Pro-cycling thread

Didn't one of the Yates brothers win a one day race last year after the leader was knocked off by a camera bike in the last few k?

There is unfair, and then there is just unacceptable.
Racing results should not be influenced or dictated by a motorbike.

^ This.

[Tongue in cheek] Also has big impact on Fantasy Cycling, my 9 were nicely set to dominate weeks 2 & 3 now my best riders have been taken out unfairly. #firstworldproblems

I'm on the phone so can't type at length, but neutralising a race is a difficult decision to make in real time, without instant access to to replays.

But the number of incidents with vehicle traffic is ridiculous now, and changes must happen. The incident today was easily avoidable, all the moto rider had to do was ensure he was off the carriage way when he stopped.

Landa lost 25 minutes. Don't know if he was more injured than Thomas or just gave up.

Vehicles should always stop on the right hand side of the road in European races. Look at the space available there from this gif.

https://twitter.com/caleyfretz/status/863785612624646145

Think he was up and away quicker, but looked in trouble when he was riding.

The Pelucchi twins continue to disappoint.

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I'm not a big Sky supporter so perhaps I see it differently, but the moto was on the extreme left of the road and clearly visible for riders to go around. I don't see how it is any different from any other object/person/obstacle in this instance-the way people are talking it's like he was sat in the middle of the road taking a selfie on a blind corner.

By all means blame the Giant rider who clipped the moto and then went into Thomas which is pretty shit luck to whomever it happens, but to blame the moto itself seems pretty tenuous given the nature of the sport and it's taking away from a comprehensive victory by Quintana.

Rob Hatch seemed to forget Landa was in the race, even before the crash.

There were still police bikes stopping on he left after the crash

https://twitter.com/Eurosport_UK/status/863759471905865729/video/1

Couldn't be more left without being on the verge itself. There's plenty of shit moto driving to legitimately criticise but this crash was easily avoidable on the part of the riders.

Good analysis if you can't cycle they should get get a different job.

It's a bike race. They were going full on and fighting for position - the race was all over the road. They shouldn't have to consider that shit, especially something so avoidable.

It's a professional bike race at the highest level, the road should be clear of obstacles and the riders should not have to worry about them.

There are no excuses for this type of incident.

Could just as easily been a pothole/drain. Riders see them all the time and move over. That thing your head is balanced on can swivel in all sorts of directions to help vision, as can the eyeballs themselves-one dozy rider caused the crash and that's shit but it's the nature of the beast.

Laurens ten Dam in post stage interview: "Sky was blocking us and pushing to the side by so we had to move up on the left to try to get past"

there should be no moto there.

if you're on the 6th or 7th row in the peloton, you don't see anything. especially when you have to move to the side just before. Ten Dam, Haga and Dumoulin were able to swerve around it, but Kelderman couldn't

Hmm... I'd hate for the moto driver to take the flack. He/She was stationary at the extreme left of the road.

No, sorry but you are wrong. If the moto has to stop it's a well established precedent that he does so on the right hand side of the road. Where there was plenty of room.

But even then, why was he stopped? If he needs to get back behind the lead group then find somewhere where you can pull off the road. Do not stop on the carriageway. Period.

Is it any different to say a spectator being at the side of the road? Surely they are expecting there to be things sticking out now and again...

Police moto rather than TV/Media so if he was stopped it's more likely that it was under instruction than trying to get an opportunistic photo.

If that moto is grounds for neutralising the stage then it stands to reason that any kind of incident involving something other than another cyclist on the road is, and that isn't going to happen.

I'd suggest you see this tweet from Chad;

https://twitter.com/ChadHaga/status/863792195165458432

Kelderman moves towards the moto when the rider in front of him moves right.

He couldn't (wouldn't be able to) see the motorbike.
And when you're doing 50kmph, people jostling about can make you move funny, with the force of the wind being pushed it can pull you around.

You mean a rider from the team that caused the crash is publicly advocating against the moto? Quel surprise. It's a two lane road, the moto on its very margin and outwith the white line. As obstacles go over a typical stage it's hardly the most gratuitous and the road looks pretty straight in that clip.

French commentators thought it was the Kelderman's fault, as did the Italians. Brits feel differently, again-quel surprise as Sky came of for the worse.