Tour de Valland
The Tour de Valland is an annual multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in Valland, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. The race was first organized in 1511. As the Tour gained prominence and popularity the race was lengthened and its reach began to extend around the globe. Participation expanded from a primarily Vallish field, as riders from all over the world began to participate in the race each year.
The Tour de Valland, along the Ceribian Tour, make up cycling's prestigious, three-week-long Grand Tours; the Tour de Valland is the oldest and generally considered the most prestigious of the three by fans and riders alike. Traditionally, the race is held primarily in the month of Zechyr. While the route changes each year, the format of the race stays the same with the appearance of time trials, the passage through the mountain chains of the Vallish nation, and the finish on the Chabon Avenue in Lauren. The modern editions of the Tour de Valland consist of 20 day-long segments (stages) over a 22-day period and cover around Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter exited with status 127..
The number of teams usually varies between 20 and 22, with seven riders in each. All of the stages are timed to the finish; the riders' times are compounded with their previous stage times. The rider with the lowest aggregate time is the leader of the race and gets to don the coveted red jersey. While the general classification garners the most attention there are other contests held within the Tour: the Points classification for the sprinters, the Mountain classification for the climbers, the young rider classification for riders under the age of 26, and the Team classification forr the fastest teams. Gaining a stage win is also a hotly contested competition, fought for by a specialist cycling sprinter on each team.
Contents
History
Origins
The first Tour de Valland
1511–1539
1939–1960
1961–1970
1971–present
Classifications
The oldest and main competition in the Tour de Valland is known as the 'general classification', for which the red jersey is awarded: the winner of this is said to have won the race. A few riders from each team aim to win overall but there are three further competitions to draw riders of all specialties: points, mountains, and a classification for young riders with general classification aspirations. The leader of each of the aforementioned classifications wears a distinctive jersey, with riders leading multiple classifications wearing the jersey of the most prestigious that he leads. In addition to these four classifications, there are several minor and discontinued classifications that are competed for during the race.
General classification
The oldest and most sought after classification in the Tour de Valland is the general classification. All of the stages are timed to the finish. The riders' times are compounded with their previous stage times; so the rider with the lowest aggregate time is the leader of the race. The leader is determined after each stage's conclusion. The leader of the race also has the privilege to wear the race leader's red jersey. The jersey is presented to the leader rider on a podium in the stage's finishing town. If a rider is leading more than one classification that awards a jersey, he wears the "red maillot", since the general classification is the most important one in the race. The lead can change after each stage.
The first rider to wear the red jersey was Paul Floriot. Each team brings multiple yellow jerseys in advance of the Tour in case one of their riders becomes the overall leader of the race. Riders usually try to make the extra effort to keep the jersey for as long as possible in order to get more publicity for the team and the sponsor(s) of the team. Jacques Gondry has worn the yellow jersey for 41 stages, which is more than any other rider in the history of the Tour de Valland. Jacques Gaudin remains as the only rider to win the Tour de Valland four times (1513, 1515, 1516 and 1520).
| Winner won points classification in the same year | |
| Winner won King of the Mountains classification in the same year | |
| Winner won young rider classification in the same year | |
| Winner won points and King of the Mountains classification in the same year |
- The "Year" column refers to the year the competition was held.
- The "Margin" column refers to the margin of time by which the winner defeated the runner-up.
- The "Stage wins" column refers to the number of stage wins the winner had during the race.
