Tour De France query.

[Simon Mason]

Watching Eurosport's excellent coverage I have noticed
riders hanging onto the team cars while getting drinks or
chatting to the managers. Also after a crash riders have
been drafted by the cars so that they can catch up. When
does this constitute an abuse?

I read that hanging onto cars was such a problem in the
past that helicopters were used to clamp down on this, how
come they can get away with it today?

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net (http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/)

[MSeries]

Originally posted by Simon Mason
Watching Eurosport's excellent coverage I have noticed
riders hanging onto the team cars while getting drinks or
chatting to the managers. Also after a crash riders have
been drafted by the cars so that they can catch up. When
does this constitute an abuse?

I read that hanging onto cars was such a problem in the
past that helicopters were used to clamp down on this, how
come they can get away with it today?

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net (http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/)
Hmm, I can't give definitive answers, I think if you do it well behind the main field and don't abuse the privilege a blind eye will be turned. The old trick for a breakaway is to hand a bottle up but the rider and drive both hold it for a couple of seconds so the rider gets a short pull.

[Arthur Clune]

Simon Mason <simon@simonmason.karoo.co.uk> wrote:
: Watching Eurosport's excellent coverage I have noticed
: riders hanging onto the team cars while getting drinks or
: chatting to the managers. Also after a crash riders have
: been drafted by the cars so that they can catch up. When
: does this constitute an abuse?

Drafting is usually ignored if it's in the caravan and after
a crash/mechanical. Drafting if you've been dropped is
frowned on.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org (http://www.clune.org/) "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

[Willowbeauty]

"Simon Mason" <simon@simonmason.karoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:YVGdnY4Phut7CHPdSa8jmA@karoo.co.uk...
> Watching Eurosport's excellent coverage I have noticed
> riders hanging onto the team cars while getting drinks or
> chatting to the managers. Also after
a
> crash riders have been drafted by the cars so that they
> can catch up. When does this constitute an abuse?
>
> I read that hanging onto cars was such a problem in the
> past that
>helicopters were used to clamp down on this, how come they
> can get away
with
> it today?

Its all banned but only if its spotted by the commisaire's
will they be fined in either cash/points or both. There have
been quite a few fines this year including the team time
trial when its obvious you're goign to get caught but if
you're a climber and not a GC contender then its worth
risking the fine. Taking food outside the feed zones is
always worth the fine really compared to risks of bonking- I
am pretty certain the Euskatel team got fined for this in
the last 48 hrs but with Mayo snookered, whats to lose!!!!

[Simon Mason]

"Willowbeauty" <Newsgroup-
postings@SPAMSPAMSPAMwillowbeauty.co.uk> wrote in
>
> Its all banned but only if its spotted by the commisaire's
> will they be fined in either cash/points or both.

I would have thought that with this being spotted on TV
for everyone to see, it couldn't go unnoticed. In football
there is a mechanism that if a referee doesn't spot a
player say spitting at an opponent, then UEFA or FIFA can
retrospectively fine or ban the player by viewing the
video footage.

--
Simon M.

[Willowbeauty]

"Simon Mason" <simon@simonmason.karoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:LUednS9r-LD0B3PdSa8jmA@karoo.co.uk...
>
> "Willowbeauty" <Newsgroup-
> postings@SPAMSPAMSPAMwillowbeauty.co.uk> wrote
in
> >
> > Its all banned but only if its spotted by the
> > commisaire's will they be fined in either cash/points
> > or both.
>
>I would have thought that with this being spotted on TV for
> everyone to
> see, it couldn't go unnoticed. In football there is a
> mechanism that if a
>referee doesn't spot a player say spitting at an opponent,
> then UEFA or
FIFA
> can retrospectively fine or ban the player by viewing the
> video footage.

Nah, thats all a bit bah humbug for the Tour really, I think
the attitude of live and let live on the tour is good, I
mean, woudl you make Lance retrace his steps through that
field last year and come down the hill the right way or just
let him get on with it and be grateful he's still racing.
The commisaires frequently let riders who finish outside the
time limit stay in the race- seem to recall it would have
meant disqualifying almost the whole peloton on one or two
occasions!

I think they get the balance about right, going uphill, take
them helmets off- long breakway in a small group and you
puncture, get a small tow from your team car. The riders
often share food and drink which technically breaks the
rules, but the Tour is just a bit too big and tough to be
too scrupulous with rules IMO.

[Elyob]

"Simon Mason" <simon@simonmason.karoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:YVGdnY4Phut7CHPdSa8jmA@karoo.co.uk...
> I read that hanging onto cars was such a problem in the
> past that
>helicopters were used to clamp down on this, how come they
> can get away
with
> it today?

I think hanging onto helicopters must be far more
dangerous ...