Cancellara is insisting that no rider attack his group as it arrives in Spa. It appears that the riders are expressing their concerns about what was a most intriguing day of racing.
Was that "protest" at the end of today's stage (led by Cancellara) legit or was it a load of BS and the riders were throwing a little hissy fit? It makes Cancellara come off particularly bad, IMO. He loses the yellow jersey to Chavanel, who deserved to win today, so he insists that the rest of the riders protest the TdF organizers because of the numerous crashes? What are they complaining about, the rain??
Am I missing something here?
Am I missing something here?
I was and still am, a bit confused. I have always thought it a bike “race”, not just a tour. Maybe if they got some rain tires like in F1 there wouldn’t be an issue, but seriously, if every stage gets protested what is that going to look like. Sprinters complaining they get left behind on Mt. stages?
Even Levi was complaining about the organizers wanting blood.
So, I remain confused about where this is all going, meanwhile Chavanel has a BIG lead.
“Am I missing something here?”
It’s what makes the TdF a little bit special.
At the time of the big pile-up Cancellara was clear with a small group.
But his Team GC riders were back in the pack along with most of the other GC riders. He could have said “To heck with it, it’s a race, every man for himself” and took off.
Instead he held back the pace allowing everyone, well almost everyone, to catch up. It would have then been bad form for the sprinters to then jump past the people who waited on them and sprint in for the gloy and points.
I think this was a little bit “riders pissed at the course selection” and a whole lot of the special “TdF sportsmanship.”
Just my opinion of course.