Saturday, October 03, 2009
Geoffroy Lequatre signs
Geoffroy Lequatre, former Tour de France Lanterne Rouge (Stage 5, 2007) has signed with The Shack cycling team for 2010. He was formerly with Agritubel and Cofidis.
Just FYI, for fellow followers of the Lanterne Rouge everywhere, I've been twittering during some of the major races and making other offhand snarky comments, as TdFLanterne here.
Damien Gaudin of BBox Bouygues Telecom was the final Lanterne Rouge of the 2009 Vuelta a Espana.
Just FYI, for fellow followers of the Lanterne Rouge everywhere, I've been twittering during some of the major races and making other offhand snarky comments, as TdFLanterne here.
Damien Gaudin of BBox Bouygues Telecom was the final Lanterne Rouge of the 2009 Vuelta a Espana.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Lanterne Rouge stats
An interesting site for the statistically inclined, cyclingfever.com, lists Yauheni Hutarovich's numbers for the 2009 Tour:
1 Participations
2009
FRANÇAISE DES JEUX
156
Stage Performance
Overall
Total : 21 stages (100%)
Top-3 : 1x (4,8%)
Top-10 : 2x (9,5%)
Top-20 : 4x (19,0%)
------------------
2009
Team : FRANÇAISE DES JEUX
Rank : 156
... and then his time gaps for each stage.
Probably a very useful research tool for Tour de France historians.
1 Participations
2009
FRANÇAISE DES JEUX
156
Stage Performance
Overall
Total : 21 stages (100%)
Top-3 : 1x (4,8%)
Top-10 : 2x (9,5%)
Top-20 : 4x (19,0%)
------------------
2009
Team : FRANÇAISE DES JEUX
Rank : 156
... and then his time gaps for each stage.
Probably a very useful research tool for Tour de France historians.
Labels: Hutarovich
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Bookends
Thanks to sharp-eyed reader Karen, who found this photo on Graham Watson's site of the men who were first and last in the 2009 Tour de France general classification. Note the red towel stuck in Hutarovich's helmet signifying the Lanterne Rouge. I thought for a moment he was carrying an electric lantern too but that's a motorcycle headlight showing under his arm.
Also study the physiques of these two riders in close to the same position and it becomes abundantly clear why the Lanternes Rouges in the grand tours are most often sprinters: they simply have much more body mass to drag up those mountains. Hutarovich's powerful sprinter's thigh muscles are nearly twice the size of Contador's!
Also study the physiques of these two riders in close to the same position and it becomes abundantly clear why the Lanternes Rouges in the grand tours are most often sprinters: they simply have much more body mass to drag up those mountains. Hutarovich's powerful sprinter's thigh muscles are nearly twice the size of Contador's!
Labels: Contador, Hutarovich
Sunday, July 26, 2009
2009 Champs d'Elysees
Congratulations to Yauheni Hutarovich, the Lanterne Rouge of the 2009 Tour de France, for his 5th place finish on the Champs d'Elysees today! That boy can sprint!! Well done indeed and a memorable finish to your Tour!
I hear that Hutarovich "... celebrated that fact [of his Lanterne Rouge standing] with a red hand towel stuck in the back of his helmet during today’s final stage" but I haven't yet seen a photo of it. Anyone?
I hear that Hutarovich "... celebrated that fact [of his Lanterne Rouge standing] with a red hand towel stuck in the back of his helmet during today’s final stage" but I haven't yet seen a photo of it. Anyone?
Labels: Hutarovich
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Stage 18: Annecy Individual Time Trial
Yauheni Hutarovich, as Lanterne Rouge, had the distinction of being the first to roll down the starting ramp at the 40.5-km time trial in Annecy today. He rode a time of 55:12 (26.4 mph) on the hilly course, moving up relative to his first time trial, and beating 6 other riders (as well as 22 other riders who dropped out along the way before this stage). Hutarovich retains his position as Lanterne Rouge by a margin of about 15 minutes aggregate time.
Marco Bandiera of Lampre-NGC had the slowest time trial of the day at 56:41, which is a 25.72 mph average on the demanding course. Not shabby at all!
Trivia: The Fabians were next-to-first (Cancellara) and next-to-last (Wegmann) today in the ITT.
Marco Bandiera of Lampre-NGC had the slowest time trial of the day at 56:41, which is a 25.72 mph average on the demanding course. Not shabby at all!
