Tour de France: 2018 rule changes: number of drivers, time credits

At this year’s 105th edition of the Tour de France there are again several changes in the regulations, which should make the race above all more exciting and spectacular. SPOX gives an overview of innovations at the world’s largest cycle race.

The four major changes have a direct impact on the race. Above all, reducing the number of staff could reduce the control of the top team.

The biggest change this year is the number of riders per team. Instead of nine members, each team is only allowed to take eight riders to France this year. On the one hand, this has security aspects. As a result, in future only 176 drivers will start instead of 198, which should lead to less crowds. On the other hand, the change could also have tactical effects, as the top teams may have less control over the race.

During the first nine stages – apart from the team time trial – there will be new intermediate sprints in the future, which will give the first three riders a time credit of three, two or one second. The times of the sprints were chosen in such a way that an additional dynamic is created before the stage finale.

However, these intermediate sprints are independent of those for points in the sprint classification. The time credits for the three best teams at the end of the stage of ten, six and four seconds will also be retained.

If a large group of drivers arrives together at the finish sprint of the Tour de France, they will be scored at the same time as the first driver. Up to now, a maximum of one second was allowed between two riders in order to be scored with the same time.

In future, a new timekeeping will only take place if there are at least three seconds between the riders. However, this only applies to the sprint stages. This year, these are sections 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 13, 18 and 21.

The 17th stage is a very special format for this year’s tour. This is only 65 kilometres long and leads over three mountain peaks. Due to the brevity of the stage, the top 20 riders in the overall standings start directly into the climb in the order of their positions (the leader first, etc.). The main field follows afterwards. The captains have to do without their helpers first.