rogwilco

I agree. I think it was very sporting of them to not ride away from Andy Schleck, but there was no reason not to sprint in the finish imo. That's why people watch, which in turn pays their salary...

lilyprotector

michael jackson decides the pace? haha, couldn't resist! i hope versus will provide some semi decent post race coverage today. cannot wait for the twitters to begin.

also, when the tdf started this year, i thought about what went down last year with vaughters and garmin that day riding to take george out of yellow. did anyone else wonder if there would be payback for that? looks like vdv and farrar may be out. maybe the tdf does have its own karma gods...

HardyWeinberg

Levi Leipheimer was talking about that in an interview, he said his directors didn't have TV so nobody could be clued in on what to do.

leooooo

Who cares about the neutralization of the stage for the GC standings.

It's the non-sprint at the end that hurts the likes of Thor who worked his tail off to be there for the sprint points.
Cav was a dead fish, he got gifted today.

JoelS

This is the problem with race radios and in race tv to the cars and such. They seem to have forgotten how to race.

OrionKhan

He never really had a chance.

Yeah, he wanted the Schlecks to catch up. Kinda weird that he didn't let the race continue after everyone was pretty much caught up.

Well, the race on its entirety gets the publicity. They are battling against people completely tuning out for stages that they don't think anything will happen on. The weather is the wild card. Take away the wet. Was it really that dangerous? Nobody can predict the weather months out. I think the mindset of the teams in the TdF is to controlling. Leipheimer was talking about no TV, directors not knowing where everyone was. Big deal. It is a bike race. They used the "rider safety" card to keep the radios. The organizers are just trying to mix it up a bit. The teams want it controlled. This TdF will again come down to mountain top finishes and the ITT. Why, because a stage like today could have had an impact, but they decided to neutralize it.

I was surprised they didn't sprint for 2nd. Tyler was out, but he never caught up. I don't see why the didn't go for the points when everyone was back together.

do-well

I think they didn't sprint because they were all back together. They were all going to get s.t., so they had to balance the benefit of racing for points versus the risks (more crashes).

After yesterday's three crashes in the final 3km as well as the dogs and today's major crash, I think the riders chose safety over points, especially considering it was a sprint for second and not first.

While we all want to see racing, there's huge sponsor pressure to keep the major names safe and in the race. I would call it the "survive to battle another day" mentality.

What's the best move the riders can make at this point? Come out and race their tails off tomorrow. While I can understand today's restraint, they are racers and are expected to race. They need to have a meeting among themselves and figure out how to keep everyone safe. Sure crashes are going to happen but, from my perspective, at least two of them - Farrar's and Cav's yesterday - could have been easily prevented with a little attention on the part of the racers. Have not seen today's video, so I'll refrain from comment on that one.

Shadco 

Seems to me the Schlecks were already close to also rans prior to the crash. I kinda get waiting for them but really once they were caught up they should have resumed racing. Frankly I would have preferred that they had kept the pace up the whole time but I guess there wasn't a real GC contender around to dispute FC.

It would have been interesting to see AC and LA lose a minute or more under pressure to make it up.

Gifts to

The Schlecks
Cav
Chavenel
AC and LA.

Not what I expected.

justinb

True, if we're talking about podium in Paris. It's just that of all the ways to lose time, crashing is the least satisfying from this fan's POV, and it's nice to have a few more players mixing it up when we get to the Alps.

OrionKhan

This is the problem with the whole safety nanny mentality. You can't keep everyone safe. Its impossible. Its a race. Sure, you don't want anyone to get hurt or die. But its part of racing. A huge part of winning a grand tour is FINISHING a grand tour. Getting past crashes, injuries, illness, dogs, spectators (remember that woman's purse that hooked Armstrong's handlebars a few years back?), is a big part of the race. The teams are controlling it to the point that the race has come down to maybe 4 or 5 riders before it starts. Why, because of events that happened today.

SunSwingsLow

Agreed.

I dont get it at all. This is a race and the biggest of the year, in fact. To completely nullify a complete stages sprint points diminishes the luster of the race. The early stages are supposed to be for the sprinters. I guess my anger then needs to be directed at FC as he was apparently in control of what happened.

A great ride for Chavanel. A lousy day for the TdF.

OrionKhan

I can see FC saving the Schlecks and his teams' hopes. I don't understand why he didn't want them to sprint at the end for point after those guys had caught up. I kinda wish Evans had said "F.... it" and attacked. Its not like he's a popular guy anyways. Or maybe Vino. That would have been great.

