Black jersey comes back to Giro!

Finally some useful, important news. The Giro organisers are bringing back the black jersey for the last placed rider!

Read more about it in cycling news.

 

Lucky they are using only a white number on a black background instead of a jersey...otherwise the whole of Team High Road might have looked like they were coming last.

 

The article is wrong. I've seen pics of riders wearing the black jersey in the 70's and 80's.

 

LOL

 

I saw those guys last year...... looked a little like Astana riders but I could be wrong.....

 

That is important information.

Mr Pinarello - road as a professional in the Giro in 1950's - was I believe the last man to have "won" the maglia negro.

Looks like the GT's are all harking back to thie respective histories.

 

Bump. This is, after all, the most important thread here at the moment.

 

It is important, i will do an interview with the winner in milano and ask him who his doctor is...

Did I realy write that? Oppps...

 

Does this mean Rasmussen will be riding?

 

You are a very, very naughty boy.

 

Good doctors aren't exactly cheap so if you finish at the last place a rider should sue his doc...

 

LOL, I was going to make the same comment. Bravo.

 

Yup, I believe the last one was awarded in 1979.

 

It adds quite a bit to the race. It illustrates how hard GTs are. The guy in last is the winner of the competition, but he can lose the jersey by missing the time cut or if someone slips below him. So, it becomes this calculated thing where you're trying to finish as far back as possible while still making the time cut.

That is, if you want to stay in the jersey. Seems like any jersey would generate publicity. You know people would be rooting for the guy in the black jersey.

 

If they can shift focus more onto this guy... rather than the GC leader... in all GT's...it might just break the vicious circle that encourages doping...

 

I've read stories of guys fighting for the Lanterne Rouge in the Tour de France where they would just stop before the finish line to make sure they kept the honor of being last and still in the race.

I think it adds a touch of levity to a grueling 3 weeks for the riders at the bottom of the standings. Also they are working their asses off for their team, often at the beginning of the stages so rarely seen on TV, so this gives them a chance to get some publicity. It's a good thing.

 

You know it's weird but i can't think of any other sport where i'd be happy/proud to be the last placed guy in a competition. I would actually be proud of myself if I finished last in the TDF or Giro. Just finishing a grand tour is an amazing feat.

 

The thing is, usually, they're not fighting to keep the jersey. But the guy with the jersey is usually struggling, so it's harkens back to the essence of endurance athletics: the struggle.

If they've got the jersey, it means they're struggling to stay in the race.

 

I think that is a good point and the reason they should have the jersey. Suffering and struggle is a part of aerobic endurance sport. The man who is barely hanging in there should be celebrated. The jersey makes it easier for commentators to talk about him.

 

A bloke I know rode that Giro. They had a race the day after the official finish called the Epilogue, which was a 400km one day (!!)race from Rome to Milan IIRC. All the big hitters didn't ride but 90% of the field did. This bloke was on a good day and nearly won it, chasing the break and just missing out on catching them in the final to run 10th or thereabouts. He also tells some stories from that Giro about DeVlaeminck and how impressive he was on the bike.