ToB Stage 6 **Spoiler**

Neil McC

Ian Bibby off to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone after a crash this morning. Shame for him, was 6th on GC.

LeicesterLad

Boom takes the tour then...where the hell was Thomas today?

andyp

He crashed.

LeicesterLad

andyp wrote:

He crashed.

Well that sucks.

Tom BB

Just seen the Thomas/Bibby crash :shock: That was a real big one that! Bibby looks like a collarbone-luck he aint got a broken neck!

andyp

His front wheel did a Burghardt didn't it?! :shock:

greasedscotsman

andyp wrote:

His front wheel did a Burghardt didn't it?! :shock:

Or a Cavendish...

the_spooks

Defo looked a bad crash and could have been a lot worse with the peleton bearing down on em.
Shame for Bibby and no doubt Thomas has handed it to Boom now.

Dorset_Boy

That's a big shame - having won the Premier Calendar Series (IIRC) he was showing the domestic riders in a good light, along with JTL

Pross

Sky have made a mess of their home tour again even allowing for G having a heavy crash. The whole team made the split on Stage 3 yet only Cummings is now in the top 10. All the challengers blew it today. Considering Boom was isolated only the Endura rider appeared to try to put him under pressure. All over barring any more crashes.

Gazzetta67

Anyone else feel it was thomas's fault at the crash. He looks to go for a gap thats not there and its bibby in front who comes off worse. And sky had Rodgers & Cummins in the last break and you see thomas on the front of the chase group - bizarre tactics.

mikeyboy12345

Definitely Thomas' fault - Bibby just held his line. At the end of the ITV4 show, I'm sure Yanto Barker said G's foot got caught in Bibby's front wheel, but I saw G's brake hood get caught inside Bibby's arm.

Pross

Why do people insist on looking for fault? It's bike racing, people are riding inches apart at high speed and crashes happen.

Pross

Gazzetta67 wrote:

Anyone else feel it was thomas's fault at the crash. He looks to go for a gap thats not there and its bibby in front who comes off worse. And sky had Rodgers & Cummins in the last break and you see thomas on the front of the chase group - bizarre tactics.

I don't think that was bizarre tactics. G was in 2nd overall and the race leader was in the front group. The 2 Sky riders were hanging on the back of the leaders once they realised G wasn't there. The bizarre tactics were that they made no effort to go for the stage at least when it became obvious the gap wasn't going to close.

graeme_s-2

Pross wrote:

I don't think that was bizarre tactics. G was in 2nd overall and the race leader was in the front group. The 2 Sky riders were hanging on the back of the leaders once they realised G wasn't there. The bizarre tactics were that they made no effort to go for the stage at least when it became obvious the gap wasn't going to close.

The really bizarre bit was when one of the Sky riders (Cummings?) in the front group closed the gap to the Endura rider, setting up Boom for the win.

Pross

I think that was a belated attempt at an attack that got closed down straight away.

mikeyboy12345

The really bizarre bit was when one of the Sky riders (Cummings?) in the front group closed the gap to the Endura rider, setting up Boom for the win.

Yeah, I just didn't get that. Cummings attacks, realises he hasn't snapped the elastic, but continues to drag the chasers up to the lead rider :roll:

Gazzetta67

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

The really bizarre bit was when one of the Sky riders (Cummings?) in the front group closed the gap to the Endura rider, setting up Boom for the win.

Yeah, I just didn't get that. Cummings attacks, realises he hasn't snapped the elastic, but continues to drag the chasers up to the lead rider :roll:

Exactly thats the point i was trying to get over....and as for me blaming thomas i was looking for a fault i just saw it like everyone else did. Sky's tactics have raised a few eyebrows today was there for all to see.

camerone

i actually think the main cause of the crash was ghillybert(sp) he changed line twice and closed across on thomas moving him in to bibby. of course thomas could have braked to go backwards, he stopped pedalling but that wasnt enough

lemon63

I reckon Bibby looked over his shoulder then moved across onto to Thomas to block him out, Thomas got sandwiched and had nowhere to go. Defo caused by Bibby, in doing so he not only took himself out of the race but also ruined any chance Thomas had of catching Boom.
I also thought that Boom kicked on after he saw the crash taking his opportunity to get the sprint points/secs, not sure if that's 'cricket' or just good racing ??

inkyfingers

No doubt Sky will get slaughtered again for their performance here but I think the truth is that notwithstanding his crash Thomas just doesn't seem to be in good enough form at the moment. Doesn't help that Ben Swift also looks out of shape and not able to at least challenge Cav in the sprints. Their best chance of success is probably Alex Dowsett in the TT, but Boom will be hard to beat.

