Professional Cycling For the Fans - How can they ride in the commotion?

I gotta hand it to these riders. I wouldn't be able to handle getting buzzed by motorcycles and cars every 30 seconds, having to listen to the da#$ helicopter overhead all day long, and if I was good, I'd hate having the goober with the camera in my face every minute of the ride.
Are the riders allowed to swear at some of the cars? I know I would ;)

I'm more concerned about the crazy fans myself. There was a guy with a flag running ahead of them for about 15 seconds, and the announcer was saying stuff like he's going to get hit by these bike riders.

My husband says that these kinds of reactions are normal, and even mild, for the tour, but it still amazes me like, for example, when they dump water on someone's head and stuff like that.

Free your mind...

you are hurting... you are numb... you react on instinct... you get used to it..

I am sure they don't really like them but they also know that those cameras and crazies are their pay checks. That is what being a professional is all about good or bad. You will see them get annoyed with it from time to time. They definitely push spectators from time to time and wave at the camera to move on or just try to block it, often when getting dropped. These guys also use the cars and motorbikes to their benefit.

I'm more concerned about the crazy fans myself.

The riders are accustomed to riding in this type of environment. I agree though that the fans are the real danger. The support cars, the motorbikes and everyone directly involved with the race organisation know what they're doing and those vehicles are generally driven by experienced cyclists. Come to think of it, perhaps it's the support car drivers that should be more concerned with the riders crashing into them. ;)

Those fans would piss me off. Who wants a flag shoved right in their face when they're suffering on a climb? And howabout that one fan today that actually pushed vino? Don't they get it?!

Those fans would piss me off. Who wants a flag shoved right in their face when they're suffering on a climb? And howabout that one fan today that actually pushed vino? Don't they get it?!

He actually felt him up before he pushed him :eek:... I woulda dismounted and socked him :mad:...

Don't forget, most of the camera shots are using zoom lenses, compressing the distance between the riders and their surroundings, so it looks a lot hairier than it actually is. That being said, my heart is always in my throat during those crazy Pyrenian mountaintop finishes, because all it takes is for one of those running fans to trip or stumble to wreak all kinds of havoc to the riders and the Tour vehicles.

And yeah, the ability of these guys to maintain their concentration and focus amidst all the turmoil around them is one of the things that sets them apart from the wannabes

Those guys that stand right in the roadway infront of the approching riders, only to jump out the last moment freak me out. Its amazing the bikers can see the point of destination with them in the way...

I like how a lot of those people running beside the cyclists are old geezers as well :lol:


What is the significance of the Devil DUde running with the Trident? He's hillarious as we see him at every climb chasing the riders :lol:

Never mind Story here...


Didi Senft - Devil of the Tour de France

Anyone who has regularly watched television coverage of the Tour de France cycle race will no doubt have seen a man dressed as a devil, and accompanied by a huge bicycle which looks far too big to ride.

The bicycle is not only rideable, but is also one of the largest bicycles in the world, and the owner is Didi Senft - a cycle racing fan from Germany, and builder of oversize cycles.

Why the 'Devil'?

Born in 1952, Didi has long been a fan of the Tour de France. He noticed that the German television commentators would call the final kilometre of each stage 'The Red Devil's Lap':

They always called the final kilometre of a criterium [stage] the red devil's lap. I never saw a red devil, so I became one.
Since 1993, Didi has dressed in a red devil costume and followed the Tour de France around its entire course, hauling his huge bike around on a trailer. He says that he would prefer to be at the beginning of The Red Devil's Lap, 1km from the finish, but the race authorities and French police won't allow him and his bicycle that close because of the crowds, so he usually sets up at the flag which marks 20km to the finish, and often manages to get as close as 5km from the end on the mountain stages in the Pyrenees and Alps.

Didi finances his travels by means of a small number of corporate sponsors, and with money from his wife's job and donations from other Tour de France fans. He usually sleeps in his car between stages to keep expenditure to a minimum.

The World's Largest Bicycle

Didi's other passion is building enormous bicycles and other riding machines. At the time of writing he has had no fewer than ten entries in The Guinness Book of Records, including the world's largest and longest rideable bicycle - an astonishing 7.8m (25'7") long and 3.7m (12'2") high. He has also built a recumbent double-decker tandem, and a giant rickshaw 12.4m (42') long, on which the passenger sits at a dizzying height of 6.65m (21'10") above the ground.



