Curious goings on
Mon, July 18, 2016 
Bizarre scenes in the Tour de France this week, embarrassing almost, with Chris Froome running up Mount Ventoux in a blind panic. I wanted to yell out, “Go back and get your bike.” Everyone knows in a bike race you have to have a bike with you at all times, you can’t just dump a broken bike and continue on foot.
It would have been hardly fair, and would certainly have spoiled the whole Tour if Froome had been disqualified, but you would think someone would have fined him a few thousand Swiss francs. Just a token way of saying, “You can’t do that.” I mean, what would have happened if he had run all the way to the finish. Would someone have asked, “Where’s your bike? You do know you have to cross the finish line with a bike.”
Luckily there was a Time-Trial the next day that sorted everyone out. Froome proved he was worthy of the Yellow Jersey, and more important I think Bauke Mollema did a great ride that put him where he deserved to be, in second place.
Tomorrow’s a rest day, then it will all be over by next Sunday. There is another Time Trial and three big mountain stages. The outcome is still not a forgone conclusion, anything can happen. I just hope there are no more embarrassing running men scenes.
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Reader Comments (8)
I enjoyed that video.
Whether or not we'll see more " embarrassing scenes " will depend on spectators' behaviour. Too many of them aren't really interested in the race and riders but in their own 5 seconds of fame in the live TV coverage. Embarrassing are these loonies, not the endangered riders.
The music turns the tragedy into a good laugh. The TdF administrators ruled correctly in my opinion and adjusted for the calamity tv coverage can cause.
The Brits are looking good. Seeing Cav pass Hinault in stage wins makes me think he may try to catch Merckx. To think that Cav only had two stage wins in the previous two years and has four already this year shows how hard it worked between tours to improve his speed.
My wife had the idea, there should be a path-clearing motorbike with a big plexiglass spectator-plow, like a train's cowcatcher.
Dave--I'm not sure that UCI rules mandate that the rider must have possession of the bike throughout the entire course. Yes, it might seem like common sense, but I don't believe it's in the rules. Thus, I don't think there would have been any grounds for disqualification or even penalty. The closest relevant rule is UCI regulation 1.2.108: “Unless otherwise stated, each rider shall, in order to be classified, complete the race entirely through his own effort, without the assistance of any other person.”
I've seen photos of a rider carrying his bike across the line.
Vroom, Vroom, Froome, Froome. Rev yer (hidden) motor Chris!
Geez, a sudden high rpm attack on a mountain is not humanly possible. Everybody involved better keep it well-hidden.
Did you see how he looked like a kid just learning how to ride a bike, on the Mavic spare bike? Hilarious! And it wasn't cause of wrong size, nor pedals...
The rise and fall of the British Empire? UK? Great Britain, British Isles. England? Hard to tell these days. Watch EPL football how many are true born ENGLISH players, Froome did show the cycling world today that he is the best. Born in South Africa? BUT Adam Yates, was born in ENGLAND did show he going to be the one to watch, When I grew up, as I am sure Dave remembers, apart from bus drivers etc everyone I knew was born in England. When people married they where more concerned about religion than race. So when you see an athlete wearing the Union Jack was he born in England. Who cares anymore?