le tour de france descends into mayhem

[yartims]

the old froggys have such blind hatred of team sky the farmers tried to block the road yesterday with bales of hay and then cops sprayed the farmers with pepper spray which also got the riders..previously the spectators have been throwing urine and poos at chris froome such is their hatred..a group bared their bums as the peloton went by and i have seen signs declaring anti froome sentiments along the way.the aussie rider was blocked and fell off his bike and retired from injuries ..a thoroughly nasty group of people along the roadside it seems ..the organisers dont seem to take any action such as fines to prevent attacks and obstructing riders

[Giggle]

Vive la France!

[caducus]

In response to ‘yartims’, I am not aware of any Australian rider being forced to abandon this year’s Tour de France following a collision with a spectator. On the climb up the Alpe d’ Huez it was Vincenzo Nibali (an Italian) who was brought off his bike when a spectator’s camera strap caught his handlebars. He remounted and finished the stage but was forced to abandon the race with a broken vertebra.
On the 16th stage from Carcassonne to Bagneres de Luchon on 24th July the route was blocked by local farmers protesting about proposed cuts in government spending and the alleged apathy towards the farming communities in the region. This was not the first protest, in February the local farmers had blocked the road to Toulouse. The incident involving the spraying of pepper was part of the over-the-top reaction of the gendarmerie to what had started as a peaceful protest. There is a history of various community groups using the Tour as a platform to air their grievances. In the past the reaction of the police and the race organisers has been more reasonable and the race has resumed without too much ado.
It is also inaccurate to blame the French for the occasionally excessively boisterous behavior of a small minority of the tens of thousands of fans lining the route. The Tour is an international event and the flags of many nations can be seen by the roadside – a gathering of cycling enthusiasts from around the world enjoying the spirit of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
The animosity towards the Sky team is not just a French phenomenon. Since the second day in the Alps the performance of the Sky team has been admirable and predictable, but it has not made for an exciting spectacle. The thrills have been provided by some fine examples of individual riding by the likes of Peter Sagan, Greg van Avermaet, Adam Yates, Julian Alaphilippe, Dan Martin, John Degenkolb, and Nairo Quintana among others. Long may they follow their own directions!
I am not condoning the despicable antics of the throwers of unidentified liquids, the burners of flares, the grabber and pushers of competitors, or the exhibitors of naked buttocks. But these are but a very small minority of the millions who gather by the roads each year to cheer on their heroes. Their behaviour must also be considered in light of the extreme temperatures, dehydration, thirst, and the consumption of unhealthily large amounts of beer.
I am now looking forward to enjoying an open and competitive Stage 19 from Lourdes to Laruns.
Allez! Allez! Allez!

[stattointhailand]

I suspect that any sporting event where millions are allowed to attend free would attract a fair few crazies no matter where in the world it was. Boston marathon springs to mind :-&

[yartims]

Porte, the BMC team leader, crashed out of the Tour 10 kilometers into the 156.5-kilometer (97-mile) leg — before any of the 15 cobblestone sections.

The BMC sports director, Fabio Baldato, said Porte appeared to break his collarbone.

“The shoulder went out and in; it was really painful,” Baldato said. “He went down hard with the shoulder.”