Crashing during sprints

[Josh.E]

check out this photo sequence from todays tour de suisse stage.
ouch

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-d ... tos/125966
click "previous photo" for the next pic in the sequence

good reminder why moving the sprint to a safer location is a good idea, even if we're not going quite as quick

Haussler just can't get a break this year....or Cav for that matter.

Here's one for those of you with carbon wheels.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... rland.html

Check out the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RNAYR3KPIg
pretty clearly caused by Cav as he veers across into Haussler. gotta hold your line in a sprint

[Lister Farrar]

Thanks for posting Josh.

Interesting how at 52 or 53 second mark, you can see Haussler's wheel hits the side of Cavendish's front wheel as they are leaning their bikes away from each other, and it immediately collapses. So it doesn't look like it was the body impact, but the wheel impact.

Also interesting how Boonen, only 2 riders behind Cavendish, nearly manages to stop before hitting Cavendish. From 60, 70 kph! At 1:19, 1:20, you can see he's braking hard, (arms braced, weight back) and gets his foot out. He still endos, but he had most of the speed off. For anyone who did the braking session, this is an illustration why. There were riders from much further back who did much worse.

Also note the bounce of Haussler's and Ciolek's helmets off the pavement. I think they walked away because of them. Matteo, that's why Peter reminded you this am.

[AdamD]

1:05 in the video:
Haussler gets a mouthful of the Milram guy's rear derailleur ouch!

[AdamD]

another interesting part of the video
at around 8 seconds Cav's leadout doesnt seem to know where cav is as he switches from his leadout to the Milram sprinters wheel very quickly

[Lister Farrar]

I read somewhere about Cav being able to sprint well even without a leadout, keying off the other sprinters and their leadouts. Is that what you mean Adam? But maybe a bit too good at moving laterally?

While I was trying to figure out what you meant, I also noticed at :10s Haussler moves pretty wildly to the right up against Cav, who goes up against Marcato (eventual 3rd), before going back around Ciolek on the other side just before they 'met' again.

I like this photo of Friere braking so hard he's off the back of the saddle. But he makes it through without going down. Next braking session, we're all gonna drag our butts on the rear tire!
http://www.steephill.tv/2010/tour-de-su ... 665816.jpg