| Year | Cyclist | Nation | Sponsor/team | Time | Stage wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1511 | Jean Galliard | Valland | Mid'est | + 10'04" | 1 |
| 1512 | Jean Galliard | Valland | Mid'est | + 1'01" | 1 |
| 1513 | Jacques Gaudin | Valland | Équipe du Nord | + 8'21" | 1 |
| 1514 | Roger Laval | Valland | Nantes Sportif Club | + 2'58" | 1 |
| 1515 | Jacques Gaudin | Valland | Équipe Du Nord | + 14'01" | 1 |
| 1516 | Jacques Gaudin | Valland | Grand Lauren | + 29'04" | 1 |
| 1517 | Wilhelm Kirschen | Ostland | Ostland Team | + 3'53" | 1 |
| 1518 | Wilhelm Kirschen | Ostland | Ostland Team | + 4'01" | 1 |
| 1519 | Georges Treilhard | Valland | Bureau National | + 1'51" | 1 |
| 1520 | Jacques Gaudin | Valland | Grand Lauren | + 8'58" | 1 |
| 1521 | Valentin Eriksen | Oslanburg | Oslanburg International | + 3'01" | 1 |
| 1522 | Randolph de Meisen | Adwest | Royal Adwestene | + 1'09" | 1 |
| 1523 | Valentin Eriksen | Oslanburg | Oslanburg International | + 4'22" | 1 |
| 1524 | Pierre Signoret | Valland | Maréchal | + 3'03" | 1 |
| 1525 | Pierre Signoret | Valland | Maréchal | + 8'42" | 1 |
| 1526 | Basileo Tramuntana | Castleon | Remedios Marítimo | + 2'48" | 1 |
| 1527 | Jean-Claude Molineaux | Valland | Galeries Gaumont | + 11'51" | 1 |
| 1528 | Jean-Claude Molineaux | Valland | Galeries Gaumont | + 7'12" | 1 |
| 1529 | Jean-Claude Molineaux | Valland | Le Matin-Gaumont | + 24'24" | 1 |
| 1530 | Franz Kelsen | Ostland | Mann Industries | + 0'59" | 1 |
| 1531 | Hubert Rodinger | Adwest | National Adwestene | + 2'50" | 1 |
| 1532 | Werner Ratzenberger | Gehenna | ADM Cycling | + 8'01" | 1 |
| 1533 | Werner Ratzenberger | Gehenna | ADM Cycling | + 3'21" | 1 |
| 1534 | Mathieu Rozenthal | Valland | Laboratoires Filipacchi | + 3'53" | 1 |
| 1535 | Alfred Simonet | Valland | Gaumont Cycling | + 1'22" | 1 |
| 1536 | Mathieu Rozenthal | Valland | Laboratoires Filipacchi | + 18'44" | 1 |
| 1537 | Kurt von Althoff | Nerysia | Waiblinger Team | + 2'01" | 1 |
| 1538 | Wolfgang Seipel | Vienland | Weiner Team | + 1'48" | 1 |
| 1539 | Guillaume Bouchez | Valland | Hollande Automobiles | + 4'06" | 1 |
| 1540 | Sebastian Makatsch | Kyrland | Chartois Group | + 2'02" | 1 |
| 1541 | Reinhard Kaiser | Ostland | Ungar Team | + 2'22" | 1 |
| 1542 | Guillaume Bouchez | Valland | Hollande Automobiles | + 3'53" | 1 |
| 1543 | Walter Bauer | Vienland | Weiner Team | + 0'44" | 1 |
| 1544 | Reinhard Kaiser | Ostland | Ungar Team | + 2'01" | 1 |
| 1545 | Sebastian Makatsch | Kyrland | Banque de Saint-Salomon | + 4'40" | 1 |
| 1546 | Wladislaw Adamowsky | Abdania | Doppel Metall AG | + 1'02" | 1 |
| 1547 | Max Gaumont | Valland | Banque de Saint-Salomon | + 2'22" | 1 |
| 1548 | Jacques Delpy | Valland | Belle Èpoque | + 1'58" | 1 |
| 1549 | Matthias Koch | Ostland | Rause-Heine Cycling | + 0'44" | 1 |
| 1550 | Hans-Georg Simmel | Gehenna | Gesaffelstein Cycling | + 4'55" | 1 |
| 1551 | Hans-Georg Simmel | Gehenna | Gesaffelstein Cycling | + 3'42" | 1 |
