Race stage

{{More citations needed|date=April 2018}}

{{More citations needed|date=April 2018}}

A '''race stage''' or '''leg''' is a unit of a [[racing|race]] that has been divided in several parts. Overall victory of the race is determined by a measure of time or points across every stage. The division of races into stages allows competitors to cover more distance.

A '''race stage''', '''leg''', or '''heat''' is a unit of a [[racing|race]] that has been divided in several parts for the reason such as length of the distance to be covered, as in a [[multi-day race|multi-day event]]. Usually, such a race consists of "ordinary" stages, but sometimes stages are held as an [[individual time trial]] or a [[team time trial]]. Long races such as the [[Tour de France]], [[Cape Epic|Absa Cape Epic]] or the [[Giro d'Italia]] are known for their stages of one day each, whereas the boat sailing [[Velux 5 Oceans Race]] is broken down in usually four stages of several weeks duration each, where the competitors are racing continuously day and night. In bicycling and running events, a race with stages is known as a stage race. Other examples include [[ultramarathons]] and [[adventure racing]].

In cycling, long races such as the [[Tour de France]], [[Cape Epic|Absa Cape Epic]] or the [[Giro d'Italia]] are known for their stages of one day each. In long-distance boat sailing events such as the [[Velux 5 Oceans Race]], stages are of several weeks duration each, where the competitors are racing continuously day and night. In bicycling and running events, a race with stages is known as a '''stage race'''. These are distinguished from [[multiday race]]s in [[ultramarathons]] and [[adventure racing]], which may or may not have formal stages.

==Bicycle race stage==

==Bicycle race stage==

In an ordinary stage of [[road bicycle racing]], all riders start simultaneously and share the road. Riders are permitted to touch and to shelter behind each other. Riding in each other's [[slipstream]]s is crucial to race tactics: a lone rider has little chance of outracing a small group of riders who can take turns in the strenuous position at the front of the group. The majority of riders form a single large group, the "pack" (in [[French language|French]], the "[[peloton]]"), with attacking groups ahead of it and the occasional struggling rider dropping behind. In mountainous stages the peloton is likely to become fragmented, but in flat stages a split is rare.

In an ordinary stage of [[road bicycle racing]], all riders start simultaneously and share the road. Riders are permitted to touch and to shelter behind each other. Riding in each other's [[slipstream]]s is crucial to race tactics: a lone rider has little chance of outracing a small group of riders who can take turns in the strenuous position at the front of the group. The majority of riders form a single large group, the "pack" (in [[French language|French]], the "[[peloton]]"), with attacking groups ahead of it and the occasional struggling rider dropping behind. In mountainous stages the peloton is likely to become fragmented, but in flat stages a split is rare.

Where a group of riders reach the finish line together, they do not race each other for a few seconds of improvement to their finishing time. There is a rule that if one rider finishes less than three seconds behind another then he is credited with the same finishing time as the first. This operates transitively, so when the peloton finishes together every rider in it gets the time of the rider at the front of the peloton, even though the peloton takes tens of seconds, and possibly even a couple of minutes, to cross the finish line.

Where a group of riders reach the finish line together, they do not race each other for a few seconds of improvement to their finishing time. There is a rule that if one rider finishes less than three seconds behind another then he is credited with the same finishing time as the first. This operates transitively, so when the peloton finishes together every rider in it gets the time of the rider at the front of the peloton, even though the peloton takes tens of seconds, and possibly even a couple of minutes, to cross the finish line.

Riders who crash within the last three kilometres of the stage are credited with the finishing time of the group that they were with when they crashed, if that is better than the time in which they actually finish. This avoids sprinters being penalized for accidents that do not accurately reflect their performance on the stage as a whole given that crashes in the final three kilometre can be huge pileups that are hard to avoid for a rider farther back in the peloton. A crashed sprinter inside the final three kilometres will not win the sprint, but avoids being penalised in the overall classification.

Riders who crash within the last three kilometres of the stage are credited with the finishing time of the group that they were with when they crashed, if that is better than the time in which they actually finish. This avoids sprinters being penalized for accidents that do not accurately reflect their performance on the stage as a whole given that crashes in the final three kilometre can be huge pileups that are hard to avoid for a rider farther back in the peloton. A crashed sprinter inside the final three kilometres will not win the sprint, but avoids being penalised in the overall classification.

Normal stage rules change for [[indivdiual time trial]]s or [[team time trial]]s, in which riders or teams race the course sperately, with each rider or team beind timed and recieving the exact time that they took for the race.

===Stages in flat terrain===

===Stages in flat terrain===

====Medium mountain stages====

====Medium mountain stages====

In larger stage races, some stages may be designated as "medium mountain", "hilly" or "intermediate" stages. These stages are more difficult than flat stages, but not as difficult as the mountain stages. They are often well-suited for a breakaway (as described below). Occasionally, the distinction between medium mountain and mountain in stage classification, decided by race officials, can be controversial. The [[Giro d'Italia]] has had a reputation of labeling selective, very difficult stages as merely medium mountain.

In larger stage races, some stages may be designated as "medium mountain", "hilly" or "intermediate" stages. These stages are more difficult than flat stages, but not as difficult as the mountain stages. They are often well-suited for a breakaway, when one or a few riders attacks the peloton and beats it to the finish line. Typically these stages are somewhere between flat and mountainous. Breakaway stages are where the [[rouleurs]], the hard-working, all-around riders who make up the majority of most teams, get their chance to grab a moment in the spotlight: the climbers will want to save their energy for the mountains, and the sprinters are not built for hills. Occasionally, the distinction between medium mountain and mountain in stage classification, decided by race officials, can be controversial. The [[Giro d'Italia]] has had a reputation of labeling selective, very difficult stages as merely medium mountain.

==="Breakaway" stages===

Lastly, a handful of stages each year are known as being "good for a breakaway"—when one or a few riders attacks the peloton and beats it to the finish line. Typically these stages are somewhere between flat and mountainous. Breakaway stages are where the rouleurs, the hard-working, all-around riders who make up the majority of most teams, get their chance to grab a moment in the spotlight. (The climbers will want to save their energy for the mountains, and the sprinters are not built for hills.)

===Special rules===

===Special rules===

In the big multi-day events like the Tour or the Giro, there is a secondary competition on points (e.g. [[Points classification in the Tour de France]]), which tends to be contested by sprinters. Riders collect points for being one of the first to finish the stage and also for being one of the first three to finish an "intermediate" sprint. Sprinters also can get time bonuses, meaning that good sprinters may lead the general classification during the first few stages of a big multi-day event.

Most stage races have [[points classification]] (e.g. [[Points classification in the Tour de France]]), which tends to be contested by sprinters. Riders collect points for being one of the first to finish the stage and also for being one of the first three to finish an "intermediate" sprint. Sprinters also can get time bonuses, meaning that good sprinters may lead the general classification during the first few stages of a big multi-day event.

==Rallying==

==Rallying==