Hi,
I love my road bike, and I really enjoy watching road races. Can someone explain what Bettinni did today at the Giro that was so untoward to Baden Cooke. I fail to see (based on photos) what Betinni did to make Cooke crash.
Little help please…
Best,
Robert
Ps. I’m still living in Austin, “Center of the Triathlon Universe” and loving it!
in a road race you are supposed to pick your line and hold it without impeeding the opportunity for competitors to challenge you. Bettini is allowed to drift a bit in sprinting, and is allowed to ride from one side of the road to the other, but the judges ruled that Cooke had started to pass Bettini and was forced into the baracades by Bettini (ie. Bettini limited Cookes ability to make forward progress once he’d started to move past).
HOWEVER - i would argue that Bettini was in control of his sprint the whole way and Cooke choose to try and force his way through a hole that was rapidly closing while he was still drafting off Bettini and not just trying to pass. Once he realized he was being boxed out into the wall Cooke tried to force his way through a very narrow hole that just wasn’t big enough for him. this was a bit of a close call, but unfortunately Bettini lost out.
Looks like he forced him into the barriers. I dunno. Isn’t the sprint the most dangerous part of the game? I think that it was kinda stupid to go inside like that. But whadda I know. I’m no roadie (although I train with 'em)…and that’s why!
-K
Depending on the interpretation of the rules you aren’t really even supposed to drift to one side or the other after the sprint has started. It is usually allowed if you stop before closing the door and is a common trick because it makes them take the long way to come around you.
Bettini started in the middle and went all the way to the left and also jerked left just as Cooke was starting to come past him. Before that last jerk there was plenty of room to come by, at least the way most sprinters think. The wind was from the right also so Bettini should have started out on the left rather than the middle anyway - he seemed to be trying to correct that mistake after the fact and that’s where he got into trouble.
Even Moser and some other Italian commentators were saying the judges were correct, but that Cooke was stupid to force the issue. If he had eased off instead of forcing it and taking his hand off the bars to push Bettini off, he could have survived to possibly win the stage with a protest.
Yep, a clear hook - no doubt about it. Bettini was looking back under his crotch, saw Cooke make his move, and slammed the door.
As for why he chose the line he did, lets not forget they were going all out for 5K and dropped the fastest cyclists in the world while doing so. How many people are clear minded in their decision making when their hearts are climbing out of their chests? Cooke said he went that way to stay out of the wind - I just think it was a poor decision, or he thought he’d surprise Bettini by going that route. Either way, there was plenty of room to pass before Bettini moved over on him, and he was obviously going to roll right past him for the win - I thought it was a good decision to relegate Bettini to 4th.
Technically, according to USA Cycling rules (formerly USCF) which has adopted a similar standard to UCI sanctioned events, a sprinter must “maintain their chosen lane” during the final 200 meters of a finish. The “lane” is determined by an official, based on a judgement call, as the straightest path to the finish. Also, a sperate rule states that a rider may take no action that “impedes the forward progress of another rider”.
It is a pretty common practice to “close the door” on a rider trying to come through between a lead-out man or a sprinter and the barriers. Lance Armstrong won his first stage in the Tour de France by diving between the barriers and a French sprinter at some other flat stage finish in the Tour.
In general, the sprinters and their lead out men know how to conduct themselves in a sprint. The men who are somewhat foregin to a bunch sprint, such as G.C. riders like Bettini, can get themselves into trouble when they try to mix it up with the field sprint snipers.
If you take someone into the barriers you do it as a desperate move of questionable sportsmanship. It is like saying “I will either win, crash or get DQ’ed”.
Another reason I do triathlons now.
If you saw the footage you would understand.
I was amazed how Baden Cooke was able to walk off that crash.
And he was more pissed than when the french police leaked phone tap transcripts of his gf calling an amphetamines supplier…
Bettini and Cooke sprint for the finish-line - but Cooke gets a bit squeezed and heads for the barriers
http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/updateframesetcall?openform&05giroSt4
A picture is worth a 1000 words!
no comment…
Paul
Technically, according to USA Cycling rules (formerly USCF) which has adopted a similar standard to UCI sanctioned events, a sprinter must “maintain their chosen lane” during the final 200 meters of a finish. The “lane” is determined by an official, based on a judgement call, as the straightest path to the finish. Also, a sperate rule states that a rider may take no action that “impedes the forward progress of another rider”.
It is a pretty common practice to “close the door” on a rider trying to come through between a lead-out man or a sprinter and the barriers. Lance Armstrong won his first stage in the Tour de France by diving between the barriers and a French sprinter at some other flat stage finish in the Tour.
In general, the sprinters and their lead out men know how to conduct themselves in a sprint. The men who are somewhat foregin to a bunch sprint, such as G.C. riders like Bettini, can get themselves into trouble when they try to mix it up with the field sprint snipers.
If you take someone into the barriers you do it as a desperate move of questionable sportsmanship. It is like saying “I will either win, crash or get DQ’ed”.
Another reason I do triathlons now.
Good stuff, but a minor nit: Bettini is not a GC rider (i.e., he won’t be around the top at the end). What he is is a great one day/Classics rider. These mostly flat stages with some tough hills at the end (like the stage in question) are perfect for him. Cooke was the only real sprinter able to hang in over the last hill.