Jan says: DId Contador had to wait? No. Would it have been a nice gesture? Yes.It' s fair to say that Contador would have catched Schleck on the climb in question and is clearly the better man in the TT. I think there was nothing that Schleck could have done to prevent Contador from winning. But I as think that out of the clear advantage Contador could have waited and wouldn't had diminish his chances of losing.I don't believe him when he said he didn't see Schleck in trouble. He must have and he didn't wait. Bad luck for Schleck. Nothing to be ashamed about but Contador could have shown a more class and could have waited or slow down for Schleck instead of cementing his third triumph on the last kilometers of the race, building in the bad luck of Schleck.

Carlos says: An interview with a SRAM rep that I watched confirms what Gerard states... Schleck was cross chaining when he dropped his chain. There was nothing on the road and nobody touched him. Saxo mechanics could find nothing wrong with the bike after the stage. It seems the "mechanical" that Schleck suffered was of his own making - an amateur mistake I must add - and no one should have to wait for a rival who doesn't practice the basics of riding a bike with deraillieurs.

http://plantman.com says: Contador exploited the leaders mechanical failure to win the Tour.
What does that mean to you? You have the facts. There is no debate here. The facts are the facts.

gerard says: Hi Chickpea, no he is not shifting, and I didn't mean to suggest he was. He was in a crossed gear (small ring-smallest cog) for some time, and luck ran out. Gerard

rachel says: what those who said he shouldn't have waited but shouldn't have attacked and should have kept an even pace are ignoring is that AC was sprinting to get back on Schleks wheel when he dropped his chain, they weren't merely pootling along on the flat. The best quote i've heard on this is "if you draw your sword and drop it, you die". You attack and it goes wrong, tough luck.

Dave E says: Schleck -- as he has multiple times in the last couple of days -- has called Contador a "great champion" (as did Frank).If he thinks AC is a great champion, I'm going with Schleck over the shockingly irrational hatred from the fans who claim to be aggrieved on Schleck's behalf. Not sure if this stems from the fact that Contador ripped Lance's legs off in last year's tour or what, but I wonder what Contador has to do to get a fair shake from the fans (and a chunk of the media).All very bizarre.

Nick says: I do agree that AC should not need to wait...but he should NOT attack at that circumstance out of sportmanship and respect for the Yellow Jersey. So, if this mechanical issue is to happen to Schleck and he was not wearing yellow then, I guess no one would have an argument...Well, it's in the past now and AC is enroute to his 3rd TdF title unless something amazing or unexpected happens. Am not a big fan of AC, in fact I don't really like him at all. So, I hope he will not surpass the 7 TdF titles record of LA...but he's only 27/28 now with such talent. LA won his first only at 29??However, would still love to see a CTT rider claim the yellow in the near future...=)

Hi Speed says: ps. I think Carlos agrees...http://www.carlossastre.com/sastre_en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1086&Itemid=55

Hi Speed Brooks says: Ridiculous topic that only exists in the race because of the politics of team riding. You think Sanchez would have pulled up for a second at the Olympics if this happened when there was a gold medal hanging at the finish? Not a chance. The pair would never be in a deadlock without their teams and today's finish put a stamp on that...BTW, if I had Fabian leading out such a fast charge that he stopped on the roadside to recover after the final push and I had no energy left to challenge for the lead back I might think twice about that strategy next time.In the end, there is another theory in sport that is maybe shining through here that I think Thor will agree with when he takes home the green..."the justice of sport". Maybe the chain slip is the justice of sport coming back reminding the riders to ride hard always. I looked at my wife when the chain dropped and Alberto road away and said 'that will teach them for f'ing aroung on yesterday's stage'. You want to play mind games Andy...the justice of sport has no room for that either. Play to win. The proof will be in the pudding people...or should I say the final time trial. There will be no holding back Saturday presuming all of the contenders ride clear tomorrow and Andy will have to pull off the ride of his life to come anywhere near the lead he lost with his chain slip let alone the yellow jersey. In the end 'chaingate' is a no contest time filler between stages. In the meantime, hats off to that kid from Victoria (Canada) who road out of the fog in 4th today without any team support. It seems the justice of sport was shining on Ryder today.Hi SpeedMore? http://streettopeak.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/the-olympic-games-win-place-or-show/

Paddlepedalplod says: I, too, love the unwritten rules! This is probably the best analysis of "Chaingate" that I've heard... it doesn't matter why the chain came off, or even how any of us feel about the attack. What matters is that Contador did not HAVE to wait, (or not attack), but he chose to attack, and all that means is that it is on his conscience and honor as a sporting gentleman.
Does the attack tarnish the win (if he does win?). I think so. I love the phrase in the post: " But you can give your victories some extra shine by winning them in grand style, and by appearing magnanimous towards your opponents."
I think that fair play and waiting for an opponent should never be enforced, but it's an element of the Tour that adds an elegance and sense of honor to the sport.

