Pro-cycling thread

Working from home it is then :) cheers

Controversy in Catalunya, Movistar win the stage but tv footage showed riders from the team pushing a team mate on at least two occasions, which is against TTT rules. BMC, who finished second on the stage, make a complaint and the race jury have given Rojas from Movistar a 3 minute penalty, but let the result stand. UCI rules on this are clear (for once) if guilty of pushing all riders on the team should receive a one minute penalty.

Yeah, but, Spain.

Yeah, I know. But what's the fucking point in having rules if you don't follow them?

And they've not followed the rules.

How are those Operation Puerto samples coming along?

Um, have you been watching UCI events for the last 20 years?

Sadly, yes.

Just saw 2 examples. To call that pushing is eh, pushing it imho. Both times it is the last rider letting the one that came off the front cut in before him. More of a way to say 'I'm staying here', you take that wheel, shortly touching to make sure the cutting in goes without accidents. But hey, well, OK, rules.

If he hadn't pushed him, there is a potential for time loss as the two riders on the back stretch from the group. It's minimal, but there is a gain.

I don't see how (the evidence I've seen) is pushing.

I think TJ had made quite a few more enemies. Don't expect any help if you're at BMC now.

It's more touching.

https://twitter.com/Laura_Meseguer/status/844259914197417985

What happened there ? I thought WADA and UCI got the bags last year ?

That's the point during a TTT effort where any help would be appreciated the most, as you try and sprint back onto the back of the line after finishing your effort on the front. We've just seen two instances from a 41 km stage, who knows how many times this happened when the tv camera wasn't broadcasting.

The rules are very clear, no pushing or touching is allowed and all the Movistar riders should've been given a one minute penalty.

I felt it looks like a touch, not a push. But that's only commenting from the video I saw.

But I'm not a commisare, just an armchair slob.

but you are right about the rules, there is a rule and a clear punishment; and they have not given the right punishment, if they are of the opinion that it's against the rules. So that's wrong.

Inrng posted the rule; if anyone missed.

BMC wins TTT after jury decision, all Movistar riders pu(ni)shed

pun(ished)

A victory for the rules of the sport for once.

Lol Valverde is going to give TJ a talking too today.

But yes, rules fairly enforce, if they were pushing.

Calling myself out here, I didn't realise Dwars door Vlaanderen had been promoted to the WT this year. Which makes Sky (and Dimension Data's) absence unusual. Maybe they think they can get good results at E3, Gent-Wevelgem, Flanders and Roubaix, without tiring out the relatively small pool of riders in their cobbled classics squad?

You're not "obliged" in the first year of it being a WT race, right? Odd though, guess they're stretched.

They're riding three separate race programmes this week - Catalunya, cobbled classics build up and the Coppi-Bartali race (where @taogeogheganhart is riding).

It doesn't really matter though. A push is a push.
It's like saying if you 'only took a little bit of EPO', it's ok.
All these fuckers do is race bikes, they should know the rules.

His hand is clearly on the other rider's arse. It's a push.

I can't actually remember, I basically stopped following the story.

Good. Twitter wins a battle for once. :)