Abdu crash & other Le Tour memories

[Ludwig]

You can see Djamolodine Abdujaparovs amazing crash on the final stage of the 1992 Tour De F on Youtube. He was in a bunch tearing down the Champs- elysees when he hit large coke advertising bottle and summersaulted into the bunch. I think that other great sprinter of the time Olaf Ludwig also crashed out. As far as I know there were no serious injuries. It has gone down in Le Tour folklore. Other great memories are the "and just who is that rider...it looks like Stephen Roche!" La Plange stage when Roche miraculously pulled back from the brink to nearly catch Pedro Delgado in 1987.
There is loads of amazing Le tour stuff. The Armstrong Pantani duel to the top of Mt ventoux is quite amazing and the 8 second Greg LeMond victory over Lauent Fignon on the final time trial stage in Paris.
I remember the L' Alpe Duez stage in 1989 which was won by the rockstar like Dutchman Gert Jan Theunisse and the huge crowds on the slopes mainly Dutch to cheer on Theunisse and fellow Dutch PDM team mate Stephen Rooks. The 80's for me was the gold era of the Tour de France with so many characters and the wonderful coverage on Channel 4.
I look forward to the 2008 event and the other classic races as well. I enjoyed the Tour of Poland last year.

 

[Monty Dog]

Abdou's rag doll moment on the Champs Elysee isn't as wincing as Jalabert's collision with the policeman in Armentiere in 1994 or the pictures of Nelissen's knee having hit a concrete bollard during Ghent-Wevelgem in 1996

 

[nikoteen]

Abdou's rag doll moment on the Champs Elysee isn't as wincing as Jalabert's collision with the policeman in Armentiere in 1994 or the pictures of Nelissen's knee having hit a concrete bollard during Ghent-Wevelgem in 1996

Abdou's was up there,as it was on't Champs Elsie,with all tha world watching t' finale.

 

[Steve Austin]

The beloki crash the other year. amazing piece of filming, and the way Armstrong just carried on riding across the filed, hopped over the ditch and carried on

 

[Keith Oates]

I also think the Beloki crash was pretty horrific, the look on the policeman's face as Armstrong took to the field was also something to raise a smile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave5N]

Whe I see it in my mind's eye, I can also hear Beloki's screams.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

How about some links for these amazing spectacles?

 

[Dave5N]

Your wish is my, well anyway, here you go.

Beloki

 

[Dave5N]

This took a while to find - there is better footage somewhere I think but I can't find it. Remember this well - great Tour 'cos it came to Portsmouth. Boardman was in the Yellow Jersey this day! Nelissen/Jalabert

 

[Dave5N]

Here you are proof cocaCola is bad for the teeth!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Great stuff. I thought Armstrong was a bit out of order coming back on course just a bit too close to the other riders, but I can't fault his bike control and presence of mind. As for the snap happy gendarme and the bloke riding into the barriers ... well.

 

[Dave5N]

Great stuff. I thought Armstrong was a bit out of order coming back on course just a bit too close to the other riders, but I can't fault his bike control and presence of mind. As for the snap happy gendarme and the bloke riding into the barriers ... well.

It was all that winter 'cross

(Incidentally, will we see you in Wolverhampton on Sunday?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Wot's happening in Wolverhampton on Sunday? I'll be there tomorrow night, popping down to The Chindit for a pint or three, then off home on Saturday.

 

[Dave5N]

Cross

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

Ludwig

Thanks for the memories, the 80's rocked bells! Roache on La Plagne is one of my favourite sporting moments and gives me goose bumps everytime I see it.

Another classic was in 1988 and Millar's utter fury at being misdirected by a gendarme, thus robbing him of a victory up Guzet-Neige.