Riders Complaints About Long, "Hard" Stages

[luckyboy]

People like 42x16ss and Pricey_sky are bringing quotes from riders, evidence about rider safety and the poor record of the organisers on safety and transfers.

Most of the people opposing the riders are just bringing up the same tired arguments from their sofa that show they haven't paid attention to what the riders said.

Nobody here has any idea what the riders are going through – aside from actually listening to what they're saying – but still, these are the responses..


"No, they were not right, and the covid excuse is laughable and offensive.
There's an extreme weather protocol. Notably, it doesn't say anything about 11-13ºC in the rain being inhumane."

"Grand Tours were always advertised as being amongst the toughest endurance events in the world - not any more they're not."

" This stage was known about months ago. The excuses put forth by the riders who led this protest are simply lame."

"riders should have went home if they didn't want to ride the full stage today. it's been in the roadbook the entire 3 weeks and it was announced almost a full year ago."

"Soft pedal it if you can’t handle it."

"Grand Tour

Easy

Pick one."

"I want to know what the excuse is for not wanting to ride in the rain. It's an outdoor sport, and sure, there is more chance to get sick from all the gunk that gets thrown up with the spray, but that's the same even in non-COVID times."

 

[Red Rick]

People like 42x16ss and Pricey_sky are bringing quotes from riders, evidence about rider safety and the poor record of the organisers on safety and transfers.

Most of the people opposing the riders are just bringing up the same tired arguments from their sofa that show they haven't paid attention to what the riders said.

Nobody here has any idea what the riders are going through – aside from actually listening to what they're saying – but still, these are the responses..


"No, they were not right, and the covid excuse is laughable and offensive.
There's an extreme weather protocol. Notably, it doesn't say anything about 11-13ºC in the rain being inhumane."

"Grand Tours were always advertised as being amongst the toughest endurance events in the world - not any more they're not."

" This stage was known about months ago. The excuses put forth by the riders who led this protest are simply lame."

"riders should have went home if they didn't want to ride the full stage today. it's been in the roadbook the entire 3 weeks and it was announced almost a full year ago."

"Soft pedal it if you can’t handle it."

"Grand Tour

Easy

Pick one."

"I want to know what the excuse is for not wanting to ride in the rain. It's an outdoor sport, and sure, there is more chance to get sick from all the gunk that gets thrown up with the spray, but that's the same even in non-COVID times."

Yeah and if riders don't wanna ride in the rain surely they're gonna admit that. Transfers are part of the sport. The weather was nothing special for cycling. The super hard stage the day after already got halfway canceled. What more did they want.

Instead I have to suffer through riders talking about their reasons changing their story all the time while meanwhile being immunology experts as well

 

[luckyboy]

Basically, if people aren't going to believe what the guys who have raced 20 days of a Grand Tour have to say about the conditions of the Grand Tour they are riding, then there is no real argument to be had.

It's people who have their own beliefs backed up with zero experience vs a lived reality.

That's me done with the thread.

 

[Red Rick]

Basically, if people aren't going to believe what the guys who have raced 20 days of a Grand Tour have to say about the conditions of the Grand Tour they are riding, then there is no real argument to be had.

It's people who have their own beliefs backed up with zero experience vs a lived reality.

That's me done with the thread.

When riders go "trust me bro" yeah I tend to be sceptical. Fact it was 11-13 degrees and rain. That was it. Every single rider in that peloton will have suffered worse.

 

[Netserk]

Basically, if people aren't going to believe what the guys who have raced 20 days of a Grand Tour have to say about the conditions of the Grand Tour they are riding, then there is no real argument to be had.

It's people who have their own beliefs backed up with zero experience vs a lived reality.

That's me done with the thread.

Listen to the riders: dope controls are inhuman!

 

[Armchaircyclist]

When riders go "trust me bro" yeah I tend to be sceptical. Fact it was 11-13 degrees and rain. That was it. Every single rider in that peloton will have suffered worse.

Actual fact is it was 5 degrees and pouring rain in the starting village. The forecast in the region said 13 degrees, which is not the same as reality. Even 5 degrees is not that extreme, I just think it boiled over for the riders when being told that they had to ride 6 km more on an already super-long stage in cold rain, and a stage in an area with sky high covid-19 numbers. And on top of that not getting enough sleep.

 

[BlueRoads]

I think they would have been better off - and will, in the future - if they just told what really bugs them. That they think they are not heard, that they feel like their interests don't count, that they are not content with the way cycling is organized.
Then they should try and build a real union, like Koronin said.
No sudden protest during a GT from which some profit and others probably not because of a rather minor issue. Because yesterday was not inhumane. The transfers are a problem, but then sit together and find a way to do them better in general, and say "if this and this is not improved, we will not start stage 13 of GT xy". I think a lot of people would be more understanding.

 

[SafeBet]

Actual fact is it was 5 degrees and pouring rain in the starting village.

This is inaccurate. It might have been 5 degrees at 6.30 when the riders woke up, but not at 10 when the race was supposed to start. Most riders confirmed it was 11.

 

[Forever The Best]

David Millar retired from the stage right before the finish, protesting the conditions at Angliru.

