Re:
Tienus said:
The mechanic talks about the peloton split in 3 groups with the team car 2 minutes behind. I did read several race reports and did not see a big split mentioned anywhere.
[E3 '14]: If you insist on your position that you do not accept that after a crash on narrow belgian roads, there will be groups of riders on the road and team cars stuck behind, then I can't be of any help to you. I even found a report which mentioned that second group trailed bunch by 20 seconds but you will probably again find some argument in favour of your theories. Still, have a look at this video (from a team car!) how it looked like after that crash:
https://youtu.be/_6rFEhAjdXE?t=148 and give it one more thought please...
Tienus said:
Fortunately in the Paris Roubaix 2014 I found 3 bike changes for no apparent reason from Sagan. This time both Sagan and Marangoni are lying about it.
You have posted Marangoni blog before:
http://www.thepelotonbrief.com/alan-marangoni-paris-roubaix/
This is an interview with Sagan:
http://www.ad.nl/wielrennen/sagan-nu-genieten-van-een-poosje-verlof~ad32cb40/
"Just before the famous passage to the Wallers-Arenberg forest I had been dropped to make a bike change because my gear machine was broken. Then I had to deal with a flat tire, so I had to sit on the bike of my team-mate Alan Marangoni. I would lose too much time with another wheel change. Twenty kilometers further on I was able to again take my own bike. "
Here is the race video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxt_odjJjs&t=1848s
21:35 Sagan is at the front of the peloton
21:45 crash peloton wich apparantly damages sagan's derailleur. There seem to be no Cannondale riders involved though. Marangoni's blog story does not match the situation.
22:56 Sagan is at the back of the peloton probably to swap bikes but there is a split due to the crash and the car is too far.
25:05 Sagan is waving for the team car who is almost at the front and Sagan swaps bikes. Why is his team mate holding a wheel? I would not be surpised if he was also swapping bikes.
Although it is possible it does not look like Sagan used Marangoni's bike at any stage. Marangoni describes in his blog where this should have happened.
1:18:00 Sagan has another swap with a bike from the team car
1:18:41 Sagan bike has his nr 101
1:52:55 Sagan has another swap with a bike from the team car
1:59:22 Sagan puts on the turbo
2:05:55 Sagan bike has his nr 101
So 3 bike changes with the team car as you can see. You are free to belief team Cannondale but I think they are lying.
[P-R '14]: Your post confirms that Sagan and Marangoni give mutually matching desription of events. So let's have a look at your claims and how false they are:
1) Change after the crash: You say video does not match Marangoni's blog. Seriously? This is what he wrote:
Passing through a narrow stretch, there is the first mass fall of the day. Just behind me I hear the clash of carbon and aluminium crashing to the ground. I look back right away to see if Peter was involved. Fortunately, he’s still up and running, on the back wheel of King. I get myself untangled and wait for them, then I help them catch up. No sooner do I think that this time we got off easy than I hear Peter’s unmistakable voice on the radio: “Stefano (Zanatta, ed. note), I gotta change bikes.” His gear change is nearly destroyed and his chain comes off at each turn of the pedal. We wait for the team car to come, stop, and change bikes. The group is moving fast and it takes us a little while to catch back up.
You say Sagan was at the front of the peloton before the crash, but you are wrong - he was not among Cannondale riders up front. You can see here he is almost at the back in front of three teammates - you should recognise the country symbol on his back:
You also say that no Cannondale riders were involved. But you can see here three Cannondale riders clearly chasing back after the crash (and one was in the second group):
Plus the video matches the rest of Marangoni's description. So?
2) Then as regards the second change: we see Sagan back on his bike after the change, so presumably he should have been on Marangoni's bike for 20 kms before that. Marangoni's blog described this as follows:
We enter the Hornaing sector and a French rider from Europcar goes down in front of me, taking with him Longo Borghini, who gets right back up. I’m still in the saddle, and I’m starting to think that somebody up there is rooting for me today. I’ve been able to avoid all the falls and had no incidents myself, which I find hardly believable. And that’s when the unexpected happens. Peter punctures right in the middle of the cobblestone, while the guys up front are forcing the pace. I stop, and without a moment’s hesitation give him my bike.
When you watch the video at 50:00, which is approximately 20 kms before Sagan changed back to his bike, guess what you see: Europcar rider down on the cobbles, some Cannondales swerving around. So the story matches the video, we just do not see the moment Sagan changed bike with Marangoni some time after that crash.
3) Finallly, regarding alleged third bike change at 1:52:55 - this one probably happened only in your fantasy. Yes, Sagan goes back to the car, but if he wanted to change bike, don't you think Bodnar would wait for him to pace him back, rather than riding at the front? Plus at 1:53:13 you can see in the background Sagan riding alongside the car, and at 1:53:25 Sagan already riding back to the group, reaching to his back pocket:
So sorry, but there was no bike change at this time.
I mean, maybe he really had motor in his bike, but let's not create new reality just to get the picture which suits our agenda and then say others tell lies, shall we.
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