Professional Cycling - Yellow Jersey controversy

What do you make of the mess with Armstrong not wanting to wear the jersey out of respect to Zabriskie?

This sporting gesture is not unprecedented on Lances part - Eddy Merckx did the same thing in in the 1971 TDF and wasn't penalized.

The other side of the coin was that the race director was well within his rights to squash Armstrong's action -it was in the rules book that the race leader must wear the Maillot Jaune.

OK. let's hear it. Opinions are like a$$holes..everybody's got one! :)

I am definitely one for following rules. However, sometimes for the sake of being gentlemen, you need to make "minor" acceptions to the rule. I think they should have just let it slide.

Heck, everybody knows he's in the lead anyway. :rolleyes:

I am still confused on this topic. Was Armstrong forced to wear the yellow jersey? I saw that he was wearing it over the Disco jersey and Phil and Paul were making a big deal about it.

Opinions are like a$$holes..everybody's got one! :). . .And everyone else's stinks! :)

I guess that it probably would have been appropriate had Zabriskie fallen due to some reason he had no control over. For instance, if he had been knocked down by a deranged spectator. But as far as I could see, Zabriskie just misjudged the turn and fell over.

Nice gesture by Lance, but somewhat inappropriate given the circumstances.

I think that everybody did the honorable thing. Lance got to publically say that he wasn't comfortable wearing the jersey considering the way that it came to him. The rules enforcers played their bad guy role just as they are supposed to. Lance put the shirt on and everybody went away happy except for poor Zabriskie. Falls, however, are an unfortunate part of bicycle raceing.

Oops! Typo!

Can the moderator edit my second poll question to read "Lance should not have been forced to wear the Maillot Jaundice" . Thanks :)

good thread for this forum: TDF Forum (http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=217)

. . .And everyone else's stinks! :)

I guess that it probably would have been appropriate had Zabriskie fallen due to some reason he had no control over. For instance, if he had been knocked down by a deranged spectator. But as far as I could see, Zabriskie just misjudged the turn and fell over.

Nice gesture by Lance, but somewhat inappropriate given the circumstances.


For instance, if he had been knocked down by a deranged spectator. But as far as I could see, Zabriskie just misjudged the turn and fell over.


Good point. In other sports, mishaps are part of the game (barring fan interference).

This was hardly a controversy. Lance made a nice gesture. The tour organizers gave him a chance to change jerseys and he did. It's not like they actually penalized him. If you want to talk controversy, look at the riders who have been actually disqualified.

Oops! Typo!

Can the moderator edit my second poll question to read "Lance should not have been forced to wear the Maillot Jaundice" . Thanks :)

Done.

good thread for this forum: TDF Forum (http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=217)

Agreed... moving.

I am still confused on this topic. Was Armstrong forced to wear the yellow jersey?

Appearently the rules require the race leader to wear the race leader's jersey. The other catagory leaders are required to wear their respective jersey's. Lance wore the green points jersey on the second day. National road raceing champions from the various countries are also required to wear their national champion jersey. The world champion wears the rainbow and former world champions wear rainbow bands on their sleeves.

It's a rule that is common in various forms among most sports. The NFL has observers who watch every game looking for such uniform rules violations as wrong colored socks. Violators are usually fined. I've seen high school soccer players pulled out of the game because they were the only player on their team wearing compression shorts under their uniform shorts. A short time ago we had a high school wrestler complaining that the referree required him to remove a livestrong bracelet.

The Yellow Jersey is often considered an honour and a burden. Think of it like the Ring in Lord of the Rings. One thing about the Yellow Jersey is that it marks the rider.

Would Lance have been dis-qualified from the race for not wearing it? If so, what would have happend if the other riders decided not to ride?

What's with "frogs"? That's riding the line on civility, isn't it?

Would Lance have been dis-qualified from the race for not wearing it? If so, what would have happend if the other riders decided not to ride?

A peloton boycott? Now that would have been interesting, but since most of the other riders are foreign who think Americans are trash, they probably didn't give a rat's a$$ about one Yank honoring another....

Remember the "gratitude" that Pantani showed when Lance let him win that mountain stage a few years ago? :mad: Frigging Euro-trash... :rolleyes:

Jaundice?

I personally think the whole thing was a stunt. I mean I do think lance wanted to not wear the jersey out of respect for the jersey itself. But I think Lance also knew he was going to have to and knew that this was a good thing to get to talk about. Remember publicy=money for sponsors and you get to have concentrated questions that way. Controling the story is always a good idea.

