Unsportmanlike Leopard Team

[Benedict XVI]

This -
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rabobank-calls-leopard-trek-unsportsmanlike

First they pull like crazy ritght after Frank Mathias crash on stage 6.
Then they do the exact same thing with Bauke Mollema on stage 8, after he punctured.

Kinda have to agree, that this kind of racing does not look good to me, especially after the previous year's Tour.

Could it be the reason they had an *** of DS at Tour de Suisse? Seeing guys from the other teams being in trouble, DS just orders them to ride like hell? Revenge from Canellara for TdF and Paris-Roubaix? Or is it just a lack of class?

Whatever their reasons are, I hope they get mercilessly beaten into a pulp come July. Yes, I don't like this team. The way it was founded and the way they do things is just wrong.

 

[spalco]

Rabo has a legitimate grievance here from their point of view imo, but who knows what Leopard's thinking was; maybe they were just training for the Tour de France and Mollema was caught in the crossfire.

 

[Ruxen1989]

Naaah

If you noticed Leopard-TREK pulled hard allready from when Andy Schleck broke the peleton at the category 3 climb. They worked so hard that the norwegian comentators started speculating if Hushovd is on his way to Leopard-TREK next year.
They did a lot of work. Should they then stop and let it all be wasted when Mollema got in trouble? that is the discussion - It's not like they started when he had a puncture. They worked hard way before that!

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Movistar were on the front initially up the climb.

Moreover, it makes no sense for Leopard Trek to try to split the peloton - the only way they could derive benefit from it was in an incident like this. They don't have a sprinter, and no one in the top 30 on GC would ever be dropped on that little rise, so the whole thing seems pretty bizzare and distasteful.

 

[Descender]

I suggest all teams race together hand in hand until the finish.

 

[ferryman]

Just seen the highlights. Frank looking very sheepish and unconvincing at the end trying to explain what happened to Ten Dam. Also noticed Cancellara and Voigt coming in together looking not very happy at all.

Reading between those lines it looks like team orders were obeyed but the riders knew they were not correct.

 

[movingtarget]

If Contador drops his chain in the TDF, expect to see Andy's entire team on the front like dogs of war !

The pace was already high and Mollema got caught out but your point is noted. Bad luck as he was riding consistently. Not sure what sort of TT he can ride but I am expecting Leipheimer to take serious time in the TT. If Mollema was in the yellow jersey I wonder if Schleck and Co would have done the same ? And then we have Cancellara re 2010 TDF calling for neutralised stages and Voight saying that cobbles don't have any place in the TDF............maybe because it was his team mates being effected ?

 

[Ruxen1989]

Just seen the highlights. Frank looking very sheepish and unconvincing at the end trying to explain what happened to Ten Dam. Also noticed Cancellara and Voigt coming in together looking not very happy at all.

Reading between those lines it looks like team orders were obeyed but the riders knew they were not correct.

You could tell there was disagreements between the LT riders. When the puncture happened Andy Schleck was in front and set tempo on the category 4 climb. One of his teammates yelled at him from behind and Andy looked back to see what he wanted. Another teammate told him to 'just go' and he did.

but way back before the puncture there was a conversation between Voigt and Hushovd who are good friends and Cancellara sort of costed Hushovd a possible stage victory in the tour last year. I actually think LT helped Hushovd and tested if that could be a strategy in the tour - to split the peleton. And then Mollema just had a puncture in a bad moment. Plus it makes sense what Gerdemann explained about a tricky finnish where it was better with a smaller group.

 

[dlwssonic]

I believe this was discussed in the stage thread. I think frank crashed while leopard was setting a hard tempo so they didnt do it so that frank would not be able to chase back.

 

[danjo007]

rabo -> bunch of crybabies.

 

[hrotha]

Movistar were on the front initially up the climb.

Moreover, it makes no sense for Leopard Trek to try to split the peloton - the only way they could derive benefit from it was in an incident like this. They don't have a sprinter, and no one in the top 30 on GC would ever be dropped on that little rise, so the whole thing seems pretty bizzare and distasteful.

This.

Movistar split the peloton on the 3rd category climb for completely legitimate reasons (dropping the pure sprinters to boost Rojas' chances). Garmin then decided to help for the same reason (working for Hushovd). I'm 90% sure Leopard only really started to pull after the split had been made.

 

[dlwssonic]

rabo -> bunch of crybabies.

watch out there are a lot of rabo maniacs in the forum.

 

[Ruxen1989]

rabo -> bunch of crybabies.

Actually I agree. It was unfortunate and the LT riders didn't look entirely convinced. But LT worked hard looong before Mollema got in trouble - should they waste all their work on a man on second place?

 

[Ruxen1989]

This.

Movistar split the peloton on the 3rd category climb for completely legitimate reasons (dropping the pure sprinters to boost Rojas' chances). Garmin then decided to help for the same reason (working for Hushovd). I'm 90% sure Leopard only really started to pull after the split had been made.

Sorry - just saw it again. You're right

 

[Gloin22]

It's cycling. World's toughest sport. Not a pussies sport.

 

[Spine Concept]

It's cycling. World's toughest sport. Not a pussies sport.

Tell that to Andy and Cancellara.

 

[Anonymous]

rabo -> bunch of crybabies.

Leopard/TREK -> Bunch of *** a$$holes.

 

[Anonymous]

Tell that to Andy and Cancellara.

Yea, NS. Canc and Andy are two of the biggest crybabies in the peloton. Not only are they pussies, but they are quite stupid when you look at their stage 7 tactics...or lack thereof. I can't wait to see Andy get his a$$ handed to him at the Tour. I don't think Contador should be allowed to ride, but I am glad he is just so Andy can come in second again.

 

[Ruxen1989]

There are many crybabies in cycling apperantly. And now we can add Rabobank to the bunch - they aren't any better than LT, they proved yesterday.

 

[auscyclefan94]

rabo -> bunch of crybabies.

Rubbish. I am disliking Leopard Trek more and more. What they did to Mathias Frank and now to Mollema was not cool. The riders CAN ignore the team orders and didn't have to ride. no excuses.

 

[US Patent Exploding Cyclist]

Leopard is just setting themselves up to have the same happen to them in the TDF. Andy will not be able to complain when he drops his chain again, and the whole peloton pushes the pace.

 

[just some guy]

Leopard is just setting themselves up to have the same happen to them in the TDF. Andy will not be able to complain when he drops his chain again, and the whole peloton pushes the pace.

Be great to see Rabo go to the front and pull- Fabian will ride up hopefully in Yellow and tell them to stop, Andy dropped his chain and dummy, the camera closes in on the discussion and Mollema just smiles says nothing but increases the speed.

 

[phanatic]

They worked so hard that the norwegian comentators started speculating if Hushovd is on his way to Leopard-TREK next year.

I hoped LT had Sagan in mind, as Andy pulled for him in his other victory as well.

 

[Hiddas]

It was just a very stupid action from LT:

When Mollema had a flat tire, the split had already been made. So of course the LT guys didn't wait. The thing is just that it's unsportmanlike from the LT team to take over from Garmin (Who were pulling at the front to make sure the other sprinters were eliminated for the sprint) when Mollema got his flat tire. When they just had let Garmin (and maybe Liquigas) do the work for the last 15 K, F. Schleck would still have passed Mollema in GC because there was no way Mollema could return to the first group after his flat tyre.

So when they just stayed and did nothing in the first group, no-one could accuse them of being unsportmanlike.

 

[AussieGoddess]

hmm

so while AC will have plenty of friends in the peleton from his efforts in the Giro .... doesnt seem like there will be too many willing to help Andy

ah ... karma