Tour de France 2026 ***Spoilers***

[Dogtrousers]

This is fantastic! You're in a bike race, but you're in the grupetto and you come past the big screen as the race reaches its climax.... Oh, and it's the Tour de France and Pogacar and MvdP are going insanely deep trying to hold the chasing pack off

In the 2024 Tour Davide Ballerini copped a 200 CHF fine for "Unseemly or inappropriate behaviour during the race and damage to the image of the sport” when he stopped to watch Cav win his 35th stage on the big screen.

Later that same Tour, Julien Bernard picked up the same fine for the same offence when he got off his bike to kiss his wife at the roadside mid stage.

So what I want to know is: Have the UCI gone soft?

We should be told.

 

[matticus]

Not convinced by that, you can clearly see that his back and shoulder are supported by the net while his right leg is up in the air and momentum carrying toward the drop. I've watchhed the slo-mo slowed down further by Youtube a few times now and I think he was absolutely on the tipping point

IMO the video isn't quite conclusive, but I think his back-and-shoulder were a couple of inches from disaster the netting. Either way, he's a lucky boy. (Or unlucky, in that only 1 short section of that bend has such a scary drop.)

 

[No Ta Doctor]

So what I want to know is: Have the UCI gone utter woke nonsense?

We should be told.

Fixed that for you 😎

 

[Aravis]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say I think he'd have been fine even if the net wasn't there. I don't think his centre of mass got near the edge. But it kind of spoils the narrative.

This was pretty much my impression as well.

Using my Name that Road skilz, here is the fateful corner, dated September 2020 but it looks more like spring:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/38520+Le+Bourg-d'Oisans,+France/@45.085882,6.0716276,18z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x478a6c1b41331b3d:0x287ec161e2e6d66e!8m2!3d45.0524579!4d6.0295106!16zL20vMDhkbnBi!5m1!1e4?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDcyOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

The satellite view is quite revealing:

The lay-by was filled with padding as shown by the red area. The black shows the position of the netting. The purple shows where Sepp was in contact with the wall, coming to a halt at the left extreme.

Kuss's fall was partially controlled and the protection was where it needed to be, so provided the net was properly fixed I don't think he was in mortal danger. Would the safety measures have coped with multiple riders getting out of shape at speed, as at Basque 2024? I hope that question was asked in advance.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

Jesus, I'd not seen this view of MvdP after the Paris win 😱

 

[wakemalcolm]

Jesus, I'd not seen this view of MvdP after the Paris win 😱

Was still: "quick, get the sponsored recovery drink in shot" though.

 

[matticus]

Jesus, I'd not seen this view of MvdP after the Paris win 😱

Yes, that was amazing. and it explains my cryptic post from Monday:

I don't have a number, but it was almost exactly One MVDP* of energy. He ran into some fencing (at walking pace) after the finish and just fell onto the floor, entangled in his bike. Don't think I've ever seen the like.

*Apologies for the non-SI unit.

 

[Pblakeney]

Jesus, I'd not seen this view of MvdP after the Paris win 😱

Jesus wept!
And footballers think they give 110%. Wouldn't know 100% without a gun to their head. That is 100%.

 

[mrushton]

I'm

Jesus wept!
And footballers think they give 110%. Wouldn't know 100% without a gun to their head. That is 100%.

He was all in. Had dreamed of winning there whilst he was recovering in 2025. Watched it live. Cameras in your face when you are in that state. Epic win in a career defined by them. Pogs greatest rival on anything that doesn't involve long climbs

 

[rich p]

Later that same Tour, Julien Bernard picked up the same fine for the same offence when he got off his bike to kiss his wife

I guess it depends where he kissed her... 😲
Hopefully on the roadside...