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The Unwritten Rules of Cycling
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 12-07-2013 18:12
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So stage 13 threw some debate right back into the spotlight. They come up every gran tour and most WT races, so lets try and understand them.
Cycling has a very traditional base, with a lot of camaraderie and respect between riders and teams. This gave rise to a list of unofficial, unwritten, rules between riders and teams. But as they are only gentlemens agreements we often see them being ignored and broke.
Is this right? Is this a sign of the sport changing? What are the unwritten rules? And what should they be, if any?
My opinion:
Such rules should only apply to the GTs, and then only on a small group level.
Only the GC leader should benefit from any such.
I am against these rules as they don't fit in with modern cycling and its set up. There should be respect for the race leader only. Favorites come and go on a daily basis and cannot be hold the same level. The GC leader is special, and the heart of the race, and should be treated with respect for his efforts and achievement.
Now feel free to have your own discussion 
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| StefanG |
Posted on 12-07-2013 18:23
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I wasn't able to focus on the stage today minute for minute, but didn't the split occur by Omega pushing the pace to catch Kittle out? If so, there's nothing sketchy about that. Unfortunately after that split occurred, a GT contender happened to get a flat. But, that's racing. The pace wasn't being pushed to take advantage of the GT contender's bad luck, it was to prevent a sprinter from staying in the front group.
I didn't see any unwritten rules broken today. Unless I just missed something.
(Edit: So, I voted "Should be Respected", but didn't see any infraction of the "rules" in stage 13.
Edited by StefanG on 12-07-2013 18:26
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| jseadog1 |
Posted on 12-07-2013 18:29
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Yeah I don't think so. If me and my buddy are riding in a race and he wrecks or gets a flat, I sure as hell am not waiting for him, im taking my opportunity while I have it!
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| Wilier |
Posted on 12-07-2013 18:32
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I'm more curious to know when these 'unwritten rules' were practised for the first time. F.e. I remember is Ullrich waiting for Armstrong on Luz-Ardiden and the whole peloton waiting for the Schleck brothers once. Other than that I haven't seen it a lot of times.
I believe that in the past it was even more common to take advantage of somebody's misfortune. And I experienced situations like this myself in amateur races. |
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 12-07-2013 18:33
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StefanG wrote:
I wasn't able to focus on the stage today minute for minute, but didn't the split occur by Omega pushing the pace to catch Kittle out? If so, there's nothing sketchy about that. Unfortunately after that split occurred, a GT contender happened to get a flat. But, that's racing. The pace wasn't being pushed to take advantage of the GT contender's bad luck, it was to prevent a sprinter from staying in the front group.
I didn't see any unwritten rules broken today. Unless I just missed something.
(Edit: So, I voted "Should be Respected", but didn't see any infraction of the "rules" in stage 13.
I didn't see the stage, but apparently Belkin accelerated once Valverde got dropped. |
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| Aquarius |
Posted on 12-07-2013 18:53
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Wilier wrote:
I'm more curious to know when these 'unwritten rules' were practised for the first time. F.e. I remember is Ullrich waiting for Armstrong on Luz-Ardiden and the whole peloton waiting for the Schleck brothers once. Other than that I haven't seen it a lot of times.
I believe that in the past it was even more common to take advantage of somebody's misfortune. And I experienced situations like this myself in amateur races.
It's older than cycling. Knight behaviour, or stuff like that.
Now, if we want such rules respected (but do or should we ?), we should write them down in proper language, or they'll never get respected.
Given they're not written, I can't complain if anyone doesn't respect them.
And once the race is really on, there's no reason to wait for people who get problems. What I find pretty miserable though is when nothing happens and a team or rider starts increasing the pace because one or many of his opponents have had a random problem (not linked to their physical ability). |
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| Jacdk |
Posted on 12-07-2013 19:29
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Wilier wrote:
I'm more curious to know when these 'unwritten rules' were practised for the first time. F.e. I remember is Ullrich waiting for Armstrong on Luz-Ardiden and the whole peloton waiting for the Schleck brothers once. Other than that I haven't seen it a lot of times.
I believe that in the past it was even more common to take advantage of somebody's misfortune. And I experienced situations like this myself in amateur races.
Well, its always been a kind of Gentleman sport, you know do to others like you what them to do to you.
Because as you know anyone can have a flat, fall or have mechanical error, and if you showed good will on day, people are more inclined to give it back.
But i think after Sky came its become more every team for it self, like last year when you had Wiggins lead for Cavendish , a thing that was unheard off and usually the team who went for the GC , let the sprinters do their own thing and raced just to keep the yellow safe.
Like today with BMC, Katusha and AG2R , |
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| Selwink |
Posted on 12-07-2013 20:33
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FroomeDog99 wrote:
StefanG wrote:
I wasn't able to focus on the stage today minute for minute, but didn't the split occur by Omega pushing the pace to catch Kittle out? If so, there's nothing sketchy about that. Unfortunately after that split occurred, a GT contender happened to get a flat. But, that's racing. The pace wasn't being pushed to take advantage of the GT contender's bad luck, it was to prevent a sprinter from staying in the front group.
