Except that it never played out like that in the past.
Remember when Ullrich rode his bike into a ditch, and Lance sat up and waited on the descent?
Remember when the spectator caught Lance's handlebars with the Mussete bag and Ullrich, Tyler and the others waited?
Remember when Lance went across the field after Beloki's crash? The guys following eased up to let him get back on the group.
Alberto instigated the attack. He rode by Andy, who had come to a complete stop - it was obvious he had a mechanical. The fact that Andy had attacked first is a moot point. The bottom line is that it's unethical (in bike racing terms) to take advantage of the MJ because of a crash or mechanical. Had Contador waited like he should have, he could have signaled Menchov and Sammy to ease up. In that instance they would have not have ridden away from him, as Contador is one of the patrons of the peleton. His counterattack though indicated that riding hard was kosher, and so Menchov and Sammy followed. That said, I find it equally slimy that they pushed the pace as well. AC was not alone in the wrong-doing.
That said, I think the boos during the jersey presentation were a pretty good indication of how the move is seen in the eyes of the public.
As for the cobbled stage to Ardennes, mechanicals, crashes, flats and equipment selection are considered part of the race. Logical or not, it's the exception to an otherwise golden rule in the pro peleton.
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