Team sky car (and staff) attacked after stage

adr82

frenchfighter wrote:

Violence in situations like this is the preserve of commoners.

No, it's the preserve of people who are stupid and/or drunk, not "commoners". I don't know why you're bringing social class into this. You just like to feel you're superior to other people I suppose?

RideOnTime

adr82 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Violence in situations like this is the preserve of commoners.

No, it's the preserve of people who are stupid and/or drunk, not "commoners". I don't know why you're bringing social class into this. You just like to feel you're superior to other people I suppose?

Just looking again KOW shirt guy has no shoes on. You can't be that threating without shoes. It's like wearing your pants the wrong way round. :shock:

Tom Butcher

Dolan Driver wrote:

TheHound wrote:

Irish people booing a British team! I am truly shocked!

Or then again maybe not.

Given the history, going back hundreds of years, between the two countries, it is hardly too surprising that Irish fans would boo a British or English team.

Surprises me and it's pretty poor behaviour really. Don't remember Milram getting stick when the Tour finished in Canterbury or Cofidis getting abused for Napoleon.

suegoody

[I heard a rumour of an incident on the Alpe D'Huez stage involving a SKY car and some drunk French spectators. The French guys were intermingled with the Irish supporters on what I think was Hairpin 10. The French guys had a cut-out of Chris Froome with a giant syringe stuck in it. As the SKY passed through on the first pass, a bucket of water was thrown in through the open window of the car. (Maybe this explains the car trouble for SKY). As the SKY car passed through the same point on the second time up the Alpe, something else happened and the SKY car stopped and said SKY staff got out and got stuck into the offending French fans. ]

I was on Corner 10 and saw what happened here. There were a group of French guys across from us with a blow up pool and syringes and they were squirting people cycling up along all day. It seemed to be good fun at the start but they were targeting people wearing Sky jerseys more. When the sky car passed they did throw a bucket of water in the window, although they were squirting water in other car windows too. When Froome came up the first time three of them ran up and squirted two big full syringes directly into his face. It was very powerful and I was horrified to be honest. Froome had to look away and many of us were talking about how awful and dangerous it was.

When the riders were due to come around the second time, we (2 Irish people) noticed that they were inside their van changing into scrubs which had syringes attached to them. They all had syringes ready to go. One of them was waiting outside to tell them when Froome was coming around the corner. I went over to a group of three British people (2 women and one guy) to tell them as we had discussed stopping them/calling the Gendarmarie if they tried to attack Froome again. As we were discussing what to do, it seemed that Froome was came coming close. Two of the British people ran over and stood against the door of the van to keep them in. The French guys were going MENTAL inside in the van and I reckon they broke the door of the van as they were stuck inside. The french guy keeping watch for Froome ran over and grabbed the British woman , throwing her aside VERY roughly. My boyfriend ran over to help her and to try to calm the guy who was FURIOUS and I ran down to get a nearby Gendarmarie. By the time I got back they were still stuck in the van, the Gendarmarie also stood against the door blocking them and Froome passed, wrecking their 'prank'. This all happened very quickly of course!

The French guys then managed to get out the back door (denting their own van) and three of them viciously attacked the British guy running straight out in front of riders. The almost knocked one rider and three riders had to actually stop as they were fighting in the middle of the road. One of the women ran over to help her friend and one of the French guys grabbed her by the hair, swung her around and punched her. My boyfriend again tried to help them, as did many other supporters, who tried to break up the fight. While the Gendarmarie were trying to take the British guy away, the French guys attacked him again, as he was being held. Eventually things settled, but it was very scary. The British women were really shook and upset. I was personally very scared myself as I thought they might attack me for calling the police or that my boyfriend would be hurt. It was really horrible. None of these guys had bikes, jerseys or even a French flag. They did not seem to know or care than a French rider took the stage. They seemed to be there solely to sabotage Froome. The had a big sign on the cliff saying "Froome Dopé". After the whole incident they went up and ripped down a pro-Froome poster too and got booed by spectators.

I heard later on Semnoz from other people staying on Corner 10 that later that night that they were all arrested. I really hope so. I also hope that the riders or Sky don't associate this incident with corner 10 or the Irish. I have already heard some versions of the story that seem to suggest it was connected to the Irish corner- but they had nothing to do with us. I wouldn't like to think the Irish were booing Sky but if they were, I'd say in was probably is a jokey kind of 'old rivals' way.

