# Stage 11 spoiler



## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

Can no-one be arsed today? I have to say sprint stages are pretty dull...


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

I meant to earlier, but made myself a sandwich instead, peloton keeping the gap in check nicely.


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## Crankarm (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> Can no-one be arsed today? I have to say sprint stages are pretty dull...



............ until the final few climatic minutes .............


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## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

Nope, that's pretty boring too.


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## Eoin Rua (15 Jul 2010)

Less than 10 mins in and ITV are already on a break...

Heading to work soon so I'll watch the highlights online later...and have to watch another ridiculous amount of commericals! Ah well!


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> Nope, that's pretty boring too.




Not if you're a Cav fanboy like yourself, Chuffers


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

Anyone else see riders getting ice packs from their muzettes? Now theres an idea.


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## Speicher (15 Jul 2010)

Slightly off topic, but followers of Racing might know what I mean if they have seen Levi Liepheimer's legs.  

Why has he got such large "varicose" veins? Or are they something else?

I thought it was extremely dangerous to have veins sticking out like that, in case they got knocked against something. What causes it? I have only ever seen legs that bad on very very old people.


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## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

Speicher said:


> Slightly off topic, but followers of Racing might know what I mean if they have seen Levi Liepheimer's legs.
> 
> Why has he got such large "varicose" veins? Or are they something else?
> 
> I thought it was extremely dangerous to have veins sticking out like that, in case they got knocked against something. What causes it? I have only ever seen legs that bad on very very old people.


High speed blood pump on the Shack camper van? 

<blows raspberry at Rich P> 
I've never liked sprint stages much, no matter who is in them. Although the Blessed Winona in the nuddy might catch my eye.


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> High speed blood pump on the Shack camper van?
> 
> <blows raspberry at Rich P>
> I've never liked sprint stages much, no matter who is in them. Although the *Blessed Winona* in the nuddy might catch my eye.




Was she a speed ryder?


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## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> Was she a speed ryder?


I'd say she was an easy ryder but that would be ungentlemanly.


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> I'd say she was an easy ryder but that would be ungentlemanly.




Could she win-on-a bike?


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

There's a lot of tension in the build up to the finale. 4k to go and they're eyeballs out


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

COME ON CAV, BRILLIANT FROM RENSHAW.

Renshaw headbutting people was quality.


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## Midnight (15 Jul 2010)

Wow. What a scrap!


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## col1888 (15 Jul 2010)

Go on Mark Renshaw ! Headbutting Dean out of the way, spot on as Dean was leaning on him big style ! Another top sprint from Cav. Looked very edgy on that run in, was expecting a pile up i must say !


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## badkitty (15 Jul 2010)

Mental! Never seen that before! That was so naughty! Bad Mr Renshaw.


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## biking_fox (15 Jul 2010)

And Petacchi in Green. Wonder how long he can keep that. Thor's got to hunt the intermediates now - but Petacchi has said he wants them too. Could enliven the transition stages.


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

Hushovd finished 7th. WAHEY


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

I thought Renshaw was a bit too aggressive but Cav was electric again


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

Cav goes to 4th in Green standings. 29 points behind Petacchi, More than possible.


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## beatmeoutame (15 Jul 2010)

anyone know where I can watch all of the stages online? i've missed a few


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> I thought Renshaw was a bit too aggressive but Cav was electric again



Really? I though he was legitimately warning off Dean who was trying to come across diagonally and cut off Cavendish.


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jul 2010)

iAmiAdam said:


> Cav goes to 4th in Green standings. 29 points behind Petacchi, More than possible.



Provided that Thor doesn't bother to hoover up some of the sprints points on the more difficult stages where Cav will be struggling- which he certainly _will be_ bothered to do. That's the difference between winning Green and winning sprint stages.


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## Crackle (15 Jul 2010)

Farrar is back in it too. Shame he bust his elbow, may have even got 2nd today but he got blocked and had to stop sprinting to move around. Thought Sky might have a go but it was a bit shambolic their lead out efforts.


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## woohoo (15 Jul 2010)

According to this

http://www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/LIVE/us/abandons.html

Mark Renshaw is out of the Tour


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## nasserblue (15 Jul 2010)

What's Renshaw's likely punishment? If he was ejected from the race wouldn't that really hamper Cav's chances in other sprint finshes?


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## nasserblue (15 Jul 2010)

beatmeoutame said:


> anyone know where I can watch all of the stages online? i've missed a few



Highlights are all on itv player. ITV4


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## Crackle (15 Jul 2010)

Yep gone, chucked out.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/97th-tour-de-france-gt/stage-11/results


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## raindog (15 Jul 2010)

Yep, Renshaw's out. He and Dean have leaned on each other several times in the last week in the lead outs. From the air, you can see Dean almost lock elbows and I think Renshaw had really had enough. Head butting is probably a bit too much though.


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Really? I though he was legitimately warning off Dean who was trying to come across diagonally and cut off Cavendish.




Yes, really!

The final head-butt was out of order


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## Genman (15 Jul 2010)

raindog said:


> Yep, Renshaw's out. He and Dean have leaned on each other several times in the last week in the lead outs. From the air, you can see Dean almost lock elbows and I think Renshaw had really had enough. Head butting is probably a bit too much though.



According to Sherwen he was using the skills he learned on the track.


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

Oh dear.

There are people who can lead Cav out, just no where near as well as Renshaw does.


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## montage (15 Jul 2010)

Been thrown out the tour?

Outrage.


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## BigSteev (15 Jul 2010)

That'll be this year's way to stop Cav getting green then.


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## montage (15 Jul 2010)

BigSteev said:


> That'll be this year's way to stop Cav getting green then.




Seemingly so!


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## Genman (15 Jul 2010)

BigSteev said:


> That'll be this year's way to stop Cav getting green then.



So who is it that you suspect is conniving to keep him out of the Green jersey?


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> Yes, really!
> 
> The final head-butt was out of order



Okay, apparently the officials agree with you! Now, I guess we will see what Cav is made of - he was able to sprint on his own from a long way out today, but does he have the tactical nous to hitch himself to other trains?


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## BigSteev (15 Jul 2010)

The French.


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## Flying_Monkey (15 Jul 2010)

BigSteev said:


> The French.



... who are of course well known for their virulent pro-Norwegian attitudes.


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## raindog (15 Jul 2010)

Here's Renshaw's take on it.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-TJNg6rp8s


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## HLaB (15 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> Been thrown out the tour?
> 
> Outrage.


Just red that, that seems OTT surely if they thought it was bad a not just racing they could have gave a severe warning. The person who will really suffer though is Cav


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## Genman (15 Jul 2010)

HLaB said:


> Just red that, that seems OTT surely if they thought it was bad a not just racing they could have gave a severe warning. The person who will really suffer though is Cav



The punishment is to get rid of the lead out man for Cavendish, a reprimand or severe warning would not achieve this.


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## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

Headbutting Dean was one thing but deliberately moving over to block Farrar seems to have been what got him a ticket home. 

Yeah Cav suffers, but if Renshaw is deliberately blocking rivals for him (and I'm not accusing Cav of having anything to do with it, before the fanboys start hopping up and down ) then it's only fair that the pain gets shared. Simply fining the team or relegating Renshaw on the stage would be meaningless.

If HTC don't like it, tough.


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## badkitty (15 Jul 2010)

I think that Tyler Farrar has enough to deal with, without being shut out like that. That was the part that I found outrageous. 
Don't think Renshaw deserved to be eliminated though. That's harsh.


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## HLaB (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> Headbutting Dean was one thing but deliberately moving over to block Farrar seems to have been what got him a ticket home.
> 
> Yeah Cav suffers, but if Renshaw is deliberately blocking rivals for him (and I'm not accusing Cav of having anything to do with it, before the fanboys start hopping up and down ) then it's only fair that the pain gets shared. Simply fining the team or relegating Renshaw on the stage would be meaningless.
> 
> If HTC don't like it, tough.