First, it is not a big deal that Z crashed really. There is a lot of honor in winning the stage, which CSC might have done if one of their riders had not made a mistake, but mistakes cost you time. Second, the impact on the race for GC is negligible; Basso's time might have been slightly different, and Z's time will not affect the overall outcome (he lost 7+ minutes today, although he might not have if not injured). The Yellow Jersey is an honor and an advertsing feature of the race, it does not have any influence on the results (i.e., there are no bonuses in the race for wearing it).

I feel very sorry for Z, I have been a fan of his for several years and he has had more than a few mishaps that have affected his career.

As for the wearing of it during the stage. Armstrong made his point that he did not want to wear it when it came in an "undeserved" manner of a crash. He had agreed to put the jersey on when they got to the official starting point and did so.

This whole thing is blown out of proportion I think.
The organization isn't trying to destroy our beloved American... or any bull**** like that.

Armstrong got to show his respect to Zabriske and CSC by not wearing it at the start... which was all that matters.

Can the moderator edit my second poll question to read "Lance should not have been forced to wear the Maillot Jaundice" .

While you're at it, why don't you edit the poll to remove the obnoxious and derogatory "frog" references.

While you're at it, why don't you edit the poll to remove the obnoxious and derogatory "frog" references.

Agreed, half of the poll options are bordering on moronic. And Sincity, you are contributing to any possible bad feeling from other countries towards Americans, which I don't appreciate. Maybe when you get more experience, you'll realize there's a whole world out there, and that it's generally not constructive to go about spewing insults. Try traveling abroad more, hopefully then you'll get some perspective.

Armstrong got to show his respect to Zabriske and CSC by not wearing it at the start... which was all that matters.

If this were one of the options I would have voted. Sinc it wasn't I won't

Joe

Agreed, half of the poll options are bordering on moronic.


right..bordering on...

Rules are rules. Armstrong has no right to circumvent the rules and another country's traditions, if he really felt bad about taking the yellow, he should have dropped back in the next stage and gave it back.

right..bordering on...

Rules are rules. Armstrong has no right to circumvent the rules and another country's traditions, if he really felt bad about taking the yellow, he should have dropped back in the next stage and gave it back.

I think the post you are quoting is in response to the wording of the poll questions
(which I edited).

Remember the precedent for what Lance did was set by Merckx when Ocana crashed
(maybe earlier), and carried on by Lemond when Rolf Sorrensen (sp?) crashed.
Say what you want about Lance, but he does have a deep respect for the Tour and
its etiquette and traditions.

marty

As Lance said the sponsers pay a ton of money and they want the advertisement.
There you go . It wouldn't be different in any other sport. Heck I read or heard earlier this year Zabriskie, got nailed for NOT wearing a TT catsuit in the stars and bars.
(Amercian Flag), his sponser made him one.

As Lance said the sponsers pay a ton of money and they want the advertisement.
There you go . It wouldn't be different in any other sport.

Yep... and that is the epitome of the tradition. The TdF was not really started because some folks wanted a challenge and desired to see top cyclists ride around France for three weeks. It was started to save a failing newspaper through advertisement. Despite all the glory, lore, tradition, drama, tests of strength and endurance that surrounds the Tour, let us not forget that it's really one big PR stunt. The advertisement dollars need to be met... the rest is icing on the cake even if it is yummy icing. It boils down to money and exposure. Look at who's the main sponsor... a bank.

Lance was ethical to do what he did, and the Tour coordinators did what they had to do to preserve the rules. I would have let Lance do it myself.

Agreed, half of the poll options are bordering on moronic. And Sincity, you are contributing to any possible bad feeling from other countries towards Americans, which I don't appreciate. Maybe when you get more experience, you'll realize there's a whole world out there, and that it's generally not constructive to go about spewing insults. Try traveling abroad more, hopefully then you'll get some perspective.


Hold on professor, I lived in Germany for 3 years in the mid 80's. Euros think we have no class (they are actually right) but at the same time they are fascinated with us. It's a love hate thing, you dig? The French hate the Germans for obvious reasons and vice versa. Ironically, the Germans actually like us more than the French do even though we prevented the Germans from devouring France during WWII and.....oh it's so late...don't get me started on this...military history minor in college... zzzzzzz :p

I think I agree with the decision and think their compromise with Lance a fair to all. Guess, my reasoning. As twice viewing the tour. The crowd looks for the yellow jersey. Every stage has a winner and the crowd wants to look out for the winning horse or in this case, rider. I did..If not for the yellow jersey, my prize TDF photo would not have been possible. Unfortunately it was being worn by Jann Kirrispuu and not Lance Armstrong.

Ironically, the Germans actually like us more than the French do even though we prevented the Germans from devouring France during WWII and.....oh it's so late...don't get me started on this...military history minor in college... zzzzzzz :p
It wasn't the first time either