The Official Poll: Should Contador Have Waited For Schleck's Mechanical??

[MacRoadie]

Yep, true though I'm for ending this stupid unwritten rule too. It's a race. Have a problem? Deal with it.

Name another racing event that stops racing when the leader has an issue?

Name another racing event where inter-team and inter-rider alliances can change on a daily basis yet are so integral to success in the event.

Plus, it isn't uncommon in motorports for a team to loan another an engine or trans due to an incident in qualifying, etc. Not entirely without precedent.

 

[Pedaaldanser]

At the moment Schleck's chain fell off Contador had already responded to his attack and was just a few meters behind him, with a second or so he surged past him and I really don't think he noticed what exactly had happened. It was all in the heat of battle so it makes sense to me that Contador/Sanchez/Menchov kept pushing on without really knowing what happened to Schleck. I think it was the normal thing to do at the time.

Of course, they learned later on about the mechanical (during the race? afterwards? It doesn't really matter) and it leaves a bitter aftertaste anyway.

 

[53 x 11]

Incorrect. AC was accelerating in response to AS's attack well before AS had the problem. AC passed AS just four seconds after AS first slowed.

Yeah, this was my take on it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Incorrect. AC was accelerating in response to AS's attack well before AS had the problem. AC passed AS just four seconds after AS first slowed.

That's not nessercarily the point. The point was that he did not wait and 4 seconds is enough time to realise that the guy is oddly deccelerating therefore has a mechanical.

 

[richwagmn]

Name another racing event where inter-team and inter-rider alliances can change on a daily basis yet are so integral to success in the event.

Plus, it isn't uncommon in motorports for a team to loan another an engine or trans due to an incident in qualifying, etc. Not entirely without precedent.

I don't think your example works. They don't stop racing when there's an issue. I understand you may loan parts, but if you have to hit the pits, you're losing position anyways.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Name another racing event where inter-team and inter-rider alliances can change on a daily basis yet are so integral to success in the event.

Plus, it isn't uncommon in motorports for a team to loan another an engine or trans due to an incident in qualifying, etc. Not entirely without precedent.

Don't start on motor racing! The sport is mostly decided on mechanicals and the first lap! F1 is one of the most overrated events on the planet.

 

[Martin318is]

Don't start on motor racing! The sport is mostly decided on mechanicals and the first lap! F1 is one of the most overrated events on the planet.

You may not be aware but world motorsport is a lot wider than Formula 1.
The comment made was quite correct. There have been many examples across various disciplines of motorsport where competitors have assisted each other - up to and including donating entire spare cares to drivers from a different team. Whilst this obviously doesn't happen in F1 anymore because the cars are so incompatible, it is still the case that teams in comps such as Nascar and V8 Supercars will loan each other transmissions, suspension components and even entire engines.

As to the original point - success in NASCAR for example is heavily dependent upon drafting aliances between cars of opposing teams.

 

[auscyclefan94]

You may not be aware but world motorsport is a lot wider than Formula 1.
The comment made was quite correct. There have been many examples across various disciplines of motorsport where competitors have assisted each other - up to and including donating entire spare cares to drivers from a different team. Whilst this obviously doesn't happen in F1 anymore because the cars are so incompatible, it is still the case that teams in comps such as Nascar and V8 Supercars will loan each other transmissions, suspension components and even entire engines.

As to the original point - success in NASCAR for example is heavily dependent upon drafting aliances between cars of opposing teams.

Sorry, I should of been more specific as I have hardly ever watched NASCAR, but in competitions such as the F1 and V8 Supercars, it is very mundane. Yes I know Timmy will pick me up on saying that I do like cycling and people think that of cycling is boring but timmy I am allowed to like what I like and dislike what I dislike!

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

AC was in full flight when schlep stuffed his gears, also did you notice that NO ONE stopped or waited, NO ONE.

did i just get trolled?

Of course no one stopped when AC shot off like a rocket up that hill. And I didn't say they should have stopped, maybe you should try reading my post again?

Incorrect. AC was accelerating in response to AS's attack well before AS had the problem. AC passed AS just four seconds after AS first slowed.

Yes, he was indeed responding to Schleck's attack, but then he also attacked. Responding means closing the gap, not flying past him like Ricco -08 and pushing hard to distance the guy. AC had done nothing but cover AS all day, he was at the back of the group before AS went and he had never countered on a Schleck move (not even the weak ones) at any point in this Tour (it would always be followed by a track stand). Am I supposed to believe that the first time he actually does so - on the 4th mtn stage after a very hard AS attack and after having shown no offensive intentions all climb long - it just happens to coincide with Andy quite obviously having some sort of bike problem...? Kinda hard to believe the "mechanical" did not trigger it. Obviously, it's a quick, heat of the moment decision that he may well have regretted further on.