Chickpea says: Sir, I respectfully suggest that you watch the video! You said: "...should the rider who studiously avoids crossing his chain from smallest ring to smallest cog in order to avoid chain suck have to wait for the guy who doesn’t pay attention to that sort of detail?" But the thing is, it is very very clear that Schleck was NOT shifting at the time the chain seized/dropped. (On the other hand, you may be saying he was simply in a gear he should not have been, which is fine, but then why have it available at all?! Maybe I am not techie enough to know...) In any case, many have criticized Schleck's shifting. I watched the reply many times, the Versus site has a great view from the front, close up, straight at Schleck at that very moment. You can see his hands move to the gears immediately AFTER he feels the problem. And then he looks down and stops. Really. That said, I agree with your take on it as a whole: Contador will have to put a significant amount of time into Schleck, if he wins, to feel better about a possible victory. I can't imagine being happy in yellow after that incident, whether "legit" or not. I'm not faulting him, but wouldn't want to have been him that day either.

Mark Thompson says: For me the problem isn't that he didn't wait, it is that he attacked. Most discussions seem to overlook the existence of a middle ground...the one where I carried on at the pace he was riding.
AC shouldn't have waited, because he would have then opened himself to attack from others, but he shouldn't have attacked.
He should have carried on at the same tempo, and if someone then chose to attack him, he was well within his rights to respond...he shouldn't have been the one to make the first move.

Maryka says: CyclingRevealed:How can anyone guarantee that Contador would take 2 min out of Schleck on the TT? Yes, on a regular day but anything could happen -- crash, mechanical, bad day, etc. The race is the here and now, not in 1 or 3 or 5 days in the future when you think you'll be able to do X to make up for the Y you aren't doing today. It's a boring way to race and all this stopping and waiting is making it a loser's sport. Today Sanchez crashes 30 min into the stage in the bunch and suddenly Sastre -- who's already on his way up the road to join a teammate, and who's well down on GC -- has to stop and wait? Come on. There's honour and then there's just stupidity. Surely it's going to become a tactic to crash or have a mechanical at just the right moment, so that everyone has to wait for you?Why not just forego the entire race and draw names out of a hat to win.... if this stopping and waiting for every little thing continues, the results will be just as contrived.

Stephen says: I won my first race last week when during the sprint, the guy I was sprinting against had his chain drop. Honestly I don't know how you drop your chain off the front cog during a sprint but it happened and I won.Do I think Contador should have waited? Well I don't know. It is a lot harder than simply yes or no. And there is more on the line than simply winning the tour. If he had waited and lost the tour by a few seconds, then massive questions would be asked, not just by fans but also by sponsors. These same sponsors would also be asking why he didn't go for Yellow and get them their TV time. It really isn't just black and white, and in the heat of the moment, it is less so.

Alex T says: Interesting article, i am most certainly intrigued to find out what you would have done if Sastre had been in the same position as Contador and didnt take the chance to wear yellow. Would Sastre have lost the race greatly? Surely as a sponsor any chance to have one of your riders in yellow would be what you want, wouldn't you? On another note its great to see Sastre sitting above Wiggins from Team Sky, hopefully today you can put more in time into him!

Jeremy says: I find it strange that in all of this unwritten rule speculation no-one speaks of how his sponsors would feel if Contador would have blown a chance to put himself into the yellow jersey. Would it have been more beneficial for him to do the "honourable" thing from a sponsors perspective or is being in the yellow jersey for perhaps the remainder of the tour more valuable?

