Some legal questions

[novetan]

Yesterday I saw the TT for TdSpain where one of the cyclist (can't remember his name) changed his bike and his mechanic gave him a push. I understand this is legal but isn't it if the pusher push to a distance more and faster than what he can pedal faster than the push, isn't it that will gain him a few precious sec? Ok, you may argue that the change in bike already wasted some time so its a compromise.

Lemond won by 8s against Fignon in 1989 and that I reckoned was really a classic in the annals of cycling. Above incident could lead to another classic which may be won by a cyclist due to the "push advantage"

Another thing, sometimes I see cyclist hanging onto the car window ledge in some discussion with the manager or draft behind their team car after repairing his bike or after a fall to catch up with the peleton. Are these really allowed?

 

[HF2300]

They're not really allowed to do it (excessive push starting or hanging onto or drafting team cars) but in reality they're allowed to get away with it so long as they don't do it too blatantly.

 

[helston90]

The race referee's will turn a bit of a blind eye to drafting to allow the rider to catch back up to the peloton, ensures a better race than 10-15 riders spending half the distance trying to bridge the gap.
The push on the TT was probably carefully monitored- but baring in mind the race is 3 weeks and many many hours long a 12 second push from a mechanic probably won't make much odds.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Any advantage gained from getting a push off by the mechie is entirely negated by time lost on slowing, stopping and reclipping etc. Even Sean Kelly says so.

 

[jifdave]

Any advantage gained from getting a push off by the mechanic is entirely negated by time lost on slowing, stopping and reclipping etc. Even Sean Kelly says so.

true, but it was a choice to swap, not a mechanical, i think if you choose to swap you should have to get away under your own steam

 

[Spinney]

They're not really allowed to do it (excessive push starting or hanging onto or drafting team cars) but in reality they're allowed to get away with it so long as they don't do it too blatantly.

Also being given 'sticky bottles' (I like that phrase!)

 

[The Couch]

true, but it was a choice to swap, not a mechanical, i think if you choose to swap you should have to get away under your own steam

There is already a small rule included to prevent too little time loss when switching bikes in a TT: the bike can't be taken off the car before the rider steps off his bike.
(Not saying your proposal isn't interesting though )

They're not really allowed to do it (excessive push starting or hanging onto or drafting team cars) but in reality they're allowed to get away with it so long as they don't do it too blatantly.

Yeah the fact whether you do it in front of a camera or not makes a big difference as well
While I believe stuff like this happens quite often out of the screen, if you do it on the telly it's bound to have consequences
(just ask Gianni Meersman who overdid these tricks - even a sling-shot with a teammate - a while back while the whole time a camera was behind him)

 

[cyberknight]

Yesterday I saw the TT for TdSpain where one of the cyclist (can't remember his name) changed his bike and his mechanic gave him a push. I understand this is legal but isn't it if the pusher push to a distance more and faster than what he can pedal faster than the push, isn't it that will gain him a few precious sec? Ok, you may argue that the change in bike already wasted some time so its a compromise.

Lemond won by 8s against Fignon in 1989 and that I reckoned was really a classic in the annals of cycling. Above incident could lead to another classic which may be won by a cyclist due to the "push advantage"

Another thing, sometimes I see cyclist hanging onto the car window ledge in some discussion with the manager or draft behind their team car after repairing his bike or after a fall to catch up with the peleton. Are these really allowed?

Dont get me started on Lemonds TT bars , all i am saying is fignon tried to use them in another race the same year and the UCI did not allow him to use them .Now i am not saying Lemond cheated or taking away from him the awesome achievement but it does strike me as double standards.

 

[HF2300]

Also being given 'sticky bottles' (I like that phrase!)

Yes, I was thinking of that as I wrote! Great phrase. There have been a few quite unsubtle instances of that this year. Amazing how often a wheel change seems to make riders' saddles come loose, as well.