Tour de France Stage 2 Brussels - Spa, 192 km Monday, July 5 2010

[Anonymous]

Okay, I retract my posts that immediately followed the crashes. If there was indeed oil on the road (and there is little reason to doubt this as everyone was saying the same thing), then waiting was the right thing to do.

I don't respect those who are saying that the stage shouldn't have been included (Horner especially) because if it was oil that caused the crashes, it wouldn't have mattered where the race was run. But I can understand the desire of the riders to shut it down.

 

[Thee_chisa]

I was hoping age would explain your stupid fantasies.

my stupid fantasies which have been reported in most medias. if you are in the US i presume they are talking with bob roll about how armstrong will win another tour by kicking ***! and will get round to the actual realities of today's events later when you have stopped high-fiving yourselves and shouting U S A, U S A

 

[tgsgirl]

If they really thought that the course was too dangerous, then why didn't they protest it before the start of the race or deliberately go slow on the dicey portions?

OIL.
How hard can it be to understand a three-lettered word?

 

[Thee_chisa]

Probably? He felt like he had a gun to his head because they probably would've gone on strike? If Pescheux had said "green points will be awarded", then Robbie Mac (if up to it), Oscarcito, Thor, Roelandts and whichever sprinter still up there would've sprinted.
The only team that didn't agree during the race was Cervélo as far as I've read. Rabo didn't agree but didn't speak up. But sure, let's expel the one guy. That makes sense.

yeah, but pescheaux is the race director, not cancellara and it shouldn't be up to a disgruntled rider on a disgruntled team to dictate the rules, especially when their reasons for acting are disingenuous. he should at least be given an official warning, riis too, the dodgy fucker should never been allowed to get back involved with the sport. if desgranges was still involved with the race he would have had cancellara shot.

 

[hrotha]

did you not watch the stage? and the post race interviews? cancellara said that he said to pescheur he wanted the stage neutralised and the point scrapped. as for the bullying? god, i dunno, if you don't know about that read up a bit more.

It's pretty obvious Cancellara acted as a representative of the peloton as a whole.

 

[scribe]

my stupid fantasies which have been reported in most medias. if you are in the US i presume they are talking with bob roll about how armstrong will win another tour by kicking ***! and will get round to the actual realities of today's events later when you have stopped high-fiving yourselves and shouting U S A, U S A

Talking with Bob Roll?

Like I said.....

 

[richwagmn]

Okay, I retract my posts that immediately followed the crashes. If there was indeed oil on the road (and there is little reason to doubt this as everyone was saying the same thing), then waiting was the right thing to do.

I don't respect those who are saying that the stage shouldn't have been included (Horner especially) because if it was oil that caused the crashes, it wouldn't have mattered where the race was run. But I can understand the desire of the riders to shut it down.

Velonews just put up a good story. Sounded insane after the motobike spilled oil. Many riders were saying they couldn't control their bike.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010...after-the-tour-de-frances-second-stage_125976

 

[old_bram]

he would have had cancellara shot.

Riis may now be thinking the same - can't have helped his search for a new sponsor.

 

[tgsgirl]

It's pretty obvious Cancellara acted as a representative of the peloton as a whole.

Come on, that's not fair. You're using common sense now, and not everyone has that faculty at their disposal.

 

[Highlander]

OIL.
How hard can it be to understand a three-lettered word?

He said that they knew that it would be dangerous from the start - this was assumed even without the oil and even the rain it would appear from the article, so it still doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Thee_chisa]

Riis may now be thinking the same - can't have helped his search for a new sponsor.

cancellara is after getting on the schlecks new team.

 

[richwagmn]

cancellara is after getting on the schlecks new team.

Or maybe he's just a decent guy who didn't think the GC should be decided based on a freak event. Either explanation works now doesn't it?

 

[Thee_chisa]

Or maybe he's just a decent guy who didn't think the GC should be decided based on a freak event. Either explanation works now doesn't it?

bwahahahahaa so if anyone falls off tomorrow are they gonna wait?

 

[Cerberus]

Riis may now be thinking the same - can't have helped his search for a new sponsor.

