I have a question: what happens if a team is unable to field a full TTT team?
O'Rica have now lost Albasini with a broken arm, having already lost Simon Gerrans with a broken wrist, and Daryl Impey with a broken stomach (my fault, I still have his musette, poor guy).
This leaves them with 6 guys, and you need 5 to finish at the TTT.
Presumably if you only have 5 guys left, you have to go at the speed of the slowest rider: but what happens if you only have 4 guys left in the team?
Theoretically, if 5 don't finish, then no-one gets a time: they would all four be counted as DNF and be out of the race.
Clearly that is unacceptable, it's desperately unfair to penalise a team who are already suffering the loss of so many members: so what would they do? Has anyone read the UCI rules on the subject? I would, but my soul has only just regenerated after the last round of "giving wheels to other teams" rule checking, so I can't bring myself to read them again.
Logically they would just accept that all four riders get the time of the fourth man. But I have no idea, and I would welcome your thoughts. (BikeGirl, this is not an excuse to talk about skinsuits, white shorts or dirty boys. You have been told.) *laughs*
What an I going to talk about then??? lol Surely I must be allowed one smutty comment per update....
ReplyDeleteOrica need a ringer, like in the movie of the same name starring Johnny Knoxville. (did you know his real name is Phillip Clapp? I know, I nearly wet myself when I heard that!)
Anyway I digress...or they could just kidnap another rider from another team, I thought Tony Martin would make a fine choice, all they would need to do is stick a "bling" wig on him and tape up his bottom lip (cos that is a BIG giveaway) No one would ever notice...much...
I wasn't going to mention the world TT skinsuit and rain, but since Bradley Wiggans has that particular prize at the moment I am relieved that he's not in Sky anymore because I'm really not sure anyone wants to see Sir Wiggo in a transparent skinsuit, however (yes you know what's coming) there wouldn't be any complaints from me, or you! if Jakob was wearing the white skinsuit and it rained and it got wet *sigh*
Is it wrong for me to be just a little bit happy that Jakob has a patch on his knee? Of course I'm terribly sad he was the only rider to take a fall during the first time trial (there was no footage) but it's been so much easier to identify him in the baby blue PJs with the knee patch. Can we request he keeps it on for the whole tour?
ReplyDeleteIt's been a wild first week, I just want to give Bling a big, very careful, hug. He looked so sore on the podium, no doubt thinking "So this is what it's like to be on the podium. Its lucky I don't have to shake a bottle of champagne over everyone..."
And I have a new Aussie pet - yes, you guessed it - Rohan Dennis. Have you seen those dimples? Almost rivalling Jakob's. He looked lovely in yellow. I didn't know who to yell for towards the end when Fabs was getting so close to beating him.
I'm starting to be just a little sleep deprived, there is only so many nights in a row you can go to bed at 2am and still function well when the alarm goes off at 6:30am!
The joys of living Downunder...
Viva le tour!
Our Aussie commentator just said that if Orica only have four riders for the TTT, then they still start and just have to come in within the time limit. I personally think they should borrow a couple of the Aussies in the race - Rohan, Ritchie, Renshaw... I think they're all still healthy. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks Allyson, that sounds like a sensible compromise: as long as the all finish within the time limit. And presumably they each get the time of the 4th man?
ReplyDeleteAha - Jakob has a bandage? Thank you so much, I will look out for him. It's almost impossible to spot him, they must have had a requirement that all Tour riders have the same body shape as Jakob. Or, they padded out everyone else's jersey and shorts. (BikeGirl, stop it, I can hear you.)
As it turns out, kidnapping Tony Martin would not do them much good, it looks as though he's busted a collarbone. At the very least, he's going to be in poor shape tomorrow, he was totally unable to put his left hand on the handlebars. But I quite like the idea of seconding some other Aussie riders to make up the team.
And as for Rohan (Riders Of) Dennis: well, I also thought he seemed nice, and I was all lined up to make him the final Schleckland Pet, when LLB told me that apparently he has a filthy temper. Huh! *crosses him off list* So, Daniel Tekko Tecklahaimenot (or something very much like that) is going to remain the last Schleckland Pet!
Hehehehe padding out shorts...I will practice some restraint and not say anything else, even though I really really really want to!
ReplyDeleteCougar girl - cyclists with a temper...never seen that before. These are pretty lame examples from Cycling Weekly, but Thibout Pinot (Noir) did have a good dummy spit a couple of days ago. Not wanting to take his teammates bike was an error. Oh if only Simon Clarke had been there to share his.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-hissy-fits-in-professional-cycling-181226
Hahaha! Excellent, I heard that Tibbles had had a hissy fit, but didn't know why, now I understand. I particularly like the French commentator's "Oh, la! la! la!" They can have no idea how funny that is to us English.
ReplyDeleteI still think the funniest lost-temper thing is that girly fight between Barredo and Rui Costa *snorts through nose* (oh good, not drinking at the time, Aha! Can't drink when typing, therefore best to only remember funny things while typing.).
And, BikeGirl *points finger at Naughty Corner* thank you sooooo much for sending me those photos of men in white skinsuits, you are BAD! BAD!!