Worthy of a DQ? No way. That is just the sort of thing that happens at the end of a long and high speed sprint. He kept his line incredibly well up to that point and I seriously doubt that was intentional.
Worthy of a DQ? No way. That is just the sort of thing that happens at the end of a long and high speed sprint. He kept his line incredibly well up to that point and I seriously doubt that was intentional.
Based on the fact that his line was straight until Matthews came up, I think it was intentional.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
His line was nowhere from straight at least for the last 300 metres. He started in the middle, swerved to barriers on the right 150 m from home and finished to the barriers on the left.
Worthy of a DQ? No way. That is just the sort of thing that happens at the end of a long and high speed sprint. He kept his line incredibly well up to that point and I seriously doubt that was intentional.
I agree. Whatever he does, it is wrong. People here seem to hate him because he's the greatest fighter amongst the sprinters, cocky (there's nothing wrong with this, everyone's riding to win), most competetive guy in the peloton and because they clearly have no idea how hard it is to keep the line after the long sprint. That sprint was pure power, btw.
CountArach wrote:
He kept his line incredibly well up to that point and I seriously doubt that was intentional.
I think because he keeps his line so "incredibly well", it's evident that he did it intentional. Otherwise, he'd be still cruising on that line into sunset.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Worthy of a DQ? No way. That is just the sort of thing that happens at the end of a long and high speed sprint. He kept his line incredibly well up to that point and I seriously doubt that was intentional.
I agree. Whatever he does, it is wrong. People here seem to hate him because he's the greatest fighter amongst the sprinters, cocky (there's nothing wrong with this, everyone's riding to win), most competetive guy in the peloton and because they clearly have no idea how hard it is to keep the line after the long sprint. That sprint was pure power, btw.
There's a lot wrong with being cocky, in my opinion, it doesn't really endear yourself to people (not some though, obviously) and it has nothing to do with having a desire to win as you stated. If you watch the video you posted, at about 1:57 he clearly looks under his shoulder to see what is happening, sees Matthews change tack from the left (as we look at it) where he was looking to go previously to the right and veers sharply off to the right. Coincidence? I think not. Matthews immediately stops pedalling, to try and avoid this swerve, and if you pause the video at the right place, where Bouhanni crosses the finish line (somewhere between 1:59 and 2:00), you can see that the distance between them (crossing the line that is) appears to be very close - I know that a front-on camera angle foreshortens the picture and I haven't seen an overhead replay, which might clear things up a little, but Bouhanni's wheel is touching the front of the white line at the same time that Matthews' wheel is touching the back of the line, so it's a matter of centimetres. If Matthews hadn't had to abort his sprint, yes, he may not have won, but he would have had a much better chance.
I'm not a fan of Matthews, but he was unlucky today to have a wild Bouhanni barrel into him.
Bouhanni gets away with what he can, just like a center back in soccer grabbing shirts during a corner. If they don't call it, it isn't a foul.
His job is to win and he fits in with a long tradition of top level athletes who will push the boundaries in every way they can. If that requires major hypocrisy I think he will live with that.
He isn't trying to make us like him. In a closed world like the peloton I tihnk it will catch up with him but I am not going to hate him for it.
Love Quintana though as well. Complete opposite, always so cool. He just took today right in stride.
Ulrich Ulriksen wrote:
Love Quintana though as well. Complete opposite, always so cool. He just took today right in stride.
Yeah, good comeback by Q with Giant and Degenkolb. Not easy to keep one's cool when Contador, Evans & Co. are pushing for it hard, and today most certainly wasn't his kind of terrain.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
I don't think we will see any major time differences today, the mountain isn't that steep. A group of 5-6 guys for the last 2 KM on the mountains, and possibly only the 3 big ones + Valverde for the finish.
Winner ANACONA (2) and Damiano CUNEGO (3), Rinaldo NOCENTINI (18), Alexey LUTSENKO (27), Paul MARTENS (36), Dominik NERZ (46) and Danilo WYSS (49), Peio BILBAO (54), Jerome COPPEL (72) and Romain ZINGLE (79), Natnael BERHANE (82) and Yannick MARTINEZ (87), Ryder HESJEDAL (101) and Johan VAN SUMMEREN (109), Pirmin LANG (125), Eduard VORGANOV (139), Adam HANSEN (146), Javier MORENO (158), Daniel TEKLEHAIMANOT (166) and Jay Robert THOMSON (167), Tom BOONEN (171) and Carlos VERONA (179), Sam BEWLEY (181), Dario CATALDO (192), Julian David ARREDONDO MORENO (212), Fabio FELLINE (213) and Bob JUNGELS (214).
Finally a large breakaway for the first time in this race. Quite some solid names, should be a good finale with such guys.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Strong big group there, they have to get ride of Anacona before the last 10 km otherwise there is no way they let the breackaway get the win been Anacona sort of so close in the GC
In the other hand Anacona might be working for Cunego for the Stage win Edited by colombia_coldeportes on 31-08-2014 13:55
Im pretty sure he won't, Anacona is clearly the superior climbing. Seems like this could be an interesting race. Just kinda fucked up the coverage starts so late..
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