Interesting article, apoch. I don't know how many bikers there are who race professionally, but I would imagine only the best ride in the Tour de France. So being last in that isn't too bad, I suppose. And he still gets his name in the history of the sport.
The lanterne rouge really does reward the pure domstique, who is in the team because he can get up the mountains (and stay near the peloton at least for the early climbs) and negotiate the speeds on the flat stages to ferry bottles and snacks to the team leaders. If you're a sprinter without the stamina and experience to have a shout at the green jersey, you'll either be pulled or eliminated. (That Vansevenant is just four hours off the GC, after three weeks, 3415km and eighty-odd hours racing, shows how narrow the gap is between first and last. It works out at about 11 minutes slower per stage. Oscar Freire will likely take the maillot vert, and he's two hours off Sastre.)
