Can someone explain the last TDF stage

[DanDare842]

This is the first time i've watched the whole tour (well, highlights anyhow) & i dare say have a lot to learn, lol.

Is it true that it is in the 'spirit of the tour' etc to not attempt to alter the top positions after the penultimate stage ?
Ok, Contador was over 4mins ahead of A Schleck by the end of Mont Ventoux with Armstrong over a minute behind him but Wiggins was 37secs behind Lance & Frank only 3secs behind Wiggins (although i guess with Frank & Andy in the same team & Lance & Contador in the same team they maybe wouldn't be wanting to attack their teammates (?). Why is it, given it was the final stage did Frank not try to gain the 3 secs over Wiggins to finish 4th or even Wiggins (+ team) make a break to attempt a gain a meaningful break on Lance to finish 3rd given the stakes (though i admit 37secs over Lance may be tricky, lol) It seems as if it's all over & done with before the last stage has started.

My completely clueless thoughts are that,
a) Only the 1st position counts (though a podium finish surely makes 2nd & 3rd worth the fight)
b) Frank would have had to to have attacked Wiggins alone as his team were ensuring Andy keeps his position

If the answer is that any move would simply be attacked with a counter move then wouldn't this be happening over the entire tour, lol ?

Help, i'm confused !

 

[limerickman]

This is the first time i've watched the whole tour (well, highlights anyhow) & i dare say have a lot to learn, lol.

Is it true that it is in the 'spirit of the tour' etc to not attempt to alter the top positions after the penultimate stage ?
Ok, Contador was over 4mins ahead of A Schleck by the end of Mont Ventoux with Armstrong over a minute behind him but Wiggins was 37secs behind Lance & Frank only 3secs behind Wiggins (although i guess with Frank & Andy in the same team & Lance & Contador in the same team they maybe wouldn't be wanting to attack their teammates (?). Why is it, given it was the final stage did Frank not try to gain the 3 secs over Wiggins to finish 4th or even Wiggins (+ team) make a break to attempt a gain a meaningful break on Lance to finish 3rd given the stakes (though i admit 37secs over Lance may be tricky, lol) It seems as if it's all over & done with before the last stage has started.

My completely clueless thoughts are that,
a) Only the 1st position counts (though a podium finish surely makes 2nd & 3rd worth the fight)
b) Frank would have had to to have attacked Wiggins alone as his team were ensuring Andy keeps his position

If the answer is that any move would simply be attacked with a counter move then wouldn't this be happening over the entire tour, lol ?

Help, i'm confused !

Reasonable question.

The last day of the TDF has been traditionally regarded as a neutral stage in terms of GC (general classification).
Yes, the sprinters all want to compete to win the final stage on the Champs Ellysee but in terms of the main GC men, the final stage has always been neutral (except if 1st and 2nd place are undecided - as was the case in 1989).
If a podium place is up for grabs, they do race - if it isn't the main contenders don't race each other.

Does that mean I agree with the final stage being neutral?
No.
I think Frank Scheleck should have tried to overhaul Wiggins.
And Wiggins should have tried to overhaul Armstrong etc.

 

[jhuskey]

I would also add it is not out of the realm of possibility for a non GC contender or a non sprinter in a break to win the stage.
Not likely but possible. I don't believe there is any written rule about the stage ,just tradition.
I would not want to be a rider that broke the tradition. It would be in the same realm as Mike Tyson's ear biting fight or maybe worse.

 

[gtm]

The most exciting final stage I can remember was 1989 when they ran an Individual TT. Greg Lemond snaffled the yellow jersey away from Laurent Fignon in literally the final seconds of the Tour. Now that was seriously good & I think the tour organisers should consider doing it again.

1991 was quite entertaining as Abdoujaparov had to be helped over the line after a spectacular crash. He needed to finish the race to collect his green jersey. As he caused most of the crashes in the peleton in those days the general view was he got his just deserts (he was a doper as well)

I saw the Paris stage 'live' in 1994 & tbh it wasn't really worth the effort. All the french 'grand fromages' get the good spots by the finish