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Another great finish and good to see Cav getting one finally.
And without upsetting the Classement Generale.
GO GARMIN! GO CLEAN!
Lotta people will be hurting tonight and sticking to their sheets with weeping road-rash.
There was a rumour that motorcycle camera guy was fired on the spot for taking out Sorenson - anyone know anything?
Sorensen was clipped by a motorcycle from Getty Images as it was trying to pass him. Knocked him off the bike and dragged the bike for 200 meters. The description and the video clip are in a VeloNews note.
The Tour was rough today. Ouch! :eek:
Was amused by Contador's temper tamtrum, throwing his bike in the ditch. Can I have it? :rolleyes:
LOL...He better his game together soon, start paying attention and riding closer to the front.Quote:
Originally Posted by bmccasland
Just got home from the first of 3 open house "Watch The Tour de France" evenings at the Carmichael training center. They showed potions of the first 5 stages of the tour, with commentary and answers to questions as we watched.
I came in a little late and missed the introductions (if there were any), so I did not know the name of the person was doing the commentary (until later), but as he spoke, referring to "when I rode the tour..." and "When I talked to Tyler after the stage today..." as he pointed out moments that demonstrated good strategies, poor timing, etc., I realized what an amazing insider's perspective and insight we were getting.
Our narrator was Gord Fraser, who has some impressive Olympic and pro cycling credentials. I know he and Tyler Farrar were team mates at one time, but I got the impression he may also be coaching Tyler as well. Two of the regular Carmichael coaches were there as well.
And we got some freebies- water bottles & GU products. I'm going back next week. They're raffling off a bike fit!
What's the saying "the bad carpenter blames his tools" :p :rolleyes: ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by bmccasland
Sounds like fun!!Quote:
Originally Posted by azfiddle
It's high time we discussed the important issue of podium outfits. I like the black dresses worn by the women who present the stage-winner stuff, though they're almost too much for daytime. The yellow jersey women seem to have a different outfit every day. They're pretty classic styling, okay, nothing exciting. I don't like the dresses worn by the green jersey women -- white with green collar and belt. They're too sporty.
I still haven't seen the polka dot or young rider presentations. I wonder if we can see up the skirts of the polka dot dresses again this year.
I imagine he was just frustrated. One of the guys from Rabobank yelled when he crashed, and I'm pretty sure he said "motherf****r."Quote:
Originally Posted by Trek420
I don't think anyone was happy with today's route. The scenary was beautiful, though. I bet they get some cold winds on that coast!!
This is completely awesome!Quote:
Originally Posted by KnottedYet
I've never watched the Tour before, and have always wondered what people liked about watching others ride bikes. But after skimming through the enthusiastic comments on this thread yesterday, I decided to watch the 8 pm Stage 5 broadcast. GRIPPING! Seriously, I am now obsessed. I'm preparing to turn the TV on in a few minutes to catch the live morning broadcast. You all have created a monster!
I didn't get it either....I used to be like 'how can you watch three hours of this?'Quote:
Originally Posted by blue_angel
Then I started riding and watching last year, and because of the tour endured one of the most 'unproductive' three weeks of my life!
Slight threadjack but did you see the dresses the girls wore at the Tour de Suisse? They were hideous, mid calf, not much style! I like to see the dresses too. I thought last year's polka dot girls dresses were hilarious, it was over the top like the tour. Of course I did hear all the talk about how they had matching polka dot undies.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
Found a photo of the polka dot dresses, ummmmmm..... It looks very unflattering, what is that a housecoat? And the young rider dresses, nothing exciting just simple.
Oh my eyes!!!!! It looks like they took some polka dot curtains and made frocks out of them, like Carol Burnett's version of Gone with the Wind. And I'm pretty sure those giant red dots could induce seizures.Quote:
Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama
The white ones aren't bad, kinda dull but I like the shape.
And yes, the Swiss dresses were horrible!! And what was with those hats??
