Modern Vespa

Anyone following?

Major bummer about Jasper crashing out in Stage 3.

Stage 1 Extended Highlights

Stage 2 Extended Highlights

Stage 3 Extended Highlights

Watching here , and agree as JP was part of the dream team with Van der Pol. All of the big lads have had crashes , Wout Van Aert, Roglic, Vingergard. I really hope it doesnt turn into a Pogacher show, as he has been imperious in early season racing.

Yes I am. Today not as literally 'out' because of a wasp sting.
Did see the fall yesterday.
A bit of cruel Karma him being taken out like this as Jasper Philipsen has a bit of a bad rep for being an (overly) agressive sprinter.
Unbelieveble he only has a broken collarbone and rib crashing like that at 60 km/h

That is one of the only sport events that I follow yearly, but not active, not by watching the live broadcast, unless maybe when I have a free day and it is raining.

Our national tv station, VRT, makes every day an evening program on the day's etappe. The program is called "Vive le vélo", it is very well made: informative and entertaining.

You know that cycling, bicycle racing, is extremely popular in Belgium, so also the radio and TV stations have a long and strong history and reputation on bringing the race to the public.

Me being from the north (Dutch) and my love being a Paraguyan ex cycling star we try cýcle to the Vuelta a España and Vuelta a Andalucía if the rout takes it anywhere'near'.

It is stunning how accessible this top level sport still is.

Yes, the crash that took Philipsen out was a real bummer. He has mostly calmed from his earlier more reckless days and was really going to light up the sprints this year. He was definitely on point to win the green jersey in Paris.

The start in the flats was sure to see crashes like this as every team is trying to pull their sprinter to the finish line. These stages have been a bit boring with the teams riding shoulder to shoulder across the entire road, effectively shutting down any breakaway attempts. At least they are heading into the mountains soon, that will expose everyone who has just been hanging on. Plus now there will be more idiot fans to contend with, like the fool burning a flare next to the riders yesterday.

Bonus - being on the west coast of the US, I get to watch it live with my morning coffee.

Quite a few of my cycling friends have gone on cycling training camps to Majorca & Lanzarote in Jan Feb, only to see the Ineos team or UAE squad sat down having breakfast in a cafe and happy to chat in their " off season"

Yes, not unknown here either.
Same for WRC and new model car introduction.

Back to Philipsen I am a bit surprised that the 'culprit' was sanctioned this heavily. Seems punishment for the consequences rather than for the infraction. Looks like a page from the F1 stewards rule book clamping down on racing itself.
I understand that they want to reduce the accidents but group sprinting at 60+ km/h is inherently unsafe.
The traffic furniture is a bigger issue imo. The accident in the last corner ditto: Would not have happened on a straight. But easier to blame a cyclist than look in the mirror.

I enjoy watching the Tour as long as it doesn't include Phil Liggett, Bob Roll, and the whole cast of terrible commentators we typically get in the US. Use a vpn and find a Euro feed, it makes it much more enjoyable for me.

Somehow I am not surprised to again find myself on the opposite side of a debate with you. I think the penalty that Coquard received was not nearly enough. He was riding badly and took out one of the race leaders.

I mean, he was careening wildly from side to side!

Yes he was; after he shot with his feet from the pedals upon light contact, which is sprinters being sprinters. This happening while full out, is
No doubt about who's 'fault' is was but there was no foul intended. I see it as a racing incident.

Whóm he 'took out' should be irrelevant.

Spanish TVE commentary thought same btw.

The tricky precedent of punishing more severely depending on who gets hurt is obvious.

Strongly disagree. Let's imagine that Jasper was still wearing the yellow jersey, as he had been the day before. If Coquard had taken out the maillot jaune, there would be hell to pay, and his career might well have been over.

Do you mean to write that favourites have a more protected status whíle racing?
Imo they have that already as every rider is aware of the sporting consequences.

Even if so, Coquard could not have known who was behind him at that moment.

The only way he could have avoided this accident would have been by trying less hard.

Btw. the Alpecin rider who took his hand off of the handlebars to touch Coquard and protest was at fault according to the rules.

Yes. But not because they are "favorites" -- but because they are race leaders, and wearing the jersey to prove it.

(I have no horse in this race -- I care not at all about Coquard or Philipsen). I think the subtext of this statement is that you think I am an Alpecin fan. I am not, and I'll not argue whether the Alpecin rider was at fault or not.

Other than as one human caring about the welfare of another human, of course.

Speaking of the TdF and humans, I'd forgotten that it was on and was looking for something to watch on Monday when I was off, and the only thing I found was a live showing of The Move, featuring a cheater, so I passed.

Yes. What I mean to say is that I was not rooting for (or against) either rider.

there was not a subtext

My point was that rules are open to ... application interpretation which I think a good thing.
In the case of Coquard who with the rule book in the hand did nothing wrong was punished for the consequences under the generic dagerous rding.
The Alpecin rider was téchnically at fault but mitigating cicumstances applied.
I personally agree with the latter, not the former.
In general though the cycling judges are impressively spot on because of applying in the spirit of the rules.

And what if Coquard had taken out a Dutch rider? I bet you'd be livid and somehow making it out to be about Anglo-Saxon bias.

What I see is a poorly executed, reckless, defensive maneuver by Coquard against Laurenz Rex and then a flailing recovery, like an NBA flop which took out Jasper.

Today a great etappe with an unexpected tense finish.
vdPoel again in yellow with 1 second

I have to admit I watched the TDF when Lance was on his winning streak. Even read his book "Every Second Counts" and cheered for him because of it.
All that came to an end when the Truths came out about him and Doping...... even by his accusers and subsequent Tour winners.
I mostly watch the Highlights of each stage (now). The scenery never fails to amaze me.

I've been cycling with Mike Anderson a few times. I tell my kids, he's the biggest sporting hero I've ever met.

If you're talking about the Mike Anderson who had the Outside magazine article, I worked with him for two years back in 1990-1992. He was with me when I broke my wrist, and raced from the crash site to call an ambulance for me.

If you happen to run across him again, tell him Dan Bates from Wheels In Motion says hi.

Mrs Boulty and I are glued to Netflix Tour De France Unchained.
Brutal.
Currently thinking it is better than F1 Drive to Survive