As bad as a Politician!

[benpounder]

Giro director Angelo Zomegnan was unhappy as well.

“Before the start, we agreed to neutralize the times, but this is too much,” he said. “This is not doing the sport any favors. I understand their position following what happened yesterday. I was the one who told the winners not to be too exuberant on the podium. There was no champagne, there was respect.

Shorter Zomegnan: I told the riders not to celebrate after one of their members almost died on a route that I approved.

“I agree that there were some dangerous portions of the race in Austria and in Switzerland. Do we have to cancel all the dangerous races in cycling? Do we cancel Amstel Gold Race? I hope that the riders have made their point and we can return to the spectacle after the rest day."

Except that Amstel Gold, Liege-Bastogne-Leige, Paris-Roubaix, etc are all ONE DAY races!

 

[Leopejo]

Shorter Zomegnan: I told the riders not to celebrate after one of their members almost died on a route that I approved.

Except that Amstel Gold, Liege-Bastogne-Leige, Paris-Roubaix, etc are all ONE DAY races!

Well I don't see this Giro as more dangerous than many other Giros. Tours often have wider roads, but I wouldn't say that the percentage of deaths/serious injuries is much less at the Tour. Let's not forget that Italy doesn't offer the same availability of wide and "safe" roads.

Yesterday's stage was puzzling from the first time the Giro route was unveiled, but how many stages end at the bottom of a descent? It's just that usually you expect a hard climb before the descent, not 200 kms like yesterday.

 

[LugHugger]

Shorter Zomegnan: I told the riders not to celebrate after one of their members almost died on a route that I approved.

Except that Amstel Gold, Liege-Bastogne-Leige, Paris-Roubaix, etc are all ONE DAY races!

I really don't understand all of the stage race apologists who are making out that stage races should not contain days which may be similar to one day/classic courses.

why the hell not?????

of course, riders can come off. there are classic specialists whose season is entirely focussed on one day events. does this stop them racing on these courses? does this stop them not finishing events? of course not!

if you are a GC rider and are not prepared to jeopardise your position in an event which requires bike handling skills then ride the stage slower. people are quick to criticise sprinters who creep over the mountains - do you hear sprinters asking for mountain stages to be left out? or call them too hard?

similarly, mountain descents ARE dangerous. again, if can't handle your bike at the speed that others can, slow down.

we are supposed to be watching racing and i, for one, would like to see racing over a multitude of courses in a GT. not the borefest that many of these races have become with teams 'managing' stages in the mountains and then trying to win a race in a TT.

both yesterday and today were an embarrassment for pro cycling.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Shorter Zomegnan: I told the riders not to celebrate after one of their members almost died on a route that I approved.

Except that Amstel Gold, Liege-Bastogne-Leige, Paris-Roubaix, etc are all ONE DAY races!

So what are you saying?
It's OK to crash out and lose a one day classic, but not a stage race?

There's no difference. It's part of the sport; luck of the draw, skills of the game.

What next? virtual reality bike races....or maybe top trumps, where riders can chose to compare their VO2 max or the w/kg stats.

I'll go as far as to say I'll bet there will be words over the stage 10 finish, next.
Another fast decent into Pinerolo and another stage that has been radically altered already.

I switched off today.
I've never ever done that, mid-race, before.

Days like today will kill pro cycling faster than any dope related story.

 

[benpounder]

My post wasn't about how difficult any particular race route is, rather the self-serving statement of the man that approved those race routes.

The one thing that really bothers me regarding both tennis and golf, is how pampered the players become. Must have total silence before a serve or shot. Like that is how the rest of us play!

Some people have complained about this year's ToCalifornia. Well, I've ridden in rain and cold - and I wasn't paid. I've little sympathy for the professional's complaint.

I started a thread yesterday pointing out just how treacherous today's yawn fest could have been... and I anxiously awaited the start, wishing there were no nasty crashes, hoping nevertheless, to see the pros screaming around those nasty corners and over those nasty track crossings. Pros are pros for a reason - I despise pros complaining how tough it is at the top of the world.

But I despise even more event organizers approving a track that likely guarantees carnage, who wont own up to their own culpability in designing the event that results in that carnage.

 

[Leopejo]

But I despise even more event organizers approving a track that likely guarantees carnage, who wont own up to their own culpability in designing the event that results in that carnage.

I doubt it that it "likely guarantees carnage".

Today's action was more a result of a couple of dangerous stages in the rain (6 and 7) and a bad crash (stage 8, Horrillo), coupled to the prestige and weight that Mr. Armstrong has in the peloton. I wonder if he would have complained 5 to 10 years ago though.

 

[LugHugger]

I don't agree with the premise that carnage was inevitable. There is nothing that I have seen so far that differs from any normal riding terrain.

I don't accept that there is any culpability on the part of the course or its design. I hold the riders entirely responsible for their ability to stay upright and on the road. It's not like they've been asked to ride off the side off a cliff.

I think that Zomegnan has played straight into the hands of the riders by showing weakness and being an apologist. I fear that the rest of the race may now see further disruption.

I do agree that there seems to be an increasing decoupling from reality on the part of sporting professionals though.

 

[benpounder]

Dario Cioni was discussing the issue with Lance before the race. But the peloton rode the circut nevertheless. They wanted to see it first hand. Only then do you see real discussions, and conclusions, as to what to do.

If today's route was so benign, why the hell did to organizers neutralize all results before the riders even started?

