Bart Wellens hits spectator (cyclo-cross)

[Keith A]

From CyclingNews...

================================================== ========
At the Druivencross, one of the biggest cyclo-cross races in Belgium, eventual winner Bart Wellens (Fidea) hit out at a spectator who had been repeatedly insulting him. Although the jury was appalled and threatened to disqualify the rider, it was finally decided that he should keep the victory.

"For four laps, I had mud and beer thrown at me," Wellens told Belgian Cyclo-cross.info. "The fifth time it was just too much for me. I didn't really intend to hit him, and I regret what I've done, but I think that as a rider I don't have to put up with everything."
================================================== ========

I'm not sure if this was the hit or what is going on in this picture, but this is Bart Wellens...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/dec05/overijse05/wellens-001.jpg

I have mixed emotions about the action (re-action) that this rider took on this spectator. On the one hand, it would be very frustrating to have a this guy "abusing" you during a race and the natural reaction would be to strike back. But on the other hand, I think the better path would have been just ignore this person and not let him get to you. Because even though the fan would not have liked the "blow" he received, I'm sure he took pleasure in the fact that he achieved his goal in distracting & irritating this racer.

Should the race organizers let him keep the victory? Tough call, but maybe not. Can any remember what happened to the guy that punched a fan in the TdF several years back? Did the race organizers take any action?

[Keith A]

Precedence...

Wladimir Belli was DQ'd from the 2001 Giro (http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/2001/giro01/results/stage14.shtml) for punching a spectator.

[MartyE]

It was Wladimir Belli who punched Gilberto Simoni's nephew
(Simoni thug).
Belli was expelled from the 2001(?) Giro (and it was next to last day).

I think the spectator should have been ejected for throwing mud/beer
prior to wellens having to strike out (nice side kick).


Marty

well I see Keith A posted while I looked up my facts.

[Kevan]

during a transition.

[William]

Everybody was Cross-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they raced with expert timing

They were funky Muddy men from funky Crosstown
They were chopping them up and they were chopping them down
It's an ancient Belgian art and everybody knew their part
From a false start into a slip, and sprinting from the hip

Everybody was Cross-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they fought with expert timing

There was funky Zank Chin and little e-RICHIE Chong
He said here comes the big boss, lets get it on
We took the start and made it loud, started swinging at the crowd
The sudden motion made me skip now we're into a brand new trip

Everybody was Cross-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they did it with expert timing

(repeat)..make sure you have expert timing
Cross-fu fighting, had to be fast as lightning







William ;)


PS: Don't hit a spectator, ever....unless they are throwing bottles, rocks etc..., or punching at you, then all bets are off.

[beungood]

I'd have kicked him too! :argue:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . where you have to meet the public. You have a duty to be patient and forgiving--up to a point. If a customer gets too out of line you can have them ejected from the store or even arrested.

But these races are run on public roads and that solution is very hard to enforce without the active support of the race organizer in 1) identifying and apprehending the offender, and 2) following through on prosecution.

I don't think there should be any requirement for racers to put up with being pelted with mud and beer. Exactly what else was Wellens supposed to do? To my knowledge he does not have a history of behavior of this type. Prior behavior should be considered. I hope he got the guy right in the family jewels. I would have stopped and put a fist up his nose.

BBDave

[Fixed]

bro he ain't us he is a pro he gets paid i.m.h.o. d.q. him cheers :beer:

[Dekonick]

sue him for 1 euro.

[zank]

I'm with Kevan. I think he was just using his foot as an outrigger for improved traction... :rolleyes:

I saw the video of this. Pretty crazy. I can see Wellen's side. Especially when you have little to no oxygen making it to your brain in the middle of a cross race. Sometimes judgement becomes a little impaired. On the other hand, Groenendaal was able to keep his cool when people were throwing beers at him after the "no beer tents allowed" judgement that he pushed for. When I first saw the video, it reminded me of A-Rod's sissy-looking attempt at knocking the ball out of Arroyo's glove. I think as a pro, he should have kept his cool.

