Most farcical thing you've seen in pro racing?
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Loads of great, but already taken, choices above so a random ten off the top of my head:
Prize money in women's racing
Fabian Cancellara at his peak doing that incredible TT at the Worlds with the best bike handling you've ever seen - think it was the one where Wiggins threw his bike (also that famous descent when off the back at the Tour ... ) - farcically amazing.
Some of the Vuelta finishes up 25% climbs.
The road furniture at almost any race in the Benelux.
Seeing Betfair offer 10-1 on Emanuele Sella in the 2008 Giro when about 10 minutes up the road in the break on a mountainous stage. I never did have to pay that back ...
Peter Sagan's helmut hair
Ian Stannard in the rain
Polish balloon advertising
Not really seen but have experienced - the wind on top of Ventoux
The amazing appetite for "Tour tat" at the side of the Tour as the publicity caravan passes through0 -
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Ah and Pat McQuaid in generalAnd the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.0
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The stuffed boar0
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For horror: French VIP car smashing into Flecha with everything that followed
For just keep-on-hitting-replay-on-the-vid: Nibz taking turbo boost to a whole new level
For utter joy: Ventoux Boar Man0 -
I think the inevitable question being begged here is: "has 2015 been the most farcical cycling year ever?"
This year alone we've had numerous moto/service car incidents (more than usual?), a rider protest about riding in a hot sandstorm, no rider protest about being blown into canals, a yellow jersey covered in spit and wee (ok, so there's a doping element to that farce, but it's not about doping per se), a sprint careering into metal bollards on the final bend, a GT TTT neutralized because it was suited to flip flops with cleats on, a Multiple GT winner trying to get away with a sticky bottle attack, a GT contender fined 2 minutes for borrowing a wheel, half a peloton nearly needing a monument after slipping through a level crossing in a monument and perauds willy.
I'm sure I've missed something as well, but is this an exceptionally large haul of farce for a season that isn't even over yet?Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687815#p19687815]TakeTheHighRoad[/url] wrote:Juan Antonio Flecha NOT falling off when he really ought to have (Qatar, when the wind blew the hoardings into his path, and the Tour de Suisse finish line crash that he somehow avoided)
Juan Antonio Flecha [and Johnny Hoogerland] being hit by a car
Two little personal anecdotes there. I was filming after the finish line that day (stage 1, 2011 ToQ) and Flecha did actually fall off after crossing. There was no way he was getting out of a scrape when both his tubs had rolled off. The TV broadcast cameras didn't catch the fall as it was 20 metres past the line.
The second one was filming in-race at the ToQ in 2012. I was in a photographers' vehicle being driven by one of Merckx's best mates, a former rally endurance driver. A fantastic man to have behind the wheel on twisty, technical roads but let's say he was prone to distraction on the long, straight motorways in Qatar. Unfortunately for Flecha he almost ended up being killed by this guy when riding back to the peloton from the team car as the driver, who I won't name, got so distracted he failed to notice he was drifting towards the central reservation with Flecha right by the side of his car. How there was no injury or worse that day I'll never know.
I also have an anecdote from the Hoogerland/Flecha incident but I usually only tell that one after a few beers
-- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --0 -
Forgot one: Horner's Vuelta win (is that entry allowed NoT A Doc?)
Ooh and a VERY late entry: Vino crying that 'fair play in cycling is a thing of the past'
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/news-shorts-ben-king-robbed-during-vuelta-no-fair-play-in-cycling-says-vinkourov/0 -
I think the inevitable question being begged here is: "has 2015 been the most farcical cycling year ever?"
This year alone we've had numerous moto/service car incidents (more than usual?), a rider protest about riding in a hot sandstorm, no rider protest about being blown into canals, a yellow jersey covered in spit and wee (ok, so there's a doping element to that farce, but it's not about doping per se), a sprint careering into metal bollards on the final bend, a GT TTT neutralized because it was suited to flip flops with cleats on, a Multiple GT winner trying to get away with a sticky bottle attack, a GT contender fined 2 minutes for borrowing a wheel, half a peloton nearly needing a monument after slipping through a level crossing in a monument and perauds willy.
