# whats so special about the number 51 in races?



## Adeel (May 2, 2004)

whats so special about the number 51 in races?


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Nothing...*



Adeel said:


> whats so special about the number 51 in races?


Nothing special about it.


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## Adeel (May 2, 2004)

when i was watching a race on cycling.tv they metioned that the number 51 was a lucky number.


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

Adeel said:


> when i was watching a race on cycling.tv they metioned that the number 51 was a lucky number.


It used to be the Tour de France was won by more riders wearing 51 than any other number. I'm not sure if it's still true.


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## young roadie (Dec 4, 2004)

yea on cycling.tv during a time trial, not sure which one (ekimov won it though) they said 51 has won more tour de frances than any other number...(what a random number though)


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## iktome (Aug 29, 2003)

young roadie said:


> (what a random number though)


It's not that random. The "_1" usually signifies that the rider is the team leader. And the 50 numbers are for the team that had the 6th place rider the preceding year (assuming no team doubled up). So number 51 is the team leader on one of the strongest teams in the tour. Last year it was Moreau, who was 8th in 2003 (Vino didn't race, and Euskaltel-Euskadi had two riders who finished better than 8th). This year, because some teams doubled up in the top ten, it should be Levi Leipheimer.

At least this is how it's done now. It might have been different in the past. Of course, that doesn't explain why 51 over anything else.


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## DieselDan (Sep 14, 2002)

Just a statastical anomoly. I think the #11 has won the most in NASCAR.


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