JoelS

I hope they race the rest of the Tour.

BengeBoy 

When the rain hit, it shorted out the wires in Cancellera's hidden bike motor. He covered it up by slowing down the peloton.

SunSwingsLow

Whos Robbie Hunter talking about punching in the face on twitter? Simonutr?

LOL

Laggard

Jesus, y'all before the finish FC met with race officials and they agreed to neutralize the sprinters points at the finish. No one was interested in a dangerous wet field sprint for 2nd place.

As for FC slowing things to allow the majority of the overall GC contenders to rejoin, it was the right thing to do considering the crashes, weather and the stupid course chosen by the organizers. FC has apparently taken over the patron position. Good on him!

OrionKhan

Why neutralize the sprint points? It wasn't a wet field sprint at the end. Its not a stupid course. Dealing with the weather is part of a grand tour and bike racing in general. My god, they are professional bike racers. Seriously, how many bike races don't have a crash in them? These guys race week in, week out starting at the end of winter, beginning of spring. They race on many different roads in many different countries. It wasn't that bad of a day. FC slowed it up so Andy Schleck, his teammate and GC contender, could catch up. Not because it was dangerous.

chasm54

I couldn't disagree more. The course wasn't stupid, it's been used for big bike races since the dawn of time. And some were interested in sprinting for the points. Hushovd is complaining that he has been deprived of an opportunity, and he's right. There was no reason to neutralize the finish, they could have sprinted for the line with no more risk than on any other day. The race officials have effectively colluded with Saxobank's desire to keep the Schlecks in the hunt. It was a disgrace.

do-well

I am jealous of the ability some of you show toward considering the racing outside the context of business.

It's kind of funny Orion. I feel like I agree with much of your perspective but also disagree with it at the same time.

I just think about it as the corporatization of sport. There's a quality of product that is trying to be protected and, given the build-up to and advertising of the product, Andy Schleck is a big part of this year's product. The racing itself is just a portion of the larger product. Granted, once the consumer feels there's shenanigans at work, there's a chance the producer loses consumer trust. But that's not the case here, because you are all going to tune right back in tomorrow. Thank god for online discussion boards - where you can vent all your anger. If any of you feel that it's that disgraceful write a letter to the promoters, take your money elsewhere, tune out, etc.

SunSwingsLow

One of the gentlemen rules is not attacking on an accident correct?

So i kindof of get what happend out on course. But not allowing these guys to sprint at the end was just silly. As has been stated these men are professionals. They have had sprints in the rain and in much more difficult finishing situations than today.

Perhaps yesterdays 1-2 punch of carnage weighed on the riders minds. On the other hand, its the f'ing TdF...its not supposed to be easy.

do-well

VeloNews is reporting that Cervelo and Thor are not happy about the agreement to neutralize.

“I feel frustrated by what happened today. Our team was working hard and we would have had a good chance for victory. I feel like they have taken something away from us today,” Hushovd said. “Everyone made a gentleman’s agreement not to sprint, but I lost an important opportunity to try to win the stage and gain points.”

Shouldn't have made the agreement if you wanted to sprint. Sprint first and settle it all later. But complaining after the fact just seems like sour grapes.

justinb

Horner seems to say that there was one spot in particular that everyone thought was unsafe (the descent where the big crash occured) even when it's dry, and that the roll in was "everyone's idea and no one's idea". Maybe it wasn't just a unilateral decision by Cancellara to keep his teammates in it.

OrionKhan

You make good points. I'll add....Many of us here are bike racing fans. Meaning we watch races all season long. Stream online when we can't watch them on tv, etc. Then there are the once a year TdF watchers. They will tune out if they don't think anything is going to happen. What happens to rating when LA isn't involved? I think the organizers are trying to make the race more exciting day in, day out. As opposed to the controlled tour we have now. Right now it all comes down to a few mountain top finishes and the ITT. Period. The organizers want more racing that will effect the GC on other stages. The organizers want to keep the one a year fans tuned in every day. The teams (sponsors) like it the way it is now. AS possibly falling out of contention this early would be a disaster for Saxobank. They're lucky FC had the yellow or they might have been sh*t out of luck. The TdF is what it is because of money. That goes for all professional sports.

I think FC got carried away there was no reason not to have the sprint finish today.

SunSwingsLow

The way Cancellara pointed at everyone at the finish seemed it was his choice.

dstrong 

I hear Cervelo TT is changing bikes for tomorrow.