Re: Finally, some accountability

[Erik van Leeuwen]

Could have been avoided by exploring the stages before the Tour. Lance did,
Boogerd did (and knew the tarmac would be melting in that descent), Millar
didn't, did Beloki do this?

"Kurgan Gringioni" > wrote in
message .. .
> from David Millar.
>
>
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/tour03/?id=results/stage9
>
> Scot David Millar (Cofidis) made an audacious attack with 31 km to go, but
> his move was too soon. Millar might have arrived with the best today, but
> ended up in the third group, losing almost a minute to Maillot Jaune
> Armstrong. "I thought the course went up that climb, descended and went up
> the next climb," explained Millar. "I didn't realize I had so much flat
and
> headwind...a bit of a tactical error. I was really trying hard and I was
> enjoying it. Mistakes, you've got to learn from them..."
>
>
>

[Erik van Leeuwen]

Hehe, maybe he forgot to do cross country training this winter...

"Alex Beascoechea" > wrote in message
...
> Beloki did "on site" preparation this year. But could you explain what is
> that he should have done when he noticed that he had dipped his tire into
> melted tar. Maybe wait one minute of two for Boogerd to arrive and ask
him?
>
> "Erik van Leeuwen" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Could have been avoided by exploring the stages before the Tour. Lance
> did,
> > Boogerd did (and knew the tarmac would be melting in that descent),
Millar
> > didn't, did Beloki do this?
> >
> > "Kurgan Gringioni" > wrote in
> > message .. .
> > > from David Millar.
> > >
> > >
> > > http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/tour03/?id=results/stage9
> > >
> > > Scot David Millar (Cofidis) made an audacious attack with 31 km to go,
> but
> > > his move was too soon. Millar might have arrived with the best today,
> but
> > > ended up in the third group, losing almost a minute to Maillot Jaune
> > > Armstrong. "I thought the course went up that climb, descended and
went
> up
> > > the next climb," explained Millar. "I didn't realize I had so much
flat
> > and
> > > headwind...a bit of a tactical error. I was really trying hard and I
was
> > > enjoying it. Mistakes, you've got to learn from them..."
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Alex Beascoechea]

I do not think that the problem is one of scouting the roads in advance. The
cyclist have to stand road conditions in the TdF that are not tolereated in
lesser races (such as the Giro and the Vuelta). Everybody knew about these
roads and what happens at 37C but to compound the problems they send along a
caravan of hundreds of cars and trucks in advance to screw up the tarmac a
bit more and leave it even more irregular (till it melts back into a smooth
shape). Maybe the organizers should do some checking of the conditions
themselves (if only for concern about the cyclists safety) instead of
giving in to whoever pays higher.


"Erik van Leeuwen" > wrote in message
...
> Hehe, maybe he forgot to do cross country training this winter...
>
> "Alex Beascoechea" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Beloki did "on site" preparation this year. But could you explain what
is
> > that he should have done when he noticed that he had dipped his tire
into
> > melted tar. Maybe wait one minute of two for Boogerd to arrive and ask
> him?
> >
> > "Erik van Leeuwen" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Could have been avoided by exploring the stages before the Tour. Lance
> > did,
> > > Boogerd did (and knew the tarmac would be melting in that descent),
> Millar
> > > didn't, did Beloki do this?
> > >
> > > "Kurgan Gringioni" > wrote
in
> > > message .. .
> > > > from David Millar.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/tour03/?id=results/stage9
> > > >
> > > > Scot David Millar (Cofidis) made an audacious attack with 31 km to
go,
> > but
> > > > his move was too soon. Millar might have arrived with the best
today,
> > but
> > > > ended up in the third group, losing almost a minute to Maillot Jaune
> > > > Armstrong. "I thought the course went up that climb, descended and
> went
> > up
> > > > the next climb," explained Millar. "I didn't realize I had so much
> flat
> > > and
> > > > headwind...a bit of a tactical error. I was really trying hard and I
> was
> > > > enjoying it. Mistakes, you've got to learn from them..."
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[warren]

In article >, Alex Beascoechea
> wrote:

> I do not think that the problem is one of scouting the roads in advance. The
> cyclist have to stand road conditions in the TdF that are not tolereated in
> lesser races (such as the Giro and the Vuelta). Everybody knew about these
> roads and what happens at 37C but to compound the problems they send along a
> caravan of hundreds of cars and trucks in advance to screw up the tarmac a
> bit more and leave it even more irregular (till it melts back into a smooth
> shape). Maybe the organizers should do some checking of the conditions
> themselves (if only for concern about the cyclists safety) instead of
> giving in to whoever pays higher.

I saw a photo yesterday of a water truck spraying water on the pavement
in advance of the riders in an attempt to cool the road surface.

-WG

[B. Lafferty]

Maybe they should unpave the roads and return them to a retro state, circa
1949.

Crashes happen. That's racing. Tough break (no pun intended) but Beloki is
not the first Tour contender to crash out of a major tour. Take a look a
Coppi cheering Bobet while recovering from his broken bones.




"Alex Beascoechea" > wrote in message
...
> I do not think that the problem is one of scouting the roads in advance.
The
> cyclist have to stand road conditions in the TdF that are not tolereated
in
> lesser races (such as the Giro and the Vuelta). Everybody knew about these
> roads and what happens at 37C but to compound the problems they send along
a
> caravan of hundreds of cars and trucks in advance to screw up the tarmac a
> bit more and leave it even more irregular (till it melts back into a
smooth
> shape). Maybe the organizers should do some checking of the conditions
> themselves (if only for concern about the cyclists safety) instead of
> giving in to whoever pays higher.
>
>
> "Erik van Leeuwen" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hehe, maybe he forgot to do cross country training this winter...
> >
> > "Alex Beascoechea" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Beloki did "on site" preparation this year. But could you explain what
> is
> > > that he should have done when he noticed that he had dipped his tire
> into
> > > melted tar. Maybe wait one minute of two for Boogerd to arrive and ask
> > him?
> > >
> > > "Erik van Leeuwen" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > Could have been avoided by exploring the stages before the Tour.
Lance
> > > did,
> > > > Boogerd did (and knew the tarmac would be melting in that descent),
> > Millar
> > > > didn't, did Beloki do this?
> > > >
> > > > "Kurgan Gringioni" > wrote
> in
> > > > message .. .
> > > > > from David Millar.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/tour03/?id=results/stage9
> > > > >
> > > > > Scot David Millar (Cofidis) made an audacious attack with 31 km to
> go,
> > > but
> > > > > his move was too soon. Millar might have arrived with the best
> today,
> > > but
> > > > > ended up in the third group, losing almost a minute to Maillot
Jaune
> > > > > Armstrong. "I thought the course went up that climb, descended and
> > went
> > > up
> > > > > the next climb," explained Millar. "I didn't realize I had so much
> > flat
> > > > and
> > > > > headwind...a bit of a tactical error. I was really trying hard and
I
> > was
> > > > > enjoying it. Mistakes, you've got to learn from them..."
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>