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Fake magnanimity

by Gerard Vroomen

July 04, 2011 - Filed under: Company

Comments (4)

Now, first off, there was no reason not to take advantage of the crash on Saturday. That’s part of racing, everybody knows crashes happen. Staying in the front is part of the job in the first week of the Tour if you want to win the overall.

Yet it is a little surprising that some of the riders who after “Chaingate” claimed they would slow down if their arch rival encountered a calamity couldn’t wait to get their teammates to the front to distance Contador. It’s a lot easier to be generous in theory than in practice.

It fits right into my concept from last year that anybody is willing to be magnanimous when they know it won’t affect the outcome. Win the Tour AND look like a gentleman, that’s the ultimate.But if one of the two has to be sacrificed, it’s exit Gentleman. And why not, it’s not a butlering contest. Just don’t bore us with the “I wouldn’t have done that” crap.

Ultimately this is good news for Contador. First off, it shows he is no worse than other riders for not waiting last year (I should specify “during Chaingate”, as he did wait for Schleck during “Slipperyroadgate” on stage 2, which was also explained through last year’s concept). And secondly, if his opponents were convinced they could beat him in a straight-up fight, they wouldn’t have needed their helpers to put time into him on Saturday. So the team leaders have voted, and they think it will take a calamity to keep Contador from winning this year.

[Thanks to spanielsson for the comment that gave the inspiration for this post]

4 responses for this Entry

p4 says:

July 11, 2011

I see it exactly the same way as Chessclubloser.

Great chain of thoughts too.

Contador absolutely knew what he did and why.

However I don't really feel the same way as Poulidor. It's hard enough to know if the winner after three weeks was juiced or not. Adding a gentleman contest to it really doesn't make sense. But a basic level of fair sportmanship such as not to attack the yellow jersey when a mechanical happens... that's not asked to much.

"Poulidor" says:

July 06, 2011

Although I fancy the Spaniard (I'm biased, I love all climbers) I am glad that people keep a critical eye on the chevalry of cyclism. It seems, there is still a code of conducts expected from these riders. Although it is a truely brutal sport where people may choose to cheat ,dope or just take the advantage of a given situation,but it is the only sport where I expect the winner to be gracefull and moral. Contador is certainly not the best or the worst at it. We can't see if such and such are juiced until lab results are exposed in the tabloids, but we ,the spectators, can certainely appriciate the riders humanity and grace in the sport. I am more interested in how someone choose to win or participate. Poulidor is remembered to be the eternel second position in the TDF. Some say he was too kind! All these guys are doing heroic efforts and I would love them to carry on with honnor all the way through. Dont let the grand tours turn into 3 weeks long twilight criterium races.

JD says:

July 04, 2011

Sorry Gerard, but I totally agree with CCL.

What a great day today by the team! You guys must be so proud. Congrats on the awesome Tour so far (on only day 3)! More good things to come.

Chessclubloser says:

July 04, 2011

Chaingate: Schleck was in yellow, directly affected by what happened and they were going "head to head"

Saturday: Contador was not in yellow, not involved in the crash but caught behind it and they were not "head to head".

I would argue the two scenarios were very, very different. Attacking when the yellow jersey has encountered a mishap such as a crash or mechanical is unsportsmanlike. The yellow jersey deserves a respect that Contador did not show during "chaingate". Hence Contador's move was "dirty".