Today was a bad day for Gert Steegmans who did not start the stage thanks to an injured wrist. Vladimir Isaichev, Lars Boom and Andreas Klöden abandoned during the stage and later on Cofidis’s Romain Zingle crashed on the descent of Aubisque but he made it to the finish in time. All serious things.
But on a more light-hearted note, other riders were just plain unlucky and got caught by the commissaires for more trivial. Here’s the list of fines for the day.
Once again note the fines are in Swiss Francs, CHF. And if you’re struggling with the French, Irizar and Riblon got caught receiving “irregular repairs“, Quick Step directeur Wilfried Peeters ignored the commissaires, Samuel Dumoulin “urinated in public” and Grivko and his boss Sacha Sheffer are fined for “mechanical assistance, a sticky bidon or the changing of clothes damaging the image of cycling“.
Just curious…haven’t they always peed on the side of the road? I mean, why give them a fine when that’s the only place they have to go? And it isn’t going to stop them…
Laura: yes it is unfair, but my piece in cyclingnews explains it a bit more http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/inner-ring/fines-a-cost-of-operating-in-tour-de-france
Dare I ask, what happens when a rider needs a rather more heavyweight toilet stop?
Chuffy – as we used to say when this came up on our long group rides “you take care of that sh*t before you head out on a 3-4 hour ride”
Heh – a good morning routine is essential but it’s still possible to be caught out. I’m sure we’ve all heard the horror stories of Lemond riding with chronic diarrhoea, but there must be some guys who feel natures call mid-stage.
Sorry if I appear obsessed, but it’s one of those unanswered questions that really bugs me!
Just noticed not so many responses to the toilet post, having said that, imagine loosing a mountain stage by a few seconds because you have an extra 600 grammes with you or more or less. I’m sure they try to dial that in on the bus in the morning, somehow.
Bob Roll had the most hilarious recount of a bowel issue, though I can’t remember which of his books it can be found in…both are amusing in any case.