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After finding out what different cycling events were, we now offer you to learn all about stage races.
What is a stage race?
Unlike a one-day race, a stage race is a bicycle race that takes place over several days. It can last from a few days to several weeks. A stage race may consist of road stages and time trial stages, either individual or team.
How stage race rankings work.
Each day, the rider who wins the stage is designated stage winner. But there is also an overall classification to determine the winner at the end of the race course.
The overall classification winner is the rider who completes the race with the least amount of cumulative time at the end of the race.
In some races, bonuses may be distributed to the top three finishers on a stage or at intermediate sprints. Thus, it is possible to win the overall classification of a race without ever having won a stage.
The leader of the overall classification wears a distinctive jersey during the race in order to be spotted in the peloton.
During a stage race, there are also subsequent rankings, which may also result in a distinctive jersey or bib being worn:
- The best climber classification;
- The points ranking (sprinters);
- The best young person ranking;
- The ranking by teams;
- The combativity award.
The main stage races
The best-known stage races are probably the three grand tours, each of which lasts three weeks:
- The Tour de France;
- The Tour of Italy (Giro d'Italia);
- The Tour of Spain (Vuelta Espana).
But other week-long races are also popular among cycling fans. In France, these include the Paris-Nice and the Critérium du Dauphiné, which are classified as World Tour events. Other notable events include the Tour de la Provence, the Boucles de la Mayenne, the Etoile de Bessèges, the Tour de l'Ain or the Tour du Limousin.
Abroad, the best-known events are probably the UAE Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour of the Basque Country, the Tour of Switzerland, or the Tour of Poland, all of which are classified as World Tour events. We can also mention the Tour Down Under, the Tour of Turkey, the Tour of the Alps or the Tour of Luxembourg for example.
Now that you know all about stage races, how about finding out what a time trial race is or discover the main mountain bike events?