Never really understood what the hoopla was either until I began riding and found out how difficult it is.Talk about monsters...my husband takes a week vacation to watch the Tour, we buy the Versus access so we can watch it again at our whim...This year I am right there with him! Completely awesome! :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by blue_angel
Go Norway! Thor will smash. :D
I was finally able to watch last night. The first thing I saw was each cyclist grabbing a bag of food and whatever else they had then a few proceeded to ride with no hands, staying ahead of others, and rearrange their goodies into their back pockets. How the heck do that do that?!?!? I am so jealous. :p I still wobble a bit when I drink my water and I definitely don't keep the same speed when I drink.
Dammit!! Horner crashed and finished > 12 minutes back today. Hopefully he is not too badly injured.
Wiggins went down in the same crash and is out with a broken collarbone. Boonen abandoned due to injuries from the other day.
I hate the carnage. Prefer to see guys fighting it out, not gaining or losing time because of bad luck.
Man, Radio Shack is having nothing but BAD luck! I hate that some of the big name guys of the Tour are in so many of the crashes. Although I wouldn't be too upset if Contador was in a few more:o
Horner's on the way to the hospital to have his head checked out.
Update from Bruyneel: Chris fractured his nose and has a concussion and calf hematoma.
Dislike!!!
Cavtastic!!!!!!
But poor Wiggins - gutted :(
Could we abstain from wishing crashes on any cyclist? I know Contador is the evil guy of the day, but from disliking him to wishing he would crash, there is a huge distance... I find such wishes appalling.
Horner hit his head hard. If he has a concussion (which it looks like the case, judging by his confusion at the finish line about actually having crashed and finished -- see the video from bicycling.com clip here), I hope he does not start tomorrow. It would be too dangerous if he were to fall again.
I thought if you didn't finish a race you were out. Granted it's been a while since I've read the race rules on the official tour website. How does one go get checked out at a hospital and get back to complete a race with sufficent time to not be disqualified?
Horner was taken to the hospital *after* finishing the stage.
I'm really surprised they let him finish the stage. Usually if a rider is confused like that after a crash, they put him in the ambulance right away.
I know! Did you the video I linked? He did not seem to remember crashing or understand that he had finished. How did he ride 25km in that condition? he must have simply gotten on his bike before medical personnel even looked at him.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
That is so insane! I can't even believe that he managed to finish the stage in that condition. It just goes to show how incredibly *trained* these guys are--they can do it on reflex.Quote:
Originally Posted by pll
Man, Team Radio Shack is really trapped under a cloud. Here's hoping that nothing else bad befalls any of them!
I haven't watched the video yet.
But the thing is, Bruyneel has said that he stopped and found Horner lying in a ditch, and could see he had crashed hard. So Horner did not get back on his bike without help from the team. That's why I'm surprised he continued the race. Bruyneel may be an aggressive manager but I do believe he puts the health of his riders ahead of everything. I remember a TdF a few years back where one of his key climbers crashed and then started to race again, but after a bit they spoke to him and determined he had signs of a concussion, at which point they took him from the race right away.
And even if the race doctor was busy with other riders, you would think that at some point he would have caught up with Horner to check him out.
So maybe Chris was coherent enough that the extent of his injuries was not so clear.
Regardless, I hope he recovers quickly, along with all the other injured riders.
update: nice blog post from Jani Brajkovic:
http://www.livestrong.com/teamradios...ith-left-hand/
Pll - Sorry, it was just a bad joke. I don't wish anyone to get hurt. I would really like Contador to have a strong finish and someone beat him in a very close finish.
Gosh, he seem like a nice chap, and has some thoughtful points!Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
I hope that he heals well and that team Radioshack's luck improves - they seem to have had a rough ride so far :(
The Missile is awesome isn't he. Reminds me in some respects of Super Mario (Cipollini). :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Mako
Poor Bradley...he was my pick for the maillot jaune on the Champs Elysee :(
I wonder what's going to happen with Contador. To be honest I don't think he should be riding with an unresolved doping case hanging over his head. What if he wins this Tour and the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for sport upholds the doping allegations in August? I don't think Millar and a number of others who've be caught doping should be allowed to ride in the sports most prestigious race either - or the Vuelta/Giro/Paris-Roubaix et al.