I missed the full sprint video, my 12 week old nephew times it perfectly to start playing up in the last 10km or so. Out of the corner of my eye, when I was comforting him, I saw Cav win and the Headbutt but I missed the block on Farrar. In that case Cav was lucky IMO not to have been stripped of the win but I suppose they can't really prove he had any involvement .


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

Cav will be lead out by someone else, the Columbia train is a cracking force and we all know it. It's a shame that Renshaw is out, as evidently, he is the best lead out man for cav. I do not believe that he should of been excluded for his actions. Fined for the sweep across Tyler, but not excluded. Part and parcel, as he says.


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## montage (15 Jul 2010)

any videos or articles giving the official statement which says renshaw is eliminated? 
Would be nice to see how it has been justified


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## iAmiAdam (15 Jul 2010)

None as of yet, I don't see how they can justify it.


Just checked UCI's website, not a sniff of anything.

tbh, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.


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## col1888 (15 Jul 2010)

Will be interesting to see if Dean or Farrar has complained . Dean is quite clearly leaning into Renshaw, who by his own admission did what he could to keep his line and avoid a crash. Think his little glance and change of line to send Farrar wide was naughty though ! But out of order if they have booted him out though ! I'm sure Cav will have plenty to say if they have !


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## MacB (15 Jul 2010)

Seems harsh to me, visually it may look bad but it's hardly what you'd call a proper headbutt, I'd have thought elbows and shoulder barges would be more likely to cause a crash. Dean wanted to disrupt the HTC lead out and maybe knew he could get a reaction out of Renshaw, Aussies and Kiwis and all that. 

The cutting off of Farrar was worse and that seemed spiteful to me as I didn't see him getting in contention anyway.


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## Crackle (15 Jul 2010)

MacB said:


> The cutting off of Farrar was worse and that seemed spiteful to me as I didn't see him getting in contention anyway.



For 1st no but 2nd yes, I think he would have beaten Petacchi, which would have made Hushovd and Petacchi equal on points. Farrar had to stop pedalling and slow to go around him, who knows 400 out he might even have pipped Cav out.


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## mark i (15 Jul 2010)

My take on it was that Dean was coming across the HTC train to push them into the barrier and box in cavendish, if memory serves me right it was this, but less obvious that got Cavendish de-classified from a stage last year, no word on anything for Dean on this. The headbut was a bit more visual.

The real problem was probably when Renshaw glanced over his shoulder and then deliberately moved across Ferrar. It was partly returning the favour, but also not required, Renshaw as "job done". 

Seems a harsh penalty


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## HLaB (15 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> any videos or articles giving the official statement which says renshaw is eliminated?
> Would be nice to see how it has been justified


I was reading the one in cycling news it explains it but I don't know whether it justifies it


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## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

HLaB said:


> I was reading the one in cycling news it explains it but I don't know whether it justifies it


"I can't be out of the Tour de France if Barredo and Costa only got a fine a few days ago."
WTF? Does he really think that deliberately switching line to shove another sprinter into the barriers is the same as swapping handbags after the stage finished? 

Dean might have been a bit feisty but there was plenty of space to Renshaw's left. None of this "I had no choice, he was pushing me into the barriers" crap. They whinge worse than Alex Ferguson when he doesn't get ten minutes of extra time and a bonus penalty.


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## montage (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> "I can't be out of the Tour de France if Barredo and Costa only got a fine a few days ago."
> WTF? Does he really think that deliberately switching line to shove another sprinter into the barriers is the same as swapping handbags after the stage finished?
> 
> Dean might have been a bit feisty but there was plenty of space to Renshaw's left. None of this "I had no choice, he was pushing me into the barriers" crap. They whinge worse than Alex Ferguson when he doesn't get ten minutes of extra time and a bonus penalty.




