2017 Tour de France

['Dale]

Them fans

Pic by K Ramon

 

[Paul Ruinaard]

It seems that the downs are the new place to attack.

 

I was trying to understand the speeds involved - would be good to compare average speeds on the downhill versus 20 years ago. I am not sure of my information but the gold standard in those days was, i am lead to believe, Stephen Roche's 112kmh on a pyrenean descent. Now you hear of 134 kmh on some of those descents. THis is the Alps - the mountains to come are steeper and less guarded. 

 

Given thta Richie caused his own accident by going off the LHS, it was really his fault, and he was lucky he fell across the road in to a "barrier" which stopped him vanishing down the mountain at 72 kmh.

 

Is it me or are the riders attacking the downhills much more aggressively ?

 

And as a consequence smaller errors in bike handling have much higher consequences as the speeds are so much higher. A relatively average bike handler is now very exposed and the descents carry much higher value and risks. No more recovery on the way down. Alos the peloton has degenerated in to an unruly mob? IN the past the heads of state could call the shots, but now the youngsters have ade it in to a free for all, so downhill is the new place to gain minutes and time by taking insane risks ?

 

Also, does anyone else start fearing we will see a rider killed on a descent soon? From a protection point of view, Lycra and a Polystyrene foam helmet are not really going to help you much.

 

For me it seems like the point Formula 1 came to in 1994 with Senna's death. Someone prominent had to die to force change. Do we really want to see this in cycling, or am i stating the obvious and its already accepted as a risk with deaths in the Giro a couple of years ago, Casartelli and others (only these spring to mind) etc being part of the risks of being a major cycling hero? Adds to the romanticism of the sport - Omerta and all....

 

There are so many crashes and the result is being determined by this, in the green and yellow jerseys. Not by the strongest guy up the mountain, but the fastest guys down the mountain. GC position 2 - Thomas and Porte was in i think 4th? Gone in crashes....

 

THis is different to Froome's crashes on the cobbles IMO...

 

Also the sprints are hectic:

 

Surely the riders also get tired of having to drag through multiple tight corners at high speed, with traffic obstacles and narrowing roads, to be able to sprint in the middle of town? they could make the drag in to the edge of town rather than finish in the centre of town.

 

Its just because the organisers like the spectacle of the whole circus charging through town, and the riders are the performers?

 

Or am i missing something.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

['Dale]

Uran winning on a "single speed".   Chapeau to him for giving it all. 

 

 

Dunno how he did it after his derailleur got taken out in a crash

 

53/11

Yoh! And he takes the win

Quite special

[gummibear]

Anyone know what gears Froomy was riding yesterday?

[Long Wheel Base]

It seems that the downs are the new place to attack.

 

I was trying to understand the speeds involved - would be good to compare average speeds on the downhill versus 20 years ago. I am not sure of my information but the gold standard in those days was, i am lead to believe, Stephen Roche's 112kmh on a pyrenean descent. Now you hear of 134 kmh on some of those descents. THis is the Alps - the mountains to come are steeper and less guarded. 

 

Given thta Richie caused his own accident by going off the LHS, it was really his fault, and he was lucky he fell across the road in to a "barrier" which stopped him vanishing down the mountain at 72 kmh.

 

Is it me or are the riders attacking the downhills much more aggressively ?

 

And as a consequence smaller errors in bike handling have much higher consequences as the speeds are so much higher. A relatively average bike handler is now very exposed and the descents carry much higher value and risks. No more recovery on the way down. Alos the peloton has degenerated in to an unruly mob? IN the past the heads of state could call the shots, but now the youngsters have ade it in to a free for all, so downhill is the new place to gain minutes and time by taking insane risks ?

 

Also, does anyone else start fearing we will see a rider killed on a descent soon? From a protection point of view, Lycra and a Polystyrene foam helmet are not really going to help you much.

 

For me it seems like the point Formula 1 came to in 1994 with Senna's death. Someone prominent had to die to force change. Do we really want to see this in cycling, or am i stating the obvious and its already accepted as a risk with deaths in the Giro a couple of years ago, Casartelli and others (only these spring to mind) etc being part of the risks of being a major cycling hero? Adds to the romanticism of the sport - Omerta and all....

 

There are so many crashes and the result is being determined by this, in the green and yellow jerseys. Not by the strongest guy up the mountain, but the fastest guys down the mountain. GC position 2 - Thomas and Porte was in i think 4th? Gone in crashes....

 

THis is different to Froome's crashes on the cobbles IMO...

 

Also the sprints are hectic:

 

Surely the riders also get tired of having to drag through multiple tight corners at high speed, with traffic obstacles and narrowing roads, to be able to sprint in the middle of town? they could make the drag in to the edge of town rather than finish in the centre of town.

 

Its just because the organisers like the spectacle of the whole circus charging through town, and the riders are the performers?

 

Or am i missing something.....

It was Ritchies fault??????? You obviously missed the blatant elbow in the face that he got from Romain Bardet. I am suprised RB never got a DQ for that dangerous move.

['Dale]

Anyone know what gears Froomy was riding yesterday?

 

38-32 I heard somewhere

#frisbee

['Dale]

This is not soccer

Lutsenko gets back in the saddle after a massive crash

 

Pic by Gruber

[Paul Ruinaard]

It was Ritchies fault??????? You obviously missed the blatant elbow in the face that he got from Romain Bardet. I am surprised RB never got a DQ for that dangerous move.

OKay didnt see that and i havent seen a video replay of it.

 

I was wondering why he shot off to the left all of a sudden.

 

Do you have a replay of it anywhere ?

[Baldrick]

Dunno how he did it after his derailleur got taken out in a crash

 

53/11

Yoh! And he takes the win

Quite special

i think his derailleur got hit by Martin's bike in the crash. It was a brave mechanic to try and get it sorted out. I imagined a lot of mangled fingers.

[Long Wheel Base]

OKay didnt see that and i havent seen a video replay of it.

 

I was wondering why he shot off to the left all of a sudden.

 

Do you have a replay of it anywhere ?

Comic Sans............ Beating a dead horse.

[shaper]

Anyone know what gears Froomy was riding yesterday?

ITV4 commentators said he had a 38 osymetric (smallest can go as he only rides Orings) and 30 on the rear

[gummibear]

38-32 I heard somewhere

#frisbee

Was chatting to a mate of mine at gym and he said a 38-28.

 

Maybe they are human after all [emoji23][emoji23]

['Dale]

Them fans in their outdoor lounge - is that toilet paper in the foreground?

 

 

Pic by K Ramon

 

['Dale]

Barquil cries after losing out to Uran Uran

Another stunning image by Gruber

[Paul Ruinaard]

Comic Sans............ Beating a dead horse.

?

['Dale]

“X-rays confirmed a non-displaced right clavicle fracture and a non-displaced right acetabulum fracture,” said BMC’s chief medical officer Dr. Max Testa. “Richie also suffered extensive superficial abrasions involving the right side of his body. At this stage, the injuries will not require surgery. The plan is to re-evaluate Richie tomorrow morning and confirm that he is stable enough to be transferred home.”

 

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