Trivia: The Fabians were next-to-first (Cancellara) and next-to-last (Wegmann) today in the ITT.
Labels: Bandiera, Cancellara, Hutarovich, Wegmann
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Stages 16 and 17
I missed posting yesterday - but Kenny Van Hummel valiantly held on for another day, and ended up riding nearly the entire stage solo again, finishing at 34:43, 13 minutes after any other rider.
He received a very nice writeup in NRC Handelblad, which avoided the condescension often seen in articles about the Tour Lanterne Rouge. An opposite example was this mean-spirited piece of snark which called his finish "off the back of the last of the laughing groups."
Today, however, he was dropped again about 4 km from the start and struggled to keep within the cutoffs. Ultimately he took a few too many chances on the descents, attempting to make up time, and crashed. He incurred a knee injury severe enough to send him to the hospital and out of his first Tour de France.
Bravo, Kenny, well done. We hope to see you again next year and to see you finish in Paris. You've gained a lot of fans around the world in eleven days as the Lanterne Rouge for your persistence and courage.
Re-taking the spot as Lanterne Rouge of the Tour de France today is Yauheni Hutarovich (FdJ). He is firmly in last place in general classification by a 12 minute gap. He seems well able to finish the mountains, so barring bad luck or someone else incurring some major time losses, he seems likely to finish the 2009 Tour in Paris as its final Lanterne Rouge.
Interestingly, on the day before the last individual time trial, the two Fabians (Cancellara and Wegmann) finished together last for the stage at 35:59 after the stage winner. That's the way to conserve energy, all right! I probably should go put some betting money on Fabian Cancellara for tomorrow's stage win!
Other withdrawals brought the peloton down to 158 by the end of stage 17 (12.2% attrition). Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) had a gruesome crash on a fast descent in Stage 16 and was helicoptered out with some broken facial bones, concussion, and severe road rash. His helmet saved his life. During Stage 17, Cyril Dessel (Ag2R La Mondial) and Jose Angel Gomez Marchante (Cervelo) abandoned.
Yauheni Hutarovich, as Lanterne Rouge, has the distinction of being the first rider off the starting ramp in the individual time trial tomorrow. Best wishes for a great ride to him! (Of course, a double-bookend of the same first and last riders for two ITTs, Cancellara and Hutarovich, would be interesting but I won't wish that on him!)
Labels: Cancellara, Dessel, Gomez Marchante, Hutarovich, Van Hummel, Voigt, Wegmann
Monday, July 20, 2009
Old guys in the peloton
Sorry, guys, age is no excuse! Over 8% of the peloton is age 35 or older:
Levi Leipheimer 35
Stuart O'Grady 35
Marzio Bruseghin 35
Steven de Jongh 35
Matteo Tosatto 35
Joan Horrach 35
Peter Wrolich 35
George Hincapie 36
Bingen Fernandez 36
Jens Voigt 37
Lance Armstrong 37
José Luis Arrieta 38
Christophe Moreau 38
Stéphane Goubert 39
Iñigo Cuesta 40
Levi Leipheimer 35
Stuart O'Grady 35
Marzio Bruseghin 35
Steven de Jongh 35
Matteo Tosatto 35
Joan Horrach 35
Peter Wrolich 35
George Hincapie 36
Bingen Fernandez 36
Jens Voigt 37
Lance Armstrong 37
José Luis Arrieta 38
Christophe Moreau 38
Stéphane Goubert 39
Iñigo Cuesta 40
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Kenny crossing the line at Verbier
Heart-rending clip that makes me really wish that I spoke Dutch. But you don't need to in order to feel his pain. Final finisher Kenny Van Hummel averaged 22.11 mph on his mostly solo ride on today's 128.9-mi mountainous stage.
Another reaction to Kenny Robert Van Hummel's intrepid finish is at Podium Cafe. "... You know, Lance Armstrong's first professional race was the 1992 Clasica San Sebastian, where he finished dead last. Just sayin'."
Another reaction to Kenny Robert Van Hummel's intrepid finish is at Podium Cafe. "... You know, Lance Armstrong's first professional race was the 1992 Clasica San Sebastian, where he finished dead last. Just sayin'."
Labels: Armstrong, Van Hummel
Spoilers
Rant mode on:
I'm sick of people whining about spoilers every time Tour results are obliquely mentioned online.
