embankmentlb said:
Wasn't wearing the magic yellow jersey, eff im. He's lucky he got medical attention.
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Wasn't wearing the magic yellow jersey, eff im. He's lucky he got medical attention.
The more I think about these "unwritten" rules, the more I disagree.
Why should there be a rule that you don't attack the leader when he has a problem? Is this something unique to French culture? It is a race after all. The first one across the finish line wins.
I'm trying to imagine say NASCAR having a rule like this. Who'd watch an auto race if everyone stopped racing when the leader had a problem? Blow a shift on a restart? Too bad. Blow a tire? Too bad. Blow your engine? Too bad.
Good for AC. Time to dump these stupid "rules".
Why should there be a rule that you don't attack the leader when he has a problem? Is this something unique to French culture? It is a race after all. The first one across the finish line wins.
I'm trying to imagine say NASCAR having a rule like this. Who'd watch an auto race if everyone stopped racing when the leader had a problem? Blow a shift on a restart? Too bad. Blow a tire? Too bad. Blow your engine? Too bad.
Good for AC. Time to dump these stupid "rules".
Moose McKnuckles said:It's 'Murrica. And it's Urp. And it's Ricky Bobby.
My prediction: Contador will stop right before the finish line and let 39 seconds pass before crossing it. Mark it down.
Nah, time to put the screws to AS. Whiney little *****.
Roadrage said:
Cheap yes, but unethical under the circumstances when it was caused by the rider's inopportune shift...I don't know.
Then there's the fact, as Shleck's own team manager Riis said, that it took Schleck quite some time to get it sorted out. I mean, really, in the heat of the moment when the Tour is possibly on the line, which rider would have just soft peddled for the time necessary for Andy to get back into full swing?
Even nobility has its limits. And athlete's aren't paid to be saints, nor stupid. Just saying.
PS. I'm quite sure Alberto isn't very happy to have taken the yellow jersey in this fashion. I'm also rather sure than between taking it in this fashion and, not taking it (ie. waiting for his unfortunate rival), he'd have opted for the former; which makes his appology at the very least a bit insipid, at the most a somewhat vile political calculation. And in any case Andy will probably hate him even more now, for the added insult of placing the onus of publict tact on his defeated shoulders.
Its all a psychological mind-****....
You can't be to much of an *** because cyclists need to cooperate with each other at times. Flicking somebody when they are down and then apologizing immediately afterwards gets Bertie 39 seconds and keeps AS from feeding off his anger and disappointment. This makes Contador the king of the mental game.
Why do you think he went out of his way to be friends with little Andy? Why do you think he gave Lance a watch to thank him for his "support" last year? Why did he hug Vino after attacking him and stealing the stage win?
Its alot easier to attack somebody you dislike....
You can't be to much of an *** because cyclists need to cooperate with each other at times. Flicking somebody when they are down and then apologizing immediately afterwards gets Bertie 39 seconds and keeps AS from feeding off his anger and disappointment. This makes Contador the king of the mental game.
Why do you think he went out of his way to be friends with little Andy? Why do you think he gave Lance a watch to thank him for his "support" last year? Why did he hug Vino after attacking him and stealing the stage win?
Its alot easier to attack somebody you dislike....
hrotha said:
Good translation. He sounds embarrassed, but I can't buy his words because that's not the actual sequence of events.
Ι think there's only one way he can make things right, although not so feasible. He can start his final TT 39'' after the time he has to start. And I think he can afford that.
santacruz said:
PR deffo a PR job. If he was sincere he would have got on the saxo bus and apologised in person, but he could have slowed everyone down on the descent or asked the others too wait for the MJ if he speaks the truth of that is what he would have done had he known, he knew his DS would have seen it live in the team car and shouted "attack now", so AC knew what was up.
PR crap, straight out of the Pubic Stratalies handbook!
LOL at people falling for his PR move. That's what it is. If he waits before the finish line at the end of todays stage, that would be an apology.
Its a bicycle race FFS! I get so sick of etiquette and sportsmanship getting thrown around every time someone has a mechanical and someone else is pedaling too quickly. Or someone has to pee and everyone else should slow down. Sh!t happens. Mechanicals, crashes, injury, tired muscles, bad tactical sense, bad weather, plain old being tired...etc, etc, etc. Look what happened to Eugene Christophe. When someone gets a flat in auto racing they don't stop or slow down and wait.
Ok, I don't want to rant on and on but this is competitive sport, not a friendly walk in the park. I don't think Contador needed to apologize for anything. He did absolutely nothing wrong. I'm sorry for Andy Schleck in that he lost time but that is the nature of the sport at times. Suck it up, move on, ride harder and faster tomorrow. Good grief.