[weisan]

Rider in question - DQ immediately, not allowed to continue race

Spectator aka troublemaker - get a fine, ask to leave. Stiffest penalty: Bar from entry for rest of the race series.

Race Organizer/Law Enforcement Officer - failure to maintain order and take early action against unacceptable spectator behavior, protect racers - BooWhoo!

[fstrthnu]

IMHO bike racers shouldn't be treated like horses at a track Yo.
:no:

[Keith A]

Zank -- Is the video posted on the 'net? If so, I'd like to see this and would appreciate you posting the link. Thanks.

Edit: Check out the faces in this scene -- both the rider and spectators...

[weisan]

Keith-pal, how you been bro?

Jerk-O posted a link recently. Here it is:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ewoud/cycling/wellenscantona.wmv

[Kevan]

but he might have been having problems with a clogged cleat and needed to wipe it clean. That's the only other explanation I see.

[Keith A]

Thanks Weisan -- In the words of ND...that dude has got some skills. But it doesn't look like he made contact :confused:

Edit: After watching this several times, it looks like the specator got out of the way of the kick.

[Roy E. Munson]

For four laps, I had mud and beer thrown at me

I think there should be no punishment for Wellens, but the ar$ehole fan should be banned...........unless he was drunk in which case he has a solid excuse.

The minute the spectating turns to any kind of phyical contact with the riders, in this case with the beer and mud, they are justified in reacting as Wellens did.

Seems like the reaction to everything, according to this forum, is to run away. Read any thread on car/motorist confrontations. :argue:

[lnomalley]

i am a sensitive boy.. for god's sake after all i am a therapist.. but during a race...adrenalin and testosterone tend to intensify some of my feelings and i say and sometimes do things that amaze me. really.

mid race if i were being abused by the pope i would throttle that f**ker in the throat so hard he wouldn't know what hit him. and afterwards... maybe give me a cool down lap.. i would be like, "hey pontiff how are you? how's the wife and kid's? *hugs* how long have you been here. that's a lovely hat."

so i can only imagine if i were going through that and making a living was involved. being a fan doesn't excuse anyone for having to deal with the consequesnces of their actions. he deserved it and worse. you personally insult me and try to humiliate me for your personal entertainment and no matter what... you'll have some furious lycra action headed your way...go wellens.

*all this is tongue and cheeck but at the same time, essentially true.

[OldDog]

Athletes are not open game for drunk/stupid spectators. One assualt. Two. Three? FOUR TIMES he had to take that crap without intervention from the orginizers/officials/security. I'da kicked the guy too. DQ me. Then go figure out how you as an official, along with the promoter and his security staff can pull off an event on a closed course and protect your "world class" athletes from such petty yet dangerous acts. Then talk to my lawyer as we will be hunting you and the promoter and your insurance company down to settle.

But then I've never been to Belguim let alone a cross race held in Belgium. Maybe this is the norm over there and the hardmen are expected to tolorate such BS?

[Climb01742]

i think fans act like this, most often, precisely because they believe there won't be retribution. my guess is the fan will think twice before throwing beer or mud again. wellens' actions may not be "right" but perhaps effective.

[e-RICHIE]

i think fans act like this, most often, precisely because they believe there won't be retribution. my guess is the fan will think twice before throwing beer or mud again. wellens' actions may not be "right" but perhaps effective.


i agree with Climb90210.
ps - wellens shoulda made
contact and offed the guy...

[Richard]

A question for those who thought the kick was justified:

Did you think that the Indiana Pacer's who fought with the fans were justified? They had sh*t thrown at them, too.

I can understand the reaction, I probably would have done it too, but there should be consequences for Wellens.

[e-RICHIE]

...there should be consequences for Wellens.

yeah - leave him off the first ballot for 'cross hall of fame.

[Roy E. Munson]

Artest is a punk who left the playing area to chase a fan, and actually clocked the wrong guy too, so he's a dumb punk at that. Wellens never left the track. Granted, I'd chase someone too if they threw something at me!

And basketball is about the dumbest sport in the world, so who cares! :butt:

[scrooge]

Disclaimer: I know nothing about cross (except that its cool, of course).

