So what happens if Contador wins by 39 seconds or less?

[Publicus]

You're free to disagree with what spectacle said (I don't), but please, at least don't let everybody see you didn't read the post you just quoted.

I think Ryder H said it best:

If you draw your sword and you drop it, you die.

You can complain about unsportsman like behaviour, or that unwritten rules were violated, but at the end of the day, Andy attacked, tried to press his advantage and dropped his chain.

It really is as simple as that. He drew his sword and dropped it.

 

[Franklin]

Ah yes... the Tour de Wait.

Unwritten rule? WTF? It's an unwritten rule that you shouldn't screw up!

Lance would have massacred everyone had he been in front in the ardennes... Hinault would have massacred everyone and then give his haughty stare from the podium!

And if Hinault would get gapped due to bad luck the next days he would try to absolutely crush everyone involved.

God I never liked Sastre much, but that guy gained a million brownie points with his annoyance about the weakling attitude.

Andy-pandy deservedly became second. heck, if someone has the right to whine it's Menchov. He would have made a very real chance to win if FC didn't bamboozle everyone.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Wow, Schleck is the real winner of the Tour de France. I never expected that to happen.

Now you can see why he didn't wait - he knew he was going to lose.

It'll take you a while to digest it but... Eventually you will though...

The next 11 months are going to be hell I presume.

 

[El Pistolero]

It'll take a while for you to digest it but... Eventually you will though...

The next 11 months are going to be hell I presume.

Well, I think Schleck could win the Vuelta if he's really trying his best this year.

 

[Joey_J]

Wow, Schleck is the real winner of the Tour de France.

Actually, take away "chaingate" and they're tied to the second. Interesting.

 

[Franklin]

Wow, Schleck is the real winner of the Tour de France. I never expected that to happen.

Now you can see why he didn't wait - he knew he was going to lose.

Tonight Vino and Alberto drink a punch of fanboy tears. I'm happy as they share it with the real cycling fans...

MMMMM... DELICIOUS

 

[Comeback 2011]

Tonight Vino and Alberto drink a punch of fanboy tears. I'm happy as they share it with the real cycling fans...

MMMMM... DELICIOUS

Only real cycling fans support Vino and Alberto?

 

[Comeback 2011]

Actually, take away "chaingate" and they're tied to the second. Interesting.

But Schleck is up if you do the decimal points.

 

[Mellow Velo]

But Schleck is up if you do the decimal points.

This..............or maybe not.

Pretty worthless thread. I'm surprised naked trolling like this is allowed.

This.

 

[henryg]

Check your math. If Schleck had not dropped his chain and like on the next stage he and Contador had finished together Schleck would have come to the line in the TT with a 31 second lead. He still would have lost by 8 seconds.

Thor would have been in Green if FC had not got the organizers to neutralize a stage.

If cows had square asses they would crap bricks. After 21 days what if's, could have been and if only's don't count in the written, unwritten or any other rules.

 

[dancing on pedals]

i don't really care who won, this sport lost its hold on me for good in 2006.

1. against attacking the yellow jersey for mechanicals and accidents

2. that whoever is in the yellow jersey, as well as any elder statesman of the tour, can call for the neutralization of a stage (whether in protest for kicking festina out in 1999 or because a stage is viewed as unnecessarily dangerous as in this tour in stage 2).

anyone who says otherwise either does not know the tour's history and traditions, or is lying.
.

I know a bit about the Tour history and traditions - maybe you should read up about the 1937 edition (just one example of many) before writing such nonsense.
thanks

 

[hrotha]

I think Ryder H said it best:

You can complain about unsportsman like behaviour, or that unwritten rules were violated, but at the end of the day, Andy attacked, tried to press his advantage and dropped his chain.

It really is as simple as that. He drew his sword and dropped it.

That's not a debate I want to bring back - it was discussed to death here when it was relevant. I was taking issue with the whole "not waiting for Chavanel" thing, which spectacle had already addressed indirectly.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Andy Schleck did not wait for Chavanel when he had a mechanical during stage 3.[...]

