Fools

pottssteve

And I thought football and rugby were the main sports where unfit, drunken idiots yelled at the pros. Looks like the Americans have been watching European racing. The number of "look at me" idiots getting in the way on the TOC climbs was not funny.
Di@kheads.

Bakunin

Geez, I thought some of them were pretty funny.

Lighten up a little -- why not have a party? I didn't see any riders get knocked over.

They crash enough amongst themselves.

cougie

Never saw the 'fun' in running in front of a rider like a bloody idiot. By all means have a party - but the road is for the racers. If you dont do it at Indycar (or whatever) why do it for the cyclists ?

blazing_saddles

It would be nuts to try an attack under such circumstances. So many lunatics.
Effectively neutralised the tops of the climbs. Far more dangerous than the "Euro tunnel".

FJS

Bakunin wrote:

Geez, I thought some of them were pretty funny.

Lighten up a little -- why not have a party? I didn't see any riders get knocked over.

They crash enough amongst themselves.

At the first climb of the stage a young kid running after his moronic dad crossed the road just in front of the breakaway group and Frank Schleck had to hit the breaks, move to the side and almost fell... If spectators would have interfered with almost any other sport that would have been frontpage news...

Tom Butcher

All part of the "look at me culture" - most of them aren't even watching the race too busy trying to get on camera - they should just nick a few of them - if I was watching I'd stick a leg out and let them experience a bit of road rash.

pottssteve

I thought I heard Harmon say that the prat with the antlers was now sponsored by a competing TV station. That guy didn't even watch the race, but at least he didn't get in the way.
On a couple of occasions I thought riders were impeded by the crowd. I only saw one rozzer, a stereotypical lardy Dukes of Hazzard style chap at the top of one of the climbs - clearly not enough.

micron

Apparently there were so many spectators camped out at the top of the climbs yesterday that the organisers couldn't get the barriers in. However, the race etiquette on display was not great, was it?

le_patron

pottssteve wrote:

I only saw one rozzer, a stereotypical lardy Dukes of Hazzard style chap at the top of one of the climbs - clearly not enough.

Agree, I saw him, a sheriff's deputy type, a bit outnumbered. He should have incarcerated some of the perpetrators in the state penitentary.

They need some proper TdF Gendamerie up there, there were too many runners too close to the riders IMO. Some things don't translate too well across the pond, bit like the the chalk on the roads instead of paint.

prawny

I saw one of the riders take a swing at a runner near the top of the climb yesterday, proper tried to punch him in the face.

I think I would have done the same tools! It was really bad at the top of the major climb, people everywhere.

disquieting_museeuws

I was having kittens watching this, I was convinced there was going to be a crash in the lead group at one time - and I saw two BABIES being held up by blokes running along in the melee, one held out at arms length, totally exposed in the case of a trip, insane.

Moomaloid

The American's lust for airtime took it to a whole new level... i'm thinking that a LOT of them were not fans as such... i thought it was really bad. People can say lighten up but that was some of most stupid stuff i've seen. The guy waving his nappy wearing toddler was just nuts!!

pottssteve

le patron wrote:

"Agree, I saw him, a sheriff's deputy type, a bit outnumbered. He should have incarcerated some of the perpetrators in the state penitentary."

Agree. Or pop a cap in their asses

cougie

Or even shoot them ! ;-)

leguape

prawny wrote:

I saw one of the riders take a swing at a runner near the top of the climb yesterday, proper tried to punch him in the face.

I think I would have done the same tools! It was really bad at the top of the major climb, people everywhere.

That was Micky Rogers throwing the punch. A more experienced bike crew would have run the motos tight to the back of the riders and occasionally zipped up the side when the prats got a bit close.

hammerite

disquieting_museeuws wrote:

I was having kittens watching this, I was convinced there was going to be a crash in the lead group at one time - and I saw two BABIES being held up by blokes running along in the melee, one held out at arms length, totally exposed in the case of a trip, insane.

I think I was the same as you. Poor kids, haven't got much hope have they.

My OH hasn't heard me swearing so much as I was while watching this since she finished the last of a toblerone.

andrewjoseph

The mavic moto helped on the last climb when shleck and nibali were being chased by several 'skinheads' who looked intent on injury.

The 'fans' were more numerous and more outrageous as the tour went on.

prawny

leguape wrote:

prawny wrote:

I saw one of the riders take a swing at a runner near the top of the climb yesterday, proper tried to punch him in the face.

I think I would have done the same tools! It was really bad at the top of the major climb, people everywhere.

That was Micky Rogers throwing the punch. A more experienced bike crew would have run the motos tight to the back of the riders and occasionally zipped up the side when the prats got a bit close.

I thought it might have been but couldn't be sure. Fair play to him though, I wonder if he had anything to do with the guy that 'fell over' just before? I might watch it back later.

davidmiller

Shocking behaviour. The race organisers really need to look at this for next year.

