2011 Tour de France Crash Thread

[thrill]

I don't give even close to a [expletive] about cycling, so explain that crash to me.

Are the roads they race on open?

If so, why the hell would some idiot trying to get anywhere drive on them if they know the tour is happening.

Also, that looked intentional. Is there any action they can take against the driver?

[cards2468]

I don't give even close to a [expletive] about cycling, so explain that crash to me.

Are the roads they race on open?

If so, why the hell would some idiot trying to get anywhere drive on them if they know the tour is happening.

Also, that looked intentional. Is there any action they can take against the driver?

sounds like it was a media truck (I can't watch the clip at work), so I'm guessing he was supposed to be following the group for camera shots and what not.

[Hungary Jack]

The course is closed, but between camera crews on motor bikes, team support vehicles carrying extra bikes and managers, and media there is plenty of traffic. It was a media car for a French company. I don't think they had a camera, but were probably providing live updates. The driver swerved to avoid a tree, which he obviously failed to anticipate.

[jim]

I don't give even close to a [expletive] about cycling, so explain that crash to me.

Are the roads they race on open?

If so, why the hell would some idiot trying to get anywhere drive on them if they know the tour is happening.

Also, that looked intentional. Is there any action they can take against the driver?

Looks like he swerved to miss a tree .. like almost he wasn't paying attention and was veering over and over-reacted. Like jack said it's closed but there are lots of cars on the coarse. One thing that freaks people out that aren't familiar with it is a guy rolling along at 30mph and some dude hanging out of the window of a car going the same speed with a wrench making a repair on the bike.

[maddash]

Plus, he nearly took out Thomas Voeckler, arguably France's number one rider, and now current holder of the yellow jersey. I believe a few stages earlier a camera motorcycle hit a rider. It's been a crazy Tour.

[Hungary Jack]

Plus, he nearly took out Thomas Voeckler, arguably France's number one rider, and now current holder of the yellow jersey. I believe a few stages earlier a camera motorcycle hit a rider. It's been a crazy Tour.

Imagine the hysteria had he taken out Voeckler, who narrowly escaped, as did Sammy Sanchez. They were all part of a 6-man break which led the entire stage, with Sanchez winning it and Voeckler taking 2nd place to gain the yellow jersey.

[cARdsfan]

There was a wreck in the early stages that involved a fan getting too close to the riders. Maybe more than one wreck like that now that I think about it.

Also, is this wreck with Hoogerland the same one in which Andy Schleck had the peloton stop racing out of courtesy, or was that another fracas? As dirty as some of these riders are in regards to PEDs, there seems to be a ton of sportmanship and fair play when it comes wrecks. If I'm not mistaken it seems like Jan Ullrich, even after losing to Lance Armstrong for years still held up and waited for him after Armstrong had been involved in a wreck of some sort.

[Hungary Jack]

In general, other riders do not take advantage of mishaps like mechanical failures or crashes involving the leaders. Of course, Schleck was attacking Contador last year in the mountains when he mis-shifted and dropped his chain, and Contador took off. He caught a lot of flack for it, but Schleck had initiated the attack.

I don't think the Shleck incidient in the year's Tour happened during the Hoogerland debacle, because that was a breakway group with the peleton several minutes behind. They would have passed Hoogerland and seen him getting bandaged on the side of the road, but the rest of the breakaway was ahead of the group.

Several years ago, Ullrich rode off the road on a descent while chasing Lance. Lance saw it and slowed down so Ullrich could catch up.

[Hungary Jack]

Some near-catastrophic mishaps yesterday on a slippery descent. Geraint Thomas was on a breakaway when he twice skidded off the road and ended up in the grass between two parked cars. Then the race leader, Thomas Voeckler, skidded around a hairpin turn and smacked a parked car while trying to avoid a pileup in front of him. Luckily he wasn't hurt and resumed riding right away.

[lukethedrifter]

Watched my first bit last night. The camera work has gotten fantastic. That or this is my first time watching in HD. Gorgeous.