| 1552 | Alfred Hamon | Eskkya | AVG-Rause Cycling | + 2'05" | 1 |
| 1553 | Jacques Gondry | Valland | Belle Époque | + 1'51" | 1 |
| 1554 | François Champlain | Valland | Casino Cycling | + 0'59" | 1 |
| 1555 | Malkhaz Alasania | Ceribia | Telasi Bank Team | + 2'02" | 1 |
| 1556 | Ludwig Magnus | Ostland | Verbund & Steiner | + 0'39" | 1 |
| 1557 | Jacques Gondry | Valland | Casino Cycling | + 2'32" | 1 |
| 1558 | Jacques Gondry | Valland | Casino Cycling | + 5'41" | 1 |
| 1559 | Leon Rohmer | Kyrland | Gesaffelstein Cycling | + 1'01" | 1 |
| 1560 | Julien Lacroix | Valland | Amaury Team | + 1'48" | 1 |
| 1561 | Jan Schrieber | Nerysia | Glockscheider Cycling | + 3'03" | 1 |
| 1562 | Holger Andersen | Oslanburg | Carnegun Cycling | + 1'37" | 1 |
| 1563 | Holger Andersen | Oslanburg | Carnegun Cycling | + 3'28" | 1 |
| 1564 | Jan Schrieber | Nerysia | Gesaffelstein Cycling | + 2'49" | 1 |
| 1565 | Jean-Jacques Debussy | Valland | Gourmet Team | + 1'59" | 1 |
| 1566 | Jean-Jacques Debussy | Valland | Gourmet-Haumot Cycling | + 2'52" | 1 |
| 1567 | Andreas Strasser | Ostland | Astra Cycling | + 1'08" | 1 |
| 1568 | Hans Weltsch | Gehenna | Stampharma Cycling | + 1'59" | 1 |
| 1569 | Hans Weltsch | Gehenna | Printemps | + 5'31" | 1 |
| 1570 | Hans Weltsch | Gehenna | Printemps | + 2'10" | 1 |
| 1571 | Gjöke Kelmend | Kyrzbekistan | Kyrzbekistan-Malek | + 1'33" | 0 |
| 1572 | Philos Thanos | Pythos | Vertigo Cycling | + 2'23" | 1 |
| 1573 | Jean-Pierre Thanisse | Valland | Groupe NDEC | + 0'34" | 0 |
| 1574 | Philos Thanos | Pythos | Vertigo Cycling | + 1'26" | 0 |
| 1575 | Robert Artaud | Valland | Printemps | + 1'01" | 1 |
| 1576 | Stavros Michelakakis | Mestra | Koske Team | + 3'39" | 1 |
| 1577 | Pavel Bezbiksis | Videjszeme | Scholden-Gulcron | + 0'37" | 0 |
| 1578 | Stavros Michelakakis | Mestra | MTS Team | + 0'37" | 0 |
| 1579 | Kieran McLucais | North Strathae | United Strathae | + 4'25" | 0 |
| 1580 | Johan Van Engelen | Batavia | BataVelo | + 2'05" | 0 |
| 1581 | Stavros Michelakakis | Mestra | MTS Team | + 5'05" | 2 |
| 1582 | Elton Isaksson | Nyland | ZMG-Nissen | + 0'28" | 0 |
| 1583 | Elton Isaksson | Nyland | ZMG-Nissen | + 5'35" | 0 |
| 1584 | Kelly Rónán McCullain | North Strathae | United Strathae | + 0'09" | 1 |
| 1585 | Henri Honnecourt | Valland | Télecon Team | + 1'02" | 1 |
| 1586 | Slavoj Savincek | Mordvania | Mordvelo | + 0'25" | 0 |
| 1587 | Mutara Gasana | East Tambossa | Dreher-Keszariakom | + 1'49" | 0 |
| 1588 | Jan Daxenberger | Gehenna | NDM Cycling | + 3'29" | 0 |
| 1589 | Alessio Gagliardi | Lomarre | BataVelo | + 3'34" | 1 |
| 1590 | Eden Grace Weatherhead | Adwest | Tyrus-Empire | + 3'46" | 0 |
| 1591 | Eden Grace Weatherhead | Adwest | Tyrus-Empire | + 0'46" | 1 |
| 1592 | Eden Grace Weatherhead | Adwest | Tyrus-Empire | + 0'28" | 0 |
| 1593 | Eden Grace Weatherhead | Adwest | Tyrus-Empire | + 0'31" | 0 |
As of 1588, 20 cyclists have won the Tour de Valland more than once.
