Fake injuries and illnesses

[RHRH19861986]

I personally think that the different press releases concerning riders´ difficulties, such as injuries, illnesses, chronic problems, etc., should not be taken too seriously...

From this Tour: Kittel, who really should´ve been ill, never mentioned this, till he reached the point where he couldn´t hide it any more. Chavanel was doubted by his closest people of being ill. Voeckler claimed having serious knee problems before and during the first days of this Tour. And so on...

Just look at Voeckler: the knee is so essential for the performance of a professional cyclist. When I see how he rode in the second half of the Tour, I just can´t really imagine he had real problems. If you start the Tour with serious knee problems, you won´t recover during the Tour. The knee won´t recover. Only solution would be multiple daily cortisone injections for the knee, and then, riding at your maximum capacity would lead into a chronically damaged knee. I´m not a doctor, but this story sounds strange to me, sorry...

I think it´s 50-50 about the truth in press releases, if not 40-60.

 

[maltiv]

I personally think that the different press releases concerning riders´ difficulties, such as injuries, illnesses, chronic problems, etc., should not be taken too seriously...

From this Tour: Kittel, who really should´ve been ill, never mentioned this, till he reached the point where he couldn´t hide it any more. Chavanel was doubted by his closest people of being ill. Voeckler claimed having serious knee problems before and during the first days of this Tour. And so on...

Are you saying Kittel faked having diarrhea?

As for Voeckler, well, there's no doubt that he's a drama queen.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Are you saying Kittel faked having diarrhea?

I think he is saying the opposite i.e. That Kittel probably could/should have left the race earlier but never told the press about it.

 

[RHRH19861986]

Are you saying Kittel faked having diarrhea?

No, he tried to hide his illness. He was really ill, and tried to hide it as long as possible, while others, who aren´t really so ill, fake illness to have an explanation for lack of results afterwards.

 

[RHRH19861986]

I think he is saying the opposite i.e. That Kittel probably could/should have left the race earlier but never told the press about it.

Exactly. Thanks

 

[Yingge]

Remember that not everyone who isn't 100% fit goes telling all and sundry about it.

Using Evans as an example - in 2008 he and his team kept quiet about the extent of his injuries following his crash (among other things, he was passing blood for days after apparently). Likewise in 2010 when he had the broken elbow, and again the other day with his gastric upset.

There was mention of a rider the other day (forgot his name), who in a TDF a few years back crashed a few stages from the end and hurt his shoulder. He said he was Ok, refused to go to the doctor/hospital as he had guessed what the result would be. Sure enough, after finishing in Paris he had an X-ray - broken collarbone.

You broadcast that you are not well and your competitors will most likely take advantage of it. Shut up, and if the problem passes, then you survive. I am sure that some riding in the current TDF have been ill/injured more than their current wounds show, and haven't gone public about it.

 

[Apollonius]

Cuddles didn't have gastric upset this week. Another convenient excuse!

 

[Arnout]

I've thought the same about Voeckler, I think he just wanted to play down expectations after last year and didn't want to go for the GC, knowing he would have to fight to keep up with the 5 or 10 best climbers, without a chance for stage wins and such.

 

[ElChingon]

OK OP, next time you call in sick we'll get your boss to verify if your illness is just.

 

[montagna lunga]

I've thought the same about Voeckler, I think he just wanted to play down expectations after last year and didn't want to go for the GC, knowing he would have to fight to keep up with the 5 or 10 best climbers, without a chance for stage wins and such.

whaa? three more words:

polka dot jersey

but obviously he's juiced, right?