Armindo Fonseca spent most of the third stage of the Tour de France up the road on his own but his efforts were deemed insufficient by the race jury to award him the combativity prize. Instead, Thomas Voeckler was given it. What do you think?
By Brian Canty
Armindo Fonseca is a rider few followers of cycling will have known much about until recent days.
But the 27 year-old made a name for himself on yesterday’s third stage of the Tour de France when he went up the road by himself and stayed up there for around 140 kilometres.
His gap to the peloton never ballooned and he was never likely to win the stage – even if the bunch travelled at an average speed of just 37 kilometres per hour for the 223-kilometre stage.
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But the Frenchman’s lone escape was still not enough to convince the race jury to award him with the combativity award. Those who judge that contest said his attack didn’t carry enough “punch”.
Instead, it went to French fans' favourite Thomas Voeckler of Direct Energie who joined Fonseca out front with around 60 kilometres remaining.
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Thomas Voeckler of Direct Energie getting his award on the podium despite Fonseca having been up the road for so long on his own.
According to the jury who decide the winner of the award - which comprises former rider Laurent Jalabert, two French journalists and course director Thierry Gouvenou - Voeckler was more deserving of the award.
“We could have Armindo Fonseca but the jury found that there was not enough work in his escape and that he had not put enough punch,” said Gouvenou.
“He was travelling at 34kph ahead of the peloton and it did not deserve the Antargaz Combativity Prize.
"But we like the against-attack system, a rider out to recover the breakaway, gives maximum and puts the pace to go for the stage win.
“It is what we wanted to reward. It is not enough to attack first 230 kilometres from the finish to get the award, you must also set the pace and set the intensity.”
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