Is Cancellara right?

donrhummy
donrhummy Posts: 2,329
edited July 2009 in Pro race
Fabian claims that Contador got help from the motorcycles during the race. Did anyone notice this? i didn't, but I wasn't looking for it. I know this claim was made earlier on a mountain stage as well. I have no idea if it's true but Cancellara NEVER complains so this is kind of out of character for him.

Comments

  • edeverett
    edeverett Posts: 224
    I'd wander if he's not saying what he means. (Look who beat him in the tour last year)
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    Watched the whole thing on Eurosport and I don't agree, the only point where it could have occurred (IMHO) was on a small part of the climb, however that was because the motorcycle had to slow down owing to the spectators swamping the road, for the rest of his run the bike was too far ahead especially toward the start and the last 10km.
    +++++++++++++++++++++
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  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    I think Fabian might have a point. Alberto had 2 motorbikes in front of him and they were generally closer than the other riders had.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • flattythehurdler
    flattythehurdler Posts: 2,314
    Unless he's talking about lance style ones with refridgerated panniers :D
    Dan
  • flattythehurdler
    flattythehurdler Posts: 2,314
    Also Cancellara should bear in mind that he had by far the better conditions by all accounts, and hence a significant advantage.
    Dan
  • Philip S
    Philip S Posts: 398
    There was one point where the two bikes seemed pretty close (I think just before the first checkpoint) but after that they tended to be 50-odd yards up the road.

    Do the motorbikes only go out for the top GC contenders?
  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    edeverett wrote:
    I'd wander if he's not saying what he means. (Look who beat him in the tour last year)

    +1

    An unbelievable performance by AC in the TT.
  • Bakunin
    Bakunin Posts: 868
    I watched AC's ride again on tape and apart from one point where the bikes seem too close, for the most part it doesn't seem to be an issue.

    Did it cost FC three seconds -- I don't know.
  • k-dog
    k-dog Posts: 1,652
    I've often wondered that - the favorites tend to have a couple of bikes ahead of them - and often more cars too (although they are usually behind if you are chasing the lead group there are often cars inbetween).

    Someone must have made rules for how far ahead they have to be - otherwise it would just be silly.

    It probably doesn't make much difference on a long climb where gravity has a bigger part to play than air resistance - but in a TT a bike even 20ft in front of you could help.
    I'm left handed, if that matters.
  • colint
    colint Posts: 1,707
    It's just too hard to judge what benefit he's had, if any. Isn't there an issue that if they're a certain distance away, the turbulence caused can actually harm the rider ? Think they call it dirty air in motor sport, not sure if it's an issue at TT speeds
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    Trek Cobia 29er
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    colint wrote:
    It's just too hard to judge what benefit he's had, if any. Isn't there an issue that if they're a certain distance away, the turbulence caused can actually harm the rider ? Think they call it dirty air in motor sport, not sure if it's an issue at TT speeds

    Not sure it would affect a cyclist. In motor sport it spoils the aerodynamic effect of the following car and prevents it from producing downforce effectively. Cyclists obviously don't generate aerodynamic downforce (nor would they want to), so I think the air would have to be exceptionally turbulent for it to have any noticeable negative impact.
  • colint
    colint Posts: 1,707
    Damn, there goes another one of my excuses !!
    Planet X N2A
    Trek Cobia 29er
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,873
    considering my PTP choice.. yes!
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • AndyRubio
    AndyRubio Posts: 880
    It's the Tour of much whining. "It's not fairrrr!" I preferred it when they were all doping.
    My hour on the plinth
  • thamacdaddy
    thamacdaddy Posts: 590
    I am not sure how anyone who saw the stage on tv can judge this one better than chinny. It cuts that often and I know in the thread as I pointed out in another one kleber raised the very same point when he saw the first checkpoint.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    SunWuKong wrote:
    edeverett wrote:
    I'd wander if he's not saying what he means. (Look who beat him in the tour last year)

    +1

    An unbelievable performance by AC in the TT.

    I disagree AC is now one of the top testers in the world and he had hardly put his nose in the wind for the best part of ten days and he was beating guys who had been working all week for others like Spartacus and David Millar and also the climb was perhaps harder than many had anticipated which again helps him.So not unbelievable at all .In fact if he hadnt done well that would have been more of a shock.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,481
    How many TTs is he going to have to win before people accept he's quite handy at them?
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    andyp wrote:
    How many TTs is he going to have to win before people accept he's quite handy at them?

    +1
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    Moray Gub wrote:
    SunWuKong wrote:
    edeverett wrote:
    I'd wander if he's not saying what he means. (Look who beat him in the tour last year)

    +1

    An unbelievable performance by AC in the TT.

    I disagree AC is now one of the top testers in the world and he had hardly put his nose in the wind for the best part of ten days and he was beating guys who had been working all week for others like Spartacus and David Millar and also the climb was perhaps harder than many had anticipated which again helps him.So not unbelievable at all .In fact if he hadnt done well that would have been more of a shock.

    Moray I appreciate he's never been 'just' a climber but I am suprised he beat Spartacus. A good analysis on sportsscientists blog suggesting the hill was decisive, so maybe so. But I can understand why FC has a long face (sorry :oops: )
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Cancellara hasn't done that well in a 3rd week Tour TT for some time if my memory serves me correctly?

    This is the best 3rd week TT performance Cancellara has done in some time.
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,873
    teagar wrote:
    Cancellara hasn't done that well in a 3rd week Tour TT for some time if my memory serves me correctly?

    This is the best 3rd week TT performance Cancellara has done in some time.

    he won it last year if you remove the mekon :P
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    It is interesting that the headwind affected Wiggins pretty severely - but AC just blasted through it and (i think) gained his time there ?

    Also interesting to hear Wiggins say that AC was 'on another level' in the TT.
  • CyclingBantam
    CyclingBantam Posts: 1,299
    I was out in Annecy and when AC came past us (about 3k mark) the bikes were well in front of him. He also had to contend with much worse conditions as well. There had been no rain at all when FC was out on course I dont think.

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