2015 Tour de France

[Frosty]

The young rider competition rules are as follows:

 

d) Young-rider ranking

The young-rider ranking is reserved for riders

born since 1st January 1990. The daily leader

of this ranking is the highest placed young rider

in the general individual time ranking. After the

final stage, the leader of this ranking is declared

the winner of the young-rider ranking.

 

Based on the start list, as of today (provisional), here are the qualifying riders:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/race.php?id=149964&c=6&statistic=sl_ranked_u25

 

SAGAN Peter (25y+159)

DUMOULIN Tom (24y+235)

KWIATKOWSKI Michal (25y+32)

PINOT Thibaut (25y+36)

BARDET Romain (24y+237)

MATTHEWS Michael (24y+281)

QUINTANA Nairo (25y+150)

ALAPHILIPPE Julian (23y+23)

BOUHANNI Nacer (24y+344)

DéMARE Arnaud (23y+312)

WELLENS Tim (24y+55)

COQUARD Bryan (23y+70)

DENNIS Rohan (25y+37)

BARGUIL Warren (23y+249)

YATES Simon (22y+331)

MEINTJES Louis (23y+133)

KELDERMAN Wilco (24y+101)

JUNGELS Bob (22y+285)

VAN BAARLE Dylan (23y+44)

DURBRIDGE Luke (24y+86)

SEPúLVEDA Eduardo (24y+21)

BENNETT Sam (24y+261)

STUYVEN Jasper (23y+78)

YATES Adam (22y+331)

REGUIGUI Youcef (25y+176)

KONRAD Patrick (23y+264)

KUDUS Merhawi (21y+162)

PREIDLER Georg (25y+17)

BERHANE Natnael (24y+180)

BUCHMANN Emanuel (22y+228)

 

[Frosty]

This white jersey comp may be even more interesting than yellow.

Contador was the last to win both the yellow and white in the same year.

Could one of the laaities do it?

[DJ84]

This white jersey comp may be even more interesting than yellow.

Contador was the last to win both the yellow and white in the same year.

Could one of the laaities do it?

Quintana is the only one with a chance at Yellow and surely he will take white.

Dont see anyone other than Kwiatowski putting up too much of a fight.

[Frosty]

Quintana is the only one with a chance at Yellow and surely he will take white.

Dont see anyone other than Kwiatowski putting up too much of a fight.

Pinot and Bardet were close last year, but what are the chances that the Tour will lose all of the big names (Heads of State as P&P refer to them)?

[Frosty]

One thing that bothers me, is Orica-GreenEDGE - they have announced a provisional squad of 8 and there is no Daryl on that line-up.

I know it's early days but their team looks a little TTT and Stage win (from the break) friendly.

Only Michael Matthews as a known sprinter.

[Pure Savage]

One thing that bothers me, is Orica-GreenEDGE - they have announced a provisional squad of 8 and there is no Daryl on that line-up.

 

I know it's early days but their team looks a little TTT and Stage win (from the break) friendly.

 

Only Michael Matthews as a known sprinter.

Someone had to make way for the Yates brothers.

[Gen]

Jissie, the more I think about this whole accommodation nonsense, the more it upsets me. 

 

Here is was, not even giving a thought to where they sleep, I mean it hasn't been an amateur sport in a very long time, surely they sleep in comfortable places (not luxury), then i see the riders tweet pics of what it looks like. I would not the hell stay in some of those places.

 

GOOD heavens, they expect the riders to perform at the very best and sometimes they sleep on mattresses on the floor, or on really dodgy looking bunk beds... BUNK BEDS.. a PRO sportsman has to sleep wherever they put them..  You always hear about recovery being one of the key things for a cyclist.  I just can't wrap my head around the fact that if a team can afford better accommodation that it isn't allowed.

 

I would love to see if Brian Cookson would sleep on a bunk-bed, or haul his mattress around.  

 

I was had a nice argument with my friend that said, they must toughen up, my reply, is BUT why, they are professionals, this isn't a school tour. In Fact my son is going on cricket tour and he will be staying in better accommodation than some of the cyclist. 

 

and the end of the day, they will maar suck it up and sleep where told, cause god forbid they actually tell the UCI enough is enough.  Nothing will change until they say " NO MORE"

 

And this excuse they use that the places don't always have accommodation is rubbish,  you know what, those host towns know well in advance that the Tour is coming through, they should at least be given a certain standard to uphold.  

 

I don't think I will easily criticize a rider for a bad performance again, cause who knows where he slept the night before.

