UCI to investigate massive Tour of Flanders crash, road-blocking team tactics

[roadrash]

Looks like the U.C.I are not happy with regards to flanders crash

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/oth...p&cvid=6978425a1c7343cbaf11e004473091da&ei=36

 

[fossyant]

No surprises, absolute idiot move.

 

[Alex321]

No surprises, absolute idiot move.

Agreed. When I saw it on the highlights, my first thought was WTF was he thinking?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Looks like the U.C.I are not happy with regards to flanders crash

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/oth...p&cvid=6978425a1c7343cbaf11e004473091da&ei=36

A spokesman said: "We have a strict rule that no one is allowed to ride off the main route, because it could be dangerous. Naturally we can't be arsed to enforce it - have you seen the size of our rule book? It's bloody huge. We can't enforce them all. What's that? A crash you say? Pass me the rule book."

In other news. Horse escapes from UCI stables. Strict door bolting policy to be enforced.

 

[roadrash]

Apart from the crash , this caught my attention , how do they propose to stop it.

With some 126 kilometres to go on the Kortekeer climb, DSM's John Degenkolb and four of his teammates massed at the front of the peloton. They then slowed to a walking pace, forcing some riders to put a foot down, before accelerating on the front of the peloton. The tactic did not effect the race's development but garnered lots of criticism on social media.

Mathieu van der Poel posted a video of the moment the squad massed on the Kortekeer on Twitter with a sarcastic "Chapeau Team DSM" comment, and Eddy Merckx called it "dangerous". Cyclingnews columnist Fabian Cancellara also contrasted the tactic with the absence of any DSM riders at the top of the results sheet.

Trek-Segafredo tried a similar move during Dwars door Vlaanderen on the same climb but now the UCI will investigate.

"We have also noticed this trend," Van Den Abeele said.

"We will analyse that tactic in more detail. Everyone must be able to defend their chances, but this strategy is very far-reaching."

 

[matticus]

Cyclingnews columnist Fabian Cancellara also contrasted the tactic with the absence of any DSM riders at the top of the results sheet.

Always loved Fabian!

I don't think DSM made many friends with this on Sunday. I do love them for their neat (often innovative) tactical thinking, which has won them many Stages more than stronger (on paper) teams, but to me this stretches the bounds of sportsmanship [which I know is a purely subjective concept].

p.s. I hear Luke+G discussed it on their Watts Occuring podcast in typically forthright fashion.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Apart from the crash , this caught my attention , how do they propose to stop it.

With some 126 kilometres to go on the Kortekeer climb, DSM's John Degenkolb and four of his teammates massed at the front of the peloton. They then slowed to a walking pace, forcing some riders to put a foot down, before accelerating on the front of the peloton. The tactic did not effect the race's development but garnered lots of criticism on social media.

Dan Lloyd on GCN was not particularly excited about this "oh, people used to do this all the time in the old days".

So it seems it's nothing new and it didn't do them a fat lot of good. And it made them rather unpopular too.

I'm a relative newbie (10 years or so) to watching anything other than GTs and maybe the occasional Paris Roubaix if I could find highlights somewhere, so I'm not steeped in history.

"We have also noticed this trend," Van Den Abeele said.

Trend? Where else has it happened?

 

[matticus]

Trend? Where else has it happened?

The week before, on the same climb - as mentioned in the line above the one you quoted! ;-)

 

[roadrash]

Trend? Where else has it happened

have you really not seen it before , in 10 years of watching cycling

 

[Dogtrousers]

have you really not seen it before , in 10 years of watching cycling

Nope, not on a narrow climb. Often see teams swarming the front of the peloton policing the breakaway, but I've not seen a narrow climb blocked side to side by a team. Not that I can remember anyway.

 

[Dogtrousers]

The week before, on the same climb - as mentioned in the line above the one you quoted! ;-)

Hardly a trend.

 

[matticus]

Hardly a trend.

I'd agree - but you did ask when else has it happened, so I told you!

 

[mustang1]

Chris Horner explains it really well. Although Mr M (I can't spell his name either) caused the crash, it was not deliberate. Many riders race on the side. It seems UCI only enforce the rule when something really drastic happens but have a blind eye for smaller incidents.

UCI had no choice in this case, it was a huge crash. Sometimes they have to enforce the rules and this is one of those cases even though I do not blame Mr M.

 

[T4tomo]

Chris Horner explains it really well. Although Mr M (I can't spell his name either) caused the crash, it was not deliberate. Many riders race on the side. It seems UCI only enforce the rule when something really drastic happens but have a blind eye for smaller incidents.

UCI had no choice in this case, it was a huge crash. Sometimes they have to enforce the rules and this is one of those cases even though I do not blame Mr M.

I do, it was parking infrastructure, it was bound to end, it wasn't a place to start moving up off the road. Chris horner is a drug cheating wind bag, from the little I saw he seems to be saying he did it when he raced (which may well have been before teh UC introduced the only race on the roads rule) therefore its fine.

it was proof of why the rule is there.

 

[cougie uk]

I do, it was parking infrastructure, it was bound to end, it wasn't a place to start moving up off the road. Chris horner is a drug cheating wind bag, from the little I saw he seems to be saying he did it when he raced (which may well have been before teh UC introduced the only race on the roads rule) therefore its fine.

it was proof of why the rule is there.

I've seen people sneaking up the outside on just about every pro race this year.

I've not heard of any disqualification until Flanders.