Tour de France 2011 Stage 9: Issoire - Saint-Flour 208 km

[ak-zaaf]

Hoogerland should sue French TV for the damage.

Not only physical, but also for the missed publicity and the missed prize money.

I just asked in that clinic thread if that was possible in any way

 

[RedheadDane]

Phew! Hoogerlandt is back on the bike. Those few moment when they didn't show him I was **** scared!

This is just crazy...

 

[El Pistolero]

Wtf are you talking about.

Stupidity at another level.

Car of French tv.

As for Voeckler not wanting to win it, I don't want to see someone win who gets it because everyone else crashed(peloton crashed and Hoogie and Flecha now). That has nothing to do with him being French.

 

[Publicus]

This Tour is making the Giro look conservative and well organized.
Shameful, amateurish and ridiculous driving.
Should not have been there in the first place.

Absolutely. Just a crazy day.

 

[hrotha]

Well then I don't know what to tell you. It's fairly straightforward. I have it DVR'd in HD. Clear. As. Day.

If the rider doesn't come forward, then exclude the entire Katusha team.

If you have it in HD, then rip it and upload it, because I can't see anything in the videos you guys have posted. Karpets swings sort of abruptly to his left (which could have been caused by anything), and Contador goes flying. To me it looks like his front wheel touched either Karpets or his teammate's rear wheel so he lost control, but that doesn't mean Karpets pushed him or anything.

 

[meandmygitane]

Physics suggests that even if he hadn't swerved, he would have hit the tree on the right front of the car, which would have thrown the car to the right into the riders regardless. In fact, it would probably have been more dramatic.

Didn't look so to me, looked like he might lose a rearmirror but not more but you may be right, I will be studying any replays released on internets and get back to you.

But he should have been able to see the obstacle in time to slow down and swerve carefully to the right behind the riders.

He was too stressed and only focused on passing the riders as fast as possible IMO.

 

[ak-zaaf]

A bit racist..

French is a race now?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

What should he have done then?

Should have radioed back for Cancellara's opinion. Duh.

 

[Ramira]

agree...with the narrow road, why were they passing the riders?

According to the Belgian TV he was probably trying to get past so he would be at the finish in time to do some post-race interviews. Great reason to catapult two riders into the side of the road isn't it?

 

[Carl0880]

Hell this stage is making Paris Roubaix in the rain look like a safe race

 

[lilyprotector]

was there any confirmation on that motorcyclist from the other day who dragged the rider getting kicked out for sure?

this guy just did a hit and run today. my husband thinks he was on his cell.

 

[Arnout]

Car of French tv.

As for Voeckler not wanting to win it, I don't want to see someone win who gets it because everyone else crashed(peloton crashed and Hoogie and Flecha now)

Ok give the win to LL Sanchez, that will solve it.

Oh no, it doesn't.

And what the heck you wont find a car of Spanish tv here will you? Its called the Tour de France after all.

 

[Anonymous]

A bit racist..

xenophobic is the word you are looking for.

 

[Gingerale]

it's astonishing. he's on his bike and riding. no way he's okay.

 

[K-0tic]

Shamefull Tour, shame shame shame. Official car from the organisation , poor.

 

[RdBiker]

What should he have done then?

You're right. They didn't do anything wrong. They had no idea how badly the two were injured and if they had waited it would've basically ended the break-away.

 

[Benotti69]

Remember they earn their money with this. Without those cars no exposure.

This was uncalled for, but when did this happen before? In all those years with many cars.

read what Nico Roche said about the these tour/vip cars they get preferential treatment over the riders. this was a french media car. they need the tour as much as the TdF needs them. look at the crowds on the roads. the media want to tap into these crowds.

 

[funnytanlines]

ryder leading the chase now

 

[hfer07]

this mudafvck!ing stage is turning into a war zone: its all about meaking it to the finish line ALIVE

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Really gotta feel for hoogie. He'll survive but there goes his great form

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

If you have it in HD, then rip it and upload it, because I can't see anything in the videos you guys have posted. Karpets swings sort of abruptly to his left (which could have been caused by anything), and Contador goes flying. To me it looks like his front wheel touched either Karpets or his teammate's rear wheel so he lost control, but that doesn't mean Karpets pushed him or anything.

You need to look a lot closer. Karpets clearly makes a motion towards Contador.

 

[ggusta]

Physics suggests that even if he hadn't swerved, he would have hit the tree on the right front of the car, which would have thrown the car to the right into the riders regardless. In fact, it would probably have been more dramatic.

he had to have been aware of the trees. it was a stupid area to attempt that, the cyclists were going too fast to attempt that he needed to slow way down and wait for a more open area.

 

[benpounder]

car was flying, saw the tree, there was more than just the one tree (there was like a tree every 100 yards or so) so he is a freaking imbecile. My God.

if it's the cyclist or the tree and you are driving like a fool, you're gonna have to eat bark.

Not defending the driver - it was an utter boneheaded move that could have killed anyone in the break.

I wonder if the race jury will award both Flecha and Hoogeland the same time as Voeckler et al... They should.

 

[bjaelkesex]

This means there will be some sort of rider protest tomorrow. Hopefully they wont cancel the stage.

 

[Anonymous]

Didn't look so to me, looked like he might lose a rearmirror but not more but you may be right, I will be studying any replays released on internets and get back to you.

But he should have been able to see the obstacle in time to slow down and swerve carefully to the right behind the riders.

He was too stressed and only focused on passing the riders as fast as possible IMO.

Certainly he shouldn't have been passing at that point. It was clear there were trees to his left, and he chose to try to shoot past. Stupid move by the driver for sure.