ajd1992 From UK - England, joined Jul 2006, 2645 posts, RR: 6 Reply 3, posted (1 year 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 1872 times:
I watched it in 2007 but I can't help but wonder how many of the guys doing it are using some sort of drug to try and help them win. They're fit as they can possibly be, but I can't help but think that it's almost a doctored result because of the amount of riders "claimed" to be on some sort of drug.
That said, It is a big event and I hope everybody completes it without injury.
iakobos From Belgium, joined Aug 2003, 3304 posts, RR: 38 Reply 5, posted (1 year 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 1865 times:
Quoting ajd1992 (Reply 3): but wonder how many of the guys doing it are using some sort of drug to try and help them win.
They are not superhuman, who could spend thousands of calories daily and be fit for weeks ?
All are on something, no exception, but there are three sorts of something, the authorized/legal, the unauthorized/illegal, the unknown(obviously without status).
Some athletes have been and most probably still are volunteer guinea pigs for specialized research in performance-enhancing processes and substances.
notaxonrotax From Netherlands, joined Mar 2011, 371 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (1 year 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1820 times:
Quoting GrahamHill (Reply 1): He got delayed by a fall in the peloton.
Yep, caused by female spectator in………guess what…….a yellow jersey!!
Well well, second day--> and Contador loses more time to the Schleck brothers, Evans and Gesink!!!
Not really his fault perhaps, it was the team trial after all.
The mountains will tell…………but this is NOT a good start for Conti!
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Severnaya From Russia, joined Jan 2009, 1390 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (1 year 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1812 times:
Quoting ajd1992 (Reply 3):
I watched it in 2007 but I can't help but wonder how many of the guys doing it are using some sort of drug to try and help them win.
I love the Tour de France, and cycling in general.
I just watch it with the thought that all riders are using some kind of drug, so there basically isn't any difference. It makes watching more interesting.
JJJ From Spain, joined May 2006, 1618 posts, RR: 2 Reply 9, posted (1 year 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1720 times:
Quoting iakobos (Reply 5): Some athletes have been and most probably still are volunteer guinea pigs for specialized research in performance-enhancing processes and substances.
Which works for every sport out there.
Regulation catches up with innovation so legal today will be illegal next year.
The first ever marathon winner received two shots of strycnin (and a cup of brandy) during the race. In the 20s, cyclists and runners used cocaine. Amphetamines were the norm starting from the 30s (up to that famous Everton league title in 62), etc. etc.
In pro sports, there's money and glory involved so everyone will generally to anything within the rules to get an edge. Sometimes outside the rules as well if they think there's a chance they will not get caught.
airkas1 From Netherlands, joined Dec 2003, 3845 posts, RR: 57 Reply 10, posted (1 year 10 months 3 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1715 times:
'll be watching the tour as much as I can and I always look forward to the mountains. That's where the differences get made and it's by far the most interesting part of the Tour.
As a Dutchman, I will of course be rooting for the Rabobank team.
If you watch the video carefully, you'll see a tree on the driver's left that is much closer than the other trees, and it has a mound of raised earth/grass around the base. The care HAD to swerve to miss this or the car would have been launched into the air and into the cyclists. Sure it's sad to see but on those super narrow roads that is one of the dangers of mixing team cars and cyclists. But to talk of lawsuits is stupid.
scrubbsywg From Canada, joined Mar 2007, 1486 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 1532 times:
Quoting photopilot (Reply 13):
If you watch the video carefully, you'll see a tree on the driver's left that is much closer than the other trees, and it has a mound of raised earth/grass around the base. The care HAD to swerve to miss this or the car would have been launched into the air and into the cyclists. Sure it's sad to see but on those super narrow roads that is one of the dangers of mixing team cars and cyclists. But to talk of lawsuits is stupid.
Quoting photopilot (Reply 13): The car HAD to swerve to miss this or the car would have been launched into the air and into the cyclists.
Why was he there in the 1st place!?? The tour direction told him to move before that!
Or maybe he could have braked!!!??? If you say that was his only option, and then call ME stupid………quite a nerve.
If you drive recklessly and cause injury to others there is always a chance of a lawsuit!………it depends whether Vacansoleil sues or not!!
And you know what, I´m not even the only one that thinks like that:
Quoting bjorn14 (Reply 15): He should be charged with reckless driving.
Quoting bill142 (Reply 14): The car has been expelled from the tour for not following the instructions of the race director.
At least he will never drive in the Tour again, which is obvious but neither will that car……….who is liable for all the damages to his company?
