yellow jersey like you not wanting sex with Jessica Simpson?

Something to do with ability to finish?

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...