 

I fear women's cycling stand no change at evolving, because the UCI aren't even interested in evolving men's cycling.

 

And I am not even going to start on the fact that the teams get zero of the TV broadcasting revenue.

 

Okay that's my rant over...just had to get that off my chest 

[carbon29er]

One thing that bothers me, is Orica-GreenEDGE - they have announced a provisional squad of 8 and there is no Daryl on that line-up.

 

 

Hopefully not for the same reason he was excluded last year...

[Thor Buttox]

Jissie, the more I think about this whole accommodation nonsense, the more it upsets me.  Here is was, not even giving a thought to where they sleep, I mean it hasn't been an amateur sport in a very long time, surely they sleep in comfortable places (not luxury), then i see the riders tweet pics of what it looks like. I would not the hell stay in some of those places. GOOD heavens, they expect the riders to perform at the very best and sometimes they sleep on mattresses on the floor, or on really dodgy looking bunk beds... BUNK BEDS.. a PRO sportsman has to sleep wherever they put them..  You always hear about recovery being one of the key things for a cyclist.  I just can't wrap my head around the fact that if a team can afford better accommodation that it isn't allowed. I would love to see if Brian Cookson would sleep on a bunk-bed, or haul his mattress around.   I was had a nice argument with my friend that said, they must toughen up, my reply, is BUT why, they are professionals, this isn't a school tour. In Fact my son is going on cricket tour and he will be staying in better accommodation than some of the cyclist.  and the end of the day, they will maar suck it up and sleep where told, cause god forbid they actually tell the UCI enough is enough.  Nothing will change until they say " NO MORE" And this excuse they use that the places don't always have accommodation is rubbish,  you know what, those host towns know well in advance that the Tour is coming through, they should at least be given a certain standard to uphold.   I don't think I will easily criticize a rider for a bad performance again, cause who knows where he slept the night before. I fear women's cycling stand no change at evolving, because the UCI aren't even interested in evolving men's cycling. And I am not even going to start on the fact that the teams get zero of the TV broadcasting revenue. Okay that's my rant over...just had to get that off my chest 

I'm reading a really interesting book at the moment called 'When to rob a bank' by the guys who wrote Freakonomics. I agree with everything you say here - it beggars belief that the UCI is that petty and incompetent, but then, hey, why change the status quo of recent history.

 

What would it take to get the pros to stand up en masse and say no, be it to the bed rubbish, or doping, etc.

 

Taking a few considerations from the book, what are their incentives? Maybe 4 individuals are incentivitised by a yellow jersey, and $450,000 for the winner (and maybe the winners teammates, given they share it out). White, polka dot and green jerseys have laughable prize money, relative to other sports. And unless you are a Sagan and your boss is a billionaire bozo, your annual income is not going to be relative to the amount of physical pain and suffering you put yourself through over your career.

 

So how do you incentives them to change a status quo?

 

Prison sentences? Lifetime bans? I would suggest that a good way is to make it a true team sport. Give the riders long term shares - payable in future. If anyone in the team tests positive in the period to payment date, the shares are null and void.

 

What would this do? Make the team care about the activities around them, put more power in the hands of individual riders to stand up and be counted, and maybe tell the UCI that sleeping on the floor is not good enough for the shareholders of the company and vote the idiots out (again).

 

Either way their rules are just perpetuating the culture of 'do what you need to to make it better than a suffer fest'. Stupid!

[jcza]

I know he is a total loon but Tinkoff has some great ideas. More of the money in cycling should go to the teams and riders and less to the race organisers. Prize money is a joke and riders rely on salaries, which in the case of the top riders can be substantial.

 

Think back to when the Premiership started in the UK. The monumental shift that happened when TV money started flowing to the clubs and not the association. There was going to be a separate league even before common sense prevailed. Similarly with Kerry Packer and cricket. Something needs to change and cycling should become more professional. It will happen, just not sure when.  

[scotty]

Sad but true

 

JOHANNESBURG – Speaking to EWN Sport, Team MTN Qhubeka’s principal Doug Ryder said he is disheartened by the lack of recognition for his teams' achievements, especially from the Sports Ministry.

MTN Qhubeka are set to be the very first African cycling team to take part in the Tour de France, which gets underway from 4 July this year.

