CyclistIs it still necessary to honour the jersey?Its a clich as old as cycling time. When you claim a leaders jersey, you must honour it. We hear it at every Grand Tour. We have already ticked it off our bingo card at the ongoing 2024 Giro dItalia. Geraint Thomas mentioned it after Ineoss performance on Stage 2, and the team even captioned their post-stage Instagram photo, Honouring the jersey to the maximum.Flicking through the pages of the grand cycling dictionary, honouring the jersey has many confusing definitions. First, its about taking control of the race. Secondly, its about assuming a leaders role in every sense of the word. Thirdly, honouring the jersey brings with it an almighty aura that transcends the peloton and grants the leader special status.In 2024, after all the sporting and cultural shifts the sport has been through, is it still necessary to honour the jersey? Can we escape this Orwellian dystopia where the maglia rosa is Big Brother? Related Posts Pro Log: Tro-Bro Lon, La Vuelta Femenina and the Giro dItalia Cyclists Giro dItalia 2024 predictions Pogi in pink: What impact will Pogaar riding the Giro have on 2024 and beyond Giro dItalia 2024: Route, how to watch, start list and everything you need to know Is the onus on the race leader to control the peloton?Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesThe hierarchy of teams in Grand Tours is usually formulated based on GC standings, stage expectations and other classification tussles. Its difficult to govern. However, in this anarchy, the team of the GC leader can provide some authority in ruling the peloton. If anything, it is expected for the race leaders team to do the chasing, set the pace and oversee proceedings in the bunch. This is one responsibility of honouring the jersey.Its almost an unwritten rule that the leading team take control of the race, regardless of their teams strength and ambitions. Everything they had planned for before the race is overwritten in the name of tradition and jersey duties. Riders who were once sprinters become domestiques, setting the pace and fetching the bottles in recognition of the current leader in the GC standings.Ineos Grenadiers are the culprits of falling into this traditional trap. We have seen it at the 2024 Giro already, but in the past, Ineos habitually resorted to their default position as peloton gatekeepers when they were in the lead of the GC. This backfired at the 2022 Giro dItalia when rival Jai Hindleys Bora squad took a nuanced approach to topple the traditional jersey-honouring approach of Ineos.If theres no benefit for your team in leading the peloton, why do so? Does it make any sense that a maglia rosa wearer who takes the jersey through an early breakaway and doesnt have a hope in hell of winning the race overall still has to deploy his team in the jersey-honouring choreography?Is the race leader the boss?Luca Bettini/Getty ImagesAs GC leader, the peloton will expect you to take on the role of patron (French for boss). You become the most important rider in the race, even if your GC stakes in the long term arent quite as rosy. As race leader, you set the pace, control the dynamic of the race and decide when the toilet breaks come. That last point is more important than you may think unless youre Tom Dumoulin.For a case study, think of Juan Pedro Lpezs iconic tenure in the maglia rosa at the 2022 Giro dItalia. He was vocal, outspoken and animated in his role as race leader. So much so, he was nicknamed El Patrn.For a case study of what happens when this convention is broken, think of Andy Schleck and the infamous chaingate incident at the 2010 Tour de France. Contador attacked the yellow jersey in a time of mechanical crisis, and he faced no punishment vis--vis the rulebook. The fans, however, werent too happy about the tradition being broken.However, this opens a new debate: why is the leader given special treatment? If another competitor in the top ten were in that position, would there be the same outrage? What are the parameters of this unwritten gentlemens agreement? When Dumoulin took a toilet break in 2017 before the Passo dello Stelvio, his rivals didnt wait for him. Likewise, Steven Kruijswijk crashed on a crucial descent while in the maglia rosa at the 2016 Giro. His podium rivals pushed on in front. But more recently yellow jersey Jonas Vingegaard waited for Tadej Pogaar to catch him up after the Slovenian crashed in the 2022 Tour de France.Honouring the jersey is governed on a case-by-case basis. Like many things in cycling, its never as simple as it seems. Who told you that this was an easy sport to watch?Its a state of mindDario Belingheri/Getty ImagesHonouring the jersey is all about tradition and rules, but sometimes, its all about having that special something. You always hear that the jersey gives you wings thats in reference to the GC leaders jersey, not the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe one.Some riders dig deep in homage to the jersey. Think of Julian Alaphilippes barnstorming time in the maillot jaune at the 2019 Tour de France, when his team committed fully to the dream scenario of a French victory in Paris, and of course Thomas Voeckler had a similar flirtation with yellow in 2011. The cyclocross duo of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert even dared to attack and show off the jersey in enthralling fashion at the 2021 and 2022 Tours de France. A more daring approach, but its pure ciclismo.Honouring the jersey encompasses the commitment to stay at the top of the GC standings. The race leader can play it defensive or offensive just dont disrespect the jersey by capitulating at the slightest difficulty to your rivals. Sprinkle in a pinch of panache, and youre definitely honouring the jersey to the maximum.Does honouring the jersey still matter?Dario Belingheri/Getty ImagesIll be honest, honouring the jersey is another one of cyclings nebulously old-fashioned conventions. Like many things in the sport, its not codified in the sports rules, nor is it governed on an equal basis.In this age of galacticos and superteams, it seems as though honouring the jersey is something of cycling yesteryear. There are more long-term tactics and a season-long Cold War at play between the GC rivals in this day and age. Why honour the jersey when theres a 21-day-long Grand Tour to tame? Theres no need to burn out your teammates and your team leader as a mark of respect to peloton formalities.There shouldnt be a rulebook for wearing the maglia rosa. While you have it, just enjoy it, right? Theres no need to get caught up in this dmod playbook of cyclings former generations if you want to be El Patrn then go for it, but it shouldnt be your excuse for ill-thought out tactics. Related Posts Pro Log: Tro-Bro Lon, La Vuelta Femenina and the Giro dItalia Cyclists Giro dItalia 2024 predictions Pogi in pink: What impact will Pogaar riding the Giro have on 2024 and beyond Giro dItalia 2024: Route, how to watch, start list and everything you need to know The post Is it still necessary to honour the jersey? appeared first on Cyclist.