 

[ElChingon]

If the riders were so against it why did they even finish it? Finishing it to me states they lost the battle. To have won it they should of all done it till before the last lap and walked accross or stopped and protested then. Well something like that and nullified the stage.

Sure they're going to state they wanted to give the fans a winner but a non-deserving result overall as far as the fans go (me).

 

[bianchigirl]

The riders have known the route of this stage for how long? They've had the opportunity to reccy it and make representations on its safety or otherwise for months.

Unfortunately, Zomegnan gave in to one rider and now that rider feels he can do as he please and get away with it. I don't see where you can find the race organisers culpable for Horillo overcooking a hairpin and going over the edge - that was a risk he was prepared to run on that decent and it had terrible consequences. Likewise, though I hate crit style races anway and think they belong at the end of races when they can't impact the GC, these are professional racers who are paid to handle their bikes under all conditions.

 

[Leopejo]

If today's route was so benign, why the hell did to organizers neutralize all results before the riders even started?

As I said, because of stages 6, 7 and 8.

 

[Mellow Velo]

If there is a justifable complaint against the organisers, it's for including 22 teams.
Usually, the congestion of 198 riders, results in multiple crashes.
With the race not far off the half way mark, we have not had a single pile up.
All the bunch sprints have been raced off unscathed.
As a result, we have had the fewest number of abandons, that I can remember, at this stage.
Why is the lantern rouge, or the maglia nero so prestigious?
Simply because they survived the course to finish the test of endurance that is a Grand Tour.

The history of all the great races are coloured with the element of danger.
That's part of what makes them great.

 

[Leopejo]

Why is the lantern rouge, or the maglia nero so prestigious?
Simply because they survived the course to finish the test of endurance that is a Grand Tour.

And let's see the general classification after the first week:

1. Bart Dockx
2. Jean-Charles Senac 1.20
3. Said Haddou 4.21
4. Olivier Kaisen 4.50
5. Dario Andriotto 4.51
...
190. Danilo Di Luca 1h 28.32

Plenty of outsiders in the first few places. My gut feeling is that we'll see many changes and dramatic abandons. Dario Andriotto is my pick of those five.

 

[Delicato]

What was the name of Predictor(Silence)-Lotto rider who was the lanterne rouge for a few times at the Tour? Bart Dockx can be his successor

 

[El Imbatido]

What was the name of Predictor(Silence)-Lotto rider who was the lanterne rouge for a few times at the Tour? Bart Dockx can be his successor

Wim vansevanent (IIRC)

News Flash: The rest of the stages will be held on trainers. with the person who rides the longest decleared the winner.

 

[rolfrae]

Wim vansevanent (IIRC)

News Flash: The rest of the stages will be held on trainers. with the person who rides the longest decleared the winner.

News Flash Flash:
Armstrong said trainers were too dangerous, and that he wanted to go home and count his 2 million dollars appearance fee. DiLuca agreed and said that stopping the race now was the safest way forward - he decided to keep the maglia rosa and claim the trophy, just in case poor little Levi fell off and grazed his chin during the ITT.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

If there is a justifable complaint against the organisers, it's for including 22 teams.
Usually, the congestion of 198 riders, results in multiple crashes.

There was talk I think in 2006 or so of limiting teams to 8 riders, thus cutting the field. Some of the bigger teams were not in favor though and I never heard from it again.

I agree with you though.

Why is the lantern rouge, or the maglia nero so prestigious?
Simply because they survived the course to finish the test of endurance that is a Grand Tour..

I also think we look at the Lantern Rouge as the epitome of the unsung hero, and face of a hard worker not to be forgotten. The rider who is always selflessly working for others, carry water bottles, taking long pulls at the front into the wind, leading out sprints. Then, after all that exhaustion, managing to hang on to the very end and finish.

The Lantern Rouge isn't a position the average person knows or cares about, but a lot of hard core fans appreciate it, and understand that it's just as hard being in dead last place as it is leading the race.

 

[Leopejo]

The Lantern Rouge isn't a position the average person knows or cares about, but a lot of hard core fans appreciate it, and understand that it's just as hard being in dead last place as it is leading the race.

Last year the Giro acknowledged it with a special sign of merit. Maybe a white-on-black race number instead of black-on-white? Unfortunately UCI limits the number of leader jerseys, or they'd have had a maglia nera too. I haven't heard of anything like that this year though. Anybody knows?

 

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, Zomegnan gave in to one rider and now that rider feels he can do as he please and get away with it.

you really have got it bad havnt you..

 

[pmcg76]

Zomegen and the Giro are suffering from bad karma after paying a rider(astronomical fee) to compete in his race and excluding Ceramica Flaminia. No rider should ever be paid an appearence fee for a major race, I think there was a similar incident with Miguel Indurain & the Vuelta in the 90s. It was wrong then & is still wrong now.

For a minor race in a less cycling friendly nation I can understand an appearence fee being awarded but for arguably the second biggest race in the world, if you dont want to ride, get lost. I didnt see them throwing money at previous winner Cunego last year when he didnt compete.

Dont know about the dodgy circuit at the Giro but somebody mentioned the Worlds in Oslo in 93. I remember that, it poured rain and guys were falling of everywhere, I remember Robert Millar giving a rib-tickling recap after the event, guys were falling of going up the hill it was so slick, touching a white line was hazardous and crashes happened everywhere. Lance won the worlds cycling-on-ice style.

Back to the Giro, What goes around comes around and right now its coming for Zomegen.