TDF understanding

"RMan" wrote in message
...

"Peter Signorini" wrote in message
...
[snip]
I recall one of Lance Armstrongs wins last year in the Pyrenees IIRC. He
was
riding with a couple of other riders snip

I think that was on Mt Ventoux vs Beloki, after Beloki's one and only
attempt to drop Lance. Like his "look" at Ulrich, a couple of years back,
a
real defining moment.

Oh, that was it. Riding with Ulrich when he looked at him, then stood up and
took off. Ulrich tried to respond but didn't have a chance. Lance rode on to
win.

No point in riding in the peleton there, nor waiting for the 'final sprint'.
If you don't have a climber's stamina to keep attacking all the way up the
climb the final 100m sprint is meaningless.

Cheers
Peter

Chipo (as he likes to be called) often goes home after the flat stages
have been completed as he hates the mountains.

Maybe that had something to do with him not receiving an invite to the
tour this year. Just a thought. )

Cheers

John

g wrote:

Harrow wrote:

It seems to me the only guys who have a chance are the sprinters.
Everyone drafts in the peleton all day, and then the sprinters blast
away and get the glory.

Why do the other guys even bother turning up?

Harrow.

Because sprinters are only good on flat stages, it is their only chance
for glory. The others are biding their time for the TT and the
mountains. A chance for non-sprinters (in flat stages) is to break away
and solo for 100 to 200km to the finish which guys have tried to do the
last few days without success. But over the years, some have succeeded.
Sprinters usually aren't any good at 100km+ solos. They can't win
overall either.

GK

It's very early days I know....but I can't help but be impressed with
how Ullrich is performing atm....making this assumption on limited
footage I know but he's placing very well and looks very comfortable and
no hint of the podge around the old middle as some unflattering pics
have shown.

If he keeps this up he could well give Armstrong a run for his money as
some have predicted. Armstrong himself has said that Ullrich is a
threat.

I'm enjoying the TdF so far and can't wait to watch the full stages on
tv.

Cheers

John

Peter Signorini wrote:

"RMan" wrote in message
...

"Peter Signorini" wrote in message
...
[snip]
I recall one of Lance Armstrongs wins last year in the Pyrenees IIRC. He
was
riding with a couple of other riders snip

I think that was on Mt Ventoux vs Beloki, after Beloki's one and only
attempt to drop Lance. Like his "look" at Ulrich, a couple of years back,
a
real defining moment.

Oh, that was it. Riding with Ulrich when he looked at him, then stood up and
took off. Ulrich tried to respond but didn't have a chance. Lance rode on to
win.

No point in riding in the peleton there, nor waiting for the 'final sprint'.
If you don't have a climber's stamina to keep attacking all the way up the
climb the final 100m sprint is meaningless.

Cheers
Peter

Shabby wrote:
Here's my answers to some of your questions:
Thanks indeedy.

T. Unless you can spin really fast, a 52 x 14 might not even win a D
grade bunch sprint. They're using 53x11 to 55x11 type gears, with
cadences in the 100-130 range.
Ah, that explains why I never win any sprints (I'm actually in D grade).
I'd like to believe it's because I always run out of gears, yes, that
must be it. :-)

snip Our track coach makes us do 400
metre flat out efforts out of the saddle, and towards the end it
becomes close to impossible unless you are in a huge gear).
Sounds like you're not that "Shabby" at all.

&roo
Honorary Life Member, "D" Grade

am 09.07.03 schrieb Andrew:

- why are the green, white, and polka-dot jerseys coloured that way (the
explanation for yellow being widely known)?

yellow (or maillot jaune) it the rider who did the tour in the shortest
time

withe (maillot blanche) best of the young drives (up to 25 years) time
counts here

green (maillot verte) best sprinter, the one who has collected most points

withe with red dots ist for the best climber (will be intersseting, wenn
the alpes and pyraenees come up). The rider who gots most points at the
climbs will get ist.

if a has the yellow jersey and is leader eg. at young drivers he must wear
the yellow. The second will than wear the withe.