When I watched the video, it looked like the intended recipient of the kick had actually come out onto the course a bit. I'm guessing that's not allowed (hence the barriers)? I'm also guessing that when he came flying over over (what at least looked like a) hill and saw that guy crouching in his line, it was enough to put him over the top, even if Beer and mud during the first four laps weren't. Not saying that makes it right or wrong. I'm just saying.

Either way, those are some crazy good bike skills. I think I'll practice my kicks on the rollers today.
Maybe not.

[shinomaster]

Cool ninja moves....doesn't look like he actually made real contact, and no one got hurt so who cares?

[e-RICHIE]

'cross is tame by comparison...
the road is where the bullets really fly.

http://www.lgf.be/client_popup.cfm?fileURL=clients/prox/tv/prox26.flv

[Tom]

Unless this is the normal type of thing for these races, somebody should have thrown the guy in the bushes and made sure he stayed there.

[BumbleBeeDave]

To me the common thread here is event organizers who do little or nothing to protect the athletes from abuse by pinheaded Eskimo Pie-brain fans who have had too much alchohol and too much freedom to act like @ssholes.

Artest may indeed be a punk, but regardless of my personal opinions about individual players/riders, NONE of them should have to be subjected to having beer, mud, or other debris thrown at them.

If I were in Wellens' place, I may well have done the same thing, except maybe "accidentally" overshoot the corner and barrel right into the guy, then maybe step on his jewels a few times while struggling to get up and continue the race. The same unspoken rule that protects spectators from rider retaliation would have also protected me from legal action by the fan because it was an "accident."

God, I'm a devious b@stard!

BBDave

[shinomaster]

Those toe spikes could do some real damage...I plan on using mine If I see someone trying to steal my bike at the supermarket. :fight:

[d_douglas]

I agree, Wellens was justified, but man, if he had made contact, he would've knocked that persons teeth out and more. That was maybe a bit too vicious.

Maybe this is my passive agressive side coming out, but I would rather have threatened the spectator with assault than actually assaluted him. What do I know? I have never kicked someone in the face - bet it might feel pretty good, given the right circumstances...

[William]

To me the common thread here is event organizers who do little or nothing to protect the athletes from abuse by pinheaded Eskimo Pie-brain fans who have had too much alchohol and too much freedom to act like @ssholes.

Artest may indeed be a punk, but regardless of my personal opinions about individual players/riders, NONE of them should have to be subjected to having beer, mud, or other debris thrown at them.

If I were in Wellens' place, I may well have done the same thing, except maybe "accidentally" overshoot the corner and barrel right into the guy, then maybe step on his jewels a few times while struggling to get up and continue the race. The same unspoken rule that protects spectators from rider retaliation would have also protected me from legal action by the fan because it was an "accident."

God, I'm a devious b@stard!

BBDave

This would explain why you kept trying to make a Beeline for the announcer at the cross Nat's on that Saturday. :D


William

Any one ever see the movie Scanners? ;)

[shinomaster]

Cross racing is the closest think to combat that I hope to ever see.

BE honest..How many of you men have secret desires to beat the crap out of someone? Even you emo pussy ***s...or sensitive types....have desires as men to kill?

[Richard]

BBD,

I agree with you, and the fact is I would have done the same or worse, I'm sure. I just find it interesting that in this case, as in lots of others, the idea of outrage or justification depends on a lot of, dare I say, prejudices. Artest is a punk, therefore he got what he deserved. Somehow Wellens was justified -- heck, he may be a giant ahole, who here knows? If he is, and that was common knowledge, would he have defenders or would there be outrage?

[e-RICHIE]

snipped: I just find it interesting that in this case, as in lots of others, the idea of outrage or justification depends on a lot of, dare I say, prejudices. Artest is a punk, therefore he got what he deserved.


the gangsta crap has permeated pro ball, and the
scenario involving the artest incident is part and
parcel of that, so it's easier to paint him as the idiot.
there's no trash talking in 'cross; in road there is, but
not 'cross, especially pro 'cross in belgium.

