Tour de France Motogate-Stage 14 of the 2023 Tour de France

[DNP-Old]

Just use drones, what is the function of two motors there? One is for tv, what’s the other one doing there?

There's absolutely a surplus of motards in a race. Apart from a gazillion photographers (why, just why?), there are also the commentators like Voeckler and Vangramberen on French and Belgian television. Not just do they barely add anything to the race, they also take up space.

Remember when Flecha was about to win Gent - Wevelgem in 2005, but an already beaten Nico Mattan was allowed to take a seat on the motor in the final kilometer, got to close a 15 second gap in the blink of an eye and subsequently won? That should have been the moment to cut into the amount of motards in a race, but here we are, 18 years later, and it's still a problem.

 

[ice&fire]

Just use drones, what is the function of two motors there? One is for tv, what’s the other one doing there?

I wish it was punching spectators

 

[Tim Cahill]

The rage-attack on the descent after he lost reminded me of the Flanders finish when he boxed himself, hilarious stuff.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Chaingate was ten times more decisive than this. I‘m not going to risk my sanity and account here.

 

[DNP-Old]

Chaingate was ten times more decisive than this. I‘m not going to risk my sanity and account here.

Does it matter how decisive or undeceive it is?

 

[Red Rick]

Puy de Dome felt whack in my opinion. Soulless.

Rick: You seriously believe Pogacar got beat by Vingegaard on the top? It was a matter of Tadej forgetting, I think thats obvious to anyone bar you to drive some weird point home.

I think if he would have dropped Vingegaard from the position he attacked from in the final km, he would have won that sprint from the position he found himself when Vingegaard surprised him.

 

[Potomac]

Blame in descending order...
Fans.
Organizers not having decent barriers at the that spot.
Moto drivers.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I wish it was punching spectators

Just needs a billy club and the spectators will disperse.

 

[zlev11]

Just use drones, what is the function of two motors there? One is for tv, what’s the other one doing there?

do you understand how horrible the picture would be with drones? the photographer bike was the one that *** up anyway.

 

[DNP-Old]

do you understand how horrible the picture would be with drones? the photographer bike was the one that *** up anyway.

They use it in CX and XCO and it looks fantastic.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I think if he would have dropped Vingegaard from the position he attacked from in the final km, he would have won that sprint from the position he found himself when Vingegaard surprised him.

The fact is that his attack was stopped. Would he have dropped Vinge for good? Probably not but I don't think Vinge would be able to overtake him for bonuses plus it's less likely that Rodriguez would have beaten them (so possibly it cost him a stage victory).

 

[zlev11]

They use it in CX and XCO and it looks fantastic.

yes ive seen it and i disagree

 

[Volderke]

Blame in descending order...
Fans.
Organizers not having decent barriers at the that spot.
Moto drivers.

I don’t blame the fans first.
It’s the organizers that can decide how much space the fans can take up on the road.

So I blame:
1. Organizers. They know there will be fans, and after e.g. the incident with Nibali some years ago, they should know where to restrict access / put barriers. But they are cheapskates.
2. Motos. If those see that the organizers didn’t put barriers and crowds are on the road, they are next in line / responsible to give the riders enough space. The problem ofcourse is that the motorcycles are also making space for the riders, so the further they are up the road, the more hazard the crowd creates for the riders.
3. Fans… will always be stupid. It’s a constant factor. You can’t blame stupid for being stupid. You have to manage / adapt to stupid, so see 1. and 2.

 

[will-10]

Well I for one am super relieved the CN forum has an asterisk to apply to this Tour regardless of the actual outcome - for a minute there I was worried we were going to get an actual straight fight. Luckily tradition is maintained and the regulars on here can "yeah, but...." the entire Tour next weekend if it suits.

 

[Miha81]

It is what it is. I doubt these few seconds will be decisive in GC terms.

In general motos are too close either motorpacing (often) or blocking riders (rare).

 

[SHAD0W93]

Many of Vinge’s supporters are thinking we’re arguing Pog would have dropped Vinge which isn’t the case.

 

[RedheadDane]

It doesn't really matter if Pogacar would have dropped Vingegaard, or Vingegaard would have instantly countered, or Van Aert would have gotten those wings Red Bull apparently gives you.
Motos shouldn't block riders!

 

[Salvarani]

Lol, how can you have such poor takes??

It is incredible how low someone will go because of hatred.

 

[zlev11]

the only amazing thing about this is that it doesn't happen more often

 

[Berniece]

do you understand how horrible the picture would be with drones? the photographer bike was the one that *** up anyway.

No, I honestly don’t have a clue. But you have professional drones with proper cameras. The ones they use for cinema, not those that we can buy in stores

 

[D. Pecher]

Both moto crews are banned for tomorrow and have to pay 500 Swiss francs each.

 

[Tonton]

Both moto crews are banned for tomorrow and have to pay 500 Swiss francs each.

A four second swing, 500 Swiss francs, that's 125 per second per crew. It's not enough for me. Time is money: real money...like the money ASO makes by tolerating the swarm of motorcycles. These four seconds are worth a lot more than 500 francs and ASO should pay too.

 

[D. Pecher]

A four second swing, 500 Swiss francs, that's 125 per second per crew. It's not enough for me. Time is money: real money...like the money ASO makes by tolerating the swarm of motorcycles. These four seconds are worth a lot more than 500 francs and ASO should pay too.

I understand the sentiment, but what do you want to do, shoot them? Even if they have to pay 2000 quid it won't give Pogacar the missed seconds back. That photographer actually admitted he effed up, saying "we couldn't accelerate because there were fans in front of us, but really, we should have gone earlier and forget about the picture." (as per Der Spiegel, Germany)

In reality the real culprit is ASO here. There shouldn't be drunken bampots with their pants down their ankles 500 m from a decisive summit. The last km before a KOM sprint with bonus seconds should have been fenced off as everyone with half a brain knows there'll be attacks there, either out of a breakaway group or the GC contenders.

 

[Skalman]

Didnt they say that the race management would have a meeting about nullifying todays bonus seconds? what ever happened to that?

 

[D. Pecher]

Apparently that didn't happen, but three moto crews were banned for tomorrow's stage.