# Mechanicals



## Sablotny (Aug 15, 2002)

Just pondering - what are some of the more race-affecting mechanicals that have happened in pro racing that come to mind? Thinking of Andy's mis-shift in Stage 15 of last year's Tour, and Cancellara's broken chain in Flanders 2009.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

George Hincape's fork breaking in the 2006 Paris Roubaix
Lance's cracked chainstay after a wreck in the TDF


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Evan's flat in the '09 Vuelta.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Ullrich's flat in the 98 Tour. He was already in alot of trouble but that really put him on the edge.


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

Fignon's broken BB axle in L-B-L in the early 80's


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

Rudy Dhanens rolling a tub on the last corner of a stage in the 1990 Tour that was in the bag. Whole peloton passed him sat on the floor!


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

steelbikerider said:


> Fignon's broken BB axle in L-B-L in the early 80's


Blois-Chaville 1982


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## steelbikerider (Feb 7, 2005)

I stand corrected - rep added


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## orange_julius (Jan 24, 2003)

ultimobici said:


> Blois-Chaville 1982


Nice. The formerly known as, and today once again known as, Paris-Tours.


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## cyclist_ca (Jul 11, 2005)

1988 Paris-Roubaix

A plastic bag got caught into the rear derailleur of Thomas Wegmuller as he and Dirk Demol raced to the finish. Guess who did not win?


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## agm2 (Sep 18, 2008)

Can't forget about this one.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)




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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Bad luck and roid rage don't mix!


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## harlond (May 30, 2005)

Dave Hickey said:


> Lance's cracked chainstay after a wreck in the TDF


Yeah, but he won that stage, didn't he?


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## Oasisbill (Jan 15, 2011)

Here's a few oldies: Eugene Christophe 1913. His Front fork broke after being knocked off by a car. He forged a new one after walking 13 km with the bits. He received a 10 min time penalty for allowing a 7 yo boy to hold the Bellows. In 1919 his fork snapped again. Found a forge 1 km away. Took 2 hours to repair. Still came 3rd. In 1922 same happened again descending the Galiber!!! In 1913 Marcel Buysse was leading the TdF and his handlebar broke.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Oasisbill said:


> Here's a few oldies: Eugene Christophe 1913. His Front fork broke after being knocked off by a car. He forged a new one after walking 13 km with the bits. He received a 10 min time penalty for allowing a 7 yo boy to hold the Bellows. In 1919 his fork snapped again. Found a forge 1 km away. Took 2 hours to repair. Still came 3rd. In 1922 same happened again descending the Galiber!!! In 1913 Marcel Buysse was leading the TdF and his handlebar broke.


Great example, and we shouldn't forget Tullio Campagnolo's problem with frozen fingers... the reason we now have the quick release.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quick_release#History


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

some believe it was belokis tyre coming unglued that lead to the armstrong cyclocross.


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## vismitananda (Jan 16, 2011)

Well, speaking of crashes. Who can forget about this one:


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## ExtraSlow (Jul 7, 2004)

*Can't forget The Chicken"*

Michael Rasmussen...stage 20 time trial in the 2005 tdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzeknUUhRoE


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Creakyknees said:


>


There is a good story that goes withe Riis bike toss. I wish I could find it but the short version goes that he either fell off or knocked the bike over going to sign in and it would not shift right so he asked the mechanic to fix it prior to the race and they didn't so he started on another bike but kept asking for his "super bike" as he had helped with the development. I guess the wrench did a running repair on the roof as he had figure since Riis was not in the jersey is was not a priority and gave him the bike but it still was not working right and you see the rest in the vid. Not sure its all true but it makes a great story eh.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

ExtraSlow said:


> Michael Rasmussen...stage 20 time trial in the 2005 tdf
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzeknUUhRoE


this is my favorite. this and david millar.


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

cyclist_ca said:


> 1988 Paris-Roubaix
> 
> A plastic bag got caught into the rear derailleur of Thomas Wegmuller as he and Dirk Demol raced to the finish. Guess who did not win?


Yeah, can you imagine how frustrated Wegmuller felt. He was going to lose because of a stupid plastic bag :blush2:


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