Millar protests brutal Angliru

Cofidis’s David Millar stopped half a meter short of the finish line of the Tour of Spain's killer 15th stage on Sunday in protest at the conditions on the Vuelta's most feared and notorious climb. Millar refused to cross the line after climbing to the top of Angliru. According to Victor...

www.velonews.com

 

[Libertine Seguros]

David Millar retired from the stage right before the finish, protesting the conditions at Angliru.

Millar protests brutal Angliru

Cofidis’s David Millar stopped half a meter short of the finish line of the Tour of Spain's killer 15th stage on Sunday in protest at the conditions on the Vuelta's most feared and notorious climb. Millar refused to cross the line after climbing to the top of Angliru. According to Victor...

www.velonews.com

and then threw a hissy fit at not being allowed back in the race the next day because he hadn't finished the previous stage!!!

 

[Forever The Best]

and then threw a hissy fit at not being allowed back in the race the next day because he hadn't finished the previous stage!!!

I didn't know he wanted to be allowed back into the race the next day, lol. Classic Millar.

 

[hrotha]

And having a few less 200km stages in a GT isn't killing cycling or disrespecting the memory of Coppi and Gaul or whatever things people are trotting out.

A few less than what? We already have quite a few less 200km stages in GTs. Even the longest modern Giros are still well below the historical norm in terms of total distance covered.

 

[Netserk]

If riders weren’t immature spoiled brats, they would put more effort into the union of theirs and call for negotiations during the off season with UCI and the organisers’ union. And they would take some real responsibility themselves for improving the sport (for all parties involved, not just themselves). In turn, I’m sure they could get a rule about a minimum number of hours of sleep each night, or never two nights in a row with less than another amount.

Of all agents of the sport, riders are by far the most short-sighted. They are also the most replaceable.

 

[Extinction]

Convicts of the road, this is what you signed up for. Do it. Transfers? You sit on your arse pampered until the destination. Early alarm clocks, so it is for most of humanity and for far less pay and thrills. Just ride. Suffering? It's the game, but you knew that's what you would face. Once upon a time not so long ago, the Giro was circa 300 klicks longer over the same period and they rode in the snow. And the salaries were much lower. Let's gain some perspective.

 

[42x16ss]

Disagree, the riders are absolutely in the wrong. It's not about the riders standing up for themselves but rather a case of them going on strike for no good reason because they now they will get away with it. If you sign up for a 3,500 km race, don't through a fit when you are expected to race those 3,500km.

It is not the riders' right to dictate the course of the race, it is their right to race and to choose to race and to stay at home if they don't want to race. It is the organisers' right to dictate the course of the race.

Almost every year for the past 100 or so years, the organisers' meet with sponsors, local authorities, media companies and eventually decide upon a course for their race. They then present this race and invite teams and riders to their race. These riders, for the most part, choose to race. They know exactly what they are signing up for. If every single World Tour team declined, the race would go on with other teams and other riders.

If invite a group of people over to my house for lasagna and they arrive and say "We don't want lasagna, we want pizza", well I will probably get them pizza but not for a second would I think they are in the right.

Once again, the length of the stage is only part of the story. It's things like the 2hr transfers to and from the Stelvio stage, the 2 hour transfer to the start of the shortened stage, the

They are free to stay the *** away. Plenty of riders would love to take their place.

Try replacing all but 3 teams on that kind of notice

 

[fbjim]

Actual fact is it was 5 degrees and pouring rain in the starting village. The forecast in the region said 13 degrees, which is not the same as reality. Even 5 degrees is not that extreme, I just think it boiled over for the riders when being told that they had to ride 6 km more on an already super-long stage in cold rain, and a stage in an area with sky high covid-19 numbers. And on top of that not getting enough sleep.

But doing the descent of Stelvio is fine for the immune system? A 250km mid-mountain stage with a brutal finishing circuit is fine?

This is all part of the modern trend that the only thing that matters is climbing climbing climbing, watts watts watts. Riding 260km in crap conditions while having the fitness to keep yourself in shape and manage the fatigue over three weeks is every bit as part of cycling as putting down a bunch of watts on Zoncolan or something. This isn't some "lol Coppi" stuff, it's literally a skill for GC riders that is at risk of being marginalized because the endurance elements of the sport aren't very TV-friendly.


If none of the sprinters whined about doing the Stelvio or three ascents of Sestriere, the GC riders don't get to whine about doing 260KM on the flat.

 

[fbjim]

Basically, if people aren't going to believe what the guys who have raced 20 days of a Grand Tour have to say about the conditions of the Grand Tour they are riding, then there is no real argument to be had.

It's people who have their own beliefs backed up with zero experience vs a lived reality.

That's me done with the thread.

I fully believe the riders are tired, miserable, and don't want to race 260KM in the rain.

I don't think that's a justification that the teams can just decide they would rather not. How should the riders feel three weeks into a brutally hard bike race? Delighted? Splendid?


As someone mentioned, this is actually why they need an actual union- because with one, you get proper lines of communication, media representatives to provide an actual narrative rather than some confused mix that just comes off as "I simply could not bear riding my velocipede today", and an actual bargaining process that isn't showing up to the race and going "hey yall we aren't gonna race l8r"

 

[Pantani_lives]

In spite of having completed twenty consecutive GTs Adam Hansen will now be remembered as the guy who didn't want to race.