Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2017

Favorites ascending. Photo: Gruber Images.

As many of you know, I write a monthly column for Cyclist Magazine where I answer Dear Abby-esque questions, and the most recent query pertained to whether I consider the Tour the best race of the year, or whether it’s an over-publicized circus. The question made me realize something about myself: I have a weariness around the Tour de France not unlike a romantic whose heart has been broken one too many times.

The fact is, as much as I prefer a race like Paris-Roubaix or the Giro d’Italia to the mid-summer shit show that is the Tour de France, nothing gets my anticipation going quite the way the Tour does, which is undeniably the pinnacle of the season; all the classifications and stages are prestigious enough that racers of all sorts are all arriving at the start in peak form. There is a promise of hard racing from day one, but the first week consists mostly of me worrying about the big favorites crashing out. As soon as we get through that mess, my heart is usually broken on the first day in the mountains, when the favorite takes a decisive lead and the rest of the race is most about stages than the GC.

At least, these are the dreads of a man who lived through the Indurain and Armstrong eras of racing.

Nevertheless, the Tour always manages to seduce me, and this year is no different. Maybe this year, she won’t be such a cruel lover. And, maybe this year, I won’t make horrible picks in the VSP. Just maybe, just maybe. You know the drill; get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero, and you get some swap options on the rest day. Good luck!
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frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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Pali65 says:

Jul 4 2017 at 2:53 pm

Rule #59 violation is the reason for Sagan's DQ. Bit too harsh I guess.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#59

Remember Cav's silver medal in RIO?

https://youtu.be/869ytxoJsF8
hhbiker says:

Jul 4 2017 at 2:56 pm

Cav officially out of Tour now according to team tweet:

Unfortunately, @MarkCavendish has been forced to withdraw from #TDF2017.
chris says:

Jul 4 2017 at 3:01 pm

@ChrisO

@stooge

Make of it what you will.
https://streamable.com/t/j7gqb

The whole bunch had veered to the right. It seems to me that Sagan feels Cav up on him, sticks the elbow out to protect himself / keep balance (Cav already going down).

Was he DQd for the elbow? That didn’t cause the crash. Was it for the line? He was riding his line parallel with the rest of the bunch, more or less, who had all been veered right behind Demare. Whatever the reason or reasons, a DQ is BS.

Hope Cav isn’t as banged up as he seems to be, and that tomorrow’s drama is confined to an eventful GC battle.

0

It starts too late.

I agree it wasn’t the elbow that sent him down but the video needs to start while they are under the shadow of the tree – that’s when Cavendish is next to Sagan, who then moves across on him.

And Chris Boardman also made the point about Demare. How can you DQ Sagan and do nothing to Demare?

0

Having watched that a couple of times it seems that the point a which Cav starts to exit right, when his body really accelerates to the side is before the elbow. It happens as Sagan's shoulder contacts his head. If Sagan didn't hit him hard how did he suddenly go from upright to bouncing off the barrier. He didn't fling himself off the bike.
Randy C says:

Jul 4 2017 at 3:42 pm

Sure seams to me like Cav was making a line where there wasn't going to be one. And the only way he was gonna get thru was to put his head and shoulder in to Sagan (reminds me of stage 1 in UK). Sagan gets bumped to the left and his right elbow's gonna swing out to counter.

So, the tour so far:

1) Stupid stage 1 leaves Movistar shortchanged and main GC contenders at 30 sec disadvantage cause they chose not to bomb around tight turns w/wet road paint on TT bikes.

2) Cav and Sagan out.

3) Barring misfortune the Sky Train could win with either Thomas or Froome.

Too bad the women's Giro isn't being televised.
Rob says:

Jul 4 2017 at 5:29 pm

The whole incedent might have taken 1.5 seconds. Should descisions made by instinct and body movements that are in reaction to very small forces be judged from poor camera angles by people who have no experience of those speeds and situations? The jury may have been too hasty. Not that they don't have experience but they too are probably working with the same camera angles.

I am of the opinion that Cav was too aggressive and got caught out. His leaning into Sags is the start of the chain of events. Why did that happen? Not because of Sags. The elbow may be physics at best or defensive at worst I do not think Sags did I it to get rid of the competition.
Rob says:

Jul 4 2017 at 5:34 pm

An after thought, I like them both - a lot. They both have class and a sense of humor while being fucking pro both on and off the bike. They are friends and know that this is pro racing. My bet is that they will go on as usual. This is just unfortunate for both.
Cary says:

Jul 4 2017 at 8:15 pm

@Rob

An after thought, I like them both – a lot. They both have class and a sense of humor while being fucking pro both on and off the bike. They are friends and know that this is pro racing. My bet is that they will go on as usual. This is just unfortunate for both.

terribly so. some of these finishing stretches in grand tours lately are terribly technical. racers are going to race. sprint finishes look great on TV, and there are a LOT more top speed guys in the peloton now than ever before. there are a dozen Abdujaparovs, Cippolinis, and McEwens contesting every finish now. a certain amount of this carnage is inevitable, with things as they are.
Duntov says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:08 pm

Give me a break!!! Cavendish knows the issues with a stage at the end.... Sagan did not throw an elbow or take him out...... I have had more sever bumps in a social recovery ride at my local bike shop on a Saturday AM !!!!!!

Saga has been disqualified.... geeeez....just move on...... If everyone on the tour had the same thing (punishment) dolled out to them for bumps..elbows here and there and several other "SO CALLED" unacceptable behaviors there would be about the riders left in the tour....

FUCKING GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is racing NOT a FUCKING knitting circle!!!!! If you can't handle the bumps, and elbows, cut-offs etc etc ...then get off the M---EFFING BIKE!!!!

In other words SEE RULE NUMBER 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
chris says:

Jul 4 2017 at 11:11 pm

@Duntov

Did you read as far down as rule 43?
Teocalli says:

Jul 5 2017 at 12:45 am

@chris

@ChrisO

@stooge

Make of it what you will.
https://streamable.com/t/j7gqb

The whole bunch had veered to the right. It seems to me that Sagan feels Cav up on him, sticks the elbow out to protect himself / keep balance (Cav already going down).

Was he DQd for the elbow? That didn’t cause the crash. Was it for the line? He was riding his line parallel with the rest of the bunch, more or less, who had all been veered right behind Demare. Whatever the reason or reasons, a DQ is BS.

Hope Cav isn’t as banged up as he seems to be, and that tomorrow’s drama is confined to an eventful GC battle.

0

It starts too late.

I agree it wasn’t the elbow that sent him down but the video needs to start while they are under the shadow of the tree – that’s when Cavendish is next to Sagan, who then moves across on him.

And Chris Boardman also made the point about Demare. How can you DQ Sagan and do nothing to Demare?

0

Having watched that a couple of times it seems that the point a which Cav starts to exit right, when his body really accelerates to the side is before the elbow. It happens as Sagan’s shoulder contacts his head. If Sagan didn’t hit him hard how did he suddenly go from upright to bouncing off the barrier. He didn’t fling himself off the bike.

0

Yup most of the comments here and on the rest of the 'net do not go far enough back. The elbow was not the issue Sagan came straight across to where Cavendish already had the space and the wheel and rode into him. Maybe a DQ was a bit much but it did put another rider out so on that context it could be called fair. Another thought may be to have a points and time deduction plus a Yellow Card where another Yellow would result in a DQ.