There wasn't space on the left, not for Renshaw and Cav who would have needed to come round


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> There wasn't space on the left, not for Renshaw and Cav who would have needed to come round




Dean doesn't have to give room to a rider who is behind though Monty


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## MacB (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> "I can't be out of the Tour de France if Barredo and Costa only got a fine a few days ago."
> WTF? Does he really think that deliberately switching line to shove another sprinter into the barriers is the same as swapping handbags after the stage finished?
> 
> Dean might have been a bit feisty but there was plenty of space to Renshaw's left. None of this "I had no choice, he was pushing me into the barriers" crap. They whinge worse than Alex Ferguson when he doesn't get ten minutes of extra time and a bonus penalty.



No, No, no, you can't be comparing this to football - I was listening to a rundown of the injuries sustained by riders that have continued in the Tour - I don't care how quickly these guys heal there's some serious dedication there. With all that pride and pressure the odd flare up in the sprint is going to happen. Dean was the instigator and some butts with a plastic helmet is nothing and that seems to be what the exclusion is for.

If the exclusion is actually for cutting off Farrar then it shows a huge amount on inconsistency as others haven't had that treatment in the past.


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

I think the punishment was unduly harsh but Renshaw went beyond what's acceptable.
I seem to recall O'Grady and Macewen swapping blows some years back and just being demoted on the stage.


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## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> There wasn't space on the left, not for Renshaw and Cav who would have needed to come round


Footage here
When Dean starts to pass and the head starts flying there is space, which then narrows. I'll concede that. 
_
Please_ don't try and argue that shoving Farrar into the barriers is ok though...

Someone elsewhere mentioned Renshaw elbowing Hushovd the other day. Perhaps he's just getting some delayed payback?


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## linbug (15 Jul 2010)

The exclusion is for both offences:


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## Chuffy (15 Jul 2010)

MacB said:


> *No, No, no, you can't be comparing this to football *- I was listening to a rundown of the injuries sustained by riders that have continued in the Tour - I don't care how quickly these guys heal there's some serious dedication there. With all that pride and pressure the odd flare up in the sprint is going to happen. Dean was the instigator and some butts with a plastic helmet is nothing and that seems to be what the exclusion is for.
> 
> If the exclusion is actually for cutting off Farrar then it shows a huge amount on inconsistency as others haven't had that treatment in the past.


No, it's just the way that certain big teams can't take it when things go against them. No comparison made between the sports themselves.

It's harsh, but not unjustifiable when you take both incidents into account. Either one in isolation wouldn't have been enough. I'm not sure that comparisons between McEwen/O'Grady quite hold up. All they were doing was nobbling each other, like kids scrapping in a playground whereas Renshaw seems to have been acting as playground enforcer for his man Cav.


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## Crankarm (15 Jul 2010)

It was rather silly and blatant. How is Cav going to manage now? We'll see if he really is the real deal not wholly dependent on Renshaw to win.


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## Crackle (15 Jul 2010)

Anyone remember Tom Steels throwing the bottle

[youtube]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzTZV0TYG-U[/youtube]


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## HLaB (15 Jul 2010)

Chuffy said:


> Footage here
> When Dean starts to pass and the head starts flying there is space, which then narrows. I'll concede that.
> _
> Please_ don't try and argue that shoving Farrar into the barriers is ok though...
> ...



Thanks for the footage, to me it look like Renshaw thought oh sugar Dean's coming too fast and deliberately tried to knobble him. If that had been the only offence he might of got away with it but he then needlessly closes off Farrar; in what to me looks like a deliberate swerve to ensure Cav won


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## Keith Oates (16 Jul 2010)

It's all a build up to try and stop Cav winning the sprint again in Paris!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## biking_fox (16 Jul 2010)

Thanks for the link.

The swerve looked nasty, but carefully judged to leave him some room - but the heatbutting was clearly trivial, just a 'get off me you oaf!' 

I think the penalties harsh considering what others got away with.


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