# Contador purposely bumped into guard rail?



## Tahoe Gator (May 28, 2002)

Versus showed what clearly looked like a deliberate shoulder bump into Contador (don't recall rider's name) that sent him into the guard rail. Any news on this? It would appear like an ejection might be in order.


----------



## Tahoe Gator (May 28, 2002)

Found some news

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...-getting-tangled-with-vladimir-karpets_183028

Almost sounds like Contador wants to dismiss it

Also interesting no teammates helped. Do they even like him?


----------



## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Tahoe Gator said:


> Versus showed what clearly looked like a deliberate shoulder bump into Contador (don't recall rider's name) that sent him into the guard rail. Any news on this? It would appear like an ejection might be in order.


It was Karpets, and last word was that refs were looking into it.


----------



## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Wow, I saw the shoulder bump in the vid but figured it was the other rider reacting to something an accidental contact, be sad it it was intentional.


----------



## nims (Jul 7, 2009)

Tahoe Gator said:


> Found some news
> 
> http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...-getting-tangled-with-vladimir-karpets_183028
> 
> ...


What is interesting is I haven't seen saxo at the front at all, leo and bmc are riding at the front all the time. Saxo isn't really protecting Contador right now, he always seems alone. Might be the wrong impression. Also some of his teammates look weak.


----------



## anotherguy (Dec 9, 2010)

Contador was dodging tainted beef. 

If Contador says he got his bars tangled and was at fault, not sure what there really is to investigate unless he intentionally hit K-what's his name.


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Karpet-diving often leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

At least Contador didn't break anything. His bad luck is beginning to look quite reasonable compared to some other GC contenders'.


----------



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

I saw the 're-play' on Eurosport. Really hard to tell. However, if someone comes over on another rider and bumps them the reaction is to 'lean back into' the Bumpor...Contador is pretty tiny to be 'leaning' on someone. If Karpets felt someone on him, he had the right to flick the offending rider away, in order to prevent being 'pushed' himself into a more serious contact with some adjacent rider.. It looked like AC was on the outside fringe of the peloton, riding along the pavement edge. When you are riding there, it is up to you to adjust your line for room, should the road narrow or something...You don't just drift in, thinking everyone should give way for you automatically.

I'm glad AC wasn't hurt...it would be sad if ALL the major favorites crashed out..


----------



## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

32and3cross said:


> Wow, I saw the shoulder bump in the vid but figured it was the other rider reacting to something an accidental contact, be sad it it was intentional.


Sounds more like mullet-boy was just protecting himself from Contasnore's sloppy riding...
Afterwards, Conti basically said "sorry, my bad".


----------



## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

yup, you lean into the contact. I think pistolero drifted into him.
It was paper-scissors-rock and 170 lb Russian beats 140 lb Spaniard


----------



## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

Katusha's in this race? Didn't even realize it.


----------



## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

non-issue, really. VK is quite a bit bigger than AC.

to note, _"While Karpets gathered his thoughts, his directeur sportif Dimitri Konyshev claimed that he hadn’t seen the accident and had not broached the subject with his rider. "These things happen, though,"_ *Konyshev told Cyclingnews. "If you bump into Karpets, you’re going to bounce off!"*


----------



## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

I'm with nims on this one. Contador seems alone an awful lot, is getting caught in the back a bunch, and generally spending more than his share of time with his ass on the pavement, and he's a better rider than for all of that to be 'accidental.'

For a team lead, he sure isn't seeing much in the way of protection.

I have a feeling he's not going to win Miss Congeniality this year.


----------



## Oldguybikingnewb (Jan 25, 2011)

Also, they only half heartedly sent anyone back to help him regain the peloton. Two riders that took off, leaving him again when he needed to change his bike... odd. No doubt LA would have been guarded by 2-3, or Vino being helped out of his wooded ending by 3-4 Astana riders.

If AC wrecks in the woods, well, I hope he has his cell with him.


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

Oldguybikingnewb said:


> Also, they only half heartedly sent anyone back to help him regain the peloton. Two riders that took off, leaving him again when he needed to change his bike... odd. No doubt LA would have been guarded by 2-3, or Vino being helped out of his wooded ending by 3-4 Astana riders.
> 
> If AC wrecks in the woods, well, I hope he has his cell with him.


