July 2, 2016

2016 Tour de France Underway; No Fulcrum on Stage 1

Despite a horrific-looking crash during the lead-in to the sprint finish of Stage 1 of the 2016 Tour de France, all 198 riders were counted as finishing. The even number means that no Point d’Appui could be awarded on Stage 1.

On les Cuspides were Emanuel Buchmann of Bora-Argon 18 in 99th place and Simon Geschke of Team Giant-Alpecin in 100th place.

Former winners of the Point d’Appui racing this year include:

2005 winner Andriy Grivko of Astana Pro Team, who finished 41st today.
2006 winner Paolo Tiralongo of Astana Pro Team, who finished 89th today.
2011 winner Markel Irizar of Trek-Segafredo, who finished 34th today.
2012 winner Vasil Kiryienka of Team Sky, who finished 84th today.

The 188 kilometer first stage was relatively level with a couple of Category 4 climbs and one intermediate sprint. An early break of five riders allowed the peloton to proceed without too much worry save that part of the course had mild cross winds.

Nevertheless, two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador took a hard fall after he and Brent Bookwalter of BMC miscalculated a turn at too high a speed and touched wheels coming out of a roundabout. Both Bookwalter and Contador tumbled into a median, and then Luke Row of Sky somersaulted over them. All three suffered skin abrasions but no broken bones apparently.

The crash near the bunch finish occurred when Michael Morkov of Katusha drifted just a bit too wide to the right of the narrow chute. He appeared to clip the foot of a barrier standard although he said afterward he thought perhaps he had clipped a spectator standing outside the barrier. Either way, he was sent sprawling, first to his left into other riders and then back into the barrier where he was whipped around to the pavement. Sam Bennett of Bora-Argon 18, Edvald Boasson Hagen of Dimension Data and Geraint Thomas of Sky also went down in the careening of riders trying to avoid Morkov. All limped home but whether they are up to starting Stage 2 remains a question mark. Morkov has held the Point d’Appui on a couple of occasions in earlier Tours de France.

Marc Cavendish of Dimension Data won Stage 1, steaming past Marcel Kittell and Peter Sagan in the final 100 meters. It is the first time that Cavendish has earned the Maillot Jaune during his distinguished career. Timo Roosen of Team LottoNl-Jumbo is the Lanterne Rouge.

June 1, 2016

2016 Giro d’Italia Finishes in les Cuspides

Three riders abandoned on the final stage of the 2016 Giro d’Italia, leaving 154 riders to come and voiding any chance at a Point d’Appui for the race. American Chad Haga of Team Giant-Alpecin held the fulcrum twice during the race and wound up on the cusp of the fulcrum at the end of the race along with Johann Van Zyl of Dimension Data.

Vincenzo Nibali won the race and the maglia rosa. The lanterne rouge was Jack Bobridge of Trek-Segafredo, who finished five hours adrift.

The Point d’Appui changed hands 12 times during the race. Here are the holders of the grey jersey at the end of each stage:

Stage 1 – No fulcrum.
Stage 2 – No fulcrum.
Stage 3 – No fulcrum.
Stage 4 – Moreno Hofland of Team LottoNl-Jumbo.
Stage 5 – Leigh Howard of IAM Cycling.
Stage 6 – Ivan Savitskiy of Gazprom-Rusvelo.
Stage 7 – No fulcrum.
Stage 8 – Alessandro Bisolti of Nippo-Vini Fantini.
Stage 9 – No fulcrum.
Stage 10 – Manuel Belletti of Wilier Triestina-Southeast.
Stage 11 – No fulcrum.
Stage 12 – Christian Knees of Team Sky.
Stage 13 – No fulcrum.
Stage 14 – Lars Ytting Bak of Lotto Soudal.
Stage 15 – Chad Haga of Team Giant-Alpecin.
Stage 16 – Hugo Houle of AG2R La Mondiale.
Stage 17 – No fulcrum.
Stage 18 – Kristian Sbaragli of Dimension Data.
Stage 19 – Alberto Bettiol of Cannondale Pro Cycling.
Stage 20 – Chad Haga of Team Giant-Alpecin.
Stage 21 – No fulcrum.

August 12, 2015

The 2015 Tour de France Placement Vortex

The 2015 Placement Vortex shows the placement of each rider in relation to Les Cuspides, Paul Martens and Peirre-Luc Perichon, who finished at the center of the pack.

