Tour de France - 2011

Did he have another accident, or was it the one that happened the other day? I'm still at work, so not watching today's stage yet.
 
marchi-91 said:
Boonen out


BTW phil ligget has to be the best commentator in the world after our favorite pommy from the asian tour a few years back. How he makes even the big 3 hours a good watch is beyond me
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That is so true. I'm not a cyclist yet I love watching the tour because of his (and Paul Sherwin's) commentary. I always use to skip the channel when the tour was on but one day I had nothing else to do and found myself intrigued the whole ride through. It is very seldom where someone explains the sport (the rules and overall competition) as well as him. You might no nothing about cycling but by the end of a Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin session you'd be well educated about cycling.

I remember my mates asked me why in the feck I watch the TDF, so I told them bring your 6 pack and watch a mountain stage with me. I did no explanation and left it to Ligget and Sherwin. Boy were they hooked. They're bigger TDF followers than I am now.
 
Still can't believe Thor kept the yellow after yesterday's stage. As strong as they come, more and more complete with each passing day. Reckon I'll watch today's stage from start to finish. Gotta love Sundays.
 
Vino is out now as well.

Used to be my favourite, before the doping. Still enjoy watching him ride though.
 
Dyslexic Untied said:
I think Flecha just got slammed down by a car. Insane stage so far.
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That he did. Hoogerland taken out as well when Flecha flew into him. The car was overtaking the riders and took a quick turn right into Flecha which sent him flying. The driver seemed to want to avoid a tree by the road. Both riders back on bikes again, but that could have been very very ugly.

Big crash earlier as well when they were going downhill. Vinokourov fractured a femur, van den Broeck fractured a shoulder blade and was bleeding from the back of his head, Zabriskie fractured a wrist and Willems fractured a collar bone.
 
marchi-91 said:
Any video's of any of them?
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The car taking out Flecha, who then takes out Hoogerland:


No footage of the downhill crash from what I can see, but this shows the aftermaths. Including Vinokourov being dragged up by his team mates.
 
Vino always descends like a madman, but the Flecha crash is astonishing. Who the feck is that driver?
 




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The Taurean said:
What a freak accident! Are they still riding cause that would be surprising.

Shame about Vinokourov in his probably last tour.
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Both riders who were taken out by the car finished the stage and looks to start again tuesday (monday = rest).

Hoogerland said he is expecting at least 30 stitches. Like the sport or not, you've got to admit that most riders are some tough feckers. Every year people finish stages with broken bones and shit as well. Footballers could learn a thing or two.
 
Wowi said:
Both riders who were taken out by the car finished the stage and looks to start again tuesday (monday = rest).

Hoogerland said he is expecting at least 30 stitches. Like the sport or not, you've got to admit that most riders are some tough feckers. Every year people finish stages with broken bones and shit as well. Footballers could learn a thing or two.
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To be fair wowi, you'd be surprised at the footballers that play with injuries. Ronaldo could barely walk towards the end of 07/08 season and the only reason he played was because they were giving him pain killing injections. Even then, they can't completely numb the pain otherwise the foot would go to sleep. Yes footballers are fanies at times, but there are also injuries we don't see.

But these guys are still tough pricks.

Rumor is that its the end of Vino's career. He was retiring anyway but it will take a while to recover if it is his femur.
 
marchi-91 said:
To be fair wowi, you'd be surprised at the footballers that play with injuries. Ronaldo could barely walk towards the end of 07/08 season and the only reason he played was because they were giving him pain killing injections. Even then, they can't completely numb the pain otherwise the foot would go to sleep. Yes footballers are fanies at times, but there are also injuries we don't see.

But these guys are still stuff pricks.

Rumor is that its the end of Vino's career. He was retiring anyway but it will take a while to recover if it is his femur.
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I know footballers can take a lot of pain as well, and many of them often want to continue playing after getting injured in a match but is taken off as a precaution. My comment was more of a tongue-in-cheek really, and aimed at all the players who overplay every incident.

Vino was going to retire at the end of this year anyway as you say, so I'm fairly certain he won't race again. Really sad ending to his career.
 
Incredibly sad what happened yesterday. That driver needs to be shot. He should've braked or rather just hit the tree. He swerved too far because in the end he cleared the tree by far. Plus turns out he disobeyed a direct order from the commissar to not overtake at that point, he went and did anyways. Proper cockstain he is. I just hope Hoogerland and Flecha can keep going, especially Hoogerland.

Big guns out: Wiggins, Vinokourov, Brajkovic, Horner and Leipheimer all out. Gesink still riding but in pain. Incredible.
 
Stretch said:
Incredibly sad what happened yesterday. That driver needs to be shot. He should've braked or rather just hit the tree. He swerved too far because in the end he cleared the tree by far. Plus turns out he disobeyed a direct order from the commissar to not overtake at that point, he went and did anyways. Proper cockstain he is. I just hope Hoogerland and Flecha can keep going, especially Hoogerland.

Big guns out: Wiggins, Vinokourov, Brajkovic, Horner and Leipheimer all out. Gesink still riding but in pain. Incredible.
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Sounds like a strip-joint :drool:

Terrible crash btw, some people are feckin stupid & careless in these situations. I recall the big pile-up on the 1st or 2nd stage - where some stupid bitch stood facin away from the bikes at the side of the road, where her body was stickin out. Massive pile-up ensued, all because she was a stupid cnut!
 
