Road Bike Racing - Armstrong won 2003 Luz Ardiden on broken frame?!

From CyclingNews (http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/tech/?id=/tech/2007/features/tour_lance_bikes07):

In 2003, the UCI hadn't yet established its minimum weight requirement so teams and riders were still free to shave grams to their heart's content; Armstrong's bike was reported to be just 6.6kg (14.5lb). Armstrong was atop this machine as he battled with Iban Mayo and Jan Ullrich (at the time riding for Euskaltel-Euskadi and Team Bianchi, respectively) up the slopes of Luz Ardiden, only to be taken down by the strap of a spectator's stray musette bag. Few can forget the scene shortly afterward where Armstrong suddenly popped out of his pedal, nearly crashing as a result.

While it was thought at the moment to be an issue with his pedal, it turned out to be a problem with his frame: during the crash, Mayo had ridden straight into Armstrong's bike, cracking the driveside chain stay as a result and thus producing what must have been a rather unwieldy amount of frame flex. Nonetheless, Armstrong recovered and even managed to win the stage that day.

Patently false. All good BFers know that damaged carbon fiber immediately explodes.

http://watch.windsofchange.net/pics/BravoC1600c20_s.jpg

Did he get a replacement bike?

Welcome to 2007, for those of you still trying to catch up, Lance Armstrong will win the TdF in 2004 and 2005.

Welcome to 2007, for those of you still trying to catch up, Lance Armstrong will win the TdF in 2004 and 2005.

No way. What's next? Will, Vino will get kicked out of the TdF?

Welcome to 2007, for those of you still trying to catch up, Lance Armstrong will win the TdF in 2004 and 2005.

LMAO!

No way. What's next? Will, Vino will get kicked out of the TdF?

No. Next would be the 2006 Tour where there is no winner at all (but there is a race).

No way. What's next? Will, Vino will get kicked out of the TdF?

I don't know, but I'm sure that cheeky Rasmussen will have a bright future.

From CyclingNews (http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/tech/?id=/tech/2007/features/tour_lance_bikes07):

In 2003, the UCI hadn't yet established its minimum weight requirement so teams and riders were still free to shave grams to their heart's content; Armstrong's bike was reported to be just 6.6kg (14.5lb). Armstrong was atop this machine as he battled with Iban Mayo and Jan Ullrich (at the time riding for Euskaltel-Euskadi and Team Bianchi, respectively) up the slopes of Luz Ardiden, only to be taken down by the strap of a spectator's stray musette bag. Few can forget the scene shortly afterward where Armstrong suddenly popped out of his pedal, nearly crashing as a result.

While it was thought at the moment to be an issue with his pedal, it turned out to be a problem with his frame: during the crash, Mayo had ridden straight into Armstrong's bike, cracking the driveside chain stay as a result and thus producing what must have been a rather unwieldy amount of frame flex. Nonetheless, Armstrong recovered and even managed to win the stage that day.

Don't let them hassle you too much, BD. I didn't know that either, until I read the exact same thing at the exact same place today.

STOP PRESS

Abraham Olano wins 1995 world Championship on flat tyre!!!!



Light, expensive stuff pros don't pay for breaks.

From CyclingNews (http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/tech/?id=/tech/2007/features/tour_lance_bikes07):

In 2003, the UCI hadn't yet established its minimum weight requirement so teams and riders were still free to shave grams to their heart's content;




Really?

http://www.uci.ch/english/news/news_pre2000/comm_19990611.htm

11 June 1999 Minimum bicycle weight Further to the decision taken and published in February 1999, the International Cycling Union (UCI) wishes to specify that, in its concern to protect equal chances and the primacy of man over machine in cycling races, its Management Committee has decided to limit the minimum weight of bicycles in competitions (road, track and cyclo-cross) to 6.800 kg from 1st January 2000.

Wow, just think how much faster he'd have been with a stiff frame. Maybe he could have won.

That's exactly what I was thinking when I read it, too, WR.

Patently false. All good BFers know that damaged carbon fiber immediately explodes.

http://watch.windsofchange.net/pics/BravoC1600c20_s.jpg


he must have left it in the car in the sun.

Wow, just think how much faster he'd have been with a stiff frame. Maybe he could have won.

Little known fact. When Tyler found out Lance's chainstay was broken, he not only encouraged the other riders to wait, but his disappearing twin also took a frame bump to their driveside chainstays just out of fairness. Ullrich may or may not have agreed.:)

Alternatively, Lance was so smooth, he could ride a wet noodle to victory with no deflection in the bottom bracket.

Or stiffness is overrated. Nah, that's just crazy...

Lemond won 89 worlds with cracked rim.. Not a big problem, except they were bombing the last descent at 50+mph in the pouring rain..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJSgzHTRg38

The UCI weight limit is biased against smaller riders. The weight limit should be that the bike can weigh no less than 10% of the rider's body weight or something to that effect. That would be the only way to make a weight limit fair.

The UCI weight limit is biased against smaller riders. The weight limit should be that the bike can weigh no less than 10% of the rider's body weight or something to that effect. That would be the only way to make a weight limit fair.

Except that would defeat the purpose of even having a weight limit. If you're going to do that, you might as well get of the limit entirely.

The legend grows!
Is there anything lance can't do?

The legend grows!
Is there anything lance can't do?

I'm pretty sure he can't sniff my underwear, but like most posts on BF I've made that assertion without actually haveing first hand experience, or scientific data to back that up. Still I'm pretty sure he can't.