If after stage 19 the time gap between the Tour leader and the second place rider of the GC is only
60 seconds, will they fight for the final placing during the final stage (stage 20) - I thought
normally stage 20 are for the sprinters?

Has there ever been such a close time difference between the leader and the second place rider in
the Tour, and that the winner determined by the final stage?

"Ian" <"Ian"@nospam.com> a écrit dans le message de news: hi6Ta.105$7k5.5387@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...
> If after stage 19 the time gap between the Tour leader and the second place rider of the GC is
> only 60 seconds, will they fight for the
final
> placing during the final stage (stage 20) - I thought normally stage
20
> are for the sprinters?
>
> Has there ever been such a close time difference between the leader
and
> the second place rider in the Tour, and that the winner determined by the final stage?
>

In 1979 Zootemelk was 2nd to Hinault before the last stage. He tried to escape at the Champ-Elysees
stage to gain time over Hinault. Hinault came back to catch him and won the stage and the tour.

--
Ron

"Ron D." <rnd92@yahoo.fr> wrote in message news:<3f1cf723$0$23684$626a54ce@news.free.fr>...
> "Ian" <"Ian"@nospam.com> a écrit dans le message de news:
> hi6Ta.105$7k5.5387@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...

> > If after stage 19 the time gap between the Tour leader and the second place rider of the GC is
> > only 60 seconds, will they fight for the final placing during the final stage (stage 20) - I
> > thought normally stage 20 are for the sprinters?

> In 1979 Zootemelk was 2nd to Hinault before the last stage. He tried to escape at the
> Champ-Elysees stage to gain time over Hinault. Hinault came back to catch him and won the stage
> and the tour.

But the fight in 1979 wasn't about winning the tour. It was about the stage alone. Hinault won that
tour by more than 13 minutes.

Ian wrote:
> Has there ever been such a close time difference between the leader and the second place rider in
> the Tour, and that the winner determined by the final stage?

In 1989, Greg Lemond was behind Laurent Fignon (83&84 champ) by 50 seconds going into the final
stage, a 15 mile time trial. Lemond won the stage by 58 seconds and the tour by 8 seconds. I believe
it's the smallest margin in Tour de France history.

--Bill Davidson
--
Please remove ".nospam" from my address for email replies.

I'm a 17 year veteran of usenet -- you'd think I'd be over it by now

"Martin Recker" <huck-finn@gmx.de> a écrit dans le message de news:
e53d4d22.0307220713.4a771773@posting.google.com...
> "Ron D." <rnd92@yahoo.fr> wrote in message
news:<3f1cf723$0$23684$626a54ce@news.free.fr>...
> > "Ian" <"Ian"@nospam.com> a écrit dans le message de news:
> > hi6Ta.105$7k5.5387@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...
>
> > > If after stage 19 the time gap between the Tour leader and the
second
> > > place rider of the GC is only 60 seconds, will they fight for the final placing during the
> > > final stage (stage 20) - I thought
normally
> > > stage 20 are for the sprinters?
>
> > In 1979 Zootemelk was 2nd to Hinault before the last stage. He tried to escape at the
> > Champ-Elysees stage to gain time over
Hinault.
> > Hinault came back to catch him and won the stage and the tour.
>
> But the fight in 1979 wasn't about winning the tour. It was about the stage alone. Hinault won
> that tour by more than 13 minutes.

Not exactly. Zootemelk was only 3 min behind Hinault. Once the race was over he was awarded a 10 min
penalti for a reason I don't remember exactly, it may be something close to a positive test or
something (not too sure there).

--
Ron

"Ron D." <rnd92@yahoo.fr> a écrit dans le message de news: 3f1db60d$0$15357$626a54ce@news.free.fr...
>
> "Martin Recker" <huck-finn@gmx.de> a écrit dans le message de news:
> e53d4d22.0307220713.4a771773@posting.google.com...
> > "Ron D." <rnd92@yahoo.fr> wrote in message
> news:<3f1cf723$0$23684$626a54ce@news.free.fr>...
> > > "Ian" <"Ian"@nospam.com> a écrit dans le message de news:
> > > hi6Ta.105$7k5.5387@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...
> >
> > > > If after stage 19 the time gap between the Tour leader and the
> second
> > > > place rider of the GC is only 60 seconds, will they fight for
the
> > > > final placing during the final stage (stage 20) - I thought
> normally
> > > > stage 20 are for the sprinters?
> >
> > > In 1979 Zootemelk was 2nd to Hinault before the last stage. He tried to escape at the
> > > Champ-Elysees stage to gain time over
> Hinault.
> > > Hinault came back to catch him and won the stage and the tour.
> >
> > But the fight in 1979 wasn't about winning the tour. It was about
the
> > stage alone. Hinault won that tour by more than 13 minutes.
>
> Not exactly. Zootemelk was only 3 min behind Hinault. Once the race was over he was awarded a 10
> min penalti for a reason I don't remember exactly, it may be something close to a positive test
or
> something (not too sure there).
>
> --
> Ron
>

More about it on this link (in French)

http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/e...tdf1979_24.php

--
Ron

"Ron D." <rnd92@yahoo.fr> wrote in message news:<3f1db70c$0$15315$626a54ce@news.free.fr>...
> "Ron D." <rnd92@yahoo.fr> a écrit dans le message de news:
> 3f1db60d$0$15357$626a54ce@news.free.fr...
>
> More about it on this link (in French)
>
> http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/e...tdf1979_24.php

Thank you.