I didn't see any unwritten rules broken today. Unless I just missed something.
(Edit: So, I voted "Should be Respected", but didn't see any infraction of the "rules" in stage 13.
I didn't see the stage, but apparently Belkin accelerated once Valverde got dropped.
Belkin already worked before Valverde punctured.
OT: I think this is just top sport, and I think there are more things than unwritten rules, which are more important.
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| cilldroichid |
Posted on 12-07-2013 21:15
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Jacdk wrote:
But i think after Sky came its become more every team for it self, like last year when you had Wiggins lead for Cavendish , a thing that was unheard off and usually the team who went for the GC , let the sprinters do their own thing and raced just to keep the yellow safe.
Like today with BMC, Katusha and AG2R ,
How is Wiggins leading out Cavendish anything remotely to do with the rules of cycling, written or unwritten?
I'm no lover of Sky but they can't be blamed for everything wrong, real or imagined, in cycling. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-11-2024 11:31
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| R_Funk |
Posted on 12-07-2013 21:19
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I am not sure about Belkin already working, but what I do remember is that Movistar did the same thing to Mollema during Tour de Suisse in 2012. |
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| issoisso |
Posted on 12-07-2013 21:24
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cilldroichid wrote:
Jacdk wrote:
But i think after Sky came its become more every team for it self, like last year when you had Wiggins lead for Cavendish , a thing that was unheard off and usually the team who went for the GC , let the sprinters do their own thing and raced just to keep the yellow safe.
Like today with BMC, Katusha and AG2R ,
How is Wiggins leading out Cavendish anything remotely to do with the rules of cycling, written or unwritten?
I'm no lover of Sky but they can't be blamed for everything wrong, real or imagined, in cycling.
More importantly, on what planet is it 'unheard of' for the yellow jersey to lead out a teammate?
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| Pellizotti2 |
Posted on 12-07-2013 21:31
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issoisso wrote:
More importantly, on what planet is it 'unheard of' for the yellow jersey to lead out a teammate?
This reminds me of back when Hushovd was world champion and one of the Swedish commentators thought it was scandalous that he had to work for Farrar on the pure sprinter stages at the Tour, even though Farrar was much faster.
One of the few things I dislike about listening to them. Constant fanboy praising of the Scandinavian riders.
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| Lachi |
Posted on 12-07-2013 22:10
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So it is not OK to attack a rider having a mechanical problem.
But it is OK to cheat every day using forbidden or unfair substances or techniques? |
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| Aquarius |
Posted on 12-07-2013 22:13
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Precisely what I'm saying in half my messages on this board, yes. Must have read me well, really. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-07-2013 22:21
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I'm not sure. I like it that there are rules. But most rules are not fair. It's too much about hierarchy. "We wait for that guy, but not for that guy, he's not important enough".
If you're a big shot rider and you have a flat tire, get your team to help you out. You don't deserve special treatment from the peloton, not more so than a neopro riding his first Tour and getting a puncture. I'm all about communism here (for any future boss tracking down my entire internet-history on my job interview: this was jokingly)  |
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 12-07-2013 22:42
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It's not a rule, it's a gentleman's agreement.
I don't screw you over when you get unlucky, you don't screw me over when I get unlucky. Therefore it's not personal, it's just racing.
When you go out of your way to screw someone over, you just have to make bloody sure they don't get the chance to do the same to you.
Mollema screwed Valverde out of second at the tour. He now has to watch his back for the rest of his career, because at some point there will be vengeance.
In the end, the people involved in the feud both lose out, and the people who are not, benefit in all situations.
Hence, don't attack other peoples misfortunes.
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 12-07-2013 22:51
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mb2612 wrote:
Mollema screwed Valverde out of second at the tour. He now has to watch his back for the rest of his career, because at some point there will be vengeance.
In the end, the people involved in the feud both lose out, and the people who are not, benefit in all situations.
see Contador
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| Jacdk |
Posted on 12-07-2013 23:29
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cilldroichid wrote:
How is Wiggins leading out Cavendish anything remotely to do with the rules of cycling, written or unwritten?
I'm no lover of Sky but they can't be blamed for everything wrong, real or imagined, in cycling.
Why do you think the media and the boards after that stage went crazy? its just unsportsman like to win everything, especially in a race like the Tour De france.
Also as i recall it wasn´t just as leadout it was to catch a breakaway.
Its just unheeard and very unsportsmanlike for a team with the yellow to do that, they dont sit in front and catch breakaways that is no threat to them what so ever.
And again its also the old "do to others what you expect them to do to you" |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 12-07-2013 23:30
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Don't care either way  |
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| Jacdk |
Posted on 12-07-2013 23:31
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issoisso wrote:
More importantly, on what planet is it 'unheard of' for the yellow jersey to lead out a teammate?
On Planet Earth my fellow boardian.
Its just unheard and unseen before that a yellow uses his team to catch a breakaway which is so far down that it would take a 2 hours just for him to get in top 100. |
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