Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Sorry, watched both interviews and still not sure what triggered you. Matteo was clearly wiped, Sepp less so. Should Sepp have done more?
Tour '25
- Thread starter Rás Cnoic
- Start date
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
TT bike and gear didn't help the Dane. Photo: Szymon Gruchalski Cycling.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Wouldn't it be fun to get a job at the TdF? Probably very hard to land a spot doing anything. Best bet: Apply to be a wee watcher.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Evenepoel abandonned?? Don't recall a crash. Is he ill?
What are those candy bar-sized black thingies sticking down and out from behind their saddles? Radio transponders?
What are those candy bar-sized black thingies sticking down and out from behind their saddles? Radio transponders?
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Three things:
1. Really liking the ITV coverage I'm seeing on YouTube. Routinely getting the best interviews out of the riders — I think by routinely asking more thoughtful and more respectful questions and leaving the zingers and blatantly sensational fluff to their competitors. Good on ITV!
2. Looking back at the pattern of uncharacteristically bad performances from more than a few strong riders over recent stages, starting to think we may be seeing a virus at work — especially in the Vizma bus.
Think what it would take to make a fighter — and podium contender — like Evenepoel pull out.
3. They need many more barriers. The fans are getting too close, too wild, too unpredictable. And the smoke flares should be banned outright. The riders deserve to be cheered, and some say they like it, but not at such dangerously close range.
1. Really liking the ITV coverage I'm seeing on YouTube. Routinely getting the best interviews out of the riders — I think by routinely asking more thoughtful and more respectful questions and leaving the zingers and blatantly sensational fluff to their competitors. Good on ITV!
2. Looking back at the pattern of uncharacteristically bad performances from more than a few strong riders over recent stages, starting to think we may be seeing a virus at work — especially in the Vizma bus.
Think what it would take to make a fighter — and podium contender — like Evenepoel pull out.
3. They need many more barriers. The fans are getting too close, too wild, too unpredictable. And the smoke flares should be banned outright. The riders deserve to be cheered, and some say they like it, but not at such dangerously close range.
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BlackHand
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Western WA
Absolutely. The Uno-X rider in the break could have gone down when a flag got tangled in his bike.
And on the penultimate climb, the Ineos team car was stuck behind the chase group and struck a spectator who was in the middle of the road looking through his phone screen! The driver got fined and a yellow card - but was in a tough spot, they had a solo rider leading the stage and starting an unsupported treacherous descent. Of course they are going to be on the heels of the chase group and looking for an opening to get around in the last 200m before the chasers summit. Notice the car is straddling the center line and it's hard to see but there is a moto to his left.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Wow, didn't even know about those incidents! Hate to admit that I'd love to see more consequences for the worst fan behavior, official or otherwise.
When Tadej was on Jonas' wheel in the thick of the crowd ~2 km from today's finish, he couldn't have attacked if he'd wanted to. The crowd had them locked in single file. Fans shouldn't be limiting the riders' strategy options.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
From a major TdF sponsor...
www.welovecycling.com
Amen.
Opinion: This Is What We Should Do With the Reckless Spectators at the Tour
It’s important to remember, in case we have forgotten the many bad crashes in this year’s rain-drenched Giro d’Italia and the death of Gino Mäder in the
www.welovecycling.com
Amen.
Don't get too fond of the ITV coverage. This is the last year after Discovery killed it. They are good because they've been doing it for 25 years. You are only seeing the YT side show: they broadcast every stage live every day and have an evening highlights show as well, all free in U.K. on the telly. All gone soon. U.K. Cycling fans are in mourning.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I'm not triggered about anything, really. Mateo was somber, Sepp, who didn't contribute much, was smiling. I found that inappropriate.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Meanwhile, TP rode a climbing bike with no paint to save 300g.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Remco ran out of gas. He said that he wasn't feeling well, but he also said that his tank was empty. The way he abandoned, by stopping on the side of the road, handing his bottle to a kid, and getting in the team car, pretty much says everything. He was not injured.
The black things are transponders for telemetry. They are owned and used by the race organizer (ASO) and are used for placement and timing data that's fed to the judges and television. There is no rider data (power, cadence, HR, etc.) in that stream.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
This is a perennial discussion when it comes to the Grand Tours, and nothing changes. Barriers aren't always the answer. Some idiot scaled the barriers at the finish on the ITT a day or so ago and ran out to the line. Remember when some lady reached out over the barriers and grabbed Cav's bars when he was in a full tilt sprint at the finish? You can't stop stupid.
What they could do, though, is use more motors on the climbs to clear the crowd back ahead of the leaders. However, that has consequences, like increasing the chance of a spectator/motor collision, having the motors pace the riders because they are so close, and taking away views of the mayhem that many spectators consider sacred and should never be dampened. The bottom line is, rider safety has always been secondary for World Tour promoters. It's all about selling the circus.
stompandgo
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- Region
- USA
I bet most of you don't know this. The movement of race assets in a high category UCI race is controlled by motors (motorcycles) called "regulators". They are dressed in red. Their only job is to move assets (commissaire cars, motors, neutral support, team cars, LEO, medical, etc.) throughout the caravan. They also handle the deviation (directing the assets off of the course before the finish). If there is a break up the road, the regulator has to decide how many cars can fit into the gap safely. You will hear race announcers complaining about riders in the break near the finish not having their team cars with them. That's normally because it's not safe to get all of the appropriate team cars in the slot. It can also happen due to race situations or a mistake by the regulator. What usually happens is that neutral support is sent up first to support the entire break, but their abilities are limited. Then you send up team cars one at a time, and if there's not room, you send them back after service to a position at the head of the line of team cars.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
Well, here's a start: Twice when the crowd was closing in on Lenny Martinez during one of his Stage 14 KOM climbs, he used a single quick polite hand gesture to motion them aside. Any they complied!!
The pull-back even propagated uphill ahead of him for some distance, like a stadium wave.
Maybe more riders should do the same.
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stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I couldn't watch the Tour yesterday because I was the Chief Referee at a regional bike race. It was a long drive to the venue and back, and I had some time to think about the Tour. I have been pretty down after the last ITT when TP opened up another 30 seconds on Jonas. It's not over yet, but Visma has to show me something other than Campanaerts off the front. This is either going to be one of the most exciting Tours ever, or the most boring.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
It might have worked for Lenny, but I am not a fan of riders taking their hands off of the bars in crowds.
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
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- USA
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- Carlsbad, CA
Looked safe enough at the time. See for yourself. Certainly better than nothing, which is what race organizers and everyone else seem to be doing about the spectator problem.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
UAE has been running a brilliant race. Hats off to them.
stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Quinn Simmons on Stage 15: "Great Cat 5 tactics today".
He's not talking about climb classifications. He's talking about American amateur racing ability categories, which starts at Category 5, Novice. That's a slam on Wellens for sitting on the back of the break and attacking to win. That's generally regarded as a novice move.
He's not talking about climb classifications. He's talking about American amateur racing ability categories, which starts at Category 5, Novice. That's a slam on Wellens for sitting on the back of the break and attacking to win. That's generally regarded as a novice move.
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