Yes but... Chavanel was not a "candidate" you see. Who is a "candidate" you might ask"? Whoever Andy Schleck, Riis, Cancellara or certain "neutral" cycling enthusiasts/entities can make mention of as a reason for Andy not to have won his first TdF. God knows that, for this crowd, the Andy-must-win-a-TdF is their 11th Commandment.

Hence Andy making a mistake and dropping his chain is not really his mistake, the same way Fabian hijacking the Spa stage is a non-event, the very same way last year's Contador attack on Arcalís or Verbier are stabs in the back to Lance, because they have this warped view of a cycling event, namely that cyclist x or y HAS to win... everything else just falls into place, including cycling. Or racing for that matter.

In any other sport what Fabian Cancellara and Saxo did at the end of the stage in the Ardennes would be considered a grave insult to the sport. In cycling it is considered, by a few mind you, as "fair play". Meaning that neutralizing one of the factors (at any stage I so wish, as long as my team leader is involved) that make the Tour de France an exciting sporting event, namely lady Luck, is a good thing.

That day was a shameful day to the sport. Even more so days later, watching Fabian and Andy putting minutes on everyone on the cobbles. YOU tell me, what is the difference between cobblestones and oil... or potholes on the road... or dogs crossing the peloton or even snow atop of the Galibier? It's LUCK!

Sometimes it's on your side. Sometimes it isn't. Grow up! DEAL WITH IT!

 

[El Pistolero]

That's not a debate I want to bring back - it was discussed to death here when it was relevant. I was taking issue with the whole "not waiting for Chavanel" thing, which spectacle had already addressed indirectly.

There's a reason why the word hypocrisy was in my post.

 

[Franklin]

Only real cycling fans support Vino and Alberto?

Real cycling fans know it's a hard sport with no such ridiculous unwritten rules.

I apologize for the trollish post but geez.... Alberto has gotten so much animosity that I for one am thoroughly sick of it. And this idiocy about unwritten rules makes the bile get into my throat. Cycling is about drama, crashes, attacks, backstabbing, feigning, bluffing, being ruthless. It's not about "sportsmanship". Seriously.. go watch tennis.

 

[Franklin]

Yes but... Chavanel was not a "candidate" you see! Who is a "candidate" you might ask"? Whoever Andy Schleck, Riis, Cancellara or certain "neutral" cycling enthusiasts/entities can make mention of as a reason for Andy not to have won his first TdF. God knows that, for this crowd, the Andy-must-win-a-TdF is their 11th Commandment. Hence Andy making a mistake and dropping his chain is not really his mistake, the same way Fabian hijacking the Spa stage is not to be talked about, the very same way last year's Contador attack on Arcalís or Verbier are stabs in the back, because you have this warped view of a cycling even, namely that cyclist x or y HAS to win... everything else just falls into place, including cycling.

In any other sport what Fabian Cancellara and Saxo did at the end of the stage in the Ardennes would be considered a grave insult to the sport. In cycling it is considered, by a few mind you, as "fair play". Meaning that neutralizing one of the factors (at any stage I so wish as long as my team leader is involved) that make the Tour de France an exciting sporting event, namely lady Luck, is a good thing. That day was a shameful day to the sport. Even more so days later, watching Fabian and Andy putting minutes on everyone on the cobbles. YOU tell me, what is the difference between cobblestones and oil... or potholes on the road... or dogs crossing the peloton or even snow atop of the Galibier? It's LUCK! Sometimes it's on your side. Sometimes it isn't. DEAL WITH IT!

Exactly. It's destroying the sport.

 

[hrotha]

There's a reason why the word hypocrisy was in my post.

Then please do explain, because spectacle made a solid argument as to why stage 3, stage 2 and stage 15 are not comparable.

 

[Escarabajo]

Check your math. If Schleck had not dropped his chain and like on the next stage he and Contador had finished together Schleck would have come to the line in the TT with a 31 second lead. He still would have lost by 8 seconds.