I understand that people can see him as being arrogant, but I can't help but like the fella! Possibly Sonic the Hedgehog too?Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Doo
I certainly have reservations about Contador, really not my favourite rider!
I don't wish him any harm and actually felt bad to see him all scuffed up the other day. However, all this 'unresolved business' seems to cast a bit of a shadow over the tour, especially if he won.
ohhhh Chris!!!!! My heart is broken. It made me tear up to see how confused he was. I was sooooo rooting for him.
I think it's just that I believe Cav is going to become the Tours dominant sprinter like Mario was back in the day rather than any arrogance. When you're that good you're allowed to be a little big 'eaded. I adore Cav as I adored Il Re Leone. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mako
I'd put money on Contador not winning this Tour. Just a feeling.
Actually, Cipo thinks Cavendish's attitude is holding him back:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/...o-learn_182458
This is an interesting article about head injuries:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pro-...-head-injuries
BTW according to the twitter, Horner is spending the night in the hospital for observation but is doing better.
I like seeing Cavendish sprint, but I often find him arrogant (a good reason not to listen to his interviews), blaming the global conspiracy against him when he loses.
The CAS should have decided on the Contador case prior to the Tour. I do not get what the hold up was, to postpone a decision until August. Should Contador win and the CAS decide against him would be just be terrible. I still feel for Oscar Pereiro, who was second to Floyd Landis in 2006 -- I doubt that there is much personal satisfaction in being awarded the win years later.
Finally, re Horner, seeing the footage is really frightening. And now I read (in Cycling News) that apparently Tom Boonen also had a head injury and "other riders complained that the Belgian was a danger to the peloton". Yet he was allowed to decide himself whether to continue... If the rider could have a concussion, he should not be the one making the call. According to the article, Team Garmin Cervelo seem to be taking steps in that direction, training all the staff to follow a protocol.
PS: Article linked above is the same linked by ny_biker. Sorry for the duplication.
Great minds think alike!! :D
Pot, kettle and black come to mind. Cipo's attitude was never the best :D However I do agree with him in that Cav has an awful lot to learn. There's a 'dig' at the end of that piece about him (Cipo) being steeped in cycling 'history' merely by being Italian and it being their culture and Cav being pretty much a country bumpkin...Attitude much!
Has to be said that Britain has a fantastic cycling history and heritage.
Am home after sneaking peeks at the TdF website at the office....
:eek: Holy Cow, how on God's green earth did Horner finish that ride? :eek: I saw the film footage when I turned on The Tour at home. How scary.
Hope he gets to feeling better soon.
Jani's blog was interesting, especially his final comment.
Saul Raisin was coherent once in the hospital and it took a while for the bleeding to become serious enough that he slipped into a coma.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
Natasha Richardson was coherent after her skiing accident as well.
It seems to me that because of the mystery surrounding brain injuries that if someone shows even the slightest possibility they may have a concussion, the injury needs to be taken very seriously.
I'm letting Chris's accident get to me a little too much. That video was just heartbreaking.
So sad to see Horner is this condition. Also sad that he was on my fantasy team! :(
I think given the amount of things that are being learned about head injuries cycling needs to take a better stance on them. These men are pressuring themselves to be a a danger to their health and others by riding. They really need to have a way the doctors can say "NO MORE". Football is finally starting to see the light and cycling needs to follow suit. What scares me is we now know that this many head injuries can lead to life long issues but cycling seems to treat it as par for the course.
I can't believe the number of big names abandoning from crashes. And on Contador, I don't want him to crash but I do like that he is not having everything go his way. It seems like he needs a bad grand tour to bring him down a notch. I don't like him racing when he could end up banned and being stripped of any wins.