Douglas says: Stage 2 was an anomaly - most of the peleton fell multiple times on the descent of an exteremely slick hill (beyond what could be expected from rain). Andy was not the only GC contendor who benfitted from neutralizing the race. Unfortunately, Chavenal was in front by himself and hadn't had any negative consequences, or else, he probably would have neutralized, too. The bottom line is that State 2 is irrelevant.Contador's mechanical on stage 3 is pretty normal, as was Armstrong's flat tire. No one would suggest waiting for a puncture or broken spoke.While Schlek was initially upset about Contador's attack, I did see that he gave him a friendly pat after losing the yellow jersey. He must have realsed that a bike race was going on around him. While, Contador, Sanchez, and Menchov's continued attack shows their desperation to put Schleck "in a spot of bother", it's no different that what occurs in other sports. Do the other cars slow when an F1 car blows its engine?I think Vroomen's initial reaction will be forever apt. Contador's desire to win is overly venal, and he will do so at all costs, including attacking team mates. He may be the winner, but he's no Champion.

Suze says: Point of interest - the booing was from a group of loya - and vocal - Schleck fans. After stage 16 Schleck was asked very politely to tell them to knock it off. Rather classless behaviour.There are numerous examples of Grand Champions who didn't wait for the MJ - in fact the only rider who has insisted on it is Armstrong, the 'tradition' was really not so prevalent before building him up as a chivalrous was a useful way to detract from the doping scandals - and even then the 'gift' was unevenly distributed. Unfortunately for Contador, he is taking flak from the 'Anyone But Contador' brigade who believed the nonsense and downright lies that he somehow 'betrayed' Armstrong last year.So look back past 99 to the days when Thevenet didn't wait for Merckx when he was decked by a spectator, when Merckx didn't wait for Ocana, Roche for Bernard, Chiapucci for Lemond and on and on. It's happened in every GT down the years.Andy Schleck destroyed any notion of 'Fair Play' in this race when he and his team attacked Chavanel on stage 3. After the courtesy shown him by the peloton (including Astana) the previous day, that was a disgrace. Now imagine if the peloton had decided to race into Spa? Andy Schleck wouldn't have been anywhere near the Maillot Jaune, let alone wearing it through the Alps and Pyrenees.

CyclingRevealed says: Written or un-written the honor code within cycling was violated. To gain anything from someone's misfortune is not sporting in a stage race as prestigous as the TdF. Contador did not have to attack the mechanical delayed Yellow Jersey to win the TdF 2010. He was going to put 2 minutes on Schleck in Sat. TT and win the Tour. So to attack the mechanical delayed Yellow Jersey put a dark note on the 2010 victory.

The best statement from the Gerard was: "...that he gained a great chance to win, but lost a chance to win greatly."

The boos and (European whistles..) were justified. ps- I wouldn't put it past Schleck and Contador to stage a 30 second gain for Andy on Thursday and 2 minute TT win by Alberto on Sat. They both join the "weasel crowd" if that happens...

Luis Vargas says: I think you explained it well. Contador is afraid he may not win the race and took advantage of his opponents bad luck to try to insure victory at all costs. The cost here in my opinion is the admiration as a true champion from all the cycling fans, He was not a top that category before and now for sure he is not. He needs to crush the TT, not get dropped on the tourmalet on Friday and win by more than 30 seconds to make all this moot. Otherwise we will never hear the end of this one.

Cervelover says: totally agree.greets from germany.

Ricardo Gouveia says: Why Boonen didn't wait for Thor when he crashed in Paris Roubaix 2009. Thor could have won that. When Thor crashed Boonen have seen the victory right around the corner. :) hehehContador waited for Andy on stage 2.. Andy didn't wait for Contador neither his brother in stage 3, he only think of putting seconds into Contador. So why Contador have to wait because of a " mistake " Andy made?

Frederick says: Very well written Gerard.

João Faustino says: For all the people bent up on this Fair Play issue stating that Contador should have waited, as if Fair Play is the reason they are bashing on Contador, what about poor Chavanel? Guy had to change his bike like 3 times on Stage 3's cobbles, he was wearing yellow, no one waited for him? Where were all these Fair Play proponents then? By these unwritten rules, shouldn't have all the GC favorites waited for Chavanel?

Stan van der Heijden says: I totally agree. Bad luck and drama are inherent in cycling. Without them, the sport will be less attractive to watch. If riders have to wait when an opponent has mechanical problems, what will be next?
I imagine Paris-Roubaix with a safetycar in front of the group while crossing the cobbled sections.
No problem when it is the riders themselves who decide to wait for opponents, not even when they have to be convinced to do so (politics too is an important element in professional cycling). The decision however to award no points in Spa made me a little angry.