Story Here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/hub/A791228)

I like it, too funny :lol:

Those guys that stand right in the roadway infront of the approching riders, only to jump out the last moment freak me out. Its amazing the bikers can see the point of destination with them in the way...

What? People don't do this to any of you guys when you're out riding?

;)

What? People don't do this to any of you guys when you're out riding?

;)
http://www.htguide.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_laughat.gif Good One ;)

Nope... :(

I was once chased by a German shepard carrying a flag. Does that count?

I was once chased by a German shepard carrying a flag. Does that count?

Sorry Laggard it has to be running in front of you to count.

Every once in a while, one of the brainless fans gets punched by a rider.

I was going to say "shloogs" but I'm not sure how to spell it.

Every once in a while, one of the brainless fans gets punched by a rider.

I was going to say "shloogs" but I'm not sure how to spell it.
Good! The "shloogs" probably wind up bragging about it, though :(

I was once chased by a German shepard carrying a flag. Does that count?
You guys crack me up http://www.htguide.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_roflmao.gif

I've wondered if maybe the pros possibly have uncommonly calm nerves. Part of the whole efficiency in riding. Like how they all look so smooth on the bike compared to non-professionals.

The ones that run alongside the riders scare me a bit. I don't know why they don't crack down on that.
At a few points during today's stage, it seemed impossible for one of the leaders to attack because of the narrow gap in the crowd.

I was once chased by a German shepard carrying a flag. Does that count?

Only if it was a Nazi flag.

Every once in a while, one of the brainless fans gets punched by a rider.
i would LOVE to see one of those morons accidentally run smack head-first into a camper or the side of a cliff or, better still, another moron...

i would LOVE to see one of those morons accidentally run smack head-first into a camper or the side of a cliff or, better still, another moron...

I've seen them trip over each other and run into parked cars. Also, I read somewhere that the most common spectator injury is broken toes from having their feet run over by the support vehicles.

i would LOVE to see one of those morons accidentally run smack head-first into a camper or the side of a cliff or, better still, another moron...
As the famed Scottish Indy Car driver Jackie Stewart would say, "...and it's a terrrrrrific crash!"

i would LOVE to see one of those morons accidentally run smack head-first into a camper or the side of a cliff or, better still, another moron...
There was a funny one in today's stage - as Armstrong and the group went by, this guy under a canopy started to chase after them, but the woman slightly uphill (his wife?) started to turn to see the next group of riders. They ran into each other, nose to nose. Tete a tete. Schnoz nocker.

A couple Davitamon-Lotto riders leading the chase on stage 13 (catching Horner and Chavanel) almost got aced by a dumb lady with her "thunder sticks." She was on the curb looking at the motorbike as it sped off from the roundabout. She had her sticks well out in the road, and the lead Lotto rider almost got beheaded. The dude following him had to swerve as well. On a flat stage no less. Anyone else see that?

...I read somewhere that the most common spectator injury is broken toes from having their feet run over by the support vehicles.
i would not have the emotional intelligence to drive one of those vehicles - i would not be able to resist the urge to run those idiots down....

i would not have the emotional intelligence to drive one of those vehicles - i would not be able to resist the urge to run those idiots down....

Ive seen a few of them get tackled by police in the background shots occasionally. I can understand the emotion and craziness of the fan. But impeding a riders progress at the most difficult points is just plain lunacy.

Id love to blind side them with a shoulder tackle while thier looking over thier shoulder sprinting. :crash:

i would not have the emotional intelligence to drive one of those vehicles - i would not be able to resist the urge to run those idiots down....


They ran some guy over today!!

OMG, stage 15 (today, Sunday) was unbelievable. I don't know how the riders even could see where to go, there were so many crazed Spanish fans on the road, jumping out of the way at the last second. And what's with all the people patting Jan on the ass? Encourage him, yeah, but keep your hands to yourself.

They ran some guy over today!!

Yeah, I saw the bozo get hit by the camera motorcycle. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...

So I laughed til the tears ran down my face.




Really, I hipe the guy is OK, but he did bring it on himself.

http://www.velonews.com/images/details/8527.12006.f.jpg
http://www.velonews.com/images/details/8527.12005.f.jpg

I am guessing you are refering to this? I found it quite funny, havent seen the live shots but the pics are worth a million :)

After the Cornelius Horan incident in the Olympic Marathon, you'd think there'd be efforts to keep spectators back.

