Hoste, PVP DQ'd, Boonen second in PR

hombredesubaru said:

Boonen sucks all day and gets second on a technicality.
This stinks.

A bit like Tyler Hamilton winning Olympic Gold really.

What amazes me is that a major sporting organization can't figure out how to deal with interfering trains. According to velonews, Boonen had to stop for ten seconds to wait for the train, ruining any chances of catching Cance.

And what the hell happened to Hincapie's bike? Were they using a carbon steerer for friggin' paris-roubaix? Anyone know?

ishiwata said:

What amazes me is that a major sporting organization can't figure out how to deal with interfering trains. According to velonews, Boonen had to stop for ten seconds to wait for the train, ruining any chances of catching Cance.

And what the hell happened to Hincapie's bike? Were they using a carbon steerer for friggin' paris-roubaix? Anyone know?

According to www.cyclingnews.com, who took a look at the bike before the race, it was a black anodized aluminum steerer.

artmichalek said:

According to www.cyclingnews.com, who took a look at the bike before the race, it was a black anodized aluminum steerer.

It just so happens that last night, I was watching the tape of the 1986 Paris-Roubaix, which Sean Kelly won. There was an issue with a train interrupting Greg LeMond's chase of the leaders in that year's edition.

The ASO apparently has clear rules of when you can and can't cross when the train comes.

Boonen's group, despite being stopped by the train, clawed back to within a small margin of the Hoste / Van Petegem / Gussev group.

While the train interruption may not have stopped Cancellara's brilliant victory, it could have meant a joining of the Ballan/Boonen group with the Hoste/Van Petegem group. In that six-man sprint, Boonen could likely have come out on top w/ Ballan on his wheel, and the Podium would have turned out as it did after the rules being applied.

As far as talk of conspiracy, I could not see why the French would have love for one Belgian over another -- Hoste vs. Boonen, I don't think the ASO would really care.

strummer_fan said:

It just so happens that last night, I was watching the tape of the 1986 Paris-Roubaix, which Sean Kelly won. There was an issue with a train interrupting Greg LeMond's chase of the leaders in that year's edition.

The ASO apparently has clear rules of when you can and can't cross when the train comes.

Boonen's group, despite being stopped by the train, clawed back to within a small margin of the Hoste / Van Petegem / Gussev group.

While the train interruption may not have stopped Cancellara's brilliant victory, it could have meant a joining of the Ballan/Boonen group with the Hoste/Van Petegem group. In that six-man sprint, Boonen could likely have come out on top w/ Ballan on his wheel, and the Podium would have turned out as it did after the rules being applied.

As far as talk of conspiracy, I could not see why the French would have love for one Belgian over another -- Hoste vs. Boonen, I don't think the ASO would really care.

No Boonen was not coming back no way.

strummer_fan said:

While the train interruption may not have stopped Cancellara's brilliant victory, it could have meant a joining of the Ballan/Boonen group with the Hoste/Van Petegem group. In that six-man sprint, Boonen could likely have come out on top w/ Ballan on his wheel, and the Podium would have turned out as it did after the rules being applied.

I agree. There was no way Boonen was going to catch Cancellara, but in that six man sprint for second place ... no doubt Boonen would have won. Now keep in mind, Hoste did beat Freire the other day in a close one, so he has some speed on him too. 🙂

hombredesubaru said:

No Boonen was not coming back no way.

On Belgian TV Tom Boonen made it clear that Cancellara was the best man in the race and that he deserved to win!

He further stated that he did not deserve that second place as he had to let go of the group with Hoste, PVP and Gussev.

FYI: The organisation of the Ronde van Vlaanderen has an arrangement with the Belgian Railways. They are willing to delay trains for a few minutes in order to not interfere with the head of the race. ASO can learn from this.

The bigger question here is on the enforcement of the rules.....Rules seem to be inconsistent in cycling. Earlier in the race a few riders were motored back to the group and everyone looked th eother way because "they had a little bit of bad luck." By crossing the barriers the DSQ riders did not gain any real adavantage over anyone, and it was doubtful Boonen would have caught them ...... That part of the race was basically determined before the crossings.
As far as Hincapies bike breaking .....I have to ask why anybdy is surprised.They ride Trek and use Shimano equipment.......The bikes deserve to be in the ditch.

lizwi said:

FYI: The organisation of the Ronde van Vlaanderen has an arrangement with the Belgian Railways. They are willing to delay trains for a few minutes in order to not interfere with the head of the race. ASO can learn from this.

From VeloNews:
"[font=Verdana][font=Verdana]Van Petegem and Boonen hovered at the front, but didn't react when Cancellara continued to pour it on, dropping Gusev on the Carrefour with 15km to go."[/font][/font]

Trains aren't anything new at this race. And the train wouldn't have decided the race if the lead group hadn't let Cancellara get off the front in the first place.

wolfix said:

As far as Hincapies bike breaking .....I have to ask why anybdy is surprised.They ride Trek and use Shimano equipment.......The bikes deserve to be in the ditch.

That's what happens when you take a deep, stiff wheel, put it into a fork made for a comuter bike, and pound it into cobble stones for a few hours. It probably didn't help that he had already crashed the bike earlier in the day. As for Shimano, what was Cancellara riding again?:p

they should be all made to ride steel bikes with downtube shifters :p:p

and as for using deep section rims on cobbles, george rode them in training and said he couldnt break them. pity he didnt think about his steerer.

the rules state that if you jump the barriers before the train arrives then you can be disqualified, surely the riders and DS's knew this. rules are made to be broken though, like aluminium steerers 😄 😄

when eddy ruled said:

the rules state that if you jump the barriers before the train arrives then you can be disqualified...

