Kemmelberg

[jhcakilmer]

So I'm reading about the crashes on the Kemmel yesterday, and Boonen says it's due to the water bottles, and people were talking about possibly removing the climb from the races.

Seems nutty, why not do one of two things....
1. Have the riders ditch the water bottles before the decent
2. Place the water bottles in you back pocket, until the decent is over

I'm sure there are lots of other more high tech solutions too.

Also, stop being a wuss......heck you ride a bike for a living.......and your paid well for it...... :confused:

[BarryG]

Also, stop being a wuss......Just to clarify, which part of this is being a wuss?

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races07/gw07/gw07-marco.jpg

BTW, Marco fractured his collarbone, knee and two ribs in this spill

[catulle]

The way to the future: Safer cleat/pedal assembly. Cleats ought to be released from the pedal upon sudden/brusque movement like seat-belts lock upon impact. Something like that...

[merckx]

ditch the carbon cages. pre-race inspection requires all machines to be fitted with elite cussi alloy.

[atmo]

i just heard that the culprit was a specialized water bottle.
disgust.

ichie
the R is silent atmo

[catulle]

The Colnago fork didn't break, though...

[stevep]

i just heard that the culprit was a specialized water bottle.
disgust.

ichie
the R is silent atmo

plus it leaked before the crash. left a slick spot on the road....
those specializeds!

[gt6267a]

the photog really had a moment there. he got the glasses & water bottle in air, leg muscles flexed, bike tboning itself ... he could not plan it any better, could not have known it would happen there, and only had one chance at it. wow.

[Climb01742]

wouldn't you kill for legs like that? i would not, however, care to feel what marco felt the next few seconds...and days. he got banged up badly.

[merckx]

the photog really had a moment there. he got the glasses & water bottle in air, leg muscles flexed, bike tboning itself ... he could not plan it any better, could not have known it would happen there, and only had one chance at it. wow.

Agreed. that was a really, really fabulous shot.

[sspielman]

i just heard that the culprit was a specialized water bottle.
disgust.

ichie
the R is silent atmo


Give me a break! It's not the bottle's fault! It bounced off a curb before it broke. Bottles break all of the time. I have even seen a Colnago bottle break

[Elefantino]

Boonen: "Actually, you can ride over the bidons normally. The only thing you shouldn't do is brake because there's something in front of your wheel, because then you somersault over the handlebars."

His water bottles, BTW, stayed in their cages.

[Bittersweet]

Watch cycling.tv Premium if you can. They have unbelievable footage of the crashes on the Kemmelberg. Casper's happened right near the camera and you can see him go face first into the cobbles. No hands to break the impact. OUCH.

In the post race interviews I don't remember any of the riders suggesting the Kemmelberg be removed. Some seem to say that there were too many riders (200 vs. 120) and that looked evident in the race in other sections where guys were pushed off to the side into ditches.

Great race to watch actually as the final one two punch by Hammond and Burquardt (sp?) was well done.

[cw05]

I've descended the Kemmelberg before in the wet no less. It was definitely a sketchy descent but makes G-W the race it is imho. To take it away would destroy the character of the race.

[Chief]

The way to the future: Safer cleat/pedal assembly. Cleats ought to be released from the pedal upon sudden/brusque movement like seat-belts lock upon impact. Something like that...

Looks to me like his left cleat released, but can't speak to his right cleat,but I would venture a guess from the position of his right leg that the cleat had to release or he has a broken leg. I don't see how releasing the cleats will make it necessarily safer if involved in an incident.

[musgravecycles]

I can't for the life of me remember where I saw it, but I saw another picture from this series in which he is in approx the same exact attitude/altitude, but the glasses are still on the head, the bottle hasn't been ejected from the cage, and still clipped in.

Which leads me to suspect that this particular pic is taken on the rebound from the initial impact with the ground. I'll keep hunting for the photo...

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races07/gw07/gw07-marco.jpg

[manet]

starbucks napkins are the worstess

[stevep]

man, those look like my legs but i cant remember a thing about the crash.
dont remember the jersey either.
or the bike.
maybe it was not me?

[chuckred]

Of the right way to crash - shoulder roll, absorbing with the back of the arm, shoulder, etc...

No doubt it hurt bad, but imagine if he had landed "wrong"...


So, if he got back on that bike and the fork broke on the next section of cobbles, would it be Colnago's fault? Oops... don't want to start that mess again!

[Ken Robb]

[QUOTE=Climb01742]wouldn't you kill for legs like that?

I think if you ride for years feeling like YOU were going to die you can HAVE legs like that! :banana:

[BarryG]

.

[BarryG]

the right way to crash - shoulder roll, absorbing with the back of the arm, shoulder, etc...No doubt it hurt bad, but imagine if he had landed "wrong"...You mean if had landed "wrong" he would have broke more than just his collarbone, knee and two ribs? I'll pass your advice along to Marco :crap:

[jhcakilmer]

I think it's amazing that the riders have the where-with-all to crash "correctly", or maybe it's just a reflex?

I think it was a horrid crash, and I think there could be steps taken to minimize the chances of crashes like this in the future.......but without changing the course.

This is probably one instance inwhich I completely agree with McQuaid....."Danger is part of cycling". I can empathize with Velo, and Casper.....and I actually haven't heard any of there comments yet. But I think the majority of the riders realize the risk that they take, especially the sprinters like Casper!

[musgravecycles]

I find Musseuw's take on the situation interesting.

He blamed cages and 'very high plastic rims' (specifically calling out Lightweight's) for the series of unfortunate events...

[Cary Ford]

From the promoter of GW and my sentiments exactly. At least the guy has the balls to speak his mind. Bike racing is dangerous. Bike racing on a cobbled descent is more dangerous. End of story...

"Then they must also take the cobblestones out of Paris-Roubaix, or the cols out of the Tour de France! Museeuw was nearly dead after his crash in Paris-Roubaix and Casartelli died in the descent of the Portet d'Aspet in the Tour," he bluntly told Sportwereld. "Races are dangerous. It is the fault of the riders if they don't have enough skills."

[jhcakilmer]

I'd have to agree about the cages.....all the carbon cages I've seen in person just seem flimsy.

As far as wheels and frames, I have mixed feelings bout them. I think there are a wide range of quality carbon fiber products. Basically these companies are trying to take a technology used for aerospace, and apply it to bicycles. The main problem is that NASA has billions of dollars to play with, and cycling companies don't.

Also, carbon fiber doesn't fair as well with "blunt force trauma" as does other materials, such as steel, or Ti. So it makes crashes very explosive!!



I find Musseuw's take on the situation interesting.

He blamed cages and 'very high plastic rims' (specifically calling out Lightweight's) for the series of unfortunate events...

[chuckred]

You mean if had landed "wrong" he would have broke more than just his collarbone, knee and two ribs? I'll pass your advice along to Marco :crap:

Yes---

His NECK.....