I suppose the positive thing to come out of it was that their prank was ruined. They were FURIOUS and the British guy they attacked did joke to me afterwards that is was worth it to see how pissed off they were!

suegoody

Dolan Driver wrote:

I heard a rumour of an incident on the Alpe D'Huez stage involving a SKY car and some drunk French spectators. The French guys were intermingled with the Irish supporters on what I think was Hairpin 10. The French guys had a cut-out of Chris Froome with a giant syringe stuck in it. As the SKY passed through on the first pass, a bucket of water was thrown in through the open window of the car. (Maybe this explains the car trouble for SKY). As the SKY car passed through the same point on the second time up the Alpe, something else happened and the SKY car stopped and said SKY staff got out and got stuck into the offending French fans.

I was on Corner 10 and saw what happened here. There were a group of French guys across from us with a blow up pool and syringes and they were squirting people cycling up along all day. It seemed to be good fun at the start but they were targeting people wearing Sky jerseys more. When the sky car passed they did throw a bucket of water in the window, although they were squirting water in other car windows too. When Froome came up the first time three of them ran up and squirted two big full syringes directly into his face. It was very powerful and I was horrified to be honest. Froome had to look away and many of us were talking about how awful and dangerous it was.

When the riders were due to come around the second time, we (2 Irish people) noticed that they were inside their van changing into scrubs which had syringes attached to them. They all had syringes ready to go. One of them was waiting outside to tell them when Froome was coming around the corner. I went over to a group of three British people (2 women and one guy) to tell them as we had discussed stopping them/calling the Gendarmarie if they tried to attack Froome again. As we were discussing what to do, it seemed that Froome was came coming close. Two of the British people ran over and stood against the door of the van to keep them in. The French guys were going MENTAL inside in the van and I reckon they broke the door of the van as they were stuck inside. The french guy keeping watch for Froome ran over and grabbed the British woman , throwing her aside VERY roughly. My boyfriend ran over to help her and to try to calm the guy who was FURIOUS and I ran down to get a nearby Gendarmarie. By the time I got back they were still stuck in the van, the Gendarmarie also stood against the door blocking them and Froome passed, wrecking their 'prank'. This all happened very quickly of course!

The French guys then managed to get out the back door (denting their own van) and three of them viciously attacked the British guy running straight out in front of riders. The almost knocked one rider and three riders had to actually stop as they were fighting in the middle of the road. One of the women ran over to help her friend and one of the French guys grabbed her by the hair, swung her around and punched her. My boyfriend again tried to help them, as did many other supporters, who tried to break up the fight. While the Gendarmarie were trying to take the British guy away, the French guys attacked him again, as he was being held. Eventually things settled, but it was very scary. The British women were really shook and upset. I was personally very scared myself as I thought they might attack me for calling the police or that my boyfriend would be hurt. It was really horrible. None of these guys had bikes, jerseys or even a French flag. They did not seem to know or care than a French rider took the stage. They seemed to be there solely to sabotage Froome. The had a big sign on the cliff saying "Froome Dopé". After the whole incident they went up and ripped down a pro-Froome poster too and got booed by spectators.

I heard later on Semnoz from other people staying on Corner 10 that later that night that they were all arrested. I really hope so. I also hope that the riders or Sky don't associate this incident with corner 10 or the Irish. I have already heard some versions of the story that seem to suggest it was connected to the Irish corner- but they had nothing to do with us. I wouldn't like to think the Irish were booing Sky but if they were, I'd say in was probably is a jokey kind of 'old rivals' way.

I suppose the positive thing to come out of it was that their prank was ruined. They were FURIOUS and the British guy they attacked did joke to me afterwards that is was worth it to see how pissed off they were!

blazing_saddles

thamacdaddy wrote:

Inner ring just posted this video of the end if yesterday's stage

http://youtu.be/bHJistBOCu8

Anyone speak French well enough to work out what everyone is shouting about?

Is just general sky hatred?

So, this is what happens when Cyclingnews shuts down the Asylum.
Must have left the door open.