I'm sure I've missed something as well, but is this an exceptionally large haul of farce for a season that isn't even over yet?
It has been a vintage year It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0 -
Armstrong hooks his handlebars in fan's bag.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaKR5iOCTts
Another incident that comes to mind was Gianni Bugno being brought down by a fan in the TdF and he tried to wack the fan with his bike. I can't find a YT video of that one though.0 -
If doping wasn't exempt your have to say either the protest stage in the '98 tour of the day before the 2006 tour.0
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phil s wrote:I also have an anecdote from the Hoogerland/Flecha incident but I usually only tell that one after a few beers
Here's some beers: now, tell us all...0 -
phil s wrote:I also have an anecdote from the Hoogerland/Flecha incident but I usually only tell that one after a few beers
Here's some beers: now, tell us all...
Haha! Nice try. All I'll say is that I should've been kicked off the race that day but ASO had bigger fish to fry. I still got the most almighty bollocking from the Presidential Guard, who are some serious f*ckers.-- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --0 -
They've nearly all been taken.
But that Giro a few years ago where some random bloke wearing just a pair of underpants was left standing at the side of the road with a free (but slightly injured) Team Vini Fluro Highlighter Pen or whatever the hell they were called that year Cipollini bike.
And another vote for boar man, although I'm not sure it's farce, but whatever it was it will always be magical.Correlation is not causation.0 -
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Ooo that's a goody. It has made me all nostalgic for the carrots.
Correlation is not causation.0 -
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The 2011 Giro when they played the Danish National anthem instead of the Spanish one for Contador.
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Jeroen Blijlevens vs. Bobby Julich fisticuffs was funny
For Irish fans, Charlie Haughey (then Irish PM) shamelessly gatecrashing the Tour de France podium after Roche's victory in 87.It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
Bart Voskamp And Jens Heppner both being DQed in a 2 up sprint at the tour in '97
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But that Giro a few years ago where some random bloke wearing just a pair of underpants was left standing at the side of the road with a free (but slightly injured) Team Vini Fluro Highlighter Pen or whatever the hell they were called that year Cipollini bike.
Same guy trying to get his hands on Ben King's cannondale yesterday? He was also in a similar state of undress...0 -
Thinking about Euskatel reminded me that we've had a fair few farces with teams failing, often at the last minute. Highlights include:
- Lynda McCarthy's collapse after it turned out the sponsors didn't know they were sponsors.
- Team Pegagus. That left a few riders out on on a limb including my man Svein Tuft.
- Fernando Alonso's failure to get a team together, while fecking with rider salary expectations. I reckon that's one reason that Sagan is on such a high salary now.0 -
More wind related hijinks from Strada Bianche this year:
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Jeroen Blijlevens vs. Bobby Julich fisticuffs was funny
YES!
Grovel your way round the Tour then get DQ'd AFTER the finish. Gold.
My nominations are Tom Steels bottle chuck in the Tour (can't remember the year), Simoni heckling Cunego's first Magila Rosa presentation from the crowd and the first year of the modern era of TOB when the sprint finish on Deansgate in Manchester was conducted alley cat style because the rolling road closure was so rubbish."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
Whilst stood near the pit area of a high profile UK crit, I saw a rider from one of the lesser teams take a lap out for a "mechanical" during the late stages of the race. He had just been gapped by the lead group and was blowing like a good 'un. He and the mechanic went through the motions of swapping bikes. There was nothing apparently wrong with the replaced bike. When the group came around again, he rejoined them and managed to hang on to the finish.
This little anecdote will have limited appeal on account of naming no names (and being a chipper in terms of international prestige): but the look of incredulity on the face of the lady next to me who saw it, followed with "I used to like *~~~~*, but that cheating wa---r can f*ck right off now...", was a treat.
To paraphrase Tinkoff from years ago: '"I don't care if you cheat (dope), just don't get caught"0 -
Not really farcical, but the couple who got on TV canoodling by the roadside at the Giro a few years ago.
Bloke was supposed to be on some work related trip but was identified by his wife who wasn't the woman he was cuddling up to.0
