Professional Cycling - Leipheimer Given Time Penalty

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Buried deep in Sunday's UCI commissaires' report was a penalty against Levi Leipheimer for illegal mechanical assistance and bidon pulls.

Leipheimer hopes the 10-second penalty won't make a difference in Paris.

photo: Andrew Hood
The top American contender was fined 50 CHF and penalized 5 points and 10 seconds for the bidon pull and fined an additional 50 CHF for illegal mechanical assistance.

Leipheimer couldn't care less about the money or the points, but those 10 seconds could be vital in the battle for the overall crown when every second counts.

"My chain came off on the descent off the Roselend and got wrapped in the derailleur and I couldn't pedal for the last 5km of the descent," Leipheimer told a handful of journalists on Monday's rest day. "The car was too far behind for it to come up. When I got to the bottom, I switched to the spare bike, but I even had to change that."

Leipheimer took a sling-shot off a bidon pass just as riders typically do when chasing back on through the team cars, something that the UCI seems to be cracking down on this year.

Leipheimer hopes the time penalty doesn't become a factor later in the race.

"It could make a difference, but if I hadn't gotten back, it would have made a bigger difference," he said. Thoughts?

I think they were being generous. It was more than a simple bidon pull--the mechanic leaned out the window and grabbed the back of the saddle and Johan hit the gas and drove Levi back up to the group.

If the extent of the time penalty was only 10 seconds, it was WELL worth it. The mechanic did lean out the window while the driver vaulted Levi ahead. The officials were VERY generous for such a small penalty. He could have been DQ'd completely.

BUT... it's not like it was an unprecedented manuever. It was a calculated risk that DS's pull all the time. NOT that precendented rules violations are made OK just because they're precendented, but in the grand scheme of things, this is one of those violations that the cycling community accepts from time to time. i.e. A well placed hand ball or holding or the like.

I agree that he is rather lucky he didn't get more than a 10 second penalty - I was thinking he would get something more like 30 seconds.

I doubt they would have disqualified him for the maneuver, but who really knows? :eek:

Fussing with the saddle sure looked like an excuse to give him a push to me.

He deserved it. Vino should have gotten one for drafting after his crash.

Many many penalty's are given out in each race....for very valid reasons...this was a valid reason in my opinion...I love how the anouncers were making fun of it when it was happening....10 seconds was s steal.

I am sure if it got out of hand they would give out more penaltys....

I was really wondering when i watched that happen. My question is can the judges give penalties based on things they see in video or do they have to witness the infraction personally like almost every other sport does.

It was a long launch for sure. 10 seconds seems very favorable for Levi.

He deserved it. Vino should have gotten one for drafting after his crash.

Wrong

And Armstrong should have gotten DQ'd for taking a short cut down the mountain.

Normal. Happens every Tour.

And Armstrong should have gotten DQ'd for taking a short cut down the mountain.



+ 1 ;)

the 10 second penalty won't make a difference because levi won't be anywhere near 10 seconds of the podium.

the 10 second penalty won't make a difference because levi won't be anywhere near 10 seconds of the podium. Ouch! :eek:

Poor Levi isn't getting much BF love around here, is he?

Ouch! :eek:

Poor Levi isn't getting much BF love around here, is he?

I kinda think that too, but then we all need to remember, Levi would typically disappoint against a bunch of guys who were, more than likely, juicing. Now, who knows?

if you ask me he got the penalty because there were too many people complaining about how Vino didnt get one. this was their make up call to prove they really are watching. too bad they had to make an example out of levi. but its true, the 10 seconds wont matter. he'll be more than 10 seconds up on his rivals when it matters.

Yea that's what they should have done; disqualify the tour champion for an instinctive reaction to a wreck in front of him.

Richard


Wrong

And Armstrong should have gotten DQ'd for taking a short cut down the mountain.

I knew he was gonna get called on from the moment I saw the assist, it was completely obvious. The mechanic should've leaned out with both hands, or at least a tool, and pretended to mess with the seat.

the 10 second penalty won't make a difference because levi won't be anywhere near 10 seconds of the podium.

gona have to a gree.

