TdF Spectators -- worse than usual? (spoiler alert) [Archive]

Keith A

07-11-2016, 01:56 PM

I know that one of the things people love about the sport of cycling is being able to get up and personal with the pro riders. Obviously, this is a two edged sword as the spectators can at times affect the results of a race.

This year in the TdF, we've already have several incidents:
o Spectator unplugged the 1K banner, which then landed on rider who was accelerating away from the group he was with. Ultimately he was given some time credit for the issue, but he had the potential for gaining even more.
o Spectator stepped in front of and was hit by a rider in stage 9. Fortunately, the rider stayed upright, but the spectator went down pretty hard.
o Running spectator irritated Froome enough that he punched him.
o "Green dude" got in the middle of a group of riders and one of them barely missed hitting him.

Watching the end of the stage 9 yesterday, there was one point that is was hard to pick out the riders due to all the runners in the midst of them. I know stuff like this has always happened, but it seems like this is getting worse. It's obvious from some of the spectators' costumes and actions, they just want their face on TV. If they were true fans of cycling, it seems like they wouldn't want to get in the way of the pro cyclists.

I can't remember now which race I was watching last year, but I was impressed with the number of enforcers they had keeping things under control at the top of the climbs. I'd like to see a little more of this at the TdF...especially these guys (and gals) that run along beside the riders :butt:

phcollard

07-11-2016, 01:58 PM

I agree every year it's getting worse. Or is it that I'm getting grumpier? :D

Sun, heat, lotsa beer or rosé wine while waiting for the peloton is what it gives I guess!

Keith A

07-11-2016, 02:03 PM

I'm also surprised there's not more self policing of these runners. I think if I was there, I'd be tempted to accidentally stick my foot out in front of those guys :D

MattTuck

07-11-2016, 02:03 PM

I think alcohol plays a part in some of the antics. But I agree, they need some enforcers. And, frankly, after the security issues that Europe has had recently, I'm surprised there isn't more of an enforcement presence.

I'd also like to see all the stakeholders get together and issue a concerted message asking people to stop the behavior, and asking fans that see the behavior to escort those people away from the action. A little mob justice would do some of these people good.

azrider

07-11-2016, 02:07 PM

I'm also surprised there's not more self policing of these runners. I think if I was there, I'd be tempted to accidentally stick my foot out in front of those guys :D

+1

These self absorbed a-holes are not only pissing the rider off, but they're running in front of hundreds of other spectators......they deserve to be tripped

But to your original question......2014 was the year they were having MULTIPLE issues with people taking selfies and getting in the way of the riders.....guess not much has changed

Seramount

07-11-2016, 02:12 PM

people are de-evolving....or at least becoming more and more self-absorbed and oblivious to the fact that the Tour is not about THEM.

a poster on another board was ranting that Froome's 'love tap' was a clear-cut case of battery. many humorous posts ensued...

it might help if other spectators would occasionally pummel the crap out of the thoughtless arses who are obviously impeding the racers' lines.

a couple of years ago, a certain costumed jacktard was intentionally tripped by another fan as he ran next to the riders...the resulting face-plant looked quite painful, but didn't warrant any sympathy. got what he deserved.

Mark McM

07-11-2016, 02:12 PM

jlwdm

07-11-2016, 02:15 PM

My guess is that it is not much worse, but we have much more video of these incidents by the organizers and most spectators are carrying smart phones.

Jeff

Keith A

07-11-2016, 02:21 PM

Do you think it is worse than in 2014, the year the Tour started in England? For the first few stages, there were multiple incidents of fans standing in the middle of the road, with their backs to the oncoming peloton, cellphones held up trying to take selfies of themselves with the racers behind them.Yes the selfies were a problem, but I haven't seen much of it going on this year...at least the coverage hasn't highlighted it. The other issue is the guys with the flags leaving them out there right before the rider passes by. What is frustrating is that there are times when a rider might want to try and pull away from a competitor, but they can't because of all the "fans' getting in the way.

Keith A

07-11-2016, 02:27 PM

I ran across this just a minute ago when looking for something, and here's a pretty good compilation of the top fan fails...

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/top-ten-cycling-fan-fails-170030

Exonerv

07-11-2016, 02:46 PM

This seems to fit here...
http://road.cc/content/news/196724-chris-froome-fined-fan-punch

Some of the comments are amusing...

Fine of 200 Swiss Francs = $203.48.

