Why did Armstrong cross the road?

[Benjamin Weiner]

Carl Sundquist <[email protected]> wrote:

> > http://www.olntv.com/tdf03/03tdfvideo.html

> That clip pretty much explains everything except the OP's question. ... Armstrong isn't carrying a
> lot of speed onto the road, so it isn't momentum. The only thing that comes to mind is that he
> mounts the bike from the left side and he might have been concerned about hooking one of the
> riders with his leg as he hopped on his bike. Then again, maybe its a personal thing to be on the
> left side of the road, like on Luz Ardiden.

IIRC, the OP also asked why Armstrong didn't remount right away. A high-caliber cross racer once
gave me this tip: It's quicker to accelerate from a slow speed on foot than on the bike. A common
newbie mistake is to reach the end of a transition (like a run-up) and immediately throw a leg over
the bike, clip in, and have to start pedaling from a near stop. It's faster overall to run a couple
of steps and carry speed through the remount. You can see this playing out often in beginner
category cyclocross races. I've never tried it in road cleats though. I didn't watch the video
again, but maybe that has something to do with it.

It's also probable that we can over-analyze Armstrong's thought process, since it may have been
about 10% "Cross the road or not?"

 

[Robert Chung]

Carl Sundquist wrote:
> "Robert Chung" <[email protected]> wrote
>>
>> You can find a video segment for stage 9 at: http://www.olntv.com/tdf03/03tdfvideo.html
>
> That clip pretty much explains everything except the OP's question.

Finally someone (other than Heather's 12-year-old) understands my posts.

 

[Dominic Richens]

<trg> wrote:
> After his bit of cyclecross after Beloki's crash at last year's tour, with the peloton bearing
> down on him, Lance crossed the road before getting back onto his bike. Why do you think he didn't
> just hop back on as soon as his feet touched the tarmac on the right side of the road, instead of
> crossing in front of a descending peloton?

Because coming to an abrupt stop in cycling shoes would have landed him on his butt with the group
bearing down on him. It was safer to keep running and get out of the way (f**k the moto cam - it's
got brakes) then keep the momentum and then hop on.
--
Dominic Richens | [email protected] "If you're not *outraged*, you're not paying attention!"

 

[Carl Sundquist]

"Dominic Richens" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Because coming to an abrupt stop in cycling shoes would have landed him on his butt with the group
> bearing down on him. It was safer to keep running and get out of the way (f**k the moto cam - it's
> got brakes) then keep the momentum and then hop on.

The video showed him beside the road at a walking pace due to stepping out of a ditch next to the
road. He then ran diagonally across the road to build up some speed before hopping on his bike
(quicker than getting on the road then making an abrupt left turn with the bike and begin running,
to get going).

 

[Amit]

"Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Dominic Richens" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >
> > Because coming to an abrupt stop in cycling shoes would have landed him on his butt with the
> > group bearing down on him. It was safer to keep running and get out of the way (f**k the moto
> > cam - it's got brakes) then keep the momentum and then hop on.
>
> The video showed him beside the road at a walking pace due to stepping out of a ditch next to the
> road. He then ran diagonally across the road to build up some speed before hopping on his bike
> (quicker than getting on the road then making an abrupt left turn with the bike and begin running,
> to get going).

Dumbass, have you ever been in a bike race? The only thought in a situation like that is to make
forward progress.

 

[Carl Sundquist]

"Amit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > "Dominic Richens" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > >
> > > Because coming to an abrupt stop in cycling shoes would have landed
him on
> > > his butt with the group bearing down on him. It was safer to keep
running
> > > and get out of the way (f**k the moto cam - it's got brakes) then keep
the
> > > momentum and then hop on.
> >
> > The video showed him beside the road at a walking pace due to stepping
out
> > of a ditch next to the road. He then ran diagonally across the road to
build
> > up some speed before hopping on his bike (quicker than getting on the
road
> > then making an abrupt left turn with the bike and begin running, to get going).
>
>
> Dumbass, have you ever been in a bike race? The only thought in a situation like that is to make
> forward progress.

I'll defer to you. Your cycling experience is clearly far superior to mine.

 

[Steven L. Sheff]

On 03/01/2004 06:53 PM, in article [email protected], "Carl
Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "Amit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> "Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>>> "Dominic Richens" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>>
>>>> Because coming to an abrupt stop in cycling shoes would have landed
> him on
>>>> his butt with the group bearing down on him. It was safer to keep
> running
>>>> and get out of the way (f**k the moto cam - it's got brakes) then keep
> the
>>>> momentum and then hop on.
>>>
>>> The video showed him beside the road at a walking pace due to stepping
> out
>>> of a ditch next to the road. He then ran diagonally across the road to
> build
>>> up some speed before hopping on his bike (quicker than getting on the
> road
>>> then making an abrupt left turn with the bike and begin running, to get going).
>>
>>
>> Dumbass, have you ever been in a bike race? The only thought in a situation like that is to make
>> forward progress.
>
> I'll defer to you. Your cycling experience is clearly far superior to mine.