I think Vino should have gotten hit with a penalty too, not so much for the draftting of cars itself, but for the fact that the Astana car was nearly running other riders off the road plowing a path to tow vino back up.

Perhaps it precedented to look the other way for domestiques, and i dont mind that since they are there to assist, not ride for time. But its a slippery slope to start letting this slide with GC men who are ridding for time.

I agree on Vino probely should of gotten a penalty as well. It's over and done with, so no worries, but if you are going to crack down on things then make it equal. It was pretty evident in the filmed race coverage, so it's not like there is no proof. The announcers spent more than a few words talking about how that manuever was illegal.

Those are just a couple examples, and there are quite a few more I'm sure from lesser known riders. It's just one of those things that happen. If you are going to let it happen, fine...let it happen. If you aren't, then don't but don't be selective in who you choose to punish and who you don't.

I kinda think that too, but then we all need to remember, Levi would typically disappoint against a bunch of guys who were, more than likely, juicing. Now, who knows?

HA! there is no way that Levi will win or be on the podium in the tour. he is simply not good enough. he does not climb as well as the leading contenders, and he never has done. btw, if you assume that all "the other guys" were juicing, why do you assume Levi wasn't? Because Americans don't dope? That's not what Tyler Hamilton, Landis, the NFL, MLB, numerous suspended American track and field stars would suggest.......... granted, several of his former competitors have been busted. including a few americans. but i still think he's not good enough to beat the current crop.

just sayin'.

i think he was lucky to get away with a 10 second penalty. he got a blatant push from the mechanic. drafting a car is one thing, but getting an extended push is a fair bit different... he could have at least pretended to be getting a water bottle like everyone else does ;)

The bidon pulls were in addition to the "saddle repair"...

That's why he got the penalty. It was an accumulation of all of that.

just sayin'

Wrong

And Armstrong should have gotten DQ'd for taking a short cut down the mountain.

Incorrect.

Incorrect.


where's bongo when you need him?

Wrong

And Armstrong should have gotten DQ'd for taking a short cut down the mountain.

I think many of you are missing the sarcasm...

For the first time, I caught bits of both the morning and evening broadcasts of that stage on Versus.

It's interesting that Liggett and Sherwen both mentioned how Levi could get penalized for the assist and it wasn't even on the radar of Roll and the evening broadcast team. Not a single mention. They talked as if they truly were fixing the seat.

I'll bet Levi wishes he had his 10 seconds back.

Richard


the 10 second penalty won't make a difference because levi won't be anywhere near 10 seconds of the podium.

Major Incorrect!!!!

Holy Incorrect Batman

Richard


the 10 second penalty won't make a difference because levi won't be anywhere near 10 seconds of the podium.

the 10 second penalty won't make a difference because levi won't be anywhere near 10 seconds of the podium.

No, but, he will finish in Paris within ten seconds of second place. And, this is after a day where hee rode for three miles with his chain jammed. Had to change bikes at the bottom of the mountain. Took a ten second penalty...

HA! there is no way that Levi will win or be on the podium in the tour. he is simply not good enough. he does not climb as well as the leading contenders, and he never has done. btw, if you assume that all "the other guys" were juicing, why do you assume Levi wasn't? Because Americans don't dope? That's not what Tyler Hamilton, Landis, the NFL, MLB, numerous suspended American track and field stars would suggest.......... granted, several of his former competitors have been busted. including a few americans. but i still think he's not good enough to beat the current crop.

just sayin'.

i think he was lucky to get away with a 10 second penalty. he got a blatant push from the mechanic. drafting a car is one thing, but getting an extended push is a fair bit different... he could have at least pretended to be getting a water bottle like everyone else does ;)

Enjoy eating your words! :D

the 10 second penalty won't make a difference because levi won't be anywhere near 10 seconds of the podium.


PRedictions, particularly about the future, are dangerous.

+1 my podium prediction after the first week or so was 1) Kloden, 2) Valverde, 3) Moreau. Yikes!!

Richard


PRedictions, particularly about the future, are dangerous.

This is ****ing bull****!