[ClutchCargo]

Everybody was Cross-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they raced with expert timing

They were funky Muddy men from funky Crosstown
They were chopping them up and they were chopping them down
It's an ancient Belgian art and everybody knew their part
From a false start into a slip, and sprinting from the hip

Everybody was Cross-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they fought with expert timing

There was funky Zank Chin and little e-RICHIE Chong
He said here comes the big boss, lets get it on
We took the start and made it loud, started swinging at the crowd
The sudden motion made me skip now we're into a brand new trip

Everybody was Cross-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they did it with expert timing

(repeat)..make sure you have expert timing
Cross-fu fighting, had to be fast as lightning


too much time on your hands!

[ClutchCargo]

the gangsta crap has permeated pro ball, and the
scenario involving the artest incident is part and
parcel of that, so it's easier to paint him as the idiot.
there's no trash talking in 'cross; in road there is, but
not 'cross, especially pro 'cross in belgium.

Artest is an idiot.

[Fixed]

bro if this the case then n.b.a. n.f.l. should be allowed to kick some a... cos somebody throws a drink on them t think not ,two wrongs never make a right i.m.h.o. cheers :beer:

[William]

too much time on your hands!

Really just the result of a quick twisted mind, and fast typeing....or cut & paste.


William ;)

[e-RICHIE]

bro if this the case then n.b.a. n.f.l. should be allowed to kick some a... cos somebody throws a drink on them t think not ,two wrongs never make a right i.m.h.o. cheers :beer:

no sense throwing beer and not throwing pretzels imho bro.

[jerk]

bro imho bro that was some flemish eric catona style shi'ite.

[William]

http://www.gifs.net/animate/cyclmove.gif

http://www.gifs.net/animate/army_soldier.gif



William ;)

[72gmc]

I agree with Fixed. If you're going to be a pro, act like a pro. If reality is that Belgians who can sometimes be slobbering drunk mud-throwing Belgians are the reason you ride a swank Fidea land yacht to the races, a swank Carbo X-Night during races, and a swank bank account all year round, a little beer in the face can be considered a cost of doing business. Yes, this fan and Artest are idiots. Yes, the fan should have been tossed earlier. Yes, Wellens should have been DQ'd.

This one guy may be deterred, but Wellens has now shown that he will reward the next idiot with a reaction.

[dirtdigger88]

at least he didnt bite anyone-

http://www.exn.ca/news/images/1997/08/26/19970826-tyson.GIF

Jason

[Grant McLean]

'cross is tame by comparison...
the road is where the bullets really fly.

http://www.lgf.be/client_popup.cfm?fileURL=clients/prox/tv/prox26.flv

That's really funny!

-gee

[e-RICHIE]

...little beer in the face can be considered a cost of doing business.


where is the line drawn?
beer is okay? but a flying object, or similar?
i would cut wellens a break on this one.

[taz-t]

I agree with Fixed. If you're going to be a pro, act like a pro. If reality is that Belgians who can sometimes be slobbering drunk mud-throwing Belgians are the reason you ride a swank Fidea land yacht to the races, a swank Carbo X-Night during races, and a swank bank account all year round, a little beer in the face can be considered a cost of doing business. Yes, this fan and Artest are idiots. Yes, the fan should have been tossed earlier. Yes, Wellens should have been DQ'd.

This one guy may be deterred, but Wellens has now shown that he will reward the next idiot with a reaction.

Be a pro, act like a pro... so that means the drunken mud thrower was interfering with Wellen's livelihood. This was going on DURING the race, right? Last time I checked, there's no TIME OUTS in cross. It's not like Wellens could stop and point the guy out to a referee.

You ever see a guy run out in the middle of a football field? When some 300lb lineman takes out the fool, do you see the lineman DQ'ed for the game?

And everybody gets bent out of shape 'cause Lance hires a bodyguard?? I don't like it, but I can sure understand it.