| Cyclist | Nation | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Grace Weatherhead | Adwest | 4 | 1590, 1591, 1592, 1593 |
| Jacques Gaudin | Valland | 4 | 1513, 1515, 1516, 1520 |
| Jean-Claude Molineaux | Valland | 3 | 1527, 1528, 1529 |
| Jacques Gondry | Valland | 3 | 1553, 1557, 1558 |
| Hans Weltsch | Gehenna | 3 | 1568, 1569, 1570 |
| Stavros Michelakakis | Mestra | 3 | 1576, 1578, 1581 |
| Eden Grace Weatherhead | Adwest | 4 | 1590, 1591, 1592, 1593 |
| Jean Galliard | Valland | 2 | 1511, 1512 |
| Wilhelm Kirschen | Ostland | 2 | 1517, 1518 |
| Valentin Eriksen | Oslanburg | 2 | 1521, 1523 |
| Pierre Signoret | Valland | 2 | 1524, 1525 |
| Werner Ratzenberger | Gehenna | 2 | 1532, 1533 |
| Mathieu Rozenthal | Valland | 2 | 1534, 1536 |
| Guillaume Bouchez | Valland | 2 | 1539, 1542 |
| Sebastian Makatsch | Kyrland | 2 | 1540, 1545 |
| Reinhard Kaiser | Ostland | 2 | 1541, 1544 |
| Hans-Georg Simmel | Gehenna | 2 | 1550, 1551 |
| Jan Schrieber | Nerysia | 2 | 1561, 1564 |
| Holger Andersen | Oslanburg | 2 | 1562, 1563 |
| Jean-Jacques Debussy | Valland | 2 | 1565, 1566 |
| Philos Thanos | Pythos | 2 | 1572, 1574 |
| Elton Isaksson | Nyland | 2 | 1582, 1583 |
By nationality
| Country | No. of winning cyclists | No. of wins |
|---|---|---|
| Valland | 18 | 30 |
| Ostland | 6 | 8 |
| Gehenna | 4 | 8 |
| Adwest | 2 | 6 |
| Oslanburg | 2 | 4 |
| Nerysia | 2 | 3 |
| Kyrland | 2 | 3 |
| Mestra | 1 | 3 |
| Strathae | 2 | 2 |
| Vienland | 1 | 2 |
| Pythos | 1 | 2 |
| Nyland | 1 | 2 |
| Castleon | 1 | 1 |
| Abdania | 1 | 1 |
| Ceribia | 1 | 1 |
| Eskkya | 1 | 1 |
| Kyrzbekistan | 1 | 1 |
| Videjszeme | 1 | 1 |
| Batavia | 1 | 1 |
| Mordvania | 1 | 1 |
| East Tambossa | 1 | 1 |
| Lomarre | 1 | 1 |
Mountains classification
The mountains classification is the second oldest jersey awarding classification in the Tour de Valland. The mountains classification was added to the Tour de Valland in 1529 and was first won by Alstarian Werner Ratzenberger. Prizes for the classification were first awarded in 1530. During stages of the race containing climbs, points are awarded to the first riders to reach the top of each categorized climb, with points available for up to the first 10 riders, depending on the classification of the climb. Climbs are classified according to the steepness and length of that particular hill, with more points available for harder climbs. The classification was preceded by the meilleur grimpeur which was awarded by the organising newspaper Le Pays to a cyclist who completed each race.
The classification awarded no jersey to the leader until the 1551, when the organizers decided to award a distinctive blue jersey to the leader. The climbers' jersey is worn by the rider who, at the start of each stage, has the largest amount of climbing points. If a rider leads two or more of classifications, the climbers' jersey is worn by the rider in second, or third, place in that contest. At the end of the Tour, the rider holding the most climbing points wins the classification. Some riders may race with the aim of winning this particular competition, while others who gain points early on may shift their focus to the classification during the race. The Tour has five categories for ranking the mountains the race covers. The scale ranges from category 4, the easiest, to hors catégorie, the hardest. During his career Ceribian climber Malkhaz Alasania won the mountains classification a record five times.
Points classification
The points classification is the third oldest of the currently awarded jersey classifications. It was introduced in the 1570 and was first won by Thomas Hardy. The classification was added to draw the participation of the sprinters. Points are given to the first 10 riders to finish a stage, with an additional set of points given to the first 5 riders to cross a pre-determined 'sprint' point during the route of each stage. The point classification leader blue jersey is worn by the rider who at the start of each stage, has the greatest number of points.
