Paris Nice cycle race (Spoiler)

[orestes]

I know there are a few fans of cycle racing here who may be interested in this crash involving Levi Leipheimer

 

[wfooshee]

The commentators were pretty rough on the cop, but if he hadn't been there the racers would have just hit the downed bicycles that were already there instead of the police bike. Still would have been a big wreck, and the commentators would have whined about nothing being done to notify the riders of the incident ahead.

The mistake was placing it around the bend, out of the oncoming sight line. Something should have been further back in the curve to move the riders over. Myabe that was being done and they just didn't have time.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Looks like a bit of panic / running wide / target fixation on the bicycle racers. Hit the brakes, stood it up and went straight into the MC Officer...

--G

 

[Mount Rainier]

From 3rd to 35th in the General Classification for Levi. :angry: His new Quickstep team seems to have given him new energy and a lot of support this season. He has done very well so far. That was his third crash of the day.

There was too much going on there to second guess decisions on anyone's part. It's a very very dangerous sport.

 

[wfooshee]

It also occurs to me that the incident ahead may have only happened seconds prior, and the moto cop was himself stopped to avoid it, not just parked to get in the way.

 

[CAJW]

Bummer for Levi! Gotta love the press and armchair quarterbacking! They get paid for some expertise in racing to comment, but when it goes beyond that, they're shooting from the hip and until the officer gives his side of what happened, they should've keep their tongues in check. I just finished carrying a photographer from Veloimages in a Pro Race on my FJR and can tell you from personal experience, things happen very quickly! It's a "ballet" of sorts with all the support vehicles, Marshalls and photogs on motorcycles and oh yeah, about 150 cyclists pedaling like mad to be up front. Interesting/terrifying all at the same time.

 

[Mount Rainier]

Bummer for Levi! Gotta love the press and armchair quarterbacking! They get paid for some expertise in racing to comment, but when it goes beyond that, they're shooting from the hip and until the officer gives his side of what happened, they should've keep their tongues in check. I just finished carrying a photographer from Veloimages in a Pro Race on my FJR and can tell you from personal experience, things happen very quickly! It's a "ballet" of sorts with all the support vehicles, Marshalls and photogs on motorcycles and oh yeah, about 150 cyclists pedaling like mad to be up front. Interesting/terrifying all at the same time.

Wow, You sir, have done something very few of us will ever get to do.

Pilot a MC in an event that involves such controlled confusion. I have watched the activity away from the racers almost as much as the racing itself. "Interesting/terrifying all at the same time." seems to me to be an understatement. The logistic of moving and event like this along a course of a hundred plus miles through all kind of terrain and locations is monumental. Very much a spectacle to be appreciated from all angles.

Where do I sign up?

 

[CAJW]

Bummer for Levi! Gotta love the press and armchair quarterbacking! They get paid for some expertise in racing to comment, but when it goes beyond that, they're shooting from the hip and until the officer gives his side of what happened, they should've keep their tongues in check. I just finished carrying a photographer from Veloimages in a Pro Race on my FJR and can tell you from personal experience, things happen very quickly! It's a "ballet" of sorts with all the support vehicles, Marshalls and photogs on motorcycles and oh yeah, about 150 cyclists pedaling like mad to be up front. Interesting/terrifying all at the same time.

Wow, You sir, have done something very few of us will ever get to do.

Pilot a MC in an event that involves such controlled confusion. I have watched the activity away from the racers almost as much as the racing itself. "Interesting/terrifying all at the same time." seems to me to be an understatement. The logistic of moving and event like this along a course of a hundred plus miles through all kind of terrain and locations is monumental. Very much a spectacle to be appreciated from all angles.

Where do I sign up?

I'll trade an ice cold Mt. Rainier at NAFO for the back story as there is much more than meets the eye to keeping everyone happy when involved in an event such as this.

 

[Mount Rainier]

:angry2: Levi Leipheimer was struck by a car from behind and forced to withdraw from the week long Vuelta al Pais Vasco WorldTour race. He was on a training ride when he was hit. He's on his way back to the US after treatment in local hospital. Initial indication is no broken bones. Story here.

Keep Going!

 

[Mount Rainier]

Further X-ray reveals fibula fracture for Leipheimer. Click

 

[CAJW]

Not a good past 4 weeks for Levi and illustrates that bicycle racing is demanding and can be a rough sport.

 

[Mount Rainier]

Two related articles involving Motos and Moto Pilots at races. One informative - the other, a worse case in Tour of Korea.

Even more tragedy in S. Korea.

Leipheimer start at California still up in the air. Click