Giro d'Italia 2015 *spoilers*

[woohoo]

AIUI, by the time that photo was taken, Porte already had Clarke's wheel on his bike because there were no Sky team mates around, The Sky rider facing Porte had been called back (which I believe may also be against the rules, although Lemond's team turned round to pace him back in a TdF of many years ago). There was no clear video coverage of the actual incident that I can find but in the live coverage, it was obvious that the Sky riders were a bit confused about what was going on and had sat up and starting looking around.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Interesting.

I don't think Richie's the sharpest knife in the box. Not knowing the regulations is one thing, maximising publicity by putting photos of you breaking them on Twitter is a step beyond.

I didn't know that rule, but I can see the point. I know that there are all kinds of informal alliances forming across teams, and stages gifted here and there but it's anti-competitive, really.

I can easily imagine a scenario where people would be up in arms about the <insert nation here> mafia, if an unpopular rider obtained mechanical help from a compatriot from another team enabling him to get the better of a more popular rider. Clear mechanical help is one case where the authorities can act, whereas they can't in more nuanced cases.

 

[DanZac]

It's a shame to see a bit of the competition taken out of the GC for a rule infringement, however that said and more importantly, it is the respect of the rules and the gentlemanly way in which in most cases the sport is conducted which stands it above the foul mouthed abusive augment fest that we see every day from our so called football sporting hero's.
At the end of the day it is unfortunately a bit of patriotic gentlemanly behaviour which in this case appears to have come back and bitten both Porte and Clarke.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I don't think Richie's the sharpest knife in the box. Not knowing the regulations is one thing, maximising publicity by putting photos of you breaking them on Twitter is a step beyond.

I think the pics were first put out on social media by the organisers

 

[col1888]

So is giving another rider from another team food or drink classed as regulation assistance ? Cos I've seen that happen all the time !

 

[rich p]

Apparently Richie's motorhome had a flat the other day and the Astana tour-bus lent them a spare.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think the pics were first put out on social media by the organisers

OK fair enough. That's a bit weird actually.

 

[sleaver]

I don't often post in here so please excuse my ignorance

Rules are rules and maybe Porte did know about it. Playing devils advocate though, your racing along at the speed they were going and you get a puncture 7km from the end and start to see your 3rd place in GC quickly disappear. In the heat of the moment, is your first instinct to turn away help or take what you can get and get going again? Maybe Porte did try and stop Clarke giving him his wheel but Clarke wouldn't listen.

Going back to "rules are rules". IMHO, that's fine as long as they are applied fairly and consistently. You've got Astana racing when really they should have possibly lost their licence for something that is a lot worse than a wheel change and is it me, or does their performance in this tour seem rather impressive based on the past

What would be interesting to know but something that may never be found out, if that was an Italian going by the name or Aru, would he have got the penalty?

 

[Dogtrousers]

So is giving another rider from another team food or drink classed as regulation assistance ? Cos I've seen that happen all the time !

From the road races pdf, here: http://www.uci.ch/inside-uci/rules-and-regulations/regulations/

Rights and duties of riders
2.3.012
All riders may render each other such minor services as lending or exchanging food, drink, spanners or accessories. The lending or exchanging of tubular tyres or bicycles and waiting for a rider who has been dropped or involved in an accident shall be permitted only amongst riders of the same team. The pushing of one rider by another shall in all cases be forbidden, on pain of disqualification.

Spanners? When was that written? Not many nuts on modern bikes.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

OK fair enough. That's a bit weird actually.

The time penalty (and fine) were imposed by the race commissars/judge panel, and not the organisers or UCI.

Reaction from organisers re posting pics seems as if they thought it was "sporting"

 

[col1888]

Dog trousers thanks for that. It does seem that they enforce the rules when it suits them though ! The train barriers at Paris Roubaix for example ! Bit more dangerous and obvious than a wheel swap !

 

[themosquitoking]

Not knowing the rules is rife in professional sport. You only have to listen to controversial moments in football, rugby and cricket to realise that pros and ex-pros are often clueless in the nuances of regulation. That, in no way, excuses them.

A lot of sportsmen aren't capable of understanding the rules that govern their sport, the rules/laws governing most sports are written in lawyer speak.

 

[rich p]

Whether or not it was justified by the rules, or that Porte should have been aware of the rule, it's screwed the race big time, which is, at the very least, a big disappointment for the spectators.

 

[rich p]

A lot of sportsmen aren't capable of understanding the rules that govern their sport, the rules/laws governing most sports are written in lawyer speak.

Yes, but I played a reasonably decent level of football with players who had no idea of the indirect free kick rules, for instance. It's not uncommon.

 

[themosquitoking]

Oh yeah, massive bollock by the race organizers if they're trying to look anything less than partisan.