Behind the Grupetto

[Sheltowee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTPKaeFbcA8

A true race against the clock...

Great video! This is a team I like a lot. Thanks.

 

[Connor Pass]

Yes - you could see it in him, he was totally beat. He did go on to finish - but finished outside the time limit. An honourable exit- chapeau Koldo!

And the following day Napolitano missed the time limit. Furlan has since retired so Kenny is the only one of those still going.

 

[anubisza]

That's a great video. Shows just how hard it is for the guys at the back.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Yes - you could see it in him, he was totally beat. He did go on to finish - but finished outside the time limit. An honourable exit- chapeau Koldo!

I'm surprised he finished stage 8! I was really affected when the DS offered him a bottle and he was like "naw, dude," and then dropped back towards the broom wagon.

And I love that they cut to the winners' group. So strange to think that, while Sanchez was crossing the line, this entire other, almost MORE dramatic race was taking place outside of the coverage.

Thanks for that, Klodi!

 

[Pietro]

So cool compared to the "stuff" we get through Versus. I do not think that their commentators can complete a whole sentence without saying Lance Armstrong.. at least twice.

My problem is not with Armstrong, but the effectively useless coverage we're getting about the race, because all focus is on him. Or any other american for that matter. When George Hincapie missed out on the yellow by 5 seconds, all interviews were around that and yet, in that same stage Mark Cavendish most likely lost the opportunity to wear green on the Champs Elysees. Can't Versus get interviews with non-amarican riders

Versus-"Versus is a sports-oriented cable television network in the United States. It is owned by Comcast.
It was previously known as OLN until a name change on September 25, 2006. Formerly, OLN stood for Outdoor Life Network, and the name was licensed from Outdoor Life magazine. Under that name, the channel was launched in July 1995 and at the time focused almost exclusively on fishing, hunting, and other related outdoor sports.
In June 2008, Comcast's Versus sports cable network moved its operations from Stamford, Connecticut to Comcast's headquarters base in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]"

US owned network, for US audiences, so they are going to shill for US based riders and teams. No surprise but VERY tiresome to hear about Lance, Lance, Lance from Bobke. No interviews with Contador at all. I know he isn't comfy with English but I'm bettin there is a translator somewhere around during this race.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Really fantastic video. the skil-shimano guy was brilliant, Garmin/columbia staff could learn a thing or two from him.

 

[indurain666]

Finally I satisfied my curiosity, thx klodi. I have always wondered what happens at the back, how does the "fight with time" look like, and how is grupetto riding, and actually never seen something like that on Eurosport, unless it was s1 important that stood back.
Nice video

btw. Poor Koldo Fernandez from Euskaltel didnt manage to hold with those guys. It must be hard to realize u cant make it to the end.

I've read somewhere that Fernandez never really recovered from his crash on Stage1 or 2. He blamed Bennati for that. Horse Delay is tough.

BTW, Kudos to Kenny, he survived again today, last place 34 minutes behind stage winner, but he is still in. Allez lanterne rouge

 

[Escarabajo]

Kenny Robert van Hummel DNF today.

Pain is over. It is a pity that he couldn't finish in Paris. He was so close but today’s stage was very hard.

 

[TRDean]

Kenny Robert van Hummel DNF today.

Pain is over. It is a pity that he couldn't finish in Paris. He was so close but today’s stage was very hard.

he crashed and is in hospital. He is off the bike for 2 weeks.

 

[Escarabajo]

he crashed and is in hospital. He is off the bike for 2 weeks.

Thanks for the news.

 

[Wergeland]

Great video. Norwegian tv2 that broadcasts the tour here has already shown this one twice.

 

[Nobody you know]

Great Video! With all the coverage on the big names, it makes it all too easy to not realize or forget just how hard the guys at the back are just trying to survive and be able to say that they rode in the TdF all the way to Paris.

Regarding VS coverage, even the Olympics coverage, while mainly covering American athletes, has a few special interest segments about athletes from other countries who know they will never win or even come close to winning a medal. Just doing whatever sport for the LOVE of the game. VS does truly suck on their special interest/highlight stories. They are all about the top guys, especially the American top guys.

Anyway, thanks for the video link!

 

[39*23t]

great vid Klodi really enjoyed it.

 

[Anonymous]

Kenny, nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Dang, I was kind of hoping everyone else in the race would crash out, and he would get first and last.

 

[Nobody you know]

Bump. This vid deserves to stay up front.

 

[Benneth]

Poor Kenny. He didnt deserve an end like that. Anyone got any more news on him? Hope to see our hero back next year.