Ok, I don't want to rant on and on but this is competitive sport, not a friendly walk in the park. I don't think Contador needed to apologize for anything. He did absolutely nothing wrong. I'm sorry for Andy Schleck in that he lost time but that is the nature of the sport at times. Suck it up, move on, ride harder and faster tomorrow. Good grief.
SpartacusRox
BANNED
hrotha said:
Yeah, right Bertie. You ride up on a guy standing on the road struggling with his chain, get off the seat and attack hard around him all the way to the summit. Now you are trying to kiss his ***. Way to go!! Pity you didn't think about your "mistake" over the time it took you to crest the summit of the climb and maybe allow him to get back on on the downhill.
Contador IS Sorry - - -
He really is, just not for the reason that he stated. He's sorry because his reputation took a hit. I've been watching the Tour for as long as US TV has been airing it and NEVER, not once, have I heard the crowd Boo anyone during each day's podiums - not even Lance. That the crowd Boo'd Contador while he was putting on the yellow jersey is stunning!
Contador only made it worse when while he was getting Boo'd he chose that time to do his 'pistol' move. Talk about inappropriate behavior!!! That move alone shows that Contador was/is not sorry for taking advantage of Schleck's chain problem. If he honestly felt badly for the way he took the yellow jersey he would have made his time on the podium has short as possible and gotten the hell off that stage. Contador's YouTube apology was done for PR purposes only. When offering a sincere apology you apologize directly to the person you wronged and certainly don't announce to the world that you will make the apology before having done so.
Also, really people, all of you making the excuse that Contador attacked before Schleck lost his chain, what race were you watching? I've seen that video replayed from every angle available and at regular and slo-mo speeds. It is blatant that Contador does not make a hard push until he sees that Schleck is practically stopped and looking down at his chain. He was making his way back up to Schleck and Vino but he was doing so from a seated position on his bike. Once he saw Schleck looking down, that's when he jumps out of his saddle and goes full force! Look at Vino's face, even he was surprised to see Contador take off. Menchov and Sanchez hadn't even moved yet. If Contador had sat up and motioned to Menchov and Sanchez and everyone else, that no one should attack until Scleck was back - I honestly believe neither would have continued to attack. Schleck was the yellow jersey and Contador was sitting in 2nd place not that far behind. If the rider with the most to gain is willing to wait, the other two would almost have been obligated to. If Contador was waiting and those 2 had gone their time in the Peloton for the rest of the Tour would have been pure misery.
At the end of the stage, if Contador had just come right out and said he was there to win the Tour and you do what you must to do so, he could have at least come out of this with some dignity.
Finally, once and for all people, stage 3 with the cobbles is a different beast from anything else in the race and every single rider knew that going into the day. When riding cobbles it's every person for themselves because it really doesn't matter how good a rider you are! The cobbles are all about survival. As for stage 2, Contador also benefited from Cancellara's slow down. It took him a good 15 minutes to catch back up that day and he joined a group with Armstrong that swelled to about 20 riders before catching on to Cancellara's group. If Cancellara hadn't slowed down, Contador would most likely still be trying to make up the time. As would Armstrong, Schleck, Levi, Evans and most of the main GC contenders. Complain about things you don't like or don't think are fair but at least get the facts straight before you spout off.
He really is, just not for the reason that he stated. He's sorry because his reputation took a hit. I've been watching the Tour for as long as US TV has been airing it and NEVER, not once, have I heard the crowd Boo anyone during each day's podiums - not even Lance. That the crowd Boo'd Contador while he was putting on the yellow jersey is stunning!
Contador only made it worse when while he was getting Boo'd he chose that time to do his 'pistol' move. Talk about inappropriate behavior!!! That move alone shows that Contador was/is not sorry for taking advantage of Schleck's chain problem. If he honestly felt badly for the way he took the yellow jersey he would have made his time on the podium has short as possible and gotten the hell off that stage. Contador's YouTube apology was done for PR purposes only. When offering a sincere apology you apologize directly to the person you wronged and certainly don't announce to the world that you will make the apology before having done so.
Also, really people, all of you making the excuse that Contador attacked before Schleck lost his chain, what race were you watching? I've seen that video replayed from every angle available and at regular and slo-mo speeds. It is blatant that Contador does not make a hard push until he sees that Schleck is practically stopped and looking down at his chain. He was making his way back up to Schleck and Vino but he was doing so from a seated position on his bike. Once he saw Schleck looking down, that's when he jumps out of his saddle and goes full force! Look at Vino's face, even he was surprised to see Contador take off. Menchov and Sanchez hadn't even moved yet. If Contador had sat up and motioned to Menchov and Sanchez and everyone else, that no one should attack until Scleck was back - I honestly believe neither would have continued to attack. Schleck was the yellow jersey and Contador was sitting in 2nd place not that far behind. If the rider with the most to gain is willing to wait, the other two would almost have been obligated to. If Contador was waiting and those 2 had gone their time in the Peloton for the rest of the Tour would have been pure misery.