Crankbrother

PeteinSQ wrote:

hipshot wrote:

If they are honest most SKY fans support the team because they are 'British' (Bankrolled by questionable multinational sponsor) but get all upset when other nationalities boo them for their own moronic nationalist reasons.

I don't think that's a fair comparison at all. Booing etc not exactly acceptable in my view but it isn't violence. Physically attacking someone because they happen to work for a britain based cycling team that you don't like because it is dominant/you think that they're maybe doping is completely wrong.

Yet the online bullying by pro-British (mainly by proxy of Wiggins/Cav/SKY) members of this site is rife ... and as they all claim they are not keyboard warriors you wonder how that would translate if these discussions were face to face ...

bompington

adr82 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Violence in situations like this is the preserve of commoners.

No, it's the preserve of people who are stupid and/or drunk, not "commoners". I don't know why you're bringing social class into this. You just like to feel you're superior to other people I suppose?

You're quite right, it is the preserve of people who are stupid and/or drunk.




It's just that people who are stupid and/or drunk are most likely to be commoners ;-)

frisbee

Crankbrother wrote:

PeteinSQ wrote:

hipshot wrote:

If they are honest most SKY fans support the team because they are 'British' (Bankrolled by questionable multinational sponsor) but get all upset when other nationalities boo them for their own moronic nationalist reasons.

I don't think that's a fair comparison at all. Booing etc not exactly acceptable in my view but it isn't violence. Physically attacking someone because they happen to work for a britain based cycling team that you don't like because it is dominant/you think that they're maybe doping is completely wrong.

Yet the online bullying by pro-British (mainly by proxy of Wiggins/Cav/SKY) members of this site is rife ... and as they all claim they are not keyboard warriors you wonder how that would translate if these discussions were face to face ...

So you're now claiming that anyone who supports a British team or riders will resort to physical violence? :roll:

Well I guess it makes a difference from all blind to rampant drug use accusations...

No_Ta_Doctor

suegoody - Thanks for your report, and thanks to all of you for protecting the integrity of the race. Shocking reading.

I did notice a guy run out into the riders on the way into Paris, carrying a sign about "dopage" but he was dealt with pretty quickly.

EPO Delivery Man

You liberate France from the Germans and this is the thanks you get.

Someone needs to remind them this would be the Um Tour du Germany with the winner getting a red swastika jersey if it wasnt for us.

Ungrateful c*nts.

Crankbrother

frisbee wrote:

Crankbrother wrote:

PeteinSQ wrote:

hipshot wrote:

If they are honest most SKY fans support the team because they are 'British' (Bankrolled by questionable multinational sponsor) but get all upset when other nationalities boo them for their own moronic nationalist reasons.

I don't think that's a fair comparison at all. Booing etc not exactly acceptable in my view but it isn't violence. Physically attacking someone because they happen to work for a britain based cycling team that you don't like because it is dominant/you think that they're maybe doping is completely wrong.

Yet the online bullying by pro-British (mainly by proxy of Wiggins/Cav/SKY) members of this site is rife ... and as they all claim they are not keyboard warriors you wonder how that would translate if these discussions were face to face ...

So you're now claiming that anyone who supports a British team or riders will resort to physical violence? :roll:

Well I guess it makes a difference from all blind to rampant drug use accusations...

Just using an example of how pack mentality can take over and skew the minds of even ordinarily sensible people ... It is there for all to see and has been commented on many times ... You only have to read how aggressive many posts are and wonder what lies beneath ...

People would do well to remember that pro-cycling is there as a form of entertainment and that they are (in 99.9% of cases) not in the least bit involved with the teams/riders/sport ... Unless of course they get that het up whilst watching Coronation Street, in which case I despair for British society ...

trek_dan

Crankbrother wrote:

frisbee wrote:

Crankbrother wrote:

PeteinSQ wrote:

hipshot wrote:

If they are honest most SKY fans support the team because they are 'British' (Bankrolled by questionable multinational sponsor) but get all upset when other nationalities boo them for their own moronic nationalist reasons.

I don't think that's a fair comparison at all. Booing etc not exactly acceptable in my view but it isn't violence. Physically attacking someone because they happen to work for a britain based cycling team that you don't like because it is dominant/you think that they're maybe doping is completely wrong.

