Quote Originally Posted by katluvr View Post
Regarding the crashes....this year it seems the Pelaton does not care about who is caught up in the crashes. They don't slow. They still just chase and try and get their sprinters up there. When I first started watching the tour it seemed like they were more "gentlemenly" about holding up a bit to let the others catch up. They realized how unfortunate it was for those caught up behind a crash. No more nice guy in the tour!

I also have to have to admit I am a Sagan fan and love how he is making it fun for himself (and us watching)!

K
I wonder if race radios and copying of strategies are to blame for these crashes. I was reading the news release from Euskatel Euskadi, following yesterday's stage and one thing jumped at me. One of the riders said that everybody was trying to get to the front as if they were all going to win the Tour. Clearly, if every team is trying to get to the front, there is a physical impossibility!

Another factor that could be at play is the European crisis, in the sense that many sponsorships may be under risk. This might lead many riders to try to place well and impress, just in case their team goes belly up (think Team Geox -- despite winning the Vuelta a España, they lost sponsorship with little notice).