Cheshire Celt
Legend
- Location
- Alsager
Stage race or not far as i am concerned its part of the game get up and get on with it
Vuelta a España 2012 (with spoilers)
- Thread starter smutchin
- Start date
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Tomi
Regular
- Location
- Nowhere near
It's not a matter of opinion, it's just an unwritten law: If something like this (crash, puncture etc...) happens to gc leader the others (at least gc contenders) ease. Some (most) honor it, some don't.
OP
OP
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
There's a lot more to it than that - it depends on the circumstances of the crash and many other factors relating to what else is going on in the race. Remember the 2010 Tour... on one of the early stages, there were loads of crashes and the whole race was neutralised, but the very next day, on the cobblestones, there were loads more crashes affecting some major contenders and yet no one waited for anyone. The differences are subtle and it doesn't help that riders have to make instant decisions.
Today, it was towards the end of the stage and they were trying to close down a breakaway group. Sky had already started upping the pace before the crash happened - in fact, it seemed to be the increase in pace at the front that led riders behind to start jostling for position and that's what caused the crash. That's precisely the kind of trouble that wannabe race leaders stay near the front of the peloton to avoid.
d.
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
He certainly wasn't complaining either.
Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
- Location
- Odawa
Tomi
Regular
- Location
- Nowhere near
Yes of course it depends on the circumstances. If a rider falls on decent trying to keep up the pace or on cobbles, it's the same, but a major crash in the peloton... And wannabe leader Valverde was perhaps 15th man in the peloton.
Anyway I didnt mean that one cannot argue this case, I meant that its not a matter of opinion if this waiting the gc leader should happen in general. (Sorry if cant say this clearly, i'm not native english speaker)
In fact you can argue weather SKY should have waited or not. Crash probably happened because of this increase in pace. It's just
that they could have waited couldn't they? Valverde lost a minute (and probably the jersey)because they didn't.
Anyway I didnt mean that one cannot argue this case, I meant that its not a matter of opinion if this waiting the gc leader should happen in general. (Sorry if cant say this clearly, i'm not native english speaker)
In fact you can argue weather SKY should have waited or not. Crash probably happened because of this increase in pace. It's just
that they could have waited couldn't they? Valverde lost a minute (and probably the jersey)because they didn't.
Tomi
Regular
- Location
- Nowhere near
Well nobody believes that (" crash had been provoked by a Sky rider")...
Neither nobody believes SKY's explanation: "they had not known that Valverde had fallen"
Does anyone else find there's a lack of decent information about the state of play in the race on Eurosport's coverage? And I suppose it's down to the vuelta/Spanish TV coverage rather than Eurosport.
Several times this afternoon, I was thinking 'so who are we watching now?', 'how far back are they?' Gaps were not being shown, little or no info as to who we were looking at (I'm afraid I only recognise maybe a handful of riders by sight). I had no idea when the lead group of 5 became two, no idea what happened to the other 3 (I thought the peloton had swallowed them up). Then I realised there was a group of 4 up the road when I thought Froome, Contador & Roche were 2nd on the road.... made for quite confusing viewing.
Several times this afternoon, I was thinking 'so who are we watching now?', 'how far back are they?' Gaps were not being shown, little or no info as to who we were looking at (I'm afraid I only recognise maybe a handful of riders by sight). I had no idea when the lead group of 5 became two, no idea what happened to the other 3 (I thought the peloton had swallowed them up). Then I realised there was a group of 4 up the road when I thought Froome, Contador & Roche were 2nd on the road.... made for quite confusing viewing.
oldroadman
Veteran
- Location
- Ubique
Well he would, wouldn't he?
By Sky speeding up, then a few things happened, then V fell off. The peloton was riding by then and so quite OK to continue. When the crosswind hit, echelons took care of the rest. That's racing. Just remember that V and Movistar did something similar earlier this season full aware of a crash before they started to ride. What goes around comes around.
It's early in a 3 week race with 10 hilltop/mountain finishes. If V is good enough he'll be up there, if he's not he won't, and that seems to really be the problem, because when the big hitters start going at it in week 3, it finds out who really has it.
Much better benig a domestique, do your stuff, peel off and leave it to the boss....still get paid!
You're doing pretty good Tomi
Just for interest, where are you from?
And yes, I agree, that it would've been classy for Sky to ease off the pace a bit, but what's done, is done.
The sports program I watch here in France does a 10 minute summary of the day's events. It opened it's vuelta coverage saying Sky profited from Valverde's fall by attacking - cut to footage of Sky rider looking back as crash occurs then cuts to footage of Team Sky in full flight. Then it went on to the result. I trust other channels will cover it a little more objectively.
Tomi
Regular
- Location
- Nowhere near
Thanks Raindog. I'm from Finland.
Jon Baines
Regular
- Location
- Portsmouth, England
Seeing Valverde bitching on twitter has made my day, complaining about Sky causing the crash. Since when did going faster cause crashes? Laughable from him really, especially considering Movistar's past.