They ran some guy over today!!
just happened to see that this morning. great stuff. the guy driving the motorcycle did an incredible job recovering. again, my caveman temper would have taken over and i'd have ditched the bike and started wringing the guy's neck....

Ive seen a few of them get tackled by police in the background shots...
i'd volunteer to be deputized for that duty...

OMG, stage 15 (today, Sunday) was unbelievable. I don't know how the riders even could see where to go, there were so many crazed Spanish fans on the road, jumping out of the way at the last second....
and this after, what, 175k, and half that up cruel and unusual mountains? it was making me dizzy watching it on tv; to the riders it must have looked like a hallucination....

...Id love to blind side them with a shoulder tackle while thier looking over thier shoulder sprinting...
or a nice,clean clothesline tackle....

On the flip side of the tackling bozos who run with the riders. . .

at the Tour of Georgia last year there was an overzealous volunteer that grabbed a runner and threw him into me and very nearly sent my Hasselblad (for non photographers, ridiculously expensive camera) to the pavement. My fault for taking the camera onto the mountain into those crowds, but it pi$$ed me off none the less.

I've wondered if maybe the pros possibly have uncommonly calm nerves. Part of the whole efficiency in riding. Like how they all look so smooth on the bike compared to non-professionals.

Except that Macevedo dude, who always looks like he's about to keel over at any second. But hey, whatever works.

Except that Macevedo dude, who always looks like he's about to keel over at any second. But hey, whatever works.

I think you mean Mancebo.

Maybe when those dorks stand in the middle of the road waiting to jump aside at the last moment, the heavy race officials standing out of the Credit Lyonnais car should yell, "On your RIGHT!"

But then they would probably just jump rightward into the path of the riders again.

Maybe huge cowcatchers are in order. On a vehicle leading the riders. Maybe all the vehicles.

This is why a race like the TDF is not in the US, otherwise there would be three lawyers jogging behind the motorcycle.

This is why a race like the TDF is not in the US, otherwise there would be three lawyers jogging behind the motorcycle.

You're right. They would never dare run a European-style stage race in the US. :rolleyes:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/apr04/georgia04/stage6/06D8EAA965.jpg

apparently Kashechkin (whoever that is) got punched in the face by a fan during today's stage and ended up with a bloody nose.... wtf?

He wasn't punched, a fan was slapping those air tubes together to make noise while cheering him on, he accidentally tagged him in the face with one.

Voigt said that if a fan ever took him down he'd punch the idiot before getting back on his bike.

Voigt said that if a fan ever took him down he'd punch the idiot before getting back on his bike.

LOL that would be one to see.

Here is to story of todays incident http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=ap-tourdefrance-crowd&prov=ap&type=lgns

He wasn't punched, a fan was slapping those air tubes together to make noise while cheering him on, he accidentally tagged him in the face with one.

I think he actually caught the guys or girls hand not just the noise maker and that is what caused the bloody nose. As far a punching remember that many people blame a rouge fan for punching Merkx in the kidney and costing him a sixth win.

I think he actually caught the guys or girls hand not just the noise maker and that is what caused the bloody nose. As far a punching remember that many people blame a rouge fan for punching Merkx in the kidney and costing him a sixth win.
Right, I seem to remember reading about the kidney punch.

I have to admit in the back of my mind I was worried for Lance during that 15 stage with the parting of the Red Sea of People, fearfull that it's possible that a crazed fan could quite easily end his bid for the 7th tour win like we have seen in other sports.


What was funny was the replay of the fan that was ran over by the Motorbike. I like when the camera man Be-yotch slapped him in the head once they got going again :roflmao:

apparently Kashechkin (whoever that is) got punched in the face by a fan during today's stage and ended up with a bloody nose.... wtf?

Any discussion from his team on the effect of this injury in his battle for the white Jersey.
I he's still second but has now fallen an extra 1 1/2 minutes back of Popovych.

On the ITT stage today they did a musical tribute to the Schluges, and there's a great vignette of a guy wrapped in an American flag getting grabbed by a Gendarme and thrown to the ground. All the personal injury attorneys must be salivating at that clip!