Distinct lack of crashes?

trekrider127
trekrider127 Posts: 83
edited July 2009 in Pro race
Is it just me or does this year seem to have been a safer tour for the riders? Which is good news!

Apart from Jens aweful crash ..... Menchov trying to make up for everyone .... and the the BBOX synchronised dive team, it seems to have been fairly free of major incidents. It also seems to have had fewer retirements?

Is this the case? In which case what has caused it? Or is it a misplaced perception?

Comments

  • GroupOfOne MkII
    GroupOfOne MkII Posts: 1,289
    Levi crashing out/breaking his wrist
    Mick Rogers having his usual Tour crash
    Menchov doing a Zulle at just about every opportunity
    Bougyes Telecom in the TTT
    Vansummeren in the TTT
    A Lampre rider in the TTT
    Boonen doing Barca on his butt
    Txrukka & Van Hummel both crashing, which indirectly caused their retirements
    And Jen's facial descent

    Seems like there's been as many crashes as other years to be fair.
  • trekrider127
    trekrider127 Posts: 83
    Yes I agree with the individual one.

    Its the big pile ups of the past years that seem to be avoided.

    I only remember one major split in the field after a crash? When Columbia took advantage ... is that right?
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    There hasn't been the typical mass pileup that we've seen in past years during the sprints, but there have been lots of little crashes that have caused problems... the first day when Boonen took a detour to avoid a crash, the day into Barcelona where lots of people fell, the day when Wiggo lost the 15 seconds after a crash caused a split.

    I'd say it's been about average.
  • AO1504
    AO1504 Posts: 57
    GroupOfOne MkII wrote:
    Levi crashing out/breaking his wrist
    Mick Rogers having his usual Tour crash
    Menchov doing a Zulle at just about every opportunity
    Bougyes Telecom in the TTT
    Vansummeren in the TTT
    A Lampre rider in the TTT
    Boonen doing Barca on his butt
    Txrukka & Van Hummel both crashing, which indirectly caused their retirements
    And Jen's facial descent

    Seems like there's been as many crashes as other years to be fair.

    Hincapie and Van DeVelde were involved in crashes also.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Do people already forget a potential top-10 (top-5?) rider crashing out in the first week?
  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    There were 21 crashes on the Girona-Barcelona stage
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • GroupOfOne MkII
    GroupOfOne MkII Posts: 1,289
    FJS wrote:
    Do people already forget a potential top-10 (top-5?) rider crashing out in the first week?

    Levi? Mentioned above, and being a pedant that was the second week :wink:
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    GroupOfOne MkII wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Do people already forget a potential top-10 (top-5?) rider crashing out in the first week?

    Levi? Mentioned above, and being a pedant that was the second week :wink:

    Gesink?

    http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/LIVE/fr/abandons.html

    Yeah, I'd forgotten about him too.
  • Harry Hill
    Harry Hill Posts: 114
    yes - its misplaced perception - big time! lol
    .. who said that, internet forum people ?
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    GroupOfOne MkII wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Do people already forget a potential top-10 (top-5?) rider crashing out in the first week?

    Levi? Mentioned above, and being a pedant that was the second week :wink:
    So you really did forget, even with hint :wink: . Yeah, afx, I meant Gesink
  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    Harry Hill wrote:
    yes - its misplaced perception - big time! lol

    Looks that way, I think as was said above, just an absence of major pile ups.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,812
    There was one where Efimkin crashed wasn't there?

    The Yellow Jersey was involved too I think, and the crash split the peloton and helped VanSummeren and Sapa escape... I didn;t see it but read that thta's what happened, due to the downdraft from the chopper apparently.

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