Tour de France - Stage 9 - SPOILER

[aberal]

It shows someone giving Berto a hefty push? I'm damned if I can see that.

It does look like a push to me. I had to watch it a couple of times but you can see the guy with the red stripe on his jersey move across - and then his body language does imply a push.

 

[lilolee]

Stirling work by the breakaway today.

They were allowed a bit more time after the peleton slowed up.

Having said that I'd never begrudge any breakaway a win, and you gotta love Tommie.

 

[crisscross]

I asked on another thread about the point of a breakaway.

Today showed me the answer.

I can't believe how heroic these ridiers are to continue after potentially life threatening crashes.

The emotions at the end must have been overflowing.

Chapeau to the riders who managed to get back on and complete.

 

[aberal]

Having said that I'd never begrudge any breakaway a win, and you gotta love Tommie.

I don't think I ever saw anyone more delighted, and I've been watching the TDF since it started up on Channel 4 all those years ago. It's great to see.

 

[HLaB]

If you are squeamish don't click on this link

 

[aberal]

If you are squeamish don't click on this link

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.....

 

[Beebo]

If you are squeamish don't click on this link

I know what you mean, that tan line is shocking!

Seriously though they were suggesting on the TV that he could sue the driver. Is that realistic in a race situation?

 

[endoman]

If you are squeamish don't click on this link

oooh, that might sting a bit tomorrow, quite an unbelievable incident.

 

[beastie]

I know what you mean, that tan line is shocking!

Seriously though they were suggesting on the TV that he could sue the driver. Is that realistic in a race situation?

 

[beastie]

I know what you mean, that tan line is shocking!

Seriously though they were suggesting on the TV that he could sue the driver. Is that realistic in a race situation?

I think it is. The driver made a shocking manoeuvre which would have been classed as dangerous driving. If I was either Homeland or Flecha I would be after blood.

 

[Intelligenthamster]

Mercy!

Those wire lacerations will really hurt tomorrow... I've been watching the TdF 18 years and I've seen spectators take riders out before, including THE gendarme who tried to snap a photo of the bunch sprint, but have never seen anything like that before.

As for Vinokourov, as has already been said I don't wish ill on any rider, but was put off him by his doping issues.

Hope Bradley's op goes well and he recovers swiftly.

And big respect to Thor Hushovd for keeping the maillot jaune so long!

 

[Keith Oates]

What a disaster of a day with some serious injuries, Vinokorov seems to be the one who's done the most damage and although he's also not my favorite rider I hope he fully recovers.

According to what I've seen and heard Contador was not pushed but caught his brake lever in the seat of Karpets, I hope that's true because if it was a push the implications would be terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[raindog]

Description of the crash from Fovonov
Can't be said often enough how tough these guys are

Teammate Dimitry Fofonov explained that the Astana riders were forced to take a wide line into the slippery corner when one of the Omega Pharma-Lotto riders crashed, "and started to take us with him, and we found ourselves faced with a concrete column."

"We braked to avoid it and were forced to drop into the ravine," Fofonov continued. "Alexandre really hasn't been lucky, he was ahead of me and he was stopped in his fall by a tree. I've crashed down and I got up immediately, I felt I had nothing serious. I told Alexandre, 'Come on, we go!' He answered, 'Wait, not now, I think I have something broken!' So I came up to him and I wanted to lift him, but he was afraid that we make a bad move that could make him worse. I then saw the ambulance arrive at the top, next to the road and called for help."

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Some shocking stuff yesterday, I can hardly believe that actually happened with the TV car, appalling. At least some bumps, bruises and cuts get a bit of a chance to rest today. Sad end to Vino's racing days too, what ever you thought about him.

 

[e-rider]

they should throw the book at the driver of the TV car - it was a fair statement that the rider claimed he was lucky to be alive - with the barbed wire it was probably 50:50 live or die! Put one of those cuts on his neck and he'd be dead now. A fence post hit to the head would have also killed him at that speed.

For the last 20 years I've expected such a crash to happen involving a motorbike or car - it always looked like an accident waiting to happen as they accelerate at speed past the riders often giving them very little space.