- Taz in ATL

[nobrakes]

The cool thing is that he stayed on the bike. What's up with fans? Fans go to an event to see professionals do their thing, and then pummel them with beer and mud? Pro or not, respect should be paid to the athelete. Would you like someone showing up where you work throwing mud and beer, shouting insults at you? Reminds me of some of theTour de France fan abuse stories about the Mt. Ventoux stage, and not just Lance's. I know, even Eddy got punched back when, but enough is enough. Even the TdF road graffitti has turned from supportive of the riders to negative and downright nasty, hate to predict violent confrontations in the future, but Wellons is paving the way, even though it was self-defense IMHO.

[pale scotsman]

The guy was across the barricade and looked for all intensive purposes about to do something to Wellens... again. The no look kick at speed is what he got.

I bet the dude doesn't do it again. No one got hurt. The rider has a lot a stake and some dirtbag fan could have jeopardized it all.

[Fixed]

bro he doesn't know how to kick he not even looking at a target what if your wife or kid had been there they could have been hit by mistake then the shoe would be on the other foot i.m.h.o oh yeah he has been d.q. cheers :beer:

[andy mac]

overkill i think. and he didn't kick a wife or child. and if they were on the wrong side of the fence they may have deserved it... in my semi humble opinion...



By Agence France Presse
This report filed December 20, 2005
Belgian Bart Wellens (Fidea), who kicked a spectator in last Sunday's cyclo-cross in Overijse, Belgium, has been stripped of his victory in the race and faces a disciplinary hearing in 2006, according to the UCI.

Wellens, who finished ahead of Lars Boom and Gerben de Knegt, originally had been disqualified on the day of the race, but after he spoke with the race jury, the decision was reversed and the win allowed to stand.

On Monday, the Belgian cycling association demanded sanctions, criticizing the "soft" attitude of the race jury's president and calling Wellens's behavior "unsportsmanlike."

In its official statement published Tuesday, the UCI said it had reviewed the race jury's report and found that stripping Wellens of the win was "the only decision which can be taken into account." Boom was given the victory.

The former world champion also may face a suspension for damaging "the image, the reputation and the interests of cycling and the UCI." A disciplinary commission meeting is scheduled for February 22 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

[e-RICHIE]

overkill i think. and he didn't kick a wife or child. and if they were on the wrong side of the fence they may have deserved it... in my semi humble opinion...



By Agence France Presse
This report filed December 20, 2005
Belgian Bart Wellens (Fidea), who kicked a spectator in last Sunday's cyclo-cross in Overijse, Belgium, has been stripped of his victory in the race and faces a disciplinary hearing in 2006, according to the UCI.

Wellens, who finished ahead of Lars Boom and Gerben de Knegt, originally had been disqualified on the day of the race, but after he spoke with the race jury, the decision was reversed and the win allowed to stand.

On Monday, the Belgian cycling association demanded sanctions, criticizing the "soft" attitude of the race jury's president and calling Wellens's behavior "unsportsmanlike."

In its official statement published Tuesday, the UCI said it had reviewed the race jury's report and found that stripping Wellens of the win was "the only decision which can be taken into account." Boom was given the victory.

The former world champion also may face a suspension for damaging "the image, the reputation and the interests of cycling and the UCI." A disciplinary commission meeting is scheduled for February 22 in Lausanne, Switzerland.


was **** pound in on this decision?


ps this censorship stuff is over the top.
is this an effin church?
hey - thanks for listening!!

[72gmc]

I'm saying a dq is also what Wellens deserved. The fan was totally out of line, yes. But Wellens joined him when he "defended himself" as he did. It's totally unfair to Wellens that he was put in this situation, but the sport has to control what it can for the protection of its participants as well as its business interests. Wellens shares in the income his sport generates, and therefore has a responsibility to all of his sponsors and fellow riders to live up to the "right" image as they collectively define it. Sometimes that means taking some mud and beer for the team.

It's all situational, of course. A fan running right at a football player on the field creates a 'no escape' situation and needs to be stopped. Wellens, in my opinion, was not at all trapped but went out of his way to kick the guy.

