Giro Stage 10 - spoilers
Comments
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I'm sure this is too long for most people to read, but it's the story of Ken Russell's Tour of Britain win. My dad told me the story several times. It left such an impression on him and me too. I guess the world has changed;
There were just 30 miles to go when he felt the bump. The crank had started to loosen and air was hissing from his back tyre. Ken Russell, the “Lone Wolf” on the verge of winning the greatest cycle race Britain had ever seen, knew it was serious. He looked around for support. Breathing hard, teeth bared, and eyes squinting against the pale September sun, his rivals were starting to overtake him, pedalling furiously ahead.
Being on his own was something Russell had grown used to over the 14 legs of the 1952 Tour of Britain. The short, stocky Yorkshireman had tackled the past 1,440 miles against the best in Europe as the only solo rider in the race. He had no teammates and only a wreck of a van, loaned to him by the bike shop he worked for, in support.
As usual, his driver was miles behind. Were he to wait for him to turn up, his fragile four-minute lead would be obliterated and one of the most stunning individual performances of all time would come to nothing.
The 22-year-old attempted some futile running repairs to the steel frame, but he could feel the bike, and his chances of winning the race, weaken with each pedal stroke. To have made it this far alone was a feat nobody had ever managed or will ever match. Even winning a single stage race without team mates in a sport where success depends on the support of those around you, is impressive. To win an entire tour was verging on miraculous. With victory so close, Russell resorted to desperate measures.
Alongside him was a rival from the Belgian team named Marcel Michaux, who was at the front of the pack and aiming for a top 10 finish. The pair had barely exchanged a word, but Russell turned and putting on his best accent said: “Donnez-moi votre bicyclette?” Incredibly, the Belgian obliged.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:ddraver wrote:You are embarrassing yourself now
No, you and many others on here are though.
You are acting like baby's who have lost their dummy.
Everything I am talking is logical and makes sense. If you chose to think otherwise, I couldn't give a f*ck.
I'd love to spend a day in your world...We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:
Is it to avoid '87 Giro scenario?
You weren't born then. Just saying.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:ddraver wrote:You are embarrassing yourself now
No, you and many others on here are though.
You are acting like baby's who have lost their dummy.
Everything I am talking is logical and makes sense. If you chose to think otherwise, I couldn't give a f*ck.
Sums up your arrogance perfectly.
You seem unable and unwilling to see the inconsistency of this penalty. Plenty of times the commissaires see rule breaches and ignore them as has been repeatedly pointed out to you. If they want to apply the rules with consistency then your hero has to be DQ'd. (But you've repeatedly ignored that.) Qunitana should have been DQ'd last year as the pictures above clearly show.
The rules either have to be applied by the letter with consistency each day and on each race, or some common sense has to be applied. You want it both ways so as to suit your hero, but are happy to see riders you dislike screwed over.0 -
Above The Cows wrote:Porte speaks:
So Richie, can you tell us what happened out there on the road?
The peloton was going super fast to try and catch the breakaway and get ready for a bunch sprint, and I picked up a front wheel puncture as we were going around a roundabout. I'd gone around it on the left but my team-mates went around the other side. I stopped, and by the time the guys had got back to me Simon (Clarke from Orica GreenEdge) had already stopped and offered me his wheel. It was a spur of the minute thing. Alberto (Contador) summed it up last night - all you are thinking about when something like that happens is 'how can I make sure I lose the least time possible'. I didn't even give it a thought that it might be breaking the rules. Everything was happening so quickly and I was just acting on adrenaline.
What did you think of Simon's help?
It was amazing - really great sportsmanship. For a fellow pro from another team to help out like that - I think it shows cycling at its best. The sport has made a lot of pretty bad headlines over the years and this was a pretty special moment. Simon is a friend and he showed it yesterday for sure.
What's your reaction to the penalty?
I think I had better watch what I say... You might have had a different answer last night! Stating the obvious - it is frustrating but there is no point moaning or complaining. It was a technical infringement - although that was literally the last thing on my mind when it happened. As I said, all I wanted to do was to get to the finish line as fast as possible and limit my losses. It's pretty harsh really that Simon ended up with a two-minute penalty given he was left standing on the side of the road with just one wheel, but there you go.
I have to suck it up and we have to look forward as a team. It has been great to get so much support overnight. That means a lot. No-one should doubt how much I still want to win this race. There are still two weeks to go. It has been a great Giro so far. There is still a lot of racing ahead, some tough stages and this has really fired the whole team up to try to get the time back.
He's taking it a lot better than people on here are
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frenchfighter wrote:ddraver wrote:You are embarrassing yourself now
You are acting like babies who have lost their dummy.
FTFY0 -
Above The Cows wrote:Macaloon wrote:It shouldn't be forgotten that a well-drilled team, one that sleeps together, has nominated bodyguards for their GC leader in the final, ensuring a team wheel is available for punctures. Why did Sky fail at this basic procedure?
Richie can answer you that:
"I picked up a front wheel puncture as we were going around a roundabout. I'd gone around it on the left but my team-mates went around the other side. I stopped, and by the time the guys had got back to me Simon (Clarke from Orica GreenEdge) had already stopped and offered me his wheel."
That was daft. But a 45s deficit is punishment enough for a schoolboy error. Great attitude from Porte in that interview considering he's had the potential for a life-changing win crushed by a Kafkaesque judiciary....a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.0 -
It was a sporting move but one against the rules and the penalty appears fixed and to have been applied.
Anyone who can't see how this is different from working together in a breakaway to stay away from the bunch or working together to get back on after getting dropped or a crash is probably wilfully ignoring the facts. It was good to see but not right. I don't like to see GC contenders gifting stages either but theres very good reason for it.0 -
inseine wrote:the story of Ken Russell's Tour of Britain win
And there I was thinking that he was only a movie director...