Two hints:
1. If you want to know what happened in a Tour stage, WATCH THE DAMN STAGE LIVE with all the rest of us.
2. If you don't want to know what happened in a Tour stage, STAY OFF MY DAMNED INTERNET.
That is all.
I'm sick of people whining about spoilers every time Tour results are obliquely mentioned online.
Two hints:
1. If you want to know what happened in a Tour stage, WATCH THE DAMN STAGE LIVE with all the rest of us.
2. If you don't want to know what happened in a Tour stage, STAY OFF MY DAMNED INTERNET.
That is all.
Labels: rants
Stage 15: Pontarlier to Verbier
I'm happy to say that our brave Lanterne Rouge Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Dutch rider for Skil-Shimano) finished today's Tour de France stage solo - 12 minutes behind the nearest rider, with a 39 minute gap in aggregate time to the next rider in the overall standings. It took him about two hours of solo riding to get there through some nasty crowds today, so it's quite a tough effort on his part to finish the day! Bravo!
Another notable ride was Slovenian Simon Spilak, riding for Lampre, who figured prominently in a breakaway and led the stage for a while, and in so doing earned the Combativity Award. Just two days ago he finished last at 45:45, 22 min after the nearest rider. However, he was held up so much by crowds in the road that the judges allowed him to remain in the race. He's done a great job paying back their faith in him!
Two more riders out today: Tom Boonen of Quick Step (no great surprise there - departed at 79th place in the green jersey competition. More about Boonen's recent personal issues here.), and Vladimir Efimkin (Ag2R), leaving from 16th place overall, but apparently suffering after a crash.
I'll bet many are very happy to see the rest day arrive. 162 riders remain in the 2009 Tour, representing 10.0% attrition after two weeks.
Another notable ride was Slovenian Simon Spilak, riding for Lampre, who figured prominently in a breakaway and led the stage for a while, and in so doing earned the Combativity Award. Just two days ago he finished last at 45:45, 22 min after the nearest rider. However, he was held up so much by crowds in the road that the judges allowed him to remain in the race. He's done a great job paying back their faith in him!
Two more riders out today: Tom Boonen of Quick Step (no great surprise there - departed at 79th place in the green jersey competition. More about Boonen's recent personal issues here.), and Vladimir Efimkin (Ag2R), leaving from 16th place overall, but apparently suffering after a crash.
I'll bet many are very happy to see the rest day arrive. 162 riders remain in the 2009 Tour, representing 10.0% attrition after two weeks.
Labels: Boonen, Efimkin, Spilak, Van Hummel
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Stage 14: Colmar to Besançon
Two riders finished behind the main group at 7:39 behind the stage winner today: Dmitriy Murayev (Team Astana; Giro Lanterne Rouge), and Johannes Frohlinger of Milram.
Simon Spilak of Lampre, who finished 22 minutes in arrears yesterday, was permitted to continue despite arriving after the cutoff because of the poor weather conditions for the stage. He remains in a very respectable 130th place overall.
Kenny Robert Van Hummel keeps his position as Lanterne Rouge today, having accumulated a 26 minute gap in aggregate time behind the nearest rider in the peloton.
The nearest rider? Former Lanterne Rouge Yauheni Hutarovich of FdJ. Alan Perez Lezaun, the other former Lanterne Rouge of this Tour, is in 147th position.
164 riders remain.
Simon Spilak of Lampre, who finished 22 minutes in arrears yesterday, was permitted to continue despite arriving after the cutoff because of the poor weather conditions for the stage. He remains in a very respectable 130th place overall.
Kenny Robert Van Hummel keeps his position as Lanterne Rouge today, having accumulated a 26 minute gap in aggregate time behind the nearest rider in the peloton.
The nearest rider? Former Lanterne Rouge Yauheni Hutarovich of FdJ. Alan Perez Lezaun, the other former Lanterne Rouge of this Tour, is in 147th position.
164 riders remain.
Labels: Frohlinger, Hutarovich, Murayev, Perez Lezaun, Spilak, Van Hummel
Friday, July 17, 2009
Van Hummel video
Okay, this one makes me cry.
