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Tour of Oman Fireworks

DRB

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
Maybe signs of a contentious year?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/1st-tour-of-oman-2-1/stage-4/results

Team Sky riders let a six-rider break gain almost seven minutes in the first hour and then were angry when no other teams were willing to help them chase the break.

Several riders claimed that the Team Sky riders vented their anger on the peloton by blasting through the feed zone and then put the peloton in the gutter by riding a half-road echelon when the wind changed direction.

That especially angered the Cervelo Test Team, who retaliated by splitting the race when Boasson Hagen stopped for a leak 55km from the finish. Because he was race leader, Boasson Hagen had perhaps thought the peloton would wait for him, but in the heat of battle, nobody did and 41 riders group quickly formed an echelon and accelerated up the road.

HTC-Columbia put six riders in the move, including Howard, Cervelo TestTeam had five riders, and Farrar, Boonen, Bennati, Stuart O'Grady and Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank), Marcus Burghardt (BMC) were all there, too.

Team Sky tried to chase but could not close the gap and their riders eventually cracked, leaving just CJ Sutton with Boasson Hagen in the final part of the race. The Norwegian brought home the bunch at 1:05 but was clearly embarrassed to have lost the race leadership.

"It was a mistake but there are more days coming," was all Boasson Hagen said before jumping in a team car for the long drive back to the hotel.

The Team Sky riders were dejected and angry about losing the race lead but head coach Shane Sutton made sure his riders quickly put the day behind them.

"That’s bike racing, the team rode well and solid, Edvald went to have a natural break, someone reacted to that, and the rest is history," Sutton said.

"Tension's running a bit high after the stage, but it's a long season and you can't get too engrossed in one thing. We had the jersey for a few days, won a stage and the boys have done a fantastic job, we will be ready come the big classics. Now it's time to regroup rethink - and hit back tomorrow."
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Either that or depends is going to have to start making chamois.
 
DRB

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
More info. Soap opera cycling....

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/oman-peloton-makes-team-sky-pay-for-their-aggression

Roger Hammond justified the Cervélo Test Team's tactic by revealing how Team Sky had ridden earlier in the stage.

"They brought it upon themselves," the veteran British rider told Cyclingnews.

"I can understand they're pissed off because it was a hard race on the front. Unfortunately that's what comes from having the leader's jersey. It's a responsibility. They wanted to make it easier for themselves by putting everyone in the gutter in the finale but it backfired on them.

"There were a lot of strong guys that got pissed off in the feed zone because they put us all in the gutter. I was at the back doing 65km/h with bags going everywhere because Sky was riding full gas on the front. I don't mind that but then they shouldn't expect us to play by the rulebook.

"They were also riding half road with the full team on the front when Boasson Hagen stopped to piss. We didn't know what's going on so I just went across the road [to form another echelon] and moved up to the front.

"I didn't particularly want to go on the attack then because I was tired from riding in the cross winds after the feed. But as I passed everybody, they all decided to start riding. They [Team Sky] blamed me but if they'd ridden with a bit of respect, the other guys who followed me to the front, wouldn't have hammered them.

"They can have it one way or the other. Either everyone plays the same game or they play unfairly and then they get unfairly treated."
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