Obviously they will have wanted to do well here but looking at the success they've had this year in far more important races I think they'll get over it.

Jumping-Matt

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Tom Butcher

lemon63 wrote:

I reckon Bibby looked over his shoulder then moved across onto to Thomas to block him out, Thomas got sandwiched and had nowhere to go. Defo caused by Bibby, in doing so he not only took himself out of the race but also ruined any chance Thomas had of catching Boom.
I also thought that Boom kicked on after he saw the crash taking his opportunity to get the sprint points/secs, not sure if that's 'cricket' or just good racing ??

Disagree it was Bibby's fault - I had it 90% Thomas' fault with a bit of blame going to Ghillywatshisname - but accidents happen in races and I don't think it was particularly an wreckless move just Thomas making a mistake.

Wouldn't blame Boom either - he was going for the sprint anyway.

oldwelshman

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

Definitely Thomas' fault - Bibby just held his line. At the end of the ITV4 show, I'm sure Yanto Barker said G's foot got caught in Bibby's front wheel, but I saw G's brake hood get caught inside Bibby's arm.

Hiow did you make this out?
It was no way Thomas's fault. It stared when the rider in green came off Bibby's wheel and moved left about 3m which is way too far, then he almost took out Hayden and thomas was on Hayden's wheel.
Look at clip below about 6 seconds in.
When this happend there was a gap of about 1.5m between the green jersey and Bibby so this was the only place for Thomas to go. As he committed to go through Bibby looked around and moved left and at the same time the green jersey moved right again for some reason so Thomas had nowhere to go and although he stopped pedalling the two riders still closed further so off they came.
Look at the video replay and the line of the green jersey is ridiculous, left and right large amounts. He was not going to win that particular sprint as he was off the front for couple of miniutes whilst Boom and Thomas were fresh. He already won the Jersey so he should have played safe and gone for 3rd place.
Thomas will either just stroll to the finish or maybe not finish race, he has worlds to think about and boy will he be sore today,
Feel sorry for Bibby also was going well could have been much worse when he jumped up as peloton approached.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK2K5EbzmRc

moray_gub

oldwelshman wrote:

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

nside Bibby's arm.

Hiow did you make this out?
It was no way Thomas's fault. It stared when the rider in green came off Bibby's wheel and moved left about 3m which is way too far, then he almost took out Hayden and thomas was on Hayden's wheel.
Look at clip below about 6 seconds in.
When this happend there was a gap of about 1.5m between the green jersey and Bibby so this was the only place for Thomas to go. As he committed to go through Bibby looked around and moved left and at the same time the green jersey moved right again for some reason so Thomas had nowhere to go and although he stopped pedalling the two riders still closed further so off they came.
Look at the video replay and the line of the green jersey is ridiculous, left and right large amounts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK2K5EbzmRc

A combination of G and Bibbys fault , G went for gap that was never likely to be there was poor riding imo and Bibby moved slightlly to his left as G was trying to get through the gap.

oldwelshman

Bibby did not move a lot to the left after looking round but it was made worse by the green jersey who was all over the place. There was definately a gap to go for without doubt.

Gazzetta67

oldwelshman wrote:

Bibby did not move a lot to the left after looking round but it was made worse by the green jersey who was all over the place. There was definitely a gap to go for without doubt.

There was NO gap to go for. after seeing it again bibby slightly moves back in but thomas is going for the gap thats not there.

oldwelshman

Gazzetta67 wrote:

oldwelshman wrote:

Bibby did not move a lot to the left after looking round but it was made worse by the green jersey who was all over the place. There was definitely a gap to go for without doubt.

There was NO gap to go for. after seeing it again bibby slightly moves back in but thomas is going for the gap thats not there.

Hmm do a pause on the video link at 7 seconds and then say there is no gap
|If that was a GT there would be two riders going through that gap.

roypsb

Can't see any blame on Bibby there.

A bit of desperation from G going for the bonus - he definitely moves into Bibby's line.

Feel very sorry for Bibby.

oldwelshman

No gap?

LangerDan

Hayman moved across from the left-hand gutter - probably to pick up Thomas for the sprint - drifting right across the front of Ghyllabert and forcing him(Ghyllabert) to the right which closed the door on Thomas.