Yeah ... We all know more than an 8-time National Champion.

--
Steven L. Sheffield stevens at veloworks dot com veloworks at worldnet dot ay tea tee dot net bellum
pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea aye tee why you ti
ay aitch aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you double-yew double-ewe
dot veloworks dot com [four word] slash

 

[Howard Kveck]

In article <[email protected]>,
"Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Amit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > > "Dominic Richens" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > >
> > > > Because coming to an abrupt stop in cycling shoes would have landed
> him on
> > > > his butt with the group bearing down on him. It was safer to keep
> running
> > > > and get out of the way (f**k the moto cam - it's got brakes) then keep
> the
> > > > momentum and then hop on.
> > >
> > > The video showed him beside the road at a walking pace due to stepping
> out
> > > of a ditch next to the road. He then ran diagonally across the road to
> build
> > > up some speed before hopping on his bike (quicker than getting on the
> road
> > > then making an abrupt left turn with the bike and begin running, to get going).
> >
> >
> > Dumbass, have you ever been in a bike race? The only thought in a situation like that is to make
> > forward progress.
>
> I'll defer to you. Your cycling experience is clearly far superior to mine.

Was that Hansen Brother #1/Shaun Wallace redux? Although it coulda been sarcasm...

--
tanx, Howard

"Food plus heat equals cooking"
Alton Brown

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?

 

[Bob Schwartz]

Carl Sundquist <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'll defer to you. Your cycling experience is clearly far superior to mine.

Act II

The aging warrior returns to the palace. His former occupation is not obvious. His armour no longer
fits, and he has sold it on Ebay.

Thus it is that a squire motions to him with a shovel as he passes the stables. "An outrage!", he
thinks, "Do they not remember the great battle in Sicily in 1994?"

Denizens of the palace surround him, singing mockingly "La pala, la vostra pala".

Opera is not for the weak.

Bob Schwartz [email protected]

 

[Benjamin Weiner]

Bob Schwartz <[email protected]> wrote:
> Carl Sundquist <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I'll defer to you. Your cycling experience is clearly far superior to mine.

> Act II

> The aging warrior returns to the palace. His former occupation is not obvious. His armour no
> longer fits, and he has sold it on Ebay.

http://www.calpoly.edu/~wpatters/pic/doda2.jpg
[ G-rated, but not for the sensitive ]

> Thus it is that a squire motions to him with a shovel as he passes the stables. "An outrage!", he
> thinks, "Do they not remember the great battle in Sicily in 1994?"

> Denizens of the palace surround him, singing mockingly "La pala, la vostra pala".

> Opera is not for the weak.

Only his old dog, with its last breath, recognizes the exile on his return.

But shortly thereafter, he gets to slaughter the newbies.

 

[Dominic Richens]

<Carl Sundquist> wrote:
> "Amit" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> "Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>>> "Dominic Richens" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>>
>>>> Because coming to an abrupt stop in cycling shoes would have landed him on his butt with the
>>>> group bearing down on him. It was safer to keep running and get out of the way (f**k the moto
>>>> cam - it's got brakes) then keep the momentum and then hop on.
>>>
>>> The video showed him beside the road at a walking pace due to stepping out of a ditch next to
>>> the road. He then ran diagonally across the road to build up some speed before hopping on his
>>> bike (quicker than getting on the road then making an abrupt left turn with the bike and begin
>>> running, to get going).
>>
>>
>> Dumbass, have you ever been in a bike race? The only thought in a situation like that is to make
>> forward progress.
>
> I'll defer to you. Your cycling experience is clearly far superior to mine.

POTM!

--
Dominic Richens | [email protected] "If you're not *outraged*, you're not paying attention!"

 

[Bob Schwartz]

Dominic Richens <[email protected]> wrote:
> POTM!

I don't about that. Its certainly worth an aria though.

Bob Schwartz [email protected]

 

[Mauiguy]

Benjamin's 90% theory (below) is best one I've seen so far besides the momentum argument.

My guess is after miraculously getting through the field, his adrenaline meter was pegged and he was
pretty much flying on instinct. In this case instinct from years of training on open roads says to
get out of the oncoming traffic lane despite the fact that he was on a closed race course at the
time. In other words, it wasn't a rational decision. He also came pretty close to getting clipped by
the chase group when you watch the replay.

Benjamin Weiner <[email protected]> wrote in message news:
> It's also probable that we can over-analyze Armstrong's thought process, since it may have been
> about 10% "Cross the road or not?"

-Gary

 

[Amit]

Howard Kveck <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Carl Sundquist" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > >
> > >
> > > Dumbass, have you ever been in a bike race? The only thought in a situation like that is to
> > > make forward progress.
> >
> > I'll defer to you. Your cycling experience is clearly far superior to mine.
>
> Was that Hansen Brother #1/Shaun Wallace redux? Although it coulda been sarcasm...

Dumbasses, we used to get "Winning" magazine in Canada too you know.