At the end of the stage, if Contador had just come right out and said he was there to win the Tour and you do what you must to do so, he could have at least come out of this with some dignity.
Finally, once and for all people, stage 3 with the cobbles is a different beast from anything else in the race and every single rider knew that going into the day. When riding cobbles it's every person for themselves because it really doesn't matter how good a rider you are! The cobbles are all about survival. As for stage 2, Contador also benefited from Cancellara's slow down. It took him a good 15 minutes to catch back up that day and he joined a group with Armstrong that swelled to about 20 riders before catching on to Cancellara's group. If Cancellara hadn't slowed down, Contador would most likely still be trying to make up the time. As would Armstrong, Schleck, Levi, Evans and most of the main GC contenders. Complain about things you don't like or don't think are fair but at least get the facts straight before you spout off.
irritated_cycling_fan said:
The argument and even the facts(or interpretations there of) are very complicated, but you have put it pretty near perfectly, I'm not well at the moment so can't think and write straight at the same time, you've done it for me.
People under stress do the most inappropriate things, I knew a girl who laughed uncontrollably every time some thing bad happened to people, injuries, tripping and such like. She was also a drunk and not in any way in touch with her emotions. It will all come out in the wash, yellow, white and reddy green, that'd be a puky pink cocktail.
irritated_cycling_fan said:
Sorry, but... are you fücking blind ? From 0:03 to 0:07, left side of screen where you can clearly see Contador's counter-attack before that amateur overshifting problem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP9OR-Pz2Yk
Too much emotion everyone.
Schleck had Contador under pressure. He goes to change into the big chainring and chain comes off. Vino rides past, Contador rides past a few secs later can see that Schleck is almost stopped and Contador attacks. Schleck gets his chain back on but its too late. Contador only looks back when he's near the top but doesn't slow. Race over.
It is usual if the yellow suffers a problem not of his doing for the race to wait. Whether once a year cyclists think that its ok or not doesn't come into it - there are plenty of precedents.
Contador knows this and apologises after a spur of the moment decision to attack - good of him to acknowledge a mistake. Whether some people think its genuine or not.
No whinging from AS, just promises to hurt AC in stage 16.
Schleck had Contador under pressure. He goes to change into the big chainring and chain comes off. Vino rides past, Contador rides past a few secs later can see that Schleck is almost stopped and Contador attacks. Schleck gets his chain back on but its too late. Contador only looks back when he's near the top but doesn't slow. Race over.
It is usual if the yellow suffers a problem not of his doing for the race to wait. Whether once a year cyclists think that its ok or not doesn't come into it - there are plenty of precedents.
Contador knows this and apologises after a spur of the moment decision to attack - good of him to acknowledge a mistake. Whether some people think its genuine or not.
No whinging from AS, just promises to hurt AC in stage 16.
Ryo Hazuki said:
I'm sure AC will be glad to hear this, after all he's trying to rebuild his character. One step back, two steps forward.
SpartacusRox said:
Wow, now we have altered reality to the point where Contador was still behind when Schleck got off to replace the chain which he had knocked off the sprocket. You my friend must live in a bizarre parallel universe where things appear as you want them to be rather than as they are. But I know, Lance says Contador bad so you must believe.
seriously? now it's 2 schoolgirls bffs again. I was so looking forward to today's stage too. no cannibals all waifs.
hfer07 said:
+1
Where was the outrage when this happened to Chavanel? Is there a double standard at play here?
scribe said:
Riis is thinking of the future building of his soon to be depleted team. By staying relatively neutral he leaves his options open in recruiting Contador in the future should he leave Astana.
Angliru said:
I see a lot of politics at play with many of the opinions on yesterday's situation. This probability certainly takes consideration. Why burn a bridge if the situation doesn't affect you?
Angliru said:
We beat this to hell yesterday. You might have a stronger argument that they left Contador behind the carnage, than a Chavanel that was always gonna finish this race 30 minutes behind the leaders.
Tyler'sTwin said:
In other words you're blind to reason and can only see the pro-Andy side.
Karma is a mf. Came back to bite them right in the rear.
So it was never about the yellow jersey, only about the GC contenders. It is good we have put that argument to rest.scribe said:
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