Seems like a deal. :beer:

Keith A

07-11-2016, 03:00 PM

Maybe we need Bernard Hinault back in the peloton...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8sSprvMMXg

Or get this cross rider to teach the road guys a few tricks...

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races05/cross05/druivencross-thekick.jpg

ctcyclistbob

07-11-2016, 03:07 PM

I'm also surprised there's not more self policing of these runners. I think if I was there, I'd be tempted to accidentally stick my foot out in front of those guys :D

+1

These self absorbed a-holes are not only pissing the rider off, but they're running in front of hundreds of other spectators......they deserve to be tripped

Here's a runner who was accidentally tripped in 2013:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bdie8BUEVw

Keith A

07-11-2016, 03:09 PM

Here's a runner who was accidentally tripped in 2013:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bdie8BUEVwI figured I wasn't the only one that thought of that solution :eek:

54ny77

07-11-2016, 03:30 PM

that guy who tripped the runner, while i'm glad he did so, is so pathetic.

he's literally hiding behind his mommy!

Here's a runner who was accidentally tripped in 2013:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bdie8BUEVw

Fatty

07-11-2016, 04:04 PM

I think it's getting rowdier. Kind of like running with the bulls.

binxnyrwarrsoul

07-11-2016, 04:12 PM

Won't be happy until entire stages have barriers, which would totally suck. Second the comment, the TdF isn't about them. Sadly, this self absorbed crap seems to be getting worse.

icepick_trotsky

07-11-2016, 04:38 PM

Pardon me, I'll get off all your lawns once I get a quick selfie.

tiretrax

07-11-2016, 05:22 PM

I seem to recall a runner getting tripped on one of the Tour of California big climbing stages in the last year or two. It must have hurt, but I laughed at the idiot for his antics. Which reminds me - yesterday, Phil Ligget called the runner in the green outfit an idiot. I don't recall him ever getting that perturbed.

Black Dog

07-11-2016, 05:28 PM

that guy who tripped the runner, while i'm glad he did so, is so pathetic.

he's literally hiding behind his mommy!

The lady steps in front of him and he did not move. Maybe he should have knifed or shot the guy he tripped and his friend who was running behind him? That would have shown them all how un-pathetic he was. :rolleyes: I think there was more than enough pathos for everyone involved to have a full share.

chiasticon

07-11-2016, 06:28 PM

my understanding is that several Pokemon lie within the peloton, and they are just being collected.

54ny77

07-11-2016, 06:38 PM

well, if you're going to assault someone, be ready to get pushed back, not run behind mommy.

he could have stepped right into it and fought back. but he didn't.

The lady steps in front of him and he did not move. Maybe he should have knifed or shot the guy he tripped and his friend who was running behind him? That would have shown them all how un-pathetic he was. :rolleyes: I think there was more than enough pathos for everyone involved to have a full share.

wc1934

07-11-2016, 06:45 PM

I think its getting worse. I don't know how the riders deal with it - riding thru those crowds and their antics would throw me off physically - upset my rhythm/ tempo etc. but more so mentally - I would be so pissed that it would totally disrupt my concentration. I would love to read what the riders say about it - can someone write into Bobskie?

Keith A

07-11-2016, 06:49 PM

Black Dog

07-11-2016, 07:56 PM

well, if you're going to assault someone, be ready to get pushed back, not run behind mommy.

he could have stepped right into it and fought back. but he didn't.

Maybe, just maybe, not escalating the situation into full blown violence is OK. Those around these guys seemed to see that was the way to go. For the record if you trip someone like he did, he should not have been surprised to be eating a knuckle sandwich as a result. I agree with you on that.

William

07-11-2016, 08:45 PM

I'll always remember this one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pya6ZVW-oKg

It changed the careers of Jalbert and Nelissen. And the Gendarme, though it looked like he was trying to take pictures was cleared in the incident.

Contador uses his fist instead of his pistolas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0W__FNIGwA

William

William

07-11-2016, 08:49 PM

Voeckler isn't going to take it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RYBln_Jnas

William

Tony T

07-11-2016, 08:53 PM

pdmtong

07-11-2016, 08:56 PM

while the spectators running in the road should know better, I have to say that the fans lining the road naturally want to lean in further as the peloton approaches and it's easy for me to understand how quickly they get surprised by the closing speed and suddenly find themselves in the path.

