# history question: Riis bike-throwing incident



## trihiker (Mar 29, 2005)

Hi all. I'm somewhat of a new fan to the sport. In one of the TdF tapes, I saw a brief clip of Bjarne Riis throwing his TT bike to the side in frustration. What prompted this, and what was the outcome? I assume this wasn't the year he won, correct?

Thanks!


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

trihiker said:


> Hi all. I'm somewhat of a new fan to the sport. In one of the TdF tapes, I saw a brief clip of Bjarne Riis throwing his TT bike to the side in frustration. What prompted this, and what was the outcome? I assume this wasn't the year he won, correct?
> 
> Thanks!


The one I remember was in 1997, the year <u>after</u> Riis won it. He had some fancy time trial bike and had a mechanical of some kind. Supposedly it was a chain problem, but who knows. Riis was having a frustrating Tour, and had already given up team leadership to Jan Ullrich by this time. A bike screwing up his time trial was the last straw, and he tossed the $20K bike into a ditch. They eventually fixed the problem and he went on his way.


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

mohair_chair said:


> They eventually fixed the problem and he went on his way.


He got a bike swap, they didn't waste time fixing the problem. From cyclingnews:

"Defending champion Bjarne Riis was unable to shake off the bad luck that has plagued his Tour.

"Riis, who lost ground when he was unwell in the Alps, had to change a wheel and then his bike in the opening section, falling more than five seconds behind and finally coming in 93rd, 9:12 adrift.

"The Dane threw his bike into the grass verge in disgust when he realised he needed a second change.

"The Telekom team's assistant manager Rudy Pevenage said: ``The bike was okay on previous days but something was wrong today and the mechanic tried to fix it on the (starting) podium.

" 'Then Bjarne had a puncture and when I gave him a push to start again the chain came off.'' "


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## Bianchigirl (Sep 17, 2004)

And it was around Disneyland, too...


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

*Lol...huh?*



Bianchigirl said:


> And it was around Disneyland, too...


What do you mean?

THere should be a sarcastic font for those of us who are slow witted.


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## Bianchigirl (Sep 17, 2004)

seriously, that TT was around Disneyland, Paris - it was quite surreal - laughed out loud when Homer Simpson on a bike threw that 'spensive machine in the ditch...


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Ja Ja did a repeat performance of it in 2001 or 2002 didn't he. Needed a wheel change and couldn't get it out of the Cervelo frame.


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## Prodigy (Feb 23, 2005)

And Cipo once threw his *through the back window* of a race officials car after a finish line pile up caused by the vehicle. He was, is and always will be a class act...


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## euro-trash (May 1, 2004)

Prodigy said:


> And Cipo once threw his *through the back window* of a race officials car after a finish line pile up caused by the vehicle. He was, is and always will be a class act...


It was the 1993 Milan-San Remo. The car parked 2 meters after the finish line of a race that traditionally ends in a large group sprint. Brilliant. 

I'm not touching the obvious 'woman driver' joke with a 10 foot pole.


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## gcaz (Mar 24, 2005)

Riis must still be teaching this technique. Here's Piil from this year's Het Volk.


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## ColdRider (Mar 17, 2005)

Bianchigirl said:


> seriously, that TT was around Disneyland, Paris - it was quite surreal - laughed out loud when Homer Simpson on a bike threw that 'spensive machine in the ditch...


I love this forum and its humor

Cryptic Tour de France Simpsons reference :

RBR : 1
Other Sites : 0


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## mattv2099 (Aug 27, 2004)

gcaz said:


> Riis must still be teaching this technique. Here's Piil from this year's Het Volk.


LOL. That's beautiful!


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