Cycling what is gc

The train relies on perfect timing to deliver the team's top sprinter into perfect position meters from the line.

Erik Zabel 's leadout man, Gian Matteo Fagnini, is among the best in the business at this, a big reason Zabel wins so often. While Armstrong must win two more yellow jerseys to match the best, Zabel is looking at winning his seventh consecutive green jersey this year; he is in a sprinting class by himself.

Watch for Stuart O'Grady Credit-Agricole , who had a chance to win the green last year on the final day, and three-time Belgian champion Tom Steels Mapei , also a fixture at the sprint finish line.

American Fred Rodriguez Domo is a good sprinter -- perhaps not in the class of Zabel and company -- but good enough to win over a big breakaway group. Borrowing a page from the climbers, Rodriguez credits keeping his weight down to allow him to make it over the climbs and to the sprint with enough energy to win. In higher-level racing you can't be suffering too much or you're not gonna have a sprint anyways. One of cycling's best sprinters, Mario Cipollini Acqua e Sapone , a stages winner at the Tour, won't be around this year.

His team wasn't invited. They don't call it the "race of truth" for nothing. The individual time trial takes a rider out of his element and pits him against the clock instead of another person. This makes more of a difference than many would believe. The physical traits of a good time-trial rider combine, to a degree, the skills of climbers and sprinters. A high VO2 max allows a rider to push harder and longer; but a heavier rider can also rely on sheer muscle force.

On some time-trial courses, such as shorter prologues, technical skills, such as cornering and accelerating over uneven ground, and smooth cadence come into play more than in other stages. But a key ingredient to a great time-trial rider is the ability to focus completely. Finding the proper "zone" and staying in it, staying focused on producing the fastest possible ride for the hour or so a TT takes is of utmost importance in a race that can be decided by seconds.

Armstrong has become such a good time-trial rider because he combines all three attributes to a T. Armstrong has been unbeatable for three years -- why? Apart from his obvious physical skills, one reason is that he has enough years of top-level cycling in his legs to withstand a three-week-long race.

Younger riders rarely can perform at such a high level for so long. Another is that he relies heavily on his team -- behind sprinting, the next most important aspect of teamwork in the Tour. Without "lieutenants" to deliver food and water, shelter them from the wind and chase down breakaway attempts, GC riders would be burned out by the time they reached a key stage, unable to perform at their best.

Hierarchy does matter for best performances. At the victory line in Paris after his first Tour win, Lance Armstrong was quoted saying: "If there's one thing I say to those who use me as their example, it's that if you ever get a second chance in life, you've got to go all the way.

It's kind of unfair to compare everyone else to Armstrong when he has that kind of motivation working for him. That motivation extends to his training, which allows him to excel in the Tour -- or any race he chooses to win.

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Programs See everything we do. Offices Find an office near you. About EF Who we are. Careers Join the team. The latest on travel, languages and culture by EF Education First. Back Topics. The jerseys Yellow — overall leader Also known as the maillot jaune , the yellow jersey is worn by the rider who is the General Classification GC leader, riding the race in the least amount of time.

Green — points leader The green jersey, or maillot vert, is worn by the rider that has accrued the most points during the race. Polka-dot — King of the Mountains Worn by the rider that has the had the best finishes and earned the most points in the mountain stages of the race. Rider roles Climber A light rider who specializes in hilly or mountainous racing. Sprinter A powerful rider who can perform high-velocity burst finishes.

Time trialist A strong endurance rider who excels at maintaining a high speed over a long period of time to win stage sprints or time trials. Road captain An experienced rider in charge of executing the team strategy and ensuring each rider goes to the right place at the right time. Domestique A teammate who helps the protected rider, whether by sheltering them from the wind, physically buffering them from other riders or bringing more water from the team car.

Riders will then rotate to the front of the line, breaking wind for their teammates. When one or more riders escape from the peloton and rides ahead of the main bunch. Riders or groups of riders who are trying to catch up with the break but are stuck between the break and the peloton. The group of riders off the back of the peloton. Home Welcome to EF. Programs See everything we do. Offices Find an office near you. About EF Who we are.

Careers Join the team. The latest on travel, languages and culture by EF Education First. Back Topics. The jerseys Yellow — overall leader Also known as the maillot jaune , the yellow jersey is worn by the rider who is the General Classification GC leader, riding the race in the least amount of time.

Green — points leader The green jersey, or maillot vert, is worn by the rider that has accrued the most points during the race. Polka-dot — King of the Mountains Worn by the rider that has the had the best finishes and earned the most points in the mountain stages of the race. Rider roles Climber A light rider who specializes in hilly or mountainous racing. Sprinter A powerful rider who can perform high-velocity burst finishes.