Hoogerland is being interviewed on Belgian telly as I type. He seem fine actually. He planning to defend his mountain jersey all the way to Paris. He looks a bit like Jesus too.
 
Stage 5 was horrible. I am just watching the recap and there were so many crashes. I felt sorry for Robery Gesink. He crashed out of the last year tour. He has a lot of potential.
 
Rams said:
Hoogerland is being interviewed on Belgian telly as I type. He seem fine actually. He planning to defend his mountain jersey all the way to Paris. He looks a bit like Jesus too.
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Seen him on Eurosport last nite, the highlights from Sunday. He was teary-eyed but didnt want to blame anyone, he was just thankful no-one got killed. The Giro has probably brought back sad memories to alot of the riders, with all these crashes...

Hopefully no-one will get seriously hurt for the remainder of the tour!
 
Stretch said:
Incredibly sad what happened yesterday. That driver needs to be shot. He should've braked or rather just hit the tree. He swerved too far because in the end he cleared the tree by far. Plus turns out he disobeyed a direct order from the commissar to not overtake at that point, he went and did anyways. Proper cockstain he is. I just hope Hoogerland and Flecha can keep going, especially Hoogerland.

Big guns out: Wiggins, Vinokourov, Brajkovic, Horner and Leipheimer all out. Gesink still riding but in pain. Incredible.
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You forgot the biggest of them all, Jurgen Van den Broek.
Incredibly sad for Belgium. With Gilbert, we've got the best rider in the world at the moment who's also having a great Tour this year, but for some reason people here were much more interested in VDB's Tour. It could have been the first Belgian on the podium in more than twenty years. We've always been great in the classics on all terrains, but it has been a while ago since we had a world top rider in this kind of work.
 
King_Eric said:
You forgot the biggest of them all, Jurgen Van den Broek.
Incredibly sad for Belgium. With Gilbert, we've got the best rider in the world at the moment who's also having a great Tour this year, but for some reason people here were much more interested in VDB's Tour. It could have been the first Belgian on the podium in more than twenty years. We've always been great in the classics on all terrains, but it has been a while ago since we had a world top rider in this kind of work.
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That's right, Van den Broek was one of my favs to make top 5 classification. Hve no idea how I forgot him. So many big losses.

All we can do is hope we don't have anymore incidents.
 
Indeed. It's even worse when you hear what these athletes have to do in preparation of this race to be this competitive. Especially the climbers then. They're living like monks for months before an event like this. Van den Broek for example didn't drink any alcohol for months and watched his diet obsessively. Just to make sure there's not a gram of fat too much.

Just to see all that work being erased by a stupid crash. But luckily he's already thinking ahead and wants to try and get ready for the Vuelta at the end of august. Although I think it'll come too soon. A broken shoulderblade and broken ribs don't heal in a few weeks I assume. And if they do, he's going to start the Vuelta unprepared. But it's better than nothing I assume.

The Vuelta this year hwill be very competitive by the way when it comes to the general classification. Some of the riders who are going to start: Scarponi, Nibali, Rodriguez, Anton, Mencov, Brajkovic, Horner, Van den Broeck, Wiggins, Evans, Gesink, Kruijswijk and perhaps one or both of the Schlecks also.
 
That is a very impressive line up for the Vuelta. It will be very competitive I imagine with some big riders missing out on the GC for the TDF.

Can't wait to get into the mountain tomorrow. Contador will attack, that is for sure. I want to see who's stronger of the Schlecks and if Evans can keep with them. Basso has also just been biding his time quietly.
 
King_Eric said:
Indeed. It's even worse when you hear what these athletes have to do in preparation of this race to be this competitive. Especially the climbers then. They're living like monks for months before an event like this. Van den Broek for example didn't drink any alcohol for months and watched his diet obsessively. Just to make sure there's not a gram of fat too much.

Just to see all that work being erased by a stupid crash. But luckily he's already thinking ahead and wants to try and get ready for the Vuelta at the end of august. Although I think it'll come too soon. A broken shoulderblade and broken ribs don't heal in a few weeks I assume. And if they do, he's going to start the Vuelta unprepared. But it's better than nothing I assume.

The Vuelta this year hwill be very competitive by the way when it comes to the general classification. Some of the riders who are going to start: Scarponi, Nibali, Rodriguez, Anton, Mencov, Brajkovic, Horner, Van den Broeck, Wiggins, Evans, Gesink, Kruijswijk and perhaps one or both of the Schlecks also.
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This is all part and parcel of being a cyclist. Every Tour sees favourites crash out.

I also wouldn't expect V/d Broek to start in the Vuelta, his injuries are serious and will need more than 1.5 months revalidate.
 
Stretch said:
That is a very impressive line up for the Vuelta. It will be very competitive I imagine with some big riders missing out on the GC for the TDF.

Can't wait to get into the mountain tomorrow. Contador will attack, that is for sure. I want to see who's stronger of the Schlecks and if Evans can keep with them. Basso has also just been biding his time quietly.
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The five you mentioned will go clear off the front of the peloton first and then will be dropped by A.Schleck and Contador who will decide the stage win between them.
 
I don't know the answer to this question, it just came to my mind. How do they take a piss when they need to?
 
Either they stop and piss on the side of the road or... get their todger out whilst they're cycling and piss in the wind. :)
 
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