You can also get hit by a train. I've got a feeling that if the officials looked the other way on this one, there would be people on here complaining that they aren't doing enough to look out for the safety of the racers.

hombredesubaru said:

No Boonen was not coming back no way.

Please don't get me wrong, as I haven't seen the TV coverage, only read the live coverage from cyclingnews.com and heard the live audio from Eurosport.

From those two reporting sources, and the gap times between the groups that they were reporting, it was clear that the Ballan / Boonen group was definitely gaining on the Hoste / Van Petegem group. They were in no way going to catch Cancellara, no one was. However, the race commentary on EuroSport and the gap times posted on the "current race situation" at live.cyclingnews.comlive.cyclingnews.comOpen ↗ both indicated that the Second Chase group was gaining on the first. If my impression is incorrect, please don't blame me, that's what was reported and is the only info I had available when I posted earlier today. Is it true that despite the train delay, the Boonen / Ballan group had entered the velodorome shortly after Hoste / Van Petegem / Gussev?

I can't see the original finishing times posted anywhere, but take the PVP group, minus the train delay, minus the effect of stopping their chase, and making them wait, and I think you'll find that the 3rd group may (and i say *MAY*) have been able to catch the 2nd group.

I will have to wait until I can see the video to make a serious comment.

strummer_fan said:

Please don't get me wrong, as I haven't seen the TV coverage, only read the live coverage from cyclingnews.com and heard the live audio from Eurosport.

From those two reporting sources, and the gap times between the groups that they were reporting, it was clear that the Ballan / Boonen group was definitely gaining on the Hoste / Van Petegem group. They were in no way going to catch Cancellara, no one was. However, the race commentary on EuroSport and the gap times posted on the "current race situation" at live.cyclingnews.comlive.cyclingnews.comOpen ↗ both indicated that the Second Chase group was gaining on the first. If my impression is incorrect, please don't blame me, that's what was reported and is the only info I had available when I posted earlier today. Is it true that despite the train delay, the Boonen / Ballan group had entered the velodorome shortly after Hoste / Van Petegem / Gussev

I can't see the original finishing times posted anywhere, but take the PVP group, minus the train delay, minus the effect of stopping their chase, and making them wait, and I think you'll find that the 3rd group may (and i say *MAY*) have been able to catch the 2nd group.

I will have to wait until I can see the video to make a serious comment.

No way, the Boonen Flecha group were seriously struggling. Boonen actually looked tired and human for a change. He was shot. Ballan dropped Flecha and Boonen at one point.
No way they were bringing back the break, and thats from having seen it twice and following the coverage.

[img]qsi-cycling.compr 04.JPGOpen ↗[/img]

I found this on the web. If hoste, vanpetegem and gussev were disq, why don't they disq boonen to?
they are also passing when the railway is closed. The train is passed, ok, but there could come another train.

good photo, and good question.....

bigger issue though is trains at all. its 2006, not the 18th century. the odd bike race here and there actually means something, to the rider, to his team, sponsors, fans, 100's or 1000's of people. its a joke that a train crossing can interrupt and often dictate results.
not one other sport that has such archaic rules within it. its just plain UNFAIR....sport at this level shouldnt have any element of this about it, should all be a level playing field at all times.
stop the train, its not hard, have a guy on a radio at the crossing, radio down the line a few kms or something.....the people on the train do not care, theyre just on a train going from a to b, its not an issue for them, probably used to delays anyway, but to interrupt and sometimes influence a massive world wide sporting event, its a joke.

Ricardo29 said:

good photo, and good question.....

bigger issue though is trains at all. its 2006, not the 18th century. the odd bike race here and there actually means something, to the rider, to his team, sponsors, fans, 100's or 1000's of people. its a joke that a train crossing can interrupt and often dictate results.
not one other sport that has such archaic rules within it. its just plain UNFAIR....sport at this level shouldnt have any element of this about it, should all be a level playing field at all times.
stop the train, its not hard, have a guy on a radio at the crossing, radio down the line a few kms or something.....the people on the train do not care, theyre just on a train going from a to b, its not an issue for them, probably used to delays anyway, but to interrupt and sometimes influence a massive world wide sporting event, its a joke.

Actually, that's what the organisers of the Ronde van Vlaanderen do. They have an agreement with the Belgian Railways about this.

Funny that the Frenchies never thought of this!! And this is the same organisation that organises the Tour....

Ricardo29 said:

good photo, and good question.....

bigger issue though is trains at all. its 2006, not the 18th century. the odd bike race here and there actually means something, to the rider, to his team, sponsors, fans, 100's or 1000's of people. its a joke that a train crossing can interrupt and often dictate results.
not one other sport that has such archaic rules within it. its just plain UNFAIR....sport at this level shouldnt have any element of this about it, should all be a level playing field at all times.
stop the train, its not hard, have a guy on a radio at the crossing, radio down the line a few kms or something.....the people on the train do not care, theyre just on a train going from a to b, its not an issue for them, probably used to delays anyway, but to interrupt and sometimes influence a massive world wide sporting event, its a joke.

Yeah, and you would think that here in the 21st century we could have road bike races on asphalt. The trains are one of the things that make this race unique. I don't see how they create an un-level playing field. It's not like they waited for Cancellara to get through before dropping the gates. Everyone knew about the trains at the starting line, and they all knew the rules for rail crossings.

Far be it from me to comment/critique professional cycling, given my Category 5 status, but man I'd be [censored] beyond belief if, after racing for 15o+ KM on the cobbles at PR, a freaking train caused me to lose a race.

F'ing French...

Mark