The heavier black lines denote riders who eventually abandoned the race, leaving only 160 riders to finish, hence the slow narrowing of the field from left to right. Track the yellow line of Christopher Froome at top or the red lantern line of Sébastien Chavanel at bottom.

Compared to the 2013 Placement Vortex, this year’s vortex shows a much wilder change in placement across the tour. In 2013, placement changed dramatically during two days in the Pyrenees and on several stages in the Alps. This year, dramatic shifts in placement occurred on a daily basis for riders below the top 20.

The cobblestones of Belgium threw the placements into “jackstraws” immediately, but things leveled out briefly during the relatively flat stages across Normandy. The team time trial also shifted placement considerably, which was only exacerbated by the enormous changes wrought again by the Pyrenees.

Riders settled in some small measure while passing through the Rhone Valley, but then were taxed again going into the Alps.

The final ride into Paris would have been without change because officials called placement early due to rain. However, Bryan Coquard of Team Europcar finished second on the stage, earning a time bonus that moved him one spot up in the standings.

Nine more riders abandoned the race this year than in 2013.

Download a PDF of the 2015 Tour de France Placement Vortex courtesy of Point d’Appui.

July 27, 2015

2015 Tour de France Ends Without Fulcrum; Martens, Perichon on Cusps

An even number of riders finished the 2015 Tour de France on the streets of Paris, so a Point d’Appui can’t be awarded this year. Because of the rain and a likely heightened danger if the entire peloton charged the oily cobbles of the Champs, race officials declared all riders to have the same time for the day, meaning that the two riders on the cusp of the fulcrum after Stage 20 retained their position.

Paul Martens of Team LottoNL-Jumbo and Pierre-Luc Perichon of Bretagne-Séché Environnement are Les Cuspides for the 2015 Tour.

The leader of the race, Christopher Froome of Sky, and the last rider in, Sébastien Chavanel of FDJ, remained in their respective positions as well. Sylvain Chavanel of IAM Cycling, possibly riding his last tour, had the time closest to the median of all racers.

Twelve riders held the Point d’Appui during the course of the race, an average number for the Tour.

The stage-by-stage general classification:

Stage 1 – No fulcrum.
Stage 2 – No fulcrum.
Stage 3 – No fulcrum.
Stage 4 – Adriano Malori of Movistar.
Stage 5 – Armindo Fonseca of Bretagne-Séché Environnement.
Stage 6 – No fulcrum.
Stage 7 – No fulcrum.
Stage 8 – Haimar Zubeldia of Trek Factory Racing.
Stage 9 – Serge Pauwels of MTN-Qhubeka
Stage 10 – Daniele Bennati of Tinkoff-Saxo, who took a hard fall the next day and had to abandon.
Stage 11 – Rohan Dennis of BMC.
Stage 12 – Wouter Poels of Team Sky.
Stage 13 – Wouter Poels of Team Sky.
Stage 14 – No fulcrum.
Stage 15 – Angelo Tulik of Team Europcar.
Stage 16 – Paul Voss of Bora-Argon 18.
Stage 17 – Brice Feillu of Bretagne-Séché Environnement.
Stage 18 – Perrig Quemeneur of Team Europcar.
Stage 19 – No fulcrum.
Stage 20 – No fulcrum.
Stage 21 – No fulcrum.

July 25, 2015

Tour Remains in Les Cuspides Headed for Paris

There were no abandons on Stage 20, so the 2015 Tour de France remains on Les Cuspides, without a Point d’Appui for the final run into Paris. Paul Martens of Team LottoNL-Jumbo and Pierre-Luc Perichon of Bretagne-Séché Environnement are the two riders on the cusp of the fulcrum, finishing 60th and 61st respectively.

The top and bottom ends of the peloton remain unchanged. Onward to Paris!

July 24, 2015

Withdrawal Puts 2015 Tour Back in Les Cuspides

The abandonment by Michael Valgren of Tinkoff-Saxo shortly after the start of Stage 19 of the 2015 Tour de France left the race with 160 riders to come home, and meant that there was no fulcrum again. Kristijan Durasek of Lampre-Merida and Emanuel Buchmann of Bora-Argon 18 share the cusp of the fulcrum, finishing 80th and 81st respectively.

