Talk:Individual time trial

Weasel Words

i've looked through the section tagged with the weasel words warning, and i don't really see an egregious issue. i think the section was tagged due to the last paragraph, but it's pretty much spot on.

"Many of the top stage racers are also top performers in the individual time trial, such as Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Laurent Fignon, Greg LeMond, Miguel Indurain, Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso and Lance Armstrong."

this is true, each of these cyclists was or is both a top performer in the major events, as well as an excellent time trialist.

"Almost all recent winners of the Tour de France have been good time-trialists..."

true - the cyclists referenced in the previous sentence have won 23 out of the last 29 TdF's.

"with the notable exception of Marco Pantani -- winner of the 1998 Tour de France -- who was a pure climber."

this is also true - Pantani was renowned for his climbing ability, i don't think identifying him as a "pure climber" is an example of weasel wording (in fact, if you look at the individual pages of all the cyclists mentioned, they are all classified as "all-rounders," whereas Pantani is listed as a "climbing specialist"). his Tour win was pretty much an abberation for his riding style.

i think the tag can safely be removed - objections? Theroyalweman (talk|user|contribs) 17:53, 16 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It does seem that tag was a little extreme, I'm not sure what I was thinking at the time. I've removed it myself after a little rewording of the article. However this article is definitely {{unreferenced}} so I have added that tag to the top of the page. (Also, there may be another non-ITT specialist listed there soon if Rasmussen keeps this up). Goodnightmush^Talk 20:35, 16 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Why reverse order?

I've asked this on the reference desk, but I feel it might be better here.... why do they start in reverse order? Is it as a kind of reward for having done well before? Yet while this could kind of hold true during a stage race, during say the world champs or the olympic games this is not the same because neither of those races are part of a larger race. Mathmo ^Talk 22:31, 28 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Interesting point this on how it came about that the best would start last (which is the reason, to provide a climax rather than have the best first then loads of people who can't beat the time following). In the World Champs, the reverse order is determined on the last year's results. I'm trying to find somewhere which gives a brief rundown on who decided it would be a good idea but haven't come up with anything yet... Severo^TC 23:22, 28 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

In any time trial - riding, running, swimming, it doesn't matter - in the short term the target is always the competitor in front of you. You must catch him or her. The intermediate goal is to catch the next competitor. And so on. Thus one picks off the competitors in front - one at a time, one by one, until, if time permits, they're all gone and it's just you against the clock with the empty road (or water) ahead. In the process, one rides, runs and swims faster than one otherwise would. The long term goal is to beat one's previous PB. Except for the rear starter, one is also trying not to be caught. A variant on the pure time trial is the handicapped time trial, where the handicapper determines the handicap based on each competitor's most recent history. If the handicap is calculated correctly, then all the competitors approach the finish line at the same time which makes for an exciting finish. I've competed in a lot of time trials over the years and have achieved some of my fastest times in them. A time trial where the fastest started first, and the slowest last, would be completely pointless. It would have no excitement value for competitors or spectators. There would be nothing to aim for, no spur to riding, running or swimming faster. I for one would never bother to enter such an event. I might as well go for a run, ride or swim on my own.101.163.7.168 (talk) 17:31, 8 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I always was under the impression that the handicap was applied to a rider's actual elapsed time after the event, rather than by adjusting the start interval. Wschart (talk) 13:47, 10 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

extra space

there's extra space right at the bottom of the template (and between the categories box). Fix it or file a bug report at bugzilla.24.65.69.8 (talk) 21:12, 25 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I don't see it in Firefox or IE, but if you do you are more than welcome to fix it. Severo^TC 21:52, 25 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

TT/Aero Position

Is it me, or is the position in File:Cyclist_itt_cyfac.jpg poor? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.12.14.57 (talk) 10:09, 1 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Beryl Burton

An article on the individual time trial that does not mention Beryl Burton, perhaps the greatest female cyclist of all time, arguably even the greatest amateur cyclist of all time relative to her peers (given that there is no evidence whatsoever that Burton ever cheated*), and one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth century, is like an entry for the 100 metres that does not mention Hussain Bolt. (* http://www.rusa.org/newsletter/10-01-12.html) 101.163.7.168 (talk) 17:52, 8 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

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"against the clock"?

I came here to learn what is a time trial, and in the lead, "racing against the clock" doesn't make any sense as an explanation, unless it would link to a "racing against the clock" page. The riders are racing against each other, and the clock never wins. I'm not looking for anybody to explain it to me, just saying the explanation makes no sense on the page. 98.7.201.234 (talk) 17:11, 4 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]