Just how good is security for Armstrong at the TDF?

[Sincitycycler]

A morbid thought raced through my mind during the rolling stage today: What if some Yankee-hating sharpshooter says, "I have had eeenuff of zees American swine winning all of the time!" and he assasinates Lance with no regard of what happens to himself? The organizers couldn't possible cover ever part of the 2000+ miles.

Who's to say one of those nuts in the Pyrenees couldn't come out of the mob with a knife and also...well..you know?

The point i'm making is that I have never seen such lax crowd control at a sporting event ever...the guy with the motorcycle collision yesterday is a good illustration.

Anybody know how safe the Tour Day France really is? :(

[TheKillerPenguin]

Build armstrong a bike with a bullet proof glass cockpit (just rest it on the QR's). It'd be like the pope mobile, just on 2 wheels.

[joeprim]

Life ain't safe - get over it and stop wanting to be protected

Joe

[Laggard]

It's safe. No rider that I can remember has ever been killed or seriously hurt by a fan. Merckx being punched may be an exception.

[Bauerthis]

This is the way the TDF has been for years and years. I think if anyone tried to pull anything like that. His life would not last much longer. I would hope the other fans around him would beat to death and that's what probably keeps things like this from happening.

[squeegy200]

How safe is your favorite restaurant? The bus stop on the corner of your block? Or the city you live in?

There are stupid sub-human beings born every minute. They've existed throughout history and will always exist.

Considering the odds, the risk of an assassin/terrorist is less probable than crashing on your bike.

Note: 27 random unrelated freeway shootings in Los Angeles since January 2005.
But that doesn't make me hesitate to jump in the car to drive to work each day.

[MsMittens]

No rider that I can remember has ever been killed or seriously hurt by a fan.

What about the rider that got shmuck in the face today (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=1378647#post1378647) and had a bloody nose? I'd say that'd be serious... (although unintentional). It will happen at some point I suspect..

[CyberCycle]

Take a look at the video from the 3rd stage of the Giro Italia this year, a fan tries to kick one or the riders (Petachhi I believe) and gets water bottles thrown at him and even a few of the cyclists taking a swing at him.

mms://wmediavod.coltfrance.com/wmeurosports/eurosport/2005/05/10/giro_3_20152_3_18_0_240x180.wmv

They are crazy all over the world...

[Laggard]

What about the rider that got shmuck in the face today (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=1378647#post1378647) and had a bloody nose? I'd say that'd be serious... (although unintentional). It will happen at some point I suspect..

I don't consider a bloody nose to be a serious injury. I guess we all have our ideas of what is serious.

[SunSwingsLow]

He had a death threat prior to the mountain time trial on L’Alpe d’Huez last year. He rides in a sport where fans can touch him while in competition. He understands the risks. No one is safe.

[Sincitycycler]

How safe is your favorite restaurant? The bus stop on the corner of your block? Or the city you live in?

There are stupid sub-human beings born every minute. They've existed throughout history and will always exist.

Considering the odds, the risk of an assassin/terrorist is less probable than crashing on your bike.

Note: 27 random unrelated freeway shootings in Los Angeles since January 2005.
But that doesn't make me hesitate to jump in the car to drive to work each day.

But we're nobodies. Lance is a somedbody. Does anybody remember infamous "nobodies" named John Hinckley and Mark David Chapman? Ronald Reagan and John Lennon were victims these losers... :( :mad:

[Serpico]

Lance had --serious-- security during 2004 tDAYf, according to Lance Armstrong's War (book).

There were death threats (which they didn't publicize). After each race he would keep pedalling and then jump in a car they nickname "Air Force One". After a few stages he would walk directly to a helicopter with "Gendarmes" (sp?) surrounding him. He also "batmans" from the Team Bus with bodyguards on both sides, and doesn't show up until right before the race starts.

There's some other stuff in the book, pretty good read.

[hdog]

How safe is your favorite restaurant? The bus stop on the corner of your block? Or the city you live in?



They're safer for us than they would be for a public figure.

[phinney]

He's a very vulnerable target for a terrorist, they're pulling off higher risk attacks all of the time.