Chris Froome of Sky remains the tour leader, and Sébastien Chavanel or FDJ.fr remains the Lanterne Rouge, some 4 hours, 34 minutes and 40 seconds adrift of the leader.

Since we’re back in Les Cuspides, here are a couple of fulcrum finishes out on the stage:

In the intermediate sprint of the day, Joaquim Rodriguez of Team Katusha, who at that time was wearing the polka dot jersey, nabbed the middle placement on the sprint.
For the points awarded at the end of the day, Robert Gesink of Team LottoNL-Jumbo proved to have the middle placement among the 15 riders who scored points. In the overall points race, Daniel Teklehaimanot of MTN-Qhubeka holds the fulcrum among the 67 riders who have scored points. Romain Bardet of AG2R La Mondiale, who finished fifth on the stage, climbed into the overall lead for the mountain points.
In the overall competition for best young rider, Georg Preidler of Team Giant-Alpecin remains at the fulcrum of the 25 competing riders.

July 23, 2015

Quemeneur Climbs into Point d’Appui on Stage 18

Perrig Quemeneur

Another stage and another new Point d’Appui in the 2015 Tour de France. Perrig Quemeneur of Team Europcar has reached the fulcrum on the wending path of Stage 18.

The hill climbing allowed Quemeneur to rise in the GC standings to the center of the peloton, displacing Brice Feillu, who fell back on the stage.

Chris Froome continues to lead the race. Sébastien Chavanel continues as the Lanterne Rouge for the second stage in a row.

Louis Meintjes of MTN-Qhubeka and Mark Renshaw of Etixx-Quick-Step had to abandon the race on Stage 8. We’re left with 161 riders.

July 22, 2015

Feillu Dons Grey Jersey After Abandons on Stage 17

Six abandons on the very difficult Stage 17 of the 2015 Tour de France, including that of American T.J van Garderen, left 163 riders to come home. At the center of the peloton, in 82nd place, is Brice Feillu of Bretagne-Séché Environnement, the new holder of the Point d’Appui.

Chris Froome of Sky retains the yellow jersey. The Lanterne Rouge, however, passes from Sam Bennett, who also abandoned, to Sébastien Chavanel of FDJ.fr.

In addition to Van Garderen and Bennett, other racers who had to withdraw included Jerome Coppel of IAM Cycling, Nathan Haas of Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team, Laurent Didier of Trek Factory Racing, and Michal Kwiatkowski of Etixx – Quick-Step.

July 20, 2015

Voss Gains Point d’Appui as Peloton Reaches Second Rest Day

Paul Voss

The peloton of the 2015 Tour de France is down to 169 riders, and Paul Voss of Bora-Argon 18 found the fulcrum at the end of Stage 16, while the previous holder, Angelo Tulik of Team Europcar, dropped three spots but is still within striking distance.

The German Voss, who is keeping a journal during the Tour, wrote: “So far I’m not totally satisfied with my performance. I’ve tried several times to be in the breakaway but sometimes it was missing luck or timing.” However, he is looking forward to the Alps and the attacks in the mountains. He began riding in a bike club at age 13 and has been improving each year. He won the Cinturó De L’empordà in 2011 and finished 4th in the 2010 Giro d’Italia. He also finished 50th in last year’s Tour de France.

Voss’s teammate, Sam Bennett, continues to hold the Lanterne Rouge, and Christopher Froome of Team Sky continues in the yellow jersey, more than 3 minutes ahead of his next rival.

On spot behind Voss, Damiano Caruso of BMC Racing Team holds the median time among the racers.

July 20, 2015

Tulik Takes Mantle of Point d’Appui on Stage 15

angelo-tulik

The split in the peloton threw the rider’s placements into the jackstraws again with many riders sliding back while others gained jumps in their placement, and Angelo Tulik of Team Europcar wound up as the Point d’Appui after the end of Stage 15 of the Tour de France.

The 25-year-old Tulik began bicycling when he was 9 years old. In 2014, he won the Roue Tourangelle and seems on track to become a strong competitor in the Spring Classics. Right now he is 12th in the young rider classification.

Christopher Froome of Team Sky retains the yellow jersey, and Sam Bennett of Bora-Argon 18 continues as the Lanterne Rouge, just over 16 minutes behind the penultimate rider of the Tour.

Sebastian Langeveld, the Dutch rider for Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team, had to abandon the race due to illness on Stage 15.