Yet the online bullying by pro-British (mainly by proxy of Wiggins/Cav/SKY) members of this site is rife ... and as they all claim they are not keyboard warriors you wonder how that would translate if these discussions were face to face ...

So you're now claiming that anyone who supports a British team or riders will resort to physical violence? :roll:

Well I guess it makes a difference from all blind to rampant drug use accusations...

Just using an example of how pack mentality can take over and skew the minds of even ordinarily sensible people ... It is there for all to see and has been commented on many times ... You only have to read how aggressive many posts are and wonder what lies beneath ...

People would do well to remember that pro-cycling is there as a form of entertainment and that they are (in 99.9% of cases) not in the least bit involved with the teams/riders/sport ... Unless of course they get that het up whilst watching Coronation Street, in which case I despair for British society ...

Bit of a difference between being an internet hardman and actually going out with a pre-meditated plan to sabotage a race? I'd like to think the earlier is something typically British who are generally polite even to people they hate, and the latter being the actions of hysterical jonny foreigners.

tailwindhome

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

You liberate France from the Germans and this is the thanks you get.

Someone needs to remind them this would be the Um Tour du Germany with the winner getting a red swastika jersey if it wasnt for us.

Ungrateful c*nts.

Lance? Is that you?

boblo

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

You liberate France from the Germans and this is the thanks you get.

Someone needs to remind them this would be the Um Tour du Germany with the winner getting a red swastika jersey if it wasnt for us.

Ungrateful c*nts.

Wowee, and you're still riding? Not bad for an ~80 year old 'war hero'.....

BenderRodriguez

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

You liberate France from the Germans and this is the thanks you get.

Someone needs to remind them this would be the Um Tour du Germany with the winner getting a red swastika jersey if it wasnt for us.

Ungrateful c*nts.

Are you referring here to just the couple of idiots in the van, or the millions of French people who came out to support the Tour and Froome, as the holder of the yellow jersey?

Ps. On a historical note I think that the defeat of Hitler can be primarily attributed to the sacrifices of the USSR and what happened on the Eastern Front!

BenderRodriguez

trek_dan wrote:

Bit of a difference between being an internet hardman and actually going out with a pre-meditated plan to sabotage a race? I'd like to think the earlier is something typically British who are generally polite even to people they hate, and the latter being the actions of hysterical jonny foreigners.

Of course, Brits never go out with the express purpose of looking for trouble, do they?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 733979.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... ernational

jonomc4

Is anyone else here wondering if one of the people was frenchfighter

Paul 8v

BenderRodriguez wrote:

trek_dan wrote:

Bit of a difference between being an internet hardman and actually going out with a pre-meditated plan to sabotage a race? I'd like to think the earlier is something typically British who are generally polite even to people they hate, and the latter being the actions of hysterical jonny foreigners.

Of course, Brits never go out with the express purpose of looking for trouble, do they?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 733979.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... ernational

That IS football fans though, some of whom are a disgrace to the nation when abroad!

Crankbrother

Paul 8v wrote:

BenderRodriguez wrote:

trek_dan wrote:

Bit of a difference between being an internet hardman and actually going out with a pre-meditated plan to sabotage a race? I'd like to think the earlier is something typically British who are generally polite even to people they hate, and the latter being the actions of hysterical jonny foreigners.

Of course, Brits never go out with the express purpose of looking for trouble, do they?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 733979.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... ernational

That IS football fans though, some of whom are a disgrace to the nation when abroad!

Yet they'll all have the same lives as you ... friends, family, jobs, children ...

It's not the sport they follow that leads to this behaviour ... it's what's in their nature ... again, possibly the same as many on here judging by their aggresive tone ...

Paul 8v

Indecently, me and my Wife were in the team sky area at the top of the Champs Elysees just where they came off the arc, a load of muppets in yellow va va Froome T shirts turned up about an hour before the race (From their comments they weren't cycling fans and had possibly come just for a pi$$ up) They started shouting some football style abuse at the Columbians opposite which I thought was a bit off, a few people gave them some funny looks me included and thankfully the crowd drowned them out after a while but it was pretty unnecessary.