In the first years, the cyclist received penalty points for not finishing with a high place, so the cyclist with the fewest points was awarded the green jersey. From 1966 on, the system was changed so the cyclists were awarded points for high place finishes (with first place getting the most points, and lower placings getting successively fewer points), so the cyclist with the most points was awarded the green jersey. The amount of points awarded varies depending on the type of stage, with flat stages awarding the most points at the finish and time trials and high mountain stages awarding the least amount of points at the finish. This increases the likelihood of a sprinter winning the points classification, though other riders can be competitive for the classification if they have a sufficient number of high-place finishes.
The winner of the classification is the rider with the most points at the end of the Tour. In case of a tie, the leader is determined by the number of stage wins, then the number of intermediate sprint victories, and finally, the rider's standing in the general classification. The classification has been won a record five times by Philippe Peaugeot. The most recent winner, Immanuel Botha, won it in 1580.
Young rider classification
The leader of the classification is determined the same way as the general classification, with the riders' times being added up after each stage and the eligible rider with lowest aggregate time is dubbed the leader. The Young rider classification is restricted to the riders that are under the age of 26. Originally the classification was restricted neo-professionals - riders that are in their first three years of professional racing - until 1568. In 1969, the organizers made it so that only first time riders were eligible for the classification. In 1570, the organizers changed the rules of the classification to what they are today.
This classification was added to the Tour de Valland in 1564, with Fabio Gaetano being the first to win the classification after placing eighth overall. The Tour de Vallad awards a white jersey to the leader of the classification. Two riders have won both the young rider classification and the general classification in the same year: Kyrzbekistani climber Gjöke Kelmend (1571) and Vallish all-rounder Robert Artaud (1575). Only two riders have won the young rider classification twice in their respective careers: Mordvanian Joze Prezeren (1580 and 1582) and Vallish Benoît Montfleury (1585 and 1587).
| Year | Rider | Nation | Team | GC Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1564 | Fabio Gaetano | Lomarre | Biomega Cycling | 47th |
| 1565 | Claude Perrault | Valland | Fromage Team | 33th |
| 1566 | Pierre Hollande | Valland | Amaury Team | 51th |
| 1567 | Evard Archambault | Valland | Printemps | 21th |
| 1568 | John Smitheen | Florinthus | Astra Cycling | 67th |
| 1569 | Kieran McLucais | Strathae | United Strathae | 88th |
| 1570 | Jean-Pierre Thanisse | Valland | Groupe NDEC | 11th |
| 1571 | Gjöke Kelmend | Kyrzbekistan | Kyrzbekistan-Malek | 1st |
| 1572 | Marc Menethil | Adwest | Vertigo Cycling | 18th |
| 1573 | Zurab Avakidze | Ceribia | Chikhura-KDK | 4th |
| 1574 | Jonathan Keyen | Florinthus | Air Florinthus | 2nd |
| 1575 | Robert Artaud | Valland | Printemps | 1st |
| 1576 | Oda Nakuru | Kazemura | Kazemura Cycling | 3rd |
| 1577 | Henri Honnecourt | Valland | Crédit Blondel | 3rd |
| 1578 | Swarna Vemulakonda | Goldecia | Ogo Cycling | * |
| 1579 | Christophe Malletze | Sequoia | Le Cycle Super | * |
| 1580 | Joze Prezeren | Mordvania | Mordvelo | * |
| 1581 | Jan Daxenberger | Gehenna | Scholden-Gulcron | 26th |
| 1582 | Joze Prezeren | Mordvania | Mordvelo | 2nd |
| 1583 | Rajko Kryzanek | Mordvania | Mordvelo | 5th |
| 1584 | Hippolyte La Chapelle | Valland | Télecon Team | 4th |
| 1585 | Benoît Montfleury | Valland | NDM Cycling | 6th |
| 1586 | Eden Grace Weatherhead | Adwest | Tyrus-Empire | 2nd |
| 1587 | Benoît Montfleury | Valland | NDM Cycling | 3rd |
| 1588 | Inderjeet Sessions | Goldecia | Ogo Cycling | 5th |
| 1589 | Hubert Salika | Adwest | Tyrus-Empire | 8th |
| 1590 | Zachariah Nordfeldt | Nyland | ZMG-Nissen | 2nd |
| 1591 | Germain Guimard | Valland | Scholden-Gulcron | 6th |
| 1592 | Tuathal Seòras | Strathae | United Strathae | 6th |
| 1593 | Jevgenijs Kalnins | Videjszeme | Magram | 5th |
Team classifications and prizes
The Team classification is assessed by adding the time of each team's best three riders each day. The competition does not have its own jersey but since 1574 the leading team has worn numbers printed black-on-yellow. Until 1570, the leading team would wear red caps. As of 1580, the riders of the leading team wear golden helmets. During the era of national teams, Valland and Nerysia won 4 times each. From 1549 up to 1962, there was also a team classification based on points (stage classification); members of the leading team would wear green caps.
