A True Champion

Querrock

That's ridiculous, after I have seen Schleck crying and Contador shamed, I started to full support Menchov and Samuel Sanchez as the real cyclist who deserved to win the Tour. Go Denny, Go Samu!! Please make a far attack together today while AS and AC remains on the pack crying and arguing about who should attack or not.
Real cyclists for a real competition!

deejay.

Well, whether we agree on the decision or not, ultimately Contador has sealed his own fate - he'll always be remembered as the champion who won a TdF by making an attack which was regarded as morally questionable under the unwritten rules of sportsmanship in professional cycling.

Personally I am not a fan :evil:

deej

greasedscotsman

deejay. wrote:

Well, whether we agree on the decision or not, ultimately Contador has sealed his own fate - he'll always be remembered as the champion who won a TdF by making an attack which was regarded as morally questionable under the unwritten rules of sportsmanship in professional cycling.

Personally I am not a fan :evil:

deej

Bit like LA in '99 then?

Ben6899

Well if it stays like this the record books will read:

Tour de France 2010
Maillot Jaune - Alberto Contador

No matter what we all think on these forums. I'm a Schleck fan and want him to win, but he was a victim of bad luck yesterday. AC had to go... Menchov wouldn't have waited.

Homer J

All i know is that a true champion and legend like Lance, would have stopped and put the chain on for him. (sigh. no FF)

ilikecycling

If Contador has had a sleepless, guilt ridden, night and decides to give Schleck a 30 second head start today would he re-deify himself in the eyes of his peers and the fans, or has terminal damage been done?

Ben6899

ilikecycling wrote:

If Contador has had a sleepless, guilt ridden, night and decides to give Schleck a 30 second head start today would he re-deify himself in the eyes of his peers and the fans, or has terminal damage been done?

Some people will never be happy - they thrive on the anger.

pedro118118

In simple terms, Andy was in the wrong gear and tried to shift at the wrong time, causing the chain to slip. To compound matters, he panicked and took 30 seconds to put the chain back on. Why should the other riders (AC included) wait for someone, who makes a mistake?

All the other ethical/unwritten rules debate is so contradictory/inconsistant as to be irrelevent. For every example of a rider waiting, you'll find one of a rider attacking.

As for this year's race, all this 'waiting' and 'neutralising' at the whim of Saxo Bank is beyond a joke. Under normal circumstances, Schleck would've been well out of it by now, following his crash on St 2 - I would question whether he 'deserved' to be in the yellow jersey in any event.

Pross

ilikecycling wrote:

If Contador has had a sleepless, guilt ridden, night and decides to give Schleck a 30 second head start today would he re-deify himself in the eyes of his peers and the fans, or has terminal damage been done?

Giving him a 30 second head start would hardly be the same thing would it? If AC let him regain 30 seconds or just give him a 30 second lead with 15km to go (and only chased on his own) then I think people would give him credit

Bugly

Tom Butcher wrote:

Homer J wrote:

i wonder what the rest of the peloton think? I know that the phil and paul had different opinions.

Phil seemed to think Contador had just reacted to Sanchez and Menchov though - and then just followed them - from where I was sat in front a 40 inch high definition TV with slow motion replay it didn't look much like that to me

Totally agree the only Astana rider that may have missed the incedent was Vino, AC saw the dishipping of the chain and HE attacked Manchov and Sanchez went with him. Gutless ride.

pedro118118

Pross wrote:

ilikecycling wrote:

If Contador has had a sleepless, guilt ridden, night and decides to give Schleck a 30 second head start today would he re-deify himself in the eyes of his peers and the fans, or has terminal damage been done?

Giving him a 30 second head start would hardly be the same thing would it? If AC let him regain 30 seconds or just give him a 30 second lead with 15km to go (and only chased on his own) then I think people would give him credit

Utterly rediculous.

Andy suffered from misfortune (largely of his own making). He lost 40 seconds, but if he'd had his wits about him and popped his chain back on (as we have all done dozens of times), it would't have been an issue, as he would've re-joined the select group before the summit.

Would/should the bunch stop in the event of a puncture?
What about a rubbing brake block?
What about a fly in the eye?
What about the need to re-apply sun block?

Laughable all this.

Deegs

pedro118118 wrote:

In simple terms, Andy was in the wrong gear and tried to shift at the wrong time, causing the chain to slip. To compound matters, he panicked and took 30 seconds to put the chain back on. Why should the other riders (AC included) wait for someone, who makes a mistake?

All the other ethical/unwritten rules debate is so contradictory/inconsistant as to be irrelevent. For every example of a rider waiting, you'll find one of a rider attacking.

As for this year's race, all this 'waiting' and 'neutralising' at the whim of Saxo Bank is beyond a joke. Under normal circumstances, Schleck would've been well out of it by now, following his crash on St 2 - I would question whether he 'deserved' to be in the yellow jersey in any event.

Exactly. Some people need to get a grip- "cheating your way to a TdF win" FFS the man cocked up his gears and slipped his chain off- what was Contador supposed to do, get off and help him? What to do then about Menchov and Sanchez?
AS- His mistake, his loss.

Mettan

It's sad that the chain happened when Andy was on an attack - if it would have happened when him and Contador were having a friendly chat/ride (as they've often done during the tour), Contador would have probably waited. Just unfortunate timing.

Anonymous

Deegs wrote:

pedro118118 wrote:

In simple terms, Andy was in the wrong gear and tried to shift at the wrong time, causing the chain to slip. To compound matters, he panicked and took 30 seconds to put the chain back on. Why should the other riders (AC included) wait for someone, who makes a mistake?

All the other ethical/unwritten rules debate is so contradictory/inconsistant as to be irrelevent. For every example of a rider waiting, you'll find one of a rider attacking.

As for this year's race, all this 'waiting' and 'neutralising' at the whim of Saxo Bank is beyond a joke. Under normal circumstances, Schleck would've been well out of it by now, following his crash on St 2 - I would question whether he 'deserved' to be in the yellow jersey in any event.

Exactly. Some people need to get a grip- "cheating your way to a TdF win" FFS the man cocked up his gears and slipped his chain off- what was Contador supposed to do, get off and help him? What to do then about Menchov and Sanchez?
AS- His mistake, his loss.

+1

Unfortunate incident, I was really rooting for Schleck, until this. Contador was already following schlecks attack, he pulled schleck in to about 2m when scheck slipped his chain and kept on. Contador follwed etiquette earlier in the race, but this was not a mechanical fault, just a badly timed change. I hope the Tour is not decided on this, 8 seconds FFS, still pretty tight isn't it ?