 

http://ewn.co.za/2015/06/23/MTN-Qhubeka-principal-disheartened-by-lack-of-recognition-from-Sport-ministry

[jcza]

Sad but true

 

JOHANNESBURG – Speaking to EWN Sport, Team MTN Qhubeka’s principal Doug Ryder said he is disheartened by the lack of recognition for his teams' achievements, especially from the Sports Ministry.

 

MTN Qhubeka are set to be the very first African cycling team to take part in the Tour de France, which gets underway from 4 July this year.

 

http://ewn.co.za/2015/06/23/MTN-Qhubeka-principal-disheartened-by-lack-of-recognition-from-Sport-ministry

 

Don't worry Doug the gravy drinkers will be at the final stage in Paris no doubt. 

[Gen]

I know he is a total loon but Tinkoff has some great ideas. More of the money in cycling should go to the teams and riders and less to the race organisers. Prize money is a joke and riders rely on salaries, which in the case of the top riders can be substantial.

 

Think back to when the Premiership started in the UK. The monumental shift that happened when TV money started flowing to the clubs and not the association. There was going to be a separate league even before common sense prevailed. Similarly with Kerry Packer and cricket. Something needs to change and cycling should become more professional. It will happen, just not sure when.  

 

I know you can't compare the revenue that football makes to cycling.. BUT eg, Juventus got paid $15.2m up front at the start of the season for their cut at the TV rights.. and that's only in serie A, that's not even their Champions league TV rights cut.

 

Yes I know not all cycling events are watched on TV .. but Tour de France is watched by millions... sponsors pick up a big part of the organisers costs, so hello, it's time the teams got some of the revenue. 

['Dale]

Go SagaaaaaaaaAAAAAANNNNNNNN!!!!

 

I like your thinking...

 

The rules for Green has changed radically.

Gonna be interesting.

 

I know Cav' has been eaten less donuts to get over the mountains to chase the maillot vert.

Bouhanni will be interested too.

 

Sagaaan will have some good challenges.

[SwissVan]

Jissie, the more I think about this whole accommodation nonsense, the more it upsets me. 

 

Here is was, not even giving a thought to where they sleep, I mean it hasn't been an amateur sport in a very long time, surely they sleep in comfortable places (not luxury), then i see the riders tweet pics of what it looks like. I would not the hell stay in some of those places.

 

GOOD heavens, they expect the riders to perform at the very best and sometimes they sleep on mattresses on the floor, or on really dodgy looking bunk beds... BUNK BEDS.. a PRO sportsman has to sleep wherever they put them..  You always hear about recovery being one of the key things for a cyclist.  I just can't wrap my head around the fact that if a team can afford better accommodation that it isn't allowed.

 

I would love to see if Brian Cookson would sleep on a bunk-bed, or haul his mattress around.  

 

I was had a nice argument with my friend that said, they must toughen up, my reply, is BUT why, they are professionals, this isn't a school tour. In Fact my son is going on cricket tour and he will be staying in better accommodation than some of the cyclist. 

 

and the end of the day, they will maar suck it up and sleep where told, cause god forbid they actually tell the UCI enough is enough.  Nothing will change until they say " NO MORE"

 

And this excuse they use that the places don't always have accommodation is rubbish,  you know what, those host towns know well in advance that the Tour is coming through, they should at least be given a certain standard to uphold.  

 

I don't think I will easily criticize a rider for a bad performance again, cause who knows where he slept the night before.

 

I fear women's cycling stand no change at evolving, because the UCI aren't even interested in evolving men's cycling.

 

And I am not even going to start on the fact that the teams get zero of the TV broadcasting revenue.

 

Okay that's my rant over...just had to get that off my chest 

 

Part of the problem is that there are not always more "luxurious" hotels available and they have no choice but use whatever they can find in the area.  

 

I went to watch the TDF when it started in Monaco (2009) and London (2007) and I saw teams staying in real luxury 4 and 5 star hotels. But when they get into countryside riding from pitsonderwater to tweebuffelsmeteenskootmoorsdoodgeskietfontein there is simply not enough or even the same high standard accommodation available for 150 plus riders AND their support staff and then you also got spectators..... To be honest the standard of hotels in Europe can be pretty basic especially when you get out into the country side. 

 

IMO its under these circumstances that the teams should be allowed to provide their own accommodation, however they see fit.

[Gen]

 

 

IMO its under these circumstances that the teams should be allowed to provide their own accommodation, however they see fit.

 

 

That is my point to.. if a team can afford better they shouldn't be banned from doing so  (obviously these massive RV's is doff.. they take up too much space), but I really don't see why they can't find a better alternative while paying for it themselves.