I made that same mistake once ages ago leaning out at the last UCI mtb world cup in Napa and while watching the peloton charging at the AToC in it's infancy. Despite years of watching race footage on TV or in video - almost got my head taken off.

This is not to condone the idiots, rather just to say for the uninformed I can understand their surprise at finding themselves in harms way.

bikingshearer

07-12-2016, 04:13 PM

I think the behavior is getting worse in the same way people are getting older - no real change in the range (we have had 90- and 100-years olds for a long time), but more and more people at the far end of the range (both the percentage and the absolute number of the population reaching age 90 or 100 is significantly higher than it used to be).

There have always been idiots running on the road and creating a real hazard for the riders. But there are more of them now. It is, I fear, only a matter of time before some numb-nuts causes a crash that dramatically changes the outcome of the Tour. And it is not at all clear to me what can be done about it.

Jgrooms

07-12-2016, 04:27 PM

I believe its just more apt to be caught on a vid than any actual increase. All bad human behavior seems on rise, but is it actually? we just see it & discuss it via social media perhaps & in the past it was just in the past once it occurred?

Such an optimist ;-)

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azrider

07-12-2016, 05:03 PM

Voeckler isn't going to take it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RYBln_Jnas

such a vagina

topflightpro

07-13-2016, 07:41 AM

I don't think it's getting worse. If anything, I feel like I see fewer runners on the roads now. Yeah, there are spectators getting out in the street, but they've always done that.

And even the barriers haven't always been enough to keep them back. IIRC, Armstrong went down because his bars hooked a purse strap on a woman leaning over the barriers.

Veloo

07-13-2016, 09:39 AM

Even the llamas are being wankers.

http://www.boredpanda.com/llamas-tour-de-france-col-du-tourmalet/

sailorboy

07-13-2016, 05:34 PM

I'm still trying to figure out how to stop my kids from seeing big dix painted on the road or the F-word during the televised coverage...oh wait, they hear me say that daily anyhow.

fignon's barber

07-14-2016, 10:20 AM

Given today's stage and the taking out of the yellow jersey, they will need to do something.
The French government needs to introduce actual criminal charges for interference of riders. It would improve safety for riders and "fans".
For example, if I rider is touched by a fan, cops can charge the fan. If a fan steps in the middle of the road...charged.
Here in florida, the DNR has rules likethis for marine life. If you touch a manatee, it'sa criminal offense and a huge fine. They actually consider it "molesting". The French can call the law "rider molestation".:rolleyes:

blakcloud

07-14-2016, 10:25 AM

In what other sport do they let the fans get that close to the athletes? Imagine having fans running along side football players on the field. It has gotten so out of hand, I almost can't watch these mountain stages. Something has to be done for the athletes sake.

Joxster

07-14-2016, 10:38 AM

From the start of bike racing spectators have always had favourites and have sabotaged riders with dodgy bottles, kidney punches on climbs and tacks on descents. It is alledged that the mafia were at the centre of Pantani failing a drug test to be DQ'd from the Giro because of money gambled on certain riders and that Marco wouldn't play ball with the brown envelope of cash.

ghcs

07-14-2016, 10:41 AM

bikingshearer

07-14-2016, 10:47 AM

Given today's stage and the taking out of the yellow jersey, they will need to do something.

Snowplows. The answer is snowplows.

And I'm only half-kidding.

CampyorBust

07-14-2016, 10:58 AM

Snowplows. The answer is snowplows.

And I'm only half-kidding.

Agreed, though they are just pesky cycling fans, in the long run we need them. Crowd control nowadays is such a fascinating field...

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/PedalPusher33/microwave_weapon_zpsehcvli3u.jpg;)

mack

07-14-2016, 11:14 AM

I have never, ever, understood these idiots who dress up, or not, that run along side, some who dare touch a rider, the exception being a welcomed douse of water in extreme heat or a friendly push on riders backside in the far back grupetto....I cringe at the thought of one of these attention sponges taking out a rider when under extreme climbing effort...

Hermes_Alex

07-14-2016, 11:18 AM

I personally lay the blame at the shortened climb, with several fewer miles of space to pack the same number of spectators into. All the same, made for a very entertaining morning!

fignon's barber

07-14-2016, 02:39 PM

Snowplows. The answer is snowplows.

And I'm only half-kidding.

