Tour de France 2021

[esoxlucius]

Did you see the video of the crash caused by the person holding a sign?

You have sensible spectators up on the banking, out of the way. And then idiots on the roadside, right in the line of fire. At least if they're going to be so close they should have the brains to at least look where the traffic's coming from, and without the need to be holding a sign.

That daft woman was in the wrong place, looking the wrong way, and with a big daft side sticking out. Three counts of stupidity.

 

[skjl47]

Did you see the video of the crash caused by the person holding a sign?

Hello; Yes this has been replayed over and over. There are lots of fans who dress up or make signs or set up road side exhibits in the hope of getting a few seconds of TV time as the cameras roll by. The woman was cheap and wrote a message to her grandparents on a bit of cardboard. She was looking at the camera when she thrust the sign into the way. I guess the worst injury was two broken arms of one racer, but others went down hard.

The tour promised to sue her in the first days, then backed off. Last I heard she was arrested but I have not heard much since. Do you know what her story is?

Many years ago Lance Armstrong was riding up a steep part and his handle bar got hooked in a camera strap of a spectator. He went down quick. He was racing for the lead with another rider at the time. Forget the other riders name right now but he had big time class. That guy could have pedaled on hard and been way ahead, but he sat up and let Armstrong get going again. There use to be class acts and a strong sense of fair play as part of the race. May be too much money involved now.

 

[esoxlucius]

Hello; The way it is being reported a new team (Israel Startup) paid Chris Froum (sp) a lot of money to be on their team. I watched a stage race a few weeks before the tour and he was not doing well. The announcers said then he was not ready. Now he is lingering at the back. I get why he took the money. I do not get why he is in the tour. He was busted up badly and is not recovered yet.

Yes, SKY, or ineos grenadiers as they are now called made the call to oust Froome from the team. Whether that was down to his horrendous crash or whether they were more than happy with Egan Bernal as the new team leader I don't know, maybe both were factors in their decision.

Listening to Froome in interviews he fully expects to be back to full fitness in time and challenging again for top honours. His age, and a certain Tadej Pogacar, amongst others, I believe will mean that Froome will not return as a force as he was before his crash. His dream of a 5th tour de france, equalling the other four legends, is a pipedream imo.

 

[krichardson]

I heard that the woman who caused that accident was found and arrested?

 

[esoxlucius]

I heard that the woman who caused that accident was found and arrested?

Yes, they arrested her, but she was released after questioning. The likely outcome is a fine from the cycling governing body but her biggest problem will come from any of the injured riders who may push for individual lawsuits.

 

[krichardson]

Yes, they arrested her, but she was released after questioning. The likely outcome is a fine from the cycling governing body but her biggest problem will come from any of the injured riders who may push for individual lawsuits.

Hopefully some of them will push forward.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; Just finished watching todays stage. Very impressed with the stage winner. A first on the very tough mountain stage and a second yesterday in a sprint. Quite a range of strengths and skill. Sagan redefined a sprinter a few years ago but he was not anywhere as good on the big mountains. This guy had his appendix out not long before the start of the race on top of it all.

 

[skjl47]

Hopefully some of them will push forward.

Hello; Yes to that.

 

[esoxlucius]

Tadej Pogacar showed signs of weakness too, he's human after all, lol. Kenny Ellisonde rode away from him and he couldn't keep the wheel. Afterwards he admitted he was cracking. But he"s still got over a 5 minute lead on 2nd place Rigoberto Uran. The young guy Ben O'Connor, who was in 2nd before start of play, and only a couple of minutes behind Pogacar, had a bad day. He slipped to 5th and lost another couple of mins.

Wout van Aert, the stage winner, is a class act, a great all rounder. He's not that far away from becoming a very strong GC rider and a team leader, if that is the way he'd like to progress his career. If Primoz Roglic, the Jumbo Visma team leader hadn't have withdrawn from the race through injury, Wout van Aert wouldn't have had that chance of victory yesterday because his sole job yesterday would have been to protect Roglic on the mountain instead.

 

[skjl47]

If Primoz Roglic, the Jumbo Visma team leader hadn't have withdrawn from the race through injury, Wout van Aert wouldn't have had that chance of victory yesterday because his sole job yesterday would have been to protect Roglic on the mountain instead.

Hello; Interesting how a twist of fate can change things.