I noticed that too. First of all, from far away and bad angle, but it did look like Karpets made a short, sudden, controlled shoulder-bump to the left, and off goes Contador, while Karpets is looking back to see what happened.

There is another Saxxo rider just in front of Karpets - he looks back, clearly sees Contador on the ground and just keeps pedaling away while talking on the radio. No attempt at stopping. That was weird.


----------



## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Oldguybikingnewb said:


> Also, they only half heartedly sent anyone back to help him regain the peloton. Two riders that took off, leaving him again when he needed to change his bike... odd. _* No doubt LA would have been guarded by 2-3, or Vino being helped out of his wooded ending by 3-4 Astana riders.*_
> _*
> If AC wrecks in the woods, well, I hope he has his cell with him.*_


:lol: :lol:

Good point.


The sad part is that it's probably true.


----------



## dc503 (Mar 15, 2011)

I also thought AC riding back to the field almost solo, was as interesting as the bump itself too...wow.


----------



## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Tahoe Gator said:


> Also interesting no teammates helped. Do they even like him?





55x11 said:


> There is another Saxxo rider just in front of Karpets - he looks back, clearly sees Contador on the ground and just keeps pedaling away while talking on the radio. No attempt at stopping. That was weird.


Very interesting observations.



I wonder if Clentador has alienated his own team in one way or another?

Or vice versa?


----------



## dougydee (Feb 15, 2005)

It was strange to see Conti chase to get back onto the peleton, 2 teammates dropped back when he was almost there, he didn't seem to talk to them at all. Then he stops changes bikes and his teammates keep going. I don't think I've seen that happen to another GC hopeful let alone a previous winner.


----------



## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

Topic update:



> *Alberto Contador hits deck in stage 9 of 2011 Tour de France after getting tangled with Vladimir Karpets*
> 
> SAINT-FLOUR, France (VN) — Nobody messes with Vladimir Karpets (Katusha), even if it’s three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard).
> Contador hit the deck midway through Sunday’s crash-marred ninth stage across the Massif Central and landed hard on his right hip and knee. The crash quickly generated buzz on the internet after a video clip suggested the 6-foot-3, 170-pound Russian rider deliberately steered into Contador.
> ...


----------



## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

I dont think Contador was *that *far back from the field. Phil and Paul were dramtizing the situation.

He got back into peleton with relative ease.


----------



## coop (Jun 8, 2008)

Didn't Contador just win the Giro without team mates? Bleh, who needs em!


----------



## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

> I dont think Contador was that far back from the field. Phil and Paul were dramtizing the situation.
> 
> He got back into peleton with relative ease.


Yep. Making much over no big deal.


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Oldguybikingnewb said:


> If AC wrecks in the woods, well, I hope he has his cell with him.


I can see the headline now: *Former Tour Winner Rediscovered In Forest 20 Years On: Reared By Bears, Now Walks On All Fours*


----------



## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

JohnHenry said:


> Phil and Paul were dramtizing the situation.


They would never do THAT


----------



## Dajianshan (Jul 15, 2007)

Though he has managed to sneak up from 82 in the GC to 12. Still a lot of race to go.


----------



## ralph1 (May 20, 2006)

I have noticed that when he crashes his team is not supporting him. Leaving him to find his own way back to the peloton, if another main contender crashes he has 3-4 team mates back with him straight away.


----------



## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

JohnHenry said:


> non-issue, really. VK is quite a bit bigger than AC.
> 
> to note, _"While Karpets gathered his thoughts, his directeur sportif Dimitri Konyshev claimed that he hadn’t seen the accident and had not broached the subject with his rider. "These things happen, though,"_ *Konyshev told Cyclingnews. "If you bump into Karpets, you’re going to bounce off!"*


We can only assume Karpets only grunted, like Russian cyclists often do. "If he dies, he dies."


----------



## SRV (Dec 26, 2006)

ralph1 said:


> I have noticed that when he crashes his team is not supporting him. Leaving him to find his own way back to the peloton, if another main contender crashes he has 3-4 team mates back with him straight away.


A team doesn't pay the kind of money that Contador is getting just to hang him out to dry. They may be inept, but it's definitely not intentional.


----------



## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

We also have to keep in mind that riders can only stop, not come back and help.


----------

