Stage 11 spoiler

[linbug]

The exclusion is for both offences:

 

[Chuffy]

No, No, no, you can't be comparing this to football - I was listening to a rundown of the injuries sustained by riders that have continued in the Tour - I don't care how quickly these guys heal there's some serious dedication there. With all that pride and pressure the odd flare up in the sprint is going to happen. Dean was the instigator and some butts with a plastic helmet is nothing and that seems to be what the exclusion is for.

If the exclusion is actually for cutting off Farrar then it shows a huge amount on inconsistency as others haven't had that treatment in the past.

No, it's just the way that certain big teams can't take it when things go against them. No comparison made between the sports themselves.

It's harsh, but not unjustifiable when you take both incidents into account. Either one in isolation wouldn't have been enough. I'm not sure that comparisons between McEwen/O'Grady quite hold up. All they were doing was nobbling each other, like kids scrapping in a playground whereas Renshaw seems to have been acting as playground enforcer for his man Cav.

 

[Crankarm]

It was rather silly and blatant. How is Cav going to manage now? We'll see if he really is the real deal not wholly dependent on Renshaw to win.

 

[Crackle]

Anyone remember Tom Steels throwing the bottle

[youtube]

]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzTZV0TYG-U[/youtube]

 

[HLaB]

Footage here
When Dean starts to pass and the head starts flying there is space, which then narrows. I'll concede that.

Please don't try and argue that shoving Farrar into the barriers is ok though...

Someone elsewhere mentioned Renshaw elbowing Hushovd the other day. Perhaps he's just getting some delayed payback?

Thanks for the footage, to me it look like Renshaw thought oh sugar Dean's coming too fast and deliberately tried to knobble him. If that had been the only offence he might of got away with it but he then needlessly closes off Farrar; in what to me looks like a deliberate swerve to ensure Cav won

 

[Keith Oates]

It's all a build up to try and stop Cav winning the sprint again in Paris!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[biking_fox]

Thanks for the link.

The swerve looked nasty, but carefully judged to leave him some room - but the heatbutting was clearly trivial, just a 'get off me you oaf!'

I think the penalties harsh considering what others got away with.