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paulllambert | 07:33 Wed 09th Jul 2014 | Sport
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Chris Froome fell off his bike yesterday, and had to have x-rays to determine whether or not he could continue. I've been watching the highlights, and apparently the peloton slowed down "to let him catch up". What's that all about? Also, he had running repairs to his injuries, whilst being towed along by a moving car. I don't understand it........is it just me?
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The peloton didn't slow down, they were only 3 miles in so wouldn't do in such circumstances anyway. When a GC contender in a team suffers such a mishap at least one(sometimes 2) domestique will stay with him and pace him back to the peloton, it's general practice and is no big drama. The only time the peloton waits is when someone has suffered a 'mechanical',...
07:42 Wed 09th Jul 2014
The peloton didn't slow down, they were only 3 miles in so wouldn't do in such circumstances anyway. When a GC contender in a team suffers such a mishap at least one(sometimes 2) domestique will stay with him and pace him back to the peloton, it's general practice and is no big drama. The only time the peloton waits is when someone has suffered a 'mechanical', it's a gentlemans agreement they have amongst the teams/riders, an esprit de corps if you will.
As for injuries, how do you suggest they treat them? Put him in an ambulance, dress his wounds then send him back out at the rear of the peloton? It's generally accepted that injuries are treated in this manner and are fully sanctioned by the race commisars.
They don't act like footballers, they ride on whilst being treated. They hang on to the car because it's rather difficult to apply a dressing/bandage to a leg whilst it's in motion!!
Take a look at Johnny Hoogerland's injuries after being pushed off the road by a TV car and into a barbed wire fence.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Hoggerland-Carnage.jpg

He rode on as they treated him, it's just what professional cyclists do.
Perhaps similar procedures could be applied to Formula One.

A driver who suffers a "mechanical" could pop into the pits, have a cup of tea whilst the mechanics sort his car out and then make his way out to catch up the field who would kindly wait for him in a gentlemanly fashion.

Should a driver suffer an injury perhaps the medical car could tow him round for a couple of laps whilst he has a mobile brain scan and gets himself patched up. :-)

I'm afraid I find the hype over the Tour de France (and England) all a bit over the top. I don't think I'd be prepared to camp out on the yorkshire Moors somewhere for two days only to spend a couple of minutes watching a load push bikes whizz past to be followed by a load of cars and vans with spare bikes strapped to their roofs. It's what I might call a bit of an anti-climax.
Froome out, gutted!
It's Richie Porte now
Lets hope so, anybody but Contador. I know he's a great cyclist but I still remember what he did to Andy Schleck!
Oh no! It's not been a good TdF for the British Cyclists. Such a shame, especially after the Tour de Yorkshire.

NJ, agree 100%
I was so looking forward to watching Froome battle it out with Contador in the mountains and hopefully a few sprint wins from Cavendish, now I feel like Brazilian football fan, oh well! :-(
Can't we bring on Wiggins as a sub?
Get Wiggo off the subs bench!
Porte or maybe Thomas to go for GC in Team Sky now.
Gutted for Froome but that's cycling and today was always going to be a tough stage.
Perhaps similar procedures could be applied to Formula One.

A driver who suffers a "mechanical" could pop into the pits, have a cup of tea whilst the mechanics sort his car out and then make his way out to catch up the field who would kindly wait for him in a gentlemanly fashion.

Should a driver suffer an injury perhaps the medical car could tow him round for a couple of laps whilst he has a mobile brain scan and gets himself patched up.
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Pretty poor analogy really, given that drivers actually CAN and DO exactly that i.e. pop into the pits when they have a 'mechanical' e.g. new tyre, new front wing, adjustment to said wing etc.
I'm sure you weren't missed in Yorkshire NJ, 2.5 million more than made up for your absence!
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And, if Froome had won, wouldn't he have felt it were a slightly hollow victory, considering he hadn't cycled the complete course?
And, if Froome had won, wouldn't he have felt it were a slightly hollow victory, considering he hadn't cycled the complete course?
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What, you mean for recieving medical attention? Read what I wrote earlier, it's an accepted part of professional cycling, just about every rider will recieve medical attention in similar circumstances at some point throughout the 3 weeks.
Looking like this could be Nibali's tour at the moment...
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Chill, Chilldoubt................I was having a laugh. I fully understood your explanation. You can even have a "best answer" for your trouble.

Thanks X
Cheers! Glad to be of service.
You need to work on the delivery of your comedy routine though.....x. LOL
Brailsford decision not to include Wiggins has come back to haunt him.
Yep, big day for Nibali jim. As I type, Contador crosses the line a few seconds down on Porte but way down on Nibali.

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