History Channel: Selective Enforcement at Paris-Roubaix

by Punctured on Apr 11, 2008 1:55 PM EDT

[editor's note, by chris] I wasn't going to promote this at first, but then it reminded me how fun it is to look back at old races in general, not just this one. So use this as the history thread.

If I were one of the riders who was disqualified in 2006 for going around the gates at the railroad crossing, I would be beside myself. The gates are clearly still down when Boonen and company cross. I guess it's OK if you're Boonen.

frame-fitting link HERE

Tweet Comment 27 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Ah 2006

IIRC, the riders who got disqualified WERE beside themselves. And it remains a strange decision. Thank goodness Cancellara was long gone; I believe he had 40" at that point and never did let up.

Hey, it gets worse. That book I reviewed talks of an episode in 1949 or 50 where the leading trio was waved off course right before the velodrome, and disqualified, even though the marshall screwed up, not them. Serse Coppi was given the win, but then they made dual winners for reasons I still don't understand. Fausto didn't like it and dished out some serious payback the next year.

Is this a great sport or what?

by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 11, 2008 1:55 PM EDT reply actions

I was watching that on French tv

and Jaja was doing color commentary. He disagreed strongly with the jury's decision, saying in the heat of the race riders are not always thinking clearly and besides, no train was in sight.

"Only those who are in top condition can say that the Ronde is not hard. For everyone else, it's the Way of the Cross." -Andrea Tafi

by Drew on Apr 11, 2008 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions

CN reporting

that train issues are a possibility this year as well!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/apr08/apr11news2

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt

by ELVISGOAT on Apr 11, 2008 2:00 PM EDT reply actions

Zen Hoste

Maybe Hoste's arm waving started with this episode. When he's frustrated he regresses back to this moment and is gesticulating for the gate to lift.

He needs to be like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, and listen to Obi Wan's ghost and, "let go". Don't try hard to win, just groove with the force and go with the flow of the race.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 11, 2008 2:13 PM EDT reply actions

The Force

Didn't Obi-Wan finish second to Darth Vader at the Ronde van Death Star Airport?

by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 11, 2008 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Vader was eventually disqualified

for using banned substances.

I'm not sure, and I find it hard to believe, but these might be among the first Star Wars references I've seen on the Podium Cafe.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 11, 2008 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions

And the last?

I think cycling and sci fi aren't especially compatible. Otherwise doping would be allowed.

by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 11, 2008 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe not!

http://www.bicycle.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/chewie-tour-de-france.jpg

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 11, 2008 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

oh

no...

by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 11, 2008 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Please make it so

by Cyclingrush on Apr 11, 2008 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

No, no, no...

...it was the Tour of Kessel Run. And it wasn't Vader who one, it was Han Solo who completed it in less than 12 parsecs. He narrowly beat Vader in a 250,000km solo breakaway.

============= Daniel

by crashdan on Apr 11, 2008 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Boonen's reaction

I thought Boonen's reaction to the ruling was very classy:

Tom Boonen ended up second, thanks to the disqualifications, but said, "I'm not happy with it. It was not deserved, I was dropped. I wasn't as super as I was last week in the Ronde, but good enough to win. I spent too much energy unnecessarily. I nearly crashed and felt cramp after that. I'm choked with dust. It was stressful all the time."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/apr06/roubaix06/?id=results

I thought the race officials' ruling was a good one. The two Discovery riders and Van Petegem disobeyed the command of the race marshall that they stop, while the Boonen group didn't go through the crossing until the train had passed and the marshall waived them through.

At some point, the rules have to be enforced for the safety of the riders. As Flecha, Ballan and Boonen approached the crossing, Flecha was clearly preparing to go around the gate, and almost certainly had his life saved when the marshall dove in front of him and blocked his passage, just as the train came zooming past.

by Susie Hartigan on Apr 11, 2008 2:54 PM EDT reply actions

The incident in question

Could very well be the first volley fired by the UCI at ASO. I believe if you find a video and look closely at the train the conductor is in fact Pat MacQuaid and he is flipping the bird at the race official.

by australopithecine on Apr 11, 2008 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

LOL

That's the comment of the week right there! Hehehe. Someone with mad photoshop skills needs to put that image together.

-K-

by KevinK on Apr 11, 2008 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Not "mad skills" but you get the idea...

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt

by ELVISGOAT on Apr 11, 2008 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Photochop

Nice Photochop

"Race radios in Cat 4?"

by gravel road on Apr 11, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Got the PR fièvre

So much so that I'm going through my 2005 pics (when I had just a point& shoot camera) instead of working:

Querenaing

They're finally here

Big Maggie

THE velodrome - which was much smaller than I expected

by lyne on Apr 11, 2008 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

great pics

Thanks for sharing!

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. -Randy Pausch

by nikki on Apr 11, 2008 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh and the fans waiting at the right-hand turn

at Chemin des Orchies:

by lyne on Apr 11, 2008 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

As I recall

Tifosa has it pegged.

The Hoste group blew right past a race marshall who was vigorously waving at them to stop. Then, as soon as the train passed, the marshall waved the Boonen group through.

So if my memory serves us the whole "Boonen crossed while the arm was down too" argument is a complete red herring. Hoste (0/), De Peet, and Goose crossed despite the marshall's vigorous warning. The chase group went when given permission.

Of course, it was clear that Cance was strongest and the Hoste, Goose, PVP group were stronger than the folks that got dropped. So I won't say that Boonen deserved 2nd, but I will contend that the three earned their dqs.

by Koppenberg on Apr 11, 2008 5:42 PM EDT reply actions

If the rule states

riders can't cross when then gates are down the Boonen group should have been DQed, too.

The three chasers had a shot at Cance if he punctures or has a mechanical. The Boonen group didn't. Marshalls shouldn't be deciding who can go and who can't.

I have no problem with the winner but those three riders got a raw deal.

If a French rider is in that group no way they get DQed.

by Punctured on Apr 11, 2008 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions