-
I was an official dotwatcher in 2017. What happens is that, during the first part of the race, all Rory / Anna can do is respond to things that the dotwatchers flag up. When they get to the finish, they have a bit more time to look into things a bit more deeply, and do a bit of their own research on who went where. They ask some dotwatchers to do little projects to check out certain reported infringements. Ideally you get the strava track which then shows you more clearly where people went.
After the finish, they absolutely do check all the riders with official places for any infringements, with particular focus on the leaders. Ask @skinny - he wouldn't take any chances with his route anyway but he would know that, as a race favourite, every turn of his would be scrutinised with a fine tooth comb.
That is why the final results don't come out for a couple of months - it is the same every year.
It is a bit harder this year with no Freeroute. That probably means that dotwatchers weren't able to spot as many infringements, so there may be more work left for Rory / his helpers to do.
I am confident that they will look at Fiona's route and she will get a penalty, probably a couple of hours for the thing in France, and who knows for whatever she did in Switzerland. Mike was so clear in his views on this that I don't think they would dare do otherwise - and TBH I think they would have the same view anyway so it won't happen.
If I'm wrong, then I have clearly misjudged, but it would mean the TCR had changed from being a race with integrity to being a sportive, and I don't think that it will happen!
frank9755-
This whole talk at LMNH is about re affirming what integrity is, you must have seen and read the invite. So yeah it's as was.
I self reported myself when I've messed up, or there has been possible infringement. You're riding 4,000km across a continent, it's not possible to be perfect.
Thankfully TCR take a sensible holistic view. When other races might DQ you for making a mistake, they give you a penalty. I think this is fair and wise, given the complexity.
skinny
Difference between a rider sharing a banned road and someone accusing someone of taking a banned road. It’s also still a fairly patriarchal group, I think a female rider would be put under greater scrutiny.
I don’t get why they wouldn’t check the first few riders, they could do it almost before they finish.
Publication of results has taken quite sometime.