Paris-Tours *spoilers*

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  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    Well played in the final by Wallays. Great race.
  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    1. Wallays
    2. Voeckler
    3. Debusschere
  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    and Haussler in 5th.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,932
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Biggest ever win for Topsport?

    Looks like it

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topsport_V ... en-Baloise

    Astonishing how quickly Wikipedia gets updated
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,812
    That was.........................comedy gold.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Nice that the favourite two didnt win and there was no bunch sprint. Interesting finale. Pro cyclists often happier to lose then work with each other to try and pull those in front back. Would have been nice if Voeckler won given the season he had but fair play to W.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    I thought TV would take that being a bit older and wiser but fair play to Wallays
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  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    Paul 8v wrote:
    I thought TV would take that being a bit older and wiser but fair play to Wallays

    He finds new ways to lose each season (though will struggle to 'better' Dwars Door Vlaanderen 2013)! Still my favourite rider though.
  • arnuf
    arnuf Posts: 98
    Vöckler not showing up for the podium ceremony:

    672dd910-5226-11e4-94dd-88c848bd7f82_web_scale_0.5405405_0.5405405__.jpg
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Just saw the highlights - enjoyed that. Well done Wallays.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    Was there a reason or was it just a sulk? A bit disrespectful to Wallays if it was a sulk.
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  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    What was Voeckler's excuse for no show on the podium?

    Apparently it cost him his 3650€ 2nd place prize money and a 200CHF fine.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Last 12km: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMUoPy-IEcc

    I hope Voeckler had a good reason for not being on the podium.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Voeckler has just cemented his least popular rider in the peloton tag with that hissy fit.

    Hope this race can be promoted to back to the top level again.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    What a sad weekend; two great (semi-)classics, the Giro del Emilia and Paris-Tours, with pitiful startlists and dominated by lower ranking teams. Both won by a ProConti rider, and Emilia with 1 WorldTour team rider in the top 12, 3 in Tours. Good for those riders, but clearly showing that having them after Lombardia doesn't work.

    I didn't see the whole race, just the last kms, but Voeckler rode the finaly incredibly dumb. If only he would put less energy in all his gesticulating and gurning. To then not turn up at the podium, beyond silly
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Said he wouldn't stand on the podium with the winner due to the way he rode the final. UCI did him 200 francs and the organiser refused to cough up his prize money.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Perhaps also reacting to this being the 1st season since 2002 he hasn't won a race.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • thegibdog
    thegibdog Posts: 2,106
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Said he wouldn't stand on the podium with the winner due to the way he rode the final.
    If he didn't like the way Wallays was riding maybe Voeckler shouldn't have let him ride like that... :roll:
    https://gibworth.mypixieset.com
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    thegibdog wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Said he wouldn't stand on the podium with the winner due to the way he rode the final.
    If he didn't like the way Wallays was riding maybe Voeckler shouldn't have let him ride like that... :roll:

    The Cancellara gambit, as I believe it's known.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,150
    The irony is that there's probably no-one whose riding more riders complain about than TV Tommy.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Those talking down Voeckler's riding, could you explain what was so wrong with it?!

    Just a fyi, that no name Topsport rider would have got nowhere close to winning if it hadn't been for Voeckler's strength in the break all day.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,812
    Voeckler gets out Voeckler'd in his specialty, the sit on and do squat stakes, so he throws a hissy fit?
    No wonder only the French (ie) love Cheeky Tommy.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    With a Kilometer to go :- Oh No.

    At the Finish Line :- Terrific, enjoyed that.

    This year it seems to me that a lot of Breaks have made it to the Finish Line. Above the average .
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    I do like TV as a rider but he's gone down in my books for that. If he had a genuine reason like there was an emergency then fair enough but now I know it was a hissyfit that isn't acceptable. Wallays rode a smart race and that victory meant a lot to him, it's disrespectful and I can't even remember seeing it happen before.
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  • d_o_g
    d_o_g Posts: 286
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Voeckler gets out Voeckler'd in his specialty, the sit on and do squat stakes, so he throws a hissy fit?
    No wonder only the French (ie) love Cheeky Tommy.

    2011 Tour. Tommy was amazing in that race, turned himself inside out for days to hang onto the yellow jersey he knew he would never win. That's why I like him.

    Yes, has been a bit shoot of late, and has been really annoying this season, but he rode that tour like a certified full heavyweight.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,736
    Well that was a surprisingly enjoyable finale but got to agree about the poor field. If cycling loses sight of tradition it loses a lot - there are so many races in the calendar that they can start blending into one another - a big race like this should have a stronger field signing on - if it doesn't then I guess it no longer classes as a big race.

    As far as Tommy Voeckler goes - I really like his riding style but not showing up for the presentation lacks class. If he's upset about the way the other guy rode then that's one thing - shout at him on the road, sit up, attack or whatever - but show the event some respect.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,150
    DeVlaeminck wrote:
    Well that was a surprisingly enjoyable finale but got to agree about the poor field. If cycling loses sight of tradition it loses a lot - there are so many races in the calendar that they can start blending into one another - a big race like this should have a stronger field signing on - if it doesn't then I guess it no longer classes as a big race.
    .
    Paris-Tours used to be on the World Tour but ASO had it downgraded it as they wanted it to be available to French continental teams (there were three today). So if the field is weaker it's partly because ASO want it that way.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,736
    Yes I didn't realise until they mentioned there were no radios.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    There was nothing wrong or even particularly tactical in the way Wallays rode in the last 3 km. both did good turns until 1km to go. In a break with 2 with a decent enough gap you start to think about starting the sprint in last wheel. Making a reasonable attempt to start the sprint from behind in the last km is completely different from notbtaking anybturns or wheelsucking during the actual break.
    At 1.1 km to go Voeckler aggressively took to the front, almost an attack, then 100 meter further or so suddenly want Wallays to take the front, but instead of giving Wallays time to go to the front, or even slowing down to let him become slightly nervous about the rest coming back and losing a guaranteed 2nd place, Voeckler immediately goes back to the front and starts gesticulating. If Wallays would actually have taken the front at 800 m Voeckler would have sat in his wheel until the sprint .
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,641
    I do like this race, but I agree it should come before Lombardy, not after.

    Hopefully with Beijing being stopped the calender can have a reshuffle in future, if not next year

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