They need to go back to the late 1990's technique: Bernard Hinault rides in the lead car and beats the fans out of the way with a large stick.

harlond

07-14-2016, 03:06 PM

They need to go back to the late 1990's technique: Bernard Hinault rides in the lead car and beats the fans out of the way with a large stick.When has Hinault ever needed a stick?

shovelhd

07-14-2016, 04:16 PM

Barrier tape. Works for cross. Hard barriers at the finish and for the trouble spots and tape on the climbs. Then arrest anyone who is on the race course. It's no different than what happens on a soccer field, football field, baseball diamond, etc.

azrider

07-14-2016, 04:57 PM

"We love the fans and 99 percent of them are brilliant but why do some of them need to take their selfies and run along beside us? There's passion and there's stupidity and it's not such a fine line between them." - Richie Porte

Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo): “Somehow we’ve gotten this scene where everyone wants to get on TV for a party. You have guys dressed up in Borat costumes showing their ass, and it’s more about themselves than supporting the race sometimes. I don’t understand why you have to act like a buffoon."

topflightpro

07-15-2016, 08:11 AM

Ok, I recant my previous statement. Yesterday's stage proved the fans are a major problem.

Granted, much of the confusion yesterday was due to the race being shortened, meaning all the fans along the final 6k were condensed into the last 1k or so, but still, it was an absolute cluster.

oldpotatoe

07-15-2016, 09:42 AM

Keith A

07-15-2016, 09:44 AM

After what happened yesterday, it seems like they will be forced to do something about this issue. I realize that yesterday was an aberration with the shortened stage, but hopefully this might be a catalyst for change.

Fatty

07-15-2016, 09:55 AM

Now what's up with the smoke bombs. Really? Smoke bombs?

shovelhd

07-15-2016, 11:25 AM

200km plus or minus race course vs a stadium..completely different.

I'm not talking 200km, just the climbs. Course marshals can take care of the road crossings. For Ventoux, use the hard barriers for the last 1km and tape for the rest. It's much faster to set up and tear down as well.

AllanVarcoe

07-15-2016, 11:40 AM

Now what's up with the smoke bombs. Really? Smoke bombs?

I've always wondered that! When I'm riding I don't want to breathe or smell anything let alone have red and blue smoke when my heart and lungs are pumping their hardest in a climb.

jlwdm

07-15-2016, 06:26 PM

When has Hinault ever needed a stick?

Too bad we will probably never see another Hinault.

Jeff

Seramount

07-15-2016, 08:32 PM

Now what's up with the smoke bombs. Really? Smoke bombs?

serious stupidity at play...

create a situation where world-class athletes have to inhale crap while working at max output....?

brilliant...

why can't there be race stewards to taser these morons...?

Fivethumbs

07-16-2016, 01:46 PM

Too bad we will probably never see another Hinault.

I wonder if we'll ever see another GC contender who will also race and win a classic.

Joxster

07-16-2016, 04:48 PM

I wonder if we'll ever see another GC contender who will also race and win a classic.

Nope, back then the power was with the team. ie here's your contract and the races you will ride, now it's I want this much and my season is based around this race. My first contract included one hundred and thirty races that I had to ride as a first year pro, mostly as bottle boy and team bitch

Black Dog

07-16-2016, 07:57 PM

I wonder if we'll ever see another GC contender who will also race and win a classic.

I would say that Nibali gives it a good go every year at Milan San Remo the the Ardennes and then at Lombardia. He really does try and has come close several times. Also, Rodriguez has won Lombardia.

aaronf

07-16-2016, 08:06 PM

I would say that Nibali gives it a good go every year at Milan San Remo the the Ardennes and then at Lombardia. He really does try and has come close several times. Also, Rodriguez has won Lombardia.

Nibali won Lombardia last year.

Fivethumbs

07-17-2016, 04:52 PM

We need more Nibalis. I miss the days when you'd see Fignon win San Remo, go all out in Paris Roubaix, then be a favorite in the grand tours.

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Keith A

07-17-2016, 09:09 PM

Did anyone happen to see, during stage 15, the fan on the side of the road grab the arm of a runner and stopped him? I loved it.

Avvocato

07-17-2016, 09:10 PM

Did anyone happen to see, during stage 15, the fan on the side of the road grab the arm of a runner and stopped him? I loved it.

Loved it more when he pulled the runner away from the road :)

Not sure if it was mentioned during the 5 previous pages but last year someone purposefully tripped a guy running along the bunch with a Go Pro haha