[Dr. Doofus]

if somebody threw a beer at oodf at work

doof would kick em

too

sadly

they just smoke blunts in the bathroom

[fstrthnu]

if somebody threw a beer at oodf at work

doof would kick em

too

sadly

they just smoke blunts in the bathroom

Doof.

Just Say No.

IMHO.

Fstrthnu

[Ken Robb]

the organizers obviously couldn't protect the racers with appropriate security. Any racer could hire a thug to take out his competition. I think the racers have to do what it takes to discourage this kind of behaviour. I like to think if I was a spectator and observed this repeated misbehavior I would do what I could to discourage it. I expect I would have a different response to a 300 pound jerk than a 150 pound jerk. I ain't totally stupid.

[Tom]

Is it normal behavior at a Belgian cyclocross race to throw stuff at the riders? I don't know, never having been there.

I get a chuckle out of "What I'd have done" when maybe a dozen of the people on this board have the ability to be inside the barriers. Think about what you'd do outside the barriers. Would you just let yourself be amused or would you tell the guy to knock it off?

[William]

....Would you just let yourself be amused or would you tell the guy to knock it off?


I've told people to "KNOCK THAT SH*T OFF!!" quite a few times. You can't put up with that crap. :no:


William

[stevep]

i can only say that the move pictured in the middle of a huge belgian cross race was a pretty sweet one. the spectator was likely totally drunk, absolutely abusive and probably a member of some thrashed riders fan club.
this is not something done lightly by bart. these races are like heavy weight fights over there. bart is a well disposed young man and must have been really bugged to take a crack at this guy. where is some kind or race security?

[Too Tall]

But Willy you'd never take your hands off the bars to smack a spectator. Pretty sure you wouldn't 'cause you have so much experience in combat fighting and recognize how friggin lame that guy is/was.

His job is to race the bike despite the dumb arse fans actions even if they are rude, insultry and wasteful ( I'm talking about the beer). Same goes for us regular schmoes who pay to sprint for 20th place! This is part of the package we accept to race, play in certain arenas etc. Yeah, during the race he does have to "take it" and after he can protest, call a cop whatever. Sorry folks, the universe is arbitrary and unfair...make the best of it but don't skrew your self out of contention by breaking the rules if you expect respect, support and SPONSORS.

I used to race the blackwater 100 mtn bike race. It was run on the same weekend as the famous offroad motorcycle race of same name. The drunk, unruly rednecks would do the same ****e and there were inevitible drunk 4wheelers tearing up the race course WHILE we were racing!!! I've had people push me so hard I crashed. Yah just keep going.

[SGP]

we see more and more of this sort of behavior: two drunks jump a first base ump (after calling home to make sure that the game was being taped), a woman tennis player was stabbed during a break in her match not to long ago, some one will end up getting seriously injured or even killed. those are extreme examples, granted, but people are becoming more animalistic. especially in crowds. i have been to bills-jets games with my dad in buffalo. he is a 60-year-old businessman, whose winter jacket is green. drunks and zealots were trying to start crap with him! he is effin 60! Moreover, not even a jets fan.

there, i feel better. now i'll hop off my high horse.

[jerk]

we see more and more of this sort of behavior: two drunks jump a first base ump (after calling home to make sure that the game was being taped), a woman tennis player was stabbed during a break in her match not to long ago, some one will end up getting seriously injured or even killed. those are extreme examples, granted, but people are becoming more animalistic. especially in crowds. i have been to bills-jets games with my dad in buffalo. he is a 60-year-old businessman, whose winter jacket is green. drunks and zealots were trying to start crap with him! he is effin 60! Moreover, not even a jets fan.

there, i feel better. now i'll hop off my high horse.


good thing too because the jets suck.

jerk

[SGP]

;) :D

[manet]

http://www.womanthouartgod.com/images/grazimud2.jpg

[shaq-d]

Seems like the reaction to everything, according to this forum, is to run away. Read any thread on car/motorist confrontations. :argue:

:no: them's fightin' words roy.. in this case, running away would have meant keeping a win. on the road, running away usually means surviving instead of getting into a fight and injury/death.

given those choices, i'd rather win and survive any day, over and above fight'n and losing dyin injurin.

sd

[shaq-d]

i would be like, "hey pontiff how are you? how's the wife and kid's? *hugs* how long have you been here. that's a lovely hat."


lol, i just broke out in laughter. at 347am. nobody around. funny :) :banana:

[Dr. Doofus]

Doof.