Paul 8v

Crankbrother wrote:

Paul 8v wrote:

BenderRodriguez wrote:

trek_dan wrote:

Bit of a difference between being an internet hardman and actually going out with a pre-meditated plan to sabotage a race? I'd like to think the earlier is something typically British who are generally polite even to people they hate, and the latter being the actions of hysterical jonny foreigners.

Of course, Brits never go out with the express purpose of looking for trouble, do they?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 733979.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013 ... ernational

That IS football fans though, some of whom are a disgrace to the nation when abroad!

Yet they'll all have the same lives as you ... friends, family, jobs, children ...

It's not the sport they follow that leads to this behaviour ... it's what's in their nature ... again, possibly the same as many on here judging by their aggresive tone ...

Funny how it attracts a certain type of person though, not often you see it at the tennis, F1, even Rugby which is a much more violent sport, I think for some of the people it is more about the tribal aspect than the actual sport, look at Millwall....

Crankbrother

Paul 8v wrote:

Indecently, me and my Wife were in the team sky area at the top of the Champs Elysees just where they came off the arc, a load of muppets in yellow va va Froome T shirts turned up about an hour before the race (From their comments they weren't cycling fans and had possibly come just for a pi$$ up) They started shouting some football style abuse at the Columbians opposite which I thought was a bit off, a few people gave them some funny looks me included and thankfully the crowd drowned them out after a while but it was pretty unnecessary.

I doubt they would have turned up if Contador had won and done the same ... Which illustrates my point that it's just nationalistic fervour (celebration/denigration, depending on the social mood of the country) disguised as a love of sport that leads to these instances ...

and also, they must have been British because Froome definitely isn't Kenyan ...

Richmond Racer

Paul 8v wrote:

Indecently, me and my Wife were in the team sky area at the top of the Champs Elysees just where they came off the arc, a load of muppets in yellow va va Froome T shirts turned up about an hour before the race (From their comments they weren't cycling fans and had possibly come just for a pi$$ up) They started shouting some football style abuse at the Columbians opposite which I thought was a bit off, a few people gave them some funny looks me included and thankfully the crowd drowned them out after a while but it was pretty unnecessary.

Grrrrrrr :evil: :evil:

BenderRodriguez

Interesting how we have gone from people seemingly suggesting that a couple of idiots in a van are somehow representative of everyone in France, to it been argued that British idiocy, far from being representative of the British as whole, is due to them being 'football fans' or their nature as individuals.

From what I have seen in the last couple of Tours an awful lot of new British cycling fans are definitely following the sport for largely nationalistic reasons. I saw the Annecy stage on the final climb and two Brits came past with huge beer bellies, no shirts, St. George's cross shorts and beers in hand. Real walking cliches. Wish I had had the bottle to take a photo of them! I think I preferred it when you could follow cycling just for the sport, helped by the fact that British riders never really won much!

Given the shoulder to shoulder mix of nations at the Tour, and the sheer numbers of spectators, it does pleasantly surprise me that there are so few unpleasant incidents, even if has to be said that the 'idiot' factor seems to get higher every year what with all those who seem to like to dress up and run alongside the riders.

bompington

BenderRodriguez wrote:

I think I preferred it when you could follow cycling just for the sport, helped by the fact that British riders never really won much!

This is exactly it! Give cycling back to Real Cyclists! Let's not have any more of this success and popularity nonsense!

BenderRodriguez

bompington wrote:

BenderRodriguez wrote:

I think I preferred it when you could follow cycling just for the sport, helped by the fact that British riders never really won much!

This is exactly it! Give cycling back to Real Cyclists! Let's not have any more of this success and popularity nonsense!

To my mind, follow the sport for the cycling, irrespective of nationalistic success, and you will probably follow it for life. Follow it for the 'success and popularity' and, once leaner times come, you will probably fade away like an old Armstrong fan.

dgkinger

I spoke with a very respected tour journalist on Sunday who witnessed abuse by Dutch fans (amongst others) given to other nationals on D'Huez, in particular British and Team Sky were spat at and verbally abused. A Sky support car was stopped kicked and damaged. I was horrified and surprised at such behaviour. Incidentally the same journalist (a Swede) said the British fans were exemplary, cheering every nation as much as their own.

LeicesterLad

I CALL GODWINS

tailwindhome

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news ... lpe-dhuez/