Ingemar Svensson
July 23rd 03, 08:23 AM
The KOM competition is not interresting for the GC contenders and
therefore no effort should be made to make it that. What should be
done is to decrease the number of points on the big climbs so that
noone can get a massive lead in the competition simply by going in
long breakaways. That would make the competition closer and there
would be a fight for it rather than a one man show.
(Shayana Kadidal) wrote in message >...
> ...if they offered more points for the final climbs of each stage?
>
> Right now, my understanding is that the points available on each
> summit are assigned purely based on the categorization (4,3,2,1,HC) of
> the climb leading up to it. (So, for example, every Cat.1 summit is
> worth 30 points for the first man over it, 26 for the second, etc.)
> This leads to situations where a rider goes on long breakaways with
> the intention of crossing every peak first -- except the last one on
> the stage (like Jalabert). We also see top-20-type riders (like a
> certain unmentionable Frenchman) who intentionally lose time on final
> climbs (Alpe D'Huez) so that they can then have the freedom to ride
> away from the pack on the aforementioned long breakaways. None of this
> behavior really makes the long mountain stages more interesting to
> watch.
>
> If the number of points available on the final climb of each stage
> were, say, doubled or tripled, it might allow guys to contend for the
> GC and the KoM at the same time. We could then avoid the strategic
> behavior that cheapens the prestige of the polkadot jersey. (We might
> also avoid having certain drug using liars precluded from any chance
> at the KoM, another fringe benefit.) A guy like Mayo could wear the
> jersey while contending for the yellow.
>
> Someone tell LeBlanc!--Shayana Kadidal
>
>
> [a footnote-- I realize that certain climbs have their categorization
> increased based on their position later in a stage (e.g. it's often
> said Alpe D'Huez could be a Cat.1 if it were near the beginning of a
> stage, rather than it's perennial position as a stage finish). But the
> resulting increase in KoM points is rather minimal -- from e.g. 30 for
> a cat.1 to 40 for an HC.]
therefore no effort should be made to make it that. What should be
done is to decrease the number of points on the big climbs so that
noone can get a massive lead in the competition simply by going in
long breakaways. That would make the competition closer and there
would be a fight for it rather than a one man show.
(Shayana Kadidal) wrote in message >...
> ...if they offered more points for the final climbs of each stage?
>
> Right now, my understanding is that the points available on each
> summit are assigned purely based on the categorization (4,3,2,1,HC) of
> the climb leading up to it. (So, for example, every Cat.1 summit is
> worth 30 points for the first man over it, 26 for the second, etc.)
> This leads to situations where a rider goes on long breakaways with
> the intention of crossing every peak first -- except the last one on
> the stage (like Jalabert). We also see top-20-type riders (like a
> certain unmentionable Frenchman) who intentionally lose time on final
> climbs (Alpe D'Huez) so that they can then have the freedom to ride
> away from the pack on the aforementioned long breakaways. None of this
> behavior really makes the long mountain stages more interesting to
> watch.
>
> If the number of points available on the final climb of each stage
> were, say, doubled or tripled, it might allow guys to contend for the
> GC and the KoM at the same time. We could then avoid the strategic
> behavior that cheapens the prestige of the polkadot jersey. (We might
> also avoid having certain drug using liars precluded from any chance
> at the KoM, another fringe benefit.) A guy like Mayo could wear the
> jersey while contending for the yellow.
>
> Someone tell LeBlanc!--Shayana Kadidal
>
>
> [a footnote-- I realize that certain climbs have their categorization
> increased based on their position later in a stage (e.g. it's often
> said Alpe D'Huez could be a Cat.1 if it were near the beginning of a
> stage, rather than it's perennial position as a stage finish). But the
> resulting increase in KoM points is rather minimal -- from e.g. 30 for
> a cat.1 to 40 for an HC.]