Today (Stage 13) marks Kenny Robert Van Hummel's 8th day as the Lanterne Rouge of the Tour de France. He's endured more than most of us can know. He's 26 minutes behind the nearest rider in the General Classification. Today, fortunately, he finished 137th in the autobus.
Simon Spilak of Lampre finished last today at 45:45 after the stage winner, 22 minutes after the nearest rider. He's not listed as missing the cutoff -- he's still in!
Today (Stage 13) marks Kenny Robert Van Hummel's 8th day as the Lanterne Rouge of the Tour de France. He's endured more than most of us can know. He's 26 minutes behind the nearest rider in the General Classification. Today, fortunately, he finished 137th in the autobus.
Simon Spilak of Lampre finished last today at 45:45 after the stage winner, 22 minutes after the nearest rider. He's not listed as missing the cutoff -- he's still in!
Labels: Spilak, Van Hummel
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Stage 12: Tonnerre to Vittel
Kenny Robert Van Hummel makes it a solid 7 days as the Lanterne Rouge today as the main peloton finished in a bunch. A very few stragglers across the line today: Jose Luis Arrieta of Ag2R, Mick Rogers of Columbia (though he was probably delayed by a crash since he was given the time of the main group), and Christophe Riblon of Ag2R.
Placements at the top and the bottom of the General Classification may hit the Mixmaster in the next few days, which promises to be interesting.
We had four losses today, bringing the peloton down to 166 riders: Romain Feillu of Agritubel; Angelo Furlan of Lampre; and Jérôme Coppel of FdJ all withdrew during the stage, while Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa of Caisse d'Epargne did not start the day.
Update: Very nice article today by Daniel Benson in Cyclingnews.com on Kenny Robert Van Hummel.
Placements at the top and the bottom of the General Classification may hit the Mixmaster in the next few days, which promises to be interesting.
We had four losses today, bringing the peloton down to 166 riders: Romain Feillu of Agritubel; Angelo Furlan of Lampre; and Jérôme Coppel of FdJ all withdrew during the stage, while Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa of Caisse d'Epargne did not start the day.
Update: Very nice article today by Daniel Benson in Cyclingnews.com on Kenny Robert Van Hummel.
Labels: Arrieta, Coppel, Faria Da Costa, Feillu, Furlan, Riblon, Rogers, Van Hummel
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Stage ZZZzzzzZZzzzz
I forget where we are. I fell asleep. Stage 11, I think? Same old thing.
Here's our Lanterne Rouge Kenny Robert Van Hummel today, before he made it over the line in 15th position, right before Tom Boonen. There were 170 finishers today after Kurt Asle Arveson didn't start with a broken clavicle. Only 5.5% attrition so far - that will soon increase in the Alps.
Sorry, sprinters, I wanted the Alps to start yesterday.
But even so, 15th place in a stage of the Tour de France isn't ever shabby. Last place isn't shabby either. Van Hummel most certainly did not deserve this cheap shot.
One bit of exciting news today: Our former Lanterne Rouge from stages 1 and 2, Yauheni Hutarovich of FdJ, came over the line THIRD today immediately behind Mark Cavendish and Tyler Farrar! That's pretty elite company - well done indeed!!
Labels: Arvesen, Boonen, Cavendish, Farrar, Hutarovich, Van Hummel
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Record-breaking stage
Stage 10: Limoges to Issoudun
Probably the most boring stage, ever. Ever. A "rest day on wheels". Flat and slow and it went exactly as predicted. Only slower. And no radios. As Phil Liggett said about highlights of the day: "Not quite sure what they were".
Our Lanterne Rouge Kenny Robert Van Hummel finished 7th for the stage, but so did everyone else. So he remains in 171st position in the General Classification out of 171 riders still in the peloton.
Kurt Asle-Arveson looked badly injured in a crash and it appeared he might not finish, but he did.
That is all that happened. Honest.
Probably the most boring stage, ever. Ever. A "rest day on wheels". Flat and slow and it went exactly as predicted. Only slower. And no radios. As Phil Liggett said about highlights of the day: "Not quite sure what they were".
Our Lanterne Rouge Kenny Robert Van Hummel finished 7th for the stage, but so did everyone else. So he remains in 171st position in the General Classification out of 171 riders still in the peloton.
Kurt Asle-Arveson looked badly injured in a crash and it appeared he might not finish, but he did.
That is all that happened. Honest.
Labels: Arvesen, Liggett, Van Hummel