Just Say No.

IMHO.

Fstrthnu

no

doof sez yes

to just hanging outside the door and taking the fools to the office when they walk out

doof is such a problematic authority figure

but teenage stupidity is easy and entertaining to catch

[William]

I'm...feeling some strange sort of Deja Vu today......loosing consciousness.....everything is fading to black and yellow...





William :rolleyes:

[Viper]

i agree with Climb90210.
ps - wellens shoulda made
contact and offed the guy...

where is the line drawn?
beer is okay? but a flying object, or similar?
i would cut wellens a break on this one.



If it's cross (which rules) and your name is Bart Wellens, then it's kewl.

If it's road and your name is LA, then it's just totally, completely wrong, unjustified as according to e-RICHIE, "there have been 1,000s of more intense, "closer calls" incidents that invited more anxiety than this one fan did with his theatrics, and no else ever felt the need to play cop this way. what a jerk atmo. the (liveclean devil) fan was simply running alongside of the riders, in the same plane. he didn't even get in anyone's way. mebbe lance was getting in touch with his inner emma o'reilly atmo. think it was a classless move atmo. you have to be kidding me - how many dozens of stages have you watched when THOUSANDS were seemingly in the route, and somehow, miraculously,racers since time immemorial have managed to negotiate this without so much as a gesture, much less a punch atmo."

Scroll down atmo:

http://www.bikeworldnews.com/index.php/2009/02/19/chris-jones-diary-tour-california-stage-4-2/

Wellens Vs Armstrong = Armstrong versus Hypocrisy atmo

:beer:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . did I put that padlock? Never CAN find it when I need, it, dammit . . . :crap:

BBD

[93legendti]

Can I agree with you before you lock?

. . . where you have to meet the public. You have a duty to be patient and forgiving--up to a point. If a customer gets too out of line you can have them ejected from the store or even arrested.

But these races are run on public roads and that solution is very hard to enforce without the active support of the race organizer in 1) identifying and apprehending the offender, and 2) following through on prosecution.

I don't think there should be any requirement for racers to put up with being pelted with mud and beer. Exactly what else was Wellens supposed to do? To my knowledge he does not have a history of behavior of this type. Prior behavior should be considered. I hope he got the guy right in the family jewels. I would have stopped and put a fist up his nose.

BBDave
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=151813&postcount=7

[flickwet]

If you are going into the arena to simply confront those who contest there, expecting by your unofficial status to render you untouchable irregardless of your actions do not be dismayed when the gladiator strikes, renounce your anonymity engage and you will face the consequences, have a snowcone!

[csm]

good times

[Keith A]

Any video clips of the yellow devil and LA?

[rounder]

I was watching the Tour de Cal yesterday and am pretty sure i saw someone from the peleton punch a pedestrian. I remember years ago seeing Alexi Grewell get off his bike to punch a fan who was standing on the side of the road.. Maybe this stuff happens more often than you would think.

[Keith A]

I was watching the Tour de Cal yesterday and am pretty sure i saw someone from the peleton punch a pedestrian.I thought I saw that as well. I hate to say this, but some of those fans need a good smack.

[girlie]

I was watching the Tour de Cal yesterday and am pretty sure i saw someone from the peleton punch a pedestrian. I remember years ago seeing Alexi Grewell get off his bike to punch a fan who was standing on the side of the road.. Maybe this stuff happens more often than you would think.


I was loving the baby human shields. ***?

girlie

[Viper]

I was loving the baby human shields. ***?

girlie

The things we do with kids atmo.

[William]

The things we do with kids atmo.

http://gnumoon.blogs.com/gnumoons_gnarly_page_o_st/images/2007/11/01/babyshark.jpg





William