Tour Med/Bessèges

[raindog]

Don't suppose this will interest many of you, but our season kicked off yesterday with l'Etoile de Bessèges and I spent the day spectating.
Short video of the stage here
http://www.velochrono.fr/actu/2013/premiere-etoile-pour-van-staeyen/
To me, this is real racing, and it's so good to spend a day away from all the Armstrong BS.
Spent a couple of hours around the start. Raymond Poulidor was there as usual, and this time I managed to shake his hand and say a few words. I took his photo, and he signed a pic of himself for me. He's really aged over the last couple of years, but it's always good to see him - one of the few links left of that generation. Some fast and furious racing at the end where they finished the stage with four laps around Beaucaire and up and down the two sides of the canal. Got a couple of Euskaltel bidons for the collection.

click on the thumbnails









I'll be spectating at least one stage of the Tour Méditerranéen next week and will post a couple of pics of that too if there's interest. There will be some big teams and big names including Greipel, Hushovd and the Schleck that isn't banned.

 

[raindog]

Voeckler did his usual theatricals and pushed his way to the front at the start and pretended there was something wrong with his shoe and was immediately surrounded by photographers. Took another photo of him where a couple of riders are giving him a dirty look

 

[Rob3rt]

hah, Voekler is an odd one and I have conflicting opinions of him, on the one hand I find him irritating and unlikeable but on the other hand also love watching him get in a break and fight it out right to the end.

 

[raindog]

Yes, you've summed up my feelings on him too.
Apparently, he's not well liked in the peloton.

 

[oldroadman]

hah, Voekler is an odd one and have conflicting opinions of him, on the one hand I find him irritating and unlikeable but on the other hand also love watching him get in a break and fight it out right to the end.

He's very French, and loves a bit of attention. Probably not liked because his odd antics, a bit of attention seeking, and a very combative way of racing whioch sometimes defys common sense. He's entertaining though, and the sport always needs entertainers.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

I like Voeckler as a rider a lot and the sport needs some eccentricity. Have a good one spectating Raindog and what a day, meeting the Eternal Second himself.

 

[montage]

hah, Voekler is an odd one and I have conflicting opinions of him, on the one hand I find him irritating and unlikeable but on the other hand also love watching him get in a break and fight it out right to the end.

One of the most disliked riders in the peloton, and one of my least favourite. His mannerisms being a large reason, but also he seems to shout at other riders in the break, make them work hard to work together etc, then attacks them - hardly breaking any rules, but pretty poor from a sportsman point of view.

I also think he is lazy, despite his well known attributes as a fighter. He has proven he has what it takes to be a GC contender, but no, he'd rather go for stage wins.

 

[raindog]

I also think he is lazy,

I know what you mean - he likes to play the star, but he did help lead out new Europcar sprint recruit Bryan Coquard
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/etoile-de-bessges-2013/stage-1/photos/250488
who is supposed to be pretty good, but got blocked near the line.
In fact Coquard won the stage yesterday - only his second day riding as a pro.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g0UIr6LYQo0

 

[Monsieur Remings]

I think anyone who turns down double the wages to stay in a team he loves working with, goes up in my estimation.

I don't think lazy is fair either - like most professionals when he has to work, he has to work and attacking breakaways is not a lazy occupation.

How do we know he's so disliked in the peloton?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

How do we know he's so disliked in the peloton?

It's common knowledge. But then again, 'the peloton' is also the same group that kept a lid on doping revelations for so long and which enforced the omerta. The nail that stands out gets hammered down, and all that.

I enjoy watching him, and as raindog said, he can do a team job when asked - his work yesterday in setting up the very promising Coquard, was stellar.

 

[Rob3rt]

One of the most disliked riders in the peloton, and one of my least favourite. His mannerisms being a large reason, but also he seems to shout at other riders in the break, make them work hard to work together etc, then attacks them - hardly breaking any rules, but pretty poor from a sportsman point of view.

I also think he is lazy, despite his well known attributes as a fighter. He has proven he has what it takes to be a GC contender, but no, he'd rather go for stage wins.

I guess it depends how he goes about it, can't say I have took that much notice.

 

[raindog]

today's stage - Europcar again with Jerome Cousin


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LhI6e_rp3wE

 

[Monsieur Remings]

It's common knowledge. But then again, 'the peloton' is also the same group that kept a lid on doping revelations for so long and which enforced the omerta. The nail that stands out gets hammered down, and all that.

I enjoy watching him, and as raindog said, he can do a team job when asked - his work yesterday in setting up the very promising Coquard, was stellar.

Fair comments and I guess it's the real reason for why the peloton dislike him that makes me wonder? As you imply, the nail that stands out...

I'm not saying there's nothing in it, I'm not a part of the peloton but that's part of my point really.

Thanks for the video, Raindog.

 

[raindog]

My pleasure MR. They're produced by local TV, and in each one they try and feature something light - the first one showed the wild-boar-stew-picnic and the second was let's-taste-what's-in-the-bidons. The third concentrated on the fact that the race is run and organised on a voluntary basis by one family and friends. I think it's the only one in Europe open to pro teams run like this. The guy who started it all, Roland Fangille, has been running it for more than 40 years and he's always on the start line to make sure the peloton gets away ok. We get the Tour Med, Paris-Nice and The Tour down here on a regular basis, but I get more enjoyment from spectating Bessèges than the other three put together because of it's lovely laid back atmosphere.
Some history here.
http://www.etoiledebesseges.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=103&Itemid=62

 

[raindog]

Coquard again - 2 wins in his first four days of pro-racing!


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Sqht_nqLqF4