Attacking and adventurous, Team Jayco AlUla's Australian National Champion, Luke Plapp was at the front throughout stage 6 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Despite finishing in the breakaway and at times having the virtual Maglia Rosa though, Plapp was left without reward for his ride.That was an insane...

Throughout the Giro d'Italia, there will be many riders to withdraw from the race, for several different reasons. We make a list of all riders who leave the Corsa Rosa, as well as list out a few of the main crashes that take place during the race.Stage 1No riders have abandoned the race on it's fir...

For the first time in over three months and just the second time this season, Mark Cavendish tasted victory on Thursday afternoon, sprinting to a powerful stage 2 win at the Tour de Hongrie.Im really happy. Really, really happy with that," reflected the Astana Qazaqstan Team sprinter post-stage, h...

Looking like the Julian Alaphilippe of old, Soudal - Quick-Step's former world champion was vibrant and attacking on stage 6 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia, just missing out on the win from the breakaway to Movistar Team's Pelayo Sanchez at the line.I think I'm getting closer (to his best ed.). Because...

The slightly later date for the return of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup to Dublin this year will raise hopes that the disciplines biggest stars will be present in the Irish capital for the main events. However, the fact such a glamorous fixture on the international racing calendar is returning to Irish shores is great []The post Later date for UCI Dublin World Cup raises hopes of biggest stars returning appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

One of the most anticipated days heading into the 2024 Giro d'Italia, stage 6's visit to the gravel roads of Tuscany threw up plenty of drama, as Movistar Team's Pelayo Sanchez secured the stage win from the breakaway.In the peloton behind however, despite a few scares the GC guys managed to escape...

With stage 6 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia having been earmarked as a potential spoiler for the GC riders, INEOS Grenadiers controlled things at the front of the bunch throughout, keeping 2nd overall Geraint Thomas, safe from any drama."The boys were incredible," praised the Welshman post-stage in conve...

For a moment or so out on the road, it looked as if Tadej Pogacar would pass on the Maglia Rosa to Luke Plapp during stage 6 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Post-stage, Pogacar himself even admitted he wouldn't have been too bothered to lose the Maglia Rosa although that wasn't how things transpired.In t...

On his Giro d'Italia debut, Pelayo Sanchez has powered to a stunning stage 6 victory ahead of Julian Alaphilippe and Luke Plapp from the breakaway."To be honest, this is amazing. I don't have words. A crazy, crazy day for me," reflected the Movistar Team prodigy with disbelief in his post-stage int...