Unfortunate situation for Porte. Though sounds like he's responding in the right way rather than all this teeth gnashing... Surely a big fav needing to make up a time gap could make the Giro now. After all he is apparently in the form of his life.0 -
Vino'sGhost wrote:It was a sporting move but one against the rules and the penalty appears fixed and to have been applied.
Anyone who can't see how this is different from working together in a breakaway to stay away from the bunch or working together to get back on after getting dropped or a crash is probably wilfully ignoring the facts. It was good to see but not right. I don't like to see GC contenders gifting stages either but theres very good reason for it.
No one is arguing that, don't be silly.We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
Gazzetta points out that Romain Sicard won the 2009 Tour de l'Avenir despite a two-minute penalty (on stage 9) for same offence as Porte.
French race. French rider.
@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
Gatti of @tuttobiciweb_it: "Sky [who] for years have been teaching us how to race bikes, ridiculing our dusty, antiquated cycling of yore."
@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
Marabini in @Gazzetta_it: "What's the point of helicopters, motorhomes....of marginal gains, if you then slip up on the ABC of cycling."Contador is the Greatest0 -
Vino'sGhost wrote:It was a sporting move but one against the rules and the penalty appears fixed and to have been applied.
Clearly isn't fixed.0 -
It was on the last stage. He'd already won the race by over two minutes. It was a meaningless penalty.frenchfighter wrote:@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
Gazzetta points out that Romain Sicard won the 2009 Tour de l'Avenir despite a two-minute penalty (on stage 9) for same offence as Porte.
French race. French rider.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Oh so, rules can be applied arbitrarily? And a rule should only be applied when it doesn't change anything? You would be a good lawyer.Contador is the Greatest0
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frenchfighter wrote:@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
Gatti of @tuttobiciweb_it: "Sky [who] for years have been teaching us how to race bikes, ridiculing our dusty, antiquated cycling of yore."
@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
Marabini in @Gazzetta_it: "What's the point of helicopters, motorhomes....of marginal gains, if you then slip up on the ABC of cycling."
Are you now suggesting that the penalty was applied because the UCI are jealous of Sky?
I think that's giving them way too much credit personally...We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Oh so, rules can be applied arbitrarily? And a rule should only be applied when it doesn't change anything? You would be a good lawyer.
The Rules have been applied arbitrarily for YEARS! We go back to Bertie's helmet...We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Porte should be lucky he didn't get a penalty for this. They clearly could have. Looks like the jury turned a blind eye to it. Odd really when I thought the Italians were out to get the no Italian riders.Contador is the Greatest0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:@friebos · 2h 2 hours ago
Gazzetta points out that Romain Sicard won the 2009 Tour de l'Avenir despite a two-minute penalty (on stage 9) for same offence as Porte.
French race. French rider."
Porte penalised. Aru gifted a two-minute advantage.
Italian race. Italian Rider.
DD.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:
Porte should be lucky he didn't get a penalty for this. They clearly could have. Looks like the jury turned a blind eye to it. Odd really when I thought the Italians were out to get the no Italian riders.
What is the infraction in the above photo? That Orica rider is rendering no assistance to Porte. He is simply sitting in the line. It is a race, after all.
Please tell us definitively where you stand on Contador removing his helmet mid-race on last Sunday's stage. Should he have been disqualified as the rule states or not?
DD.0 -
Greg Henderson has offered to change Aru's wheel for him today.0
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Dolan Driver wrote:Please tell us definitively where you stand on Contador removing his helmet mid-race on last Sunday's stage. Should he have been disqualified as the rule states or not?
Did it give him a time advantage like Porte's infraction did?
Has anyone been thrown off the race for removing their helment momentarily?
Is the rule about not putting your helmet back on? Ie/. riding without a helmet?
Was video evidence thrown around immediately after the event that the Giro organizers did not act on?
Ask yourselves these questions.
If Porte had been Contador yesterday, would my position be any different? No.Contador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:
If Porte had been Contador yesterday, would my position be any different? No.
Lol.0 -
dish_dash wrote:
Unfortunate situation for Porte. Though sounds like he's responding in the right way rather than all this teeth gnashing... Surely a big fav needing to make up a time gap could make the Giro now. After all he is apparently in the form of his life.
Indeed, hopefully we will be in for some good racing if he properly tries to get it back.
I thought he came across pretty well (as did Contador talking about it to be fair). He's a professional athlete with a job to do, no point him getting all het up about it - leave that to the armchair warriors on here and elsewhere.0 -
sjmclean wrote:frenchfighter wrote:
If Porte had been Contador yesterday, would my position be any different? No.
Lol.
Mega lols.0 -
Oh Frenchie, you're not fooling anyone with this attitudefrenchfighter wrote:Dolan Driver wrote:Please tell us definitively where you stand on Contador removing his helmet mid-race on last Sunday's stage. Should he have been disqualified as the rule states or not?
Did it give him a time advantage like Porte's infraction did?
Has anyone been thrown off the race for removing their helment momentarily?
Is the rule about not putting your helmet back on? Ie/. riding without a helmet?
Was video evidence thrown around immediately after the event that the Giro organizers did not act on?
Ask yourselves these questions.
If Porte had been Contador yesterday, would my position be any different? No.
FWIW, Porte finished 47s down on everyone else. Maybe he saved himself a whole 5 or 10 seconds from the OGE wheel change, but that still clearly left him with a significant net time loss rather than an advantage, and so some common sense in applying the rules would not have gone amiss. 0