AND sort out that mountain top finish will you guys. We see it in the TdF and many others so don't make logistical excuses.

Beyond those two minor complaints - excellent race. I've really enjoyed watching the live coverage FREE over the web all week (I have n't got anything else done!!). So come on ASO - follow suit will you??

DM

Bakunin

The presentation of the babies to the riders was scary.

LangerDan

Is it any worse than the Giro or Vuelta (Angliru stage, anyone), though? Maybe the Americans should come up with some term like "tifosi" that seems to allow such behaviour be fobbed of as "high-spirits" rather than "drunken tool endangering riders".

BTW, why did Schleck and Nibail need a team car each, a Mavic neutral service car and a Mavic neutral service motorbike. Seems everyone wants to be on telly.

afx237vi

LangerDan wrote:

Is it any worse than the Giro or Vuelta (Angliru stage, anyone), though? Maybe the Americans should come up with some term like "tifosi" that seems to allow such behaviour be fobbed of as "high-spirits" rather than "drunken tool endangering riders".

I think it was worse than the European summit finishes. As Blazing Saddles says, in Europe you generally get the "tunnel" effect, with the spectators parting at the last second. The TOC fans have generally been more "runners" - which is much more dangerous.

There was one idiot at the top of Cole Grade last night and he was flat-out sprinting with a baby in his arms. The kid's head was bouncing all over the place. My jaw literally dropped to the floor at the stupidity of some people.

leguape

afx237vi wrote:

LangerDan wrote:

Is it any worse than the Giro or Vuelta (Angliru stage, anyone), though? Maybe the Americans should come up with some term like "tifosi" that seems to allow such behaviour be fobbed of as "high-spirits" rather than "drunken tool endangering riders".

I think it was worse than the European summit finishes. As Blazing Saddles says, in Europe you generally get the "tunnel" effect, with the spectators parting at the last second. The TOC fans have generally been more "runners" - which is much more dangerous.

There was one idiot at the top of Cole Grade last night and he was flat-out sprinting with a baby in his arms. The kid's head was bouncing all over the place. My jaw literally dropped to the floor at the stupidity of some people.

I thought that was a doll he was holding :shock:

Fewer runners in Europe definitely, and if you do run, you tend to get clotheslined pretty quick by the fuzz or other spectators. Also European runners tend to chase after shouting exhortations rather than run right up the middle of the road not even looking where the riders are behind them.

disquieting_museeuws

Of course the Italian tifosi do go over the top at times and should likewise be controlled, but this was more scary I thought. I agree the mavic motorbike was protecting the riders by shielding off the runners at one point, shouldn't have to be part of their job.

tarquin_foxglove

leguape wrote:

(the Americans were running) right up the middle of the road not even looking where the riders are behind them.

Perhaps they had been held up by some of the riders out on a training ride and wanted to get their own back.

as discussed on a previous thread

drenkrom

Can someone please explain to me the link between cycling and a pair of sunglass-wearing sumo wrestlers jogging up a mountain? I didn't quite get the poetry behind the act.

iainf72

afx237vi wrote:

There was one idiot at the top of Cole Grade last night and he was flat-out sprinting with a baby in his arms. The kid's head was bouncing all over the place. My jaw literally dropped to the floor at the stupidity of some people.

There can only be one thing to say

dennisn

drenkrom wrote:

Can someone please explain to me the link between cycling and a pair of sunglass-wearing sumo wrestlers jogging up a mountain? I didn't quite get the poetry behind the act.

I saw that. Am as confused as you. WTF? Then again I don't think it's strictly a U.S
phenomena. Although it was in California and anything is possible out there. Their parents must be very proud. But thinking about it I'm not really surprised. It seems that a great many people here in the states will do literally anything to get on TV. Make complete fools out of themselves if need be, but, at all costs get on TV. Maybe that's all it was.

Dennis Noward

dave_1

surely race officials should simply aprehend these eejits and have the police charge them and fine them much the same way as invading a football pitch incurs punishment

dennisn

iainf72 wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

There was one idiot at the top of Cole Grade last night and he was flat-out sprinting with a baby in his arms. The kid's head was bouncing all over the place. My jaw literally dropped to the floor at the stupidity of some people.

There can only be one thing to say

Just to keep you folks across the pond informed, what we have here is a bad haircut, bad mustache, scroungy looking, house trailer living, rusted out car driving, ill fitting dirty T-shirt wearing, 3rd. grade education, citizen of the good old USA. Known by many names - redneck, trailer trash, stupid idiot, and "moran" just to name a few. Don't worry though, they are fairly harmless.

Dennis Noward

jimycooper

yes theses drunken fools may of been a bit dangerous but at least no-one doped.

wasnt the crime of the century was it?