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GrahamHill From France, joined Mar 2007, 2513 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 1478 times:
Quoting photopilot (Reply 13): If you watch the video carefully, you'll see a tree on the driver's left that is much closer than the other trees, and it has a mound of raised earth/grass around the base. The care HAD to swerve to miss this or the car would have been launched into the air and into the cyclists. Sure it's sad to see but on those super narrow roads that is one of the dangers of mixing team cars and cyclists
The car should not have been here in the first place. They've deliberately ignored an order from the direction. It's true that the car was about to hit the tree, but it should not have been here in the first place. They've been excluded rightly.
Aesma From France, joined Nov 2009, 4787 posts, RR: 9 Reply 19, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 1471 times:
It's not a team car (which sometimes scare me too) but a support car for France Télévisions, the French public broadcaster. The French commentators from France 2 did not highlight that too much after the accident, strangely... They were harsher with the motorbike that hit a rider and left him without a bike the other day.
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bill142 From Australia, joined Aug 2004, 8320 posts, RR: 9 Reply 21, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 1432 times:
Quoting notaxonrotax (Reply 17): At least he will never drive in the Tour again, which is obvious but neither will that car……….who is liable for all the damages to his company?
Probably no one. The broadcaster might get hit with a fine by the organisers but I doubt there would be any court action over this. There would be a certain degree of risk accepted by the riders and the teams of a collision with a car, and while the race organisers would do everything within their power to reduce that risk, the risk of it occuring can't be eliminated completely as long as you have media and support vehicles in the tour. And lets face it, no one is going to get rid of their support vehicles.
Unless there is overwhelming evidence that the driver of the car was being intentionally negligent, then I doubt much more will come of it. But authorities in France might see it differently.
iakobos From Belgium, joined Aug 2003, 3304 posts, RR: 38 Reply 22, posted (1 year 10 months 2 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 1421 times:
Quoting bill142 (Reply 21): There would be a certain degree of risk accepted by the riders and the teams of a collision with a car
True, 130 cars, 70 motorbikes and 200 riders is quite a fleet.
Put in the occasional narrow roads, poor weather at times, unruly or distracted spectators, public roads "natural" obstacles, race circumstances, the often present half-a-second distraction, and accidents are simply part of the Tour.
The media makes it look like this year is particularly bad.
I don't think so, what could be out of the ordinary however is that big names have fallen early in the race.
Accidents between cars or cars and motorbikes are a very common occurence.
Sidenote: Cavendish was beaten by the gorilla of Rostock. Well done !
In addition to what I said earlier, I've just read in the paper that the tour has it's own traffic law. Drivers are regularly breath tested and drivers that break the tour rules must face a disciplinary committee. And apparently there are more incidents than what are reported in the media (I suspect minor things like not warning riders properly)
25 iakobos: Serious things are about to start. The ranking so far leaves most theoritical contenders within close range, except Contador though he is not that far
26 Aesma: They'll all wait and wait and wait until the last mountain, then they'll be caught in a big fall in front of them caused by Andy's front wheel breakin
27 iakobos: I am 100% behind a spirited fighter like Voeckler, without guys like him and Gilbert, Hoogeland, Vinokourov, the TdF would be a soporific exercise bu
28 iakobos: I was wrong, Contador could not or did not switch his booster pump today, the Schleck gang had him cornered in. I still think it is too early for Cont
29 Aesma: Contador himself doesn't seem to strong, maybe he has not fully recovered from the Giro. I wish the others would just attack and let him far behind, i
30 notaxonrotax: Agree!! They are waiting, waiting, waiting…………..if this keeps going this way, I can see 2 guys laughing in Paris: Cadel Evans, or Voeckler!!!
31 GrahamHill: Mmmmh, I would like to share your optimism about Voeckler but I don't know if he has enough energy left for the Alps. He repeatedly said that he will
32 GrahamHill: Contador declared that he is not going to win the Tour this year: http://www.marca.com/2011/07/21/ciclismo/tour_francia/1311264314.html (in Spanish).
33 GrahamHill: Cadel Evans wins the Tour de France! First Australian ever to win it. Congratulations, that was really well played! Andy is second... again. Hopefully
34 bill142: that was a really big ride by Cadel to come 2nd on the stage and take the tour overall. Excellent work and finally an Australian has won the grandest
35 melpax: Lots of half-asleep people walking around Melbourne today, started watching the final stage myself, fell asleep someting during the third lap of the C
36 canoecarrier: Voeckler's been one of my favorite riders since he first wore the maillot jaune in '04. I was sad to see him fall off the pace at Alpe d'Huez'. But,
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