What do you mean? Keeping his captains in contention and possibly getting a spot on the podium can't hurt his chances of getting a new sponsor, even if the Schlecks leave.

 

[Thee_chisa]

What do you mean? Keeping his captains in contention and possibly getting a spot on the podium can't hurt his chances of getting a new sponsor, even if the Schlecks leave.

having the maillot jaune till the mountains would have served saxo better as it is unlikely either of the schlecks will wear it. advertisers like to see their logo on the maillot jaune.

 

[tgsgirl]

Velonews just put up a good story. Sounded insane after the motobike spilled oil. Many riders were saying they couldn't control their bike.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010...after-the-tour-de-frances-second-stage_125976

That's a good overview, thanks!
(and a great picture)

I've read a few sources now saying that Farrar will not start tomorrow, he's broken his elbow. Haven't heard anything from Garmin themselves.

 

[MartinGT]

bwahahahahaa so if anyone falls off tomorrow are they gonna wait?

It wasnt like one or two went down though is it?

 

[hrotha]

Velonews just put up a good story. Sounded insane after the motobike spilled oil. Many riders were saying they couldn't control their bike.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010...after-the-tour-de-frances-second-stage_125976

Very interesting. So it was all because of that motorbike after all? Reading that article it would seem all crashes happened in 200-300 m. How did that motorbike manage to spill oil over such a large distance? It wasn't so steep the oil could have run that far in a couple of minutes, was it?

 

[Thee_chisa]

It wasnt like one or two went down though is it?

maybe, but it just happens that the major losers from the fall were saxo riders. if they hit the ground tomorrow will he try it again.

in fact, why don't we just have a nice promenade to paris?

 

[180mmCrank]

I think it's been said but...

This is a three week stage race not a one day classic. There was oil on the road from a motorbike - the road became virtually unrideable. It's got nothing to do with bike handling or cyclists being mentally soft.

It was IMO the right thing to allow the GC contenders to get back into the race. This is normal and one of the things I like about cycling. It is also normal and expected that the Yellow Jersey is the guy that speaks for the other riders on the road.

All is good. Great for Chavanel - an amazing story for him!

I expect to see some thrills and spills again tomorrow on the cobbles but they will race I am sure.

 

[MartinGT]

maybe, but it just happens that the major losers from the fall were saxo riders. if they hit the ground tomorrow will he try it again.

in fact, why don't we just have a nice promenade to paris?

I can understand why Cancellara stopped to start off with. What I cant understand is why he wanted with about 20k to go was a neuteralised stage. Why wasnt he happy with the sprinters going for it?

 

[old_bram]

Watched it all afternoon and gave him a +10 for getting the contenders back together, but once they were back was as **ssed off as most for the go slow.

 

[tgsgirl]

maybe, but it just happens that the major losers from the fall were saxo riders. if they hit the ground tomorrow will he try it again.

So Farrar is with Saxo now? And VandeVelde too? Contador? Armstrong? Gesink? Wiggins? Robbie Mac? Kreuziger?
Geez, no wonder they've won so much this year.

 

[Thee_chisa]

I think it's been said but...

This is a three week stage race not a one day classic. There was oil on the road from a motorbike - the road became virtually unrideable. It's got nothing to do with bike handling or cyclists being mentally soft.

It was IMO the right thing to allow the GC contenders to get back into the race. This is normal and one of the things I like about cycling. It is also normal and expected that the Yellow Jersey is the guy that speaks for the other riders on the road.

All is good. Great for Chavanel - an amazing story for him!

I expect to see some thrills and spills again tomorrow on the cobbles but they will race I am sure.

this comparing of it to a classic is disingenuous. they all ride the same roads and have the same equipment. if they fall off, tough! the best rider doesn't automatically win, they need luck too, which since armstrong has come into the race seems to be overlooked. in 1980 zooltemelck won after hinault retired, after indurain had a hungerknock in 1995 riis won, should they have waited for him? remember ullrich in 1998? fignon in 89?

 

[Clemson Cycling]

Any news about the time neutralization. I think Chavanel should get his time, win, and points but everything else should be set even. No points, no time losses. I am of course saying this because I am a Garmin fan and those hopes went out the window today. Sounds like Dean and Vande Velde might be out