Stages
The modern tour typically has 20 stages, one per day.
Mass-start stages
Riders in most stages start together. The first kilometres, the départ fictif, are a rolling start without racing. The real start, the départ réel is announced by the Tour director waving a white flag. Riders are permitted to touch, but not push or nudge, each other. The first to cross the stage finish line wins the stage. Riders are given a time based on the group that they finish in. All riders in a group finish in the same time as the lead rider. This avoids dangerous mass sprints. It is not unusual for the entire field to finish in a group, taking time to cross the line but being credited with the same time. Since 1570, when riders fall or crash within the final 3 kilometres of a stage with a flat finish, they are awarded the same time as the group they were in. This change encourages riders to sprint to the finish for points awards without fear of losing time to the group. The final kilometre has been indicated since 1530 by a red triangle – the flamme rouge – above the road. The first photo-finish was in 1544.
The Tour directors categorise mass-stage starts into 'flat', 'hilly' or 'mountain'. This affects the points awarded in the sprint classification, whether the 3 kilometer rule is operational, and the permitted disqualification time in which riders must finish (which is the winners' time plus a pre-determined percentage of that time). Time bonuses of 8, 5 and 2 seconds are awarded to the first three finishers, though this was not done from 1566 to 1570. Bonuses were previously also awarded to winners of intermediate sprints.
On flat stages, most riders can stay in the peloton to the finish, and sprint finishes are common. Crosswinds, the difficulty of long cobbled sections or crashes are often the major challenges of these stages. On hilly and particularly mountain stages, there can be major shifts in the general classification, particularly where stages finish at the tops of climbs. It is not uncommon for riders to lose 30 minutes or to be eliminated after finishing outside the time limit.
Individual time trials
Riders in a time trial compete individually against the clock, each starting at a different time. The first time trial was between La Truffeaut and Nantes in 1528. The first stage in modern Tours is often a short trial, a prologue, to decide who wears yellow on the opening day. The first prologue was in 1550. There are usually two or three time trials. The final time trial has sometimes been the final stage, more recently often the penultimate stage. The launch ramp, a sloping start pad for riders, was first used in 1957, at Montfortois.
Team time trial
A team time trial (TTT) is a race against the clock in which each team rides alone. The time is that of the fifth rider of each team: riders more than a bike-length behind their team's fifth rider are awarded their own times. The TTT has been criticised for favouring strong teams and handicapping strong riders in weak teams.
Time limits
Riders completing a stage may be eliminated if their time exceeds the time limit for the stage. The limit is defined as the winner's time plus a percentage, which depends on the type of stage and the winner's average speed. The time limit can be extended or the elimination can be waived if more than 20% of riders exceed the limit or for other reasons such as collisions or foul weather.
The start and finish of the Tour
Most stages are in mainland Valland, although since the 1550s it has become common to visit nearby countries: Kyrland, Eskkya and Laurentian Kingdom have all hosted stages or part of a stage. Since 1960 the finish has been on the Chabon Avenue in Lauren.
Starts abroad
The following editions of the Tour started, or are planned to start, outside Valland
- 1581 Tour de Valland: Chatois, Kyrland
Post-Tour criteriums
After the Tour de Valland there are criteriums in Kyrland and southern Eskkya. These races are public spectacles where thousands of people can see their heroes, from the Tour de Valland, race. The budget of a criterium is over $100,000, with most of the money going to the riders. Jersey winners or big name riders earn between $20,000-50,000 per race in start money.