If a driver ist national champion, he must wear the national champion
trikot. if he is world champion on road racing he must wear the world
champion trikot. If someone ist world champion at time trail he must wear
the world champion time trail jersey at a time trail, but never at a
regular road race. If somone don't do it he must pay and perhaps he can be
expellet from the race - that in the rules for the Tour.

am 09.07.03 schrieb Andrew:

- why are the green, white, and polka-dot jerseys coloured that way (the
explanation for yellow being widely known)?

yellow (or maillot jaune) it the rider who did the tour in the shortest
time

withe (maillot blanche) best of the young drives (up to 25 years) time
counts here

green (maillot verte) best sprinter, the one who has collected most points

withe with red dots ist for the best climber (will be intersseting, wenn
the alpes and pyraenees come up). The rider who gots most points at the
climbs will get ist.

if a has the yellow jersey and is leader eg. at young drivers he must wear
the yellow. The second will than wear the withe.

If a driver ist national champion, he must wear the national champion
trikot. if he is world champion on road racing he must wear the world
champion trikot. If someone ist world champion at time trail he must wear
the world champion time trail jersey at a time trail, but never at a
regular road race. If somone don't do it he must pay and perhaps he can be
expellet from the race - that in the rules for the Tour.

Andrew Swan wrote:
Ah, that explains why I never win any sprints (I'm actually in D grade).
I'd like to believe it's because I always run out of gears, yes, that
must be it. :-)



Just to clarify a bit, you need to be able to spin big gear. If you are
really running out of gears, get another cog. But a lot of people make
the mistake of putting it in a big gear and trying to wind it up. A
52x14 propels you at 60kph if you're doing 120rpm, so you might need a
12 or 13 to get you that slight bit faster, unless you like to spin.
(From memory my max speeds were around 65 in D grade crits when I won -
in a 53 x 13 which is around 120rpm.)

Your ideal sprint (assuming it's at least a couple of hundred metres
long) is to hit your maximum cadence on or very close to the line.
Sprinting isn't completely about going fast, you need to go fast at the
right moment. Too big a gear means you'll miss the start of the sprint
and it will all be over, too small means you have to change gears mid
sprint to stop going backwards.



--
--------------------------
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"Shabby" wrote in message
...
Andrew Swan wrote:
Ah, that explains why I never win any sprints (I'm actually in D
grade).
I'd like to believe it's because I always run out of gears, yes, that
must be it. :-)



Just to clarify a bit, you need to be able to spin big gear. If you are
really running out of gears, get another cog. But a lot of people make
the mistake of putting it in a big gear and trying to wind it up. A
52x14 propels you at 60kph if you're doing 120rpm, so you might need a
12 or 13 to get you that slight bit faster, unless you like to spin.
(From memory my max speeds were around 65 in D grade crits when I won -
in a 53 x 13 which is around 120rpm.)



Man that is some D grade crit. 65 kmh sprint in most grades will score you
a win, sheesh, Cipo's max was approx 70 kmh at Zolder last year.

"Shabby" wrote in message
...
Andrew Swan wrote:
Ah, that explains why I never win any sprints (I'm actually in D
grade).
I'd like to believe it's because I always run out of gears, yes, that
must be it. :-)



Just to clarify a bit, you need to be able to spin big gear. If you are
really running out of gears, get another cog. But a lot of people make
the mistake of putting it in a big gear and trying to wind it up. A
52x14 propels you at 60kph if you're doing 120rpm, so you might need a
12 or 13 to get you that slight bit faster, unless you like to spin.
(From memory my max speeds were around 65 in D grade crits when I won -
in a 53 x 13 which is around 120rpm.)



Man that is some D grade crit. 65 kmh sprint in most grades will score you
a win, sheesh, Cipo's max was approx 70 kmh at Zolder last year.

white: best of the young drives (up to 25 years) time counts here

green: best sprinter, the one who has collected most points

white with red dots: is for the best climber (will be interesting, when
the Alps and Pyrenees come up). The rider who gets most points at the
climbs will get it.
Yes, but why are they white, green, and white with red dots? Why not
purple, brown, and blue with pink stripes (for example)? There must be
some historical reason for choosing those colours.

If a driver is national champion, he must wear the national champion
trikot. If he is world champion in road racing, he must wear the world
champion trikot. If someone is world champion at time trial, he must wear
the world champion time trial jersey at a time trial, but never at a
regular road race.
Interesting. What about the riders who have the world champion "rainbow"
stripes only on their collars and the cuffs of their sleeves? What does
that mean? Are they world champions in non-road disciplines such as
track cycling or MTBing?

&roo