Thor would have been in Green if FC had not got the organizers to neutralize a stage.

If cows had square asses they would crap bricks. After 21 days what if's, could have been and if only's don't count in the written, unwritten or any other rules.

I think they are dead even in my calculations. But whatever hapenned in that stage 15 is forgotten in my book.

I agree with what Señor Contador wrote.

 

[Comeback 2011]

Check your math. If Schleck had not dropped his chain and like on the next stage he and Contador had finished together Schleck would have come to the line in the TT with a 31 second lead. He still would have lost by 8 seconds.

Thor would have been in Green if FC had not got the organizers to neutralize a stage.

If cows had square asses they would crap bricks. After 21 days what if's, could have been and if only's don't count in the written, unwritten or any other rules.

Who would have lost by eight seconds? I'm sure I make it Contador. Is that what you're saying.

 

[menlo_guy]

... I apologize for the trollish post but geez.... Alberto has gotten so much animosity that I for one am thoroughly sick of it ...

I completely agree. Lots of Contador haters.
But just ignore them. Contador is the 3 time winner of the Tour.
None of the haters can do anything about that.

 

[VoidSix]

Real cycling fans know it's a hard sport with no such ridiculous unwritten rules.

I apologize for the trollish post but geez.... Alberto has gotten so much animosity that I for one am thoroughly sick of it. And this idiocy about unwritten rules makes the bile get into my throat. Cycling is about drama, crashes, attacks, backstabbing, feigning, bluffing, being ruthless. It's not about "sportsmanship". Seriously.. go watch tennis.

Alberto was an extremely classy rider and great champion until he saw Schleck's wheel pop up and immediately took off on one of his signature surges to bury him. Not to mention he was taking pulls on the decent and sprinted into the finish. His post race comments about waiting and not knowing about the mechanical seem extremely disingenuous when you watch the replay. At the very least, he could've let Sanchez and Menchov drive the climb / decent if he wanted to wait. The excuse that he had to go with Sanchez and Menchov is pretty absurd when you see Alberto taking 50% of the pulls.

Honestly, before that moment, I didn't really care who won between the two of them.

 

[dotcycling]

Check your math. If Schleck had not dropped his chain and like on the next stage he and Contador had finished together Schleck would have come to the line in the TT with a 31 second lead. He still would have lost by 8 seconds.

Thor would have been in Green if FC had not got the organizers to neutralize a stage.

If cows had square asses they would crap bricks. After 21 days what if's, could have been and if only's don't count in the written, unwritten or any other rules.

For the benefit of our dumb American fan-friends... can someone do a points calculation... (for American fans, if the time difference is the same, it comes down to points)

 

[Cerberus]

Check your math. If Schleck had not dropped his chain and like on the next stage he and Contador had finished together Schleck would have come to the line in the TT with a 31 second lead. He still would have lost by 8 seconds.

You might want to check you math before you tell other to check their math. Contador won the TT by 31 seconds, the same as Andy's lead before the chain incident. Contador wins the GC by 39 seconds the same as Andy lost in the Chain incident.

 

[Steel4Ever]

For the benefit of our dumb American fan-friends...

Lance lost -- again.

Now onto baseball...

 

[VoidSix]

Not to mention that rules such as two great champions waiting for one another is what makes the Tour De France so unique and such a great event. Jan Ullrich and Armstrong wouldn't have waited for other contenders in the event--because they knew the other was their only true rival (maybe Basso one year in there). Just as Andy and Alberto wouldn't wait for faux-MJ Chavanel or Fabian Cancellara.

We don't want to see who is the luckiest over three weeks, but who is the strongest bike rider. Imagine if you went to a track and field race and they set mountain lions on the track and whoever was "luckiest" got through? It becomes something different than a race--which is supposed to be the simple measure of who is fastest, strongest, and has the most endurance. I still don't think we have an answer for this Tour De France on who that was, as I think Schleck looked tougher in the mountains and obviously Alberto in the TTs, but I think I'm in the minority there.