# Good job, Bernard Hinault!



## Patti (May 20, 2008)

Did anyone else see Hinault thow that protester off the stage? 





(Link via wesmon. Thanks!)

It sort of reminded me of Harrison Ford In the movie "Air Force One", where he says to the hijacker "Get Off My Plane!!!" as he throws him off. LOL!


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## bigmig19 (Jun 27, 2008)

You mean "4 time" winner Bernard Hinault. Harsh, but true.


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## B15serv (Apr 27, 2008)

Yea that was pretty awesome. He dosnt seem like a guy to take crap. He was johnny on the spot with it too. by the time I noticed the protester bernard was already shoving him off.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

bigmig19 said:


> You mean "4 time" winner Bernard Hinault. Harsh, but true.


Does not parse. Please explain.


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## HevyHittr (Apr 5, 2008)

He's a complete piece of ****. It would have been much better if the protester kicked him square in the balls. He completely f'ed over LeMonde, if it wasn't for his team manager holding him back, he would've crushed Hinault. Then him going back on his word the next TDF after saying he was going to support Greg for the win? You better believe 4 time winner.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

HevyHittr said:


> He's a complete piece of ****. It would have been much better if the protester kicked him square in the balls. He completely f'ed over LeMonde, if it wasn't for his team manager holding him back, he would've crushed Hinault. Then him going back on his word the next TDF after saying he was going to support Greg for the win? You better believe 4 time winner.


Cry all you want about it, record books say otherwise. Also, there is no way to tell what WOULD HAVE happened in either year.

I happen to be a LeMond fan too. Much more so than the other big American winner.


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## Patti (May 20, 2008)

B15serv said:


> Yea that was pretty awesome. He dosnt seem like a guy to take crap. He was johnny on the spot with it too. by the time I noticed the protester bernard was already shoving him off.


I thought it was pretty cool too. I certainly would not want to mess with him when he was angry. From the look on his face, I think the protester was lucky to escape with his life. :smilewinkgrin: LOL!

Patti


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## bigmig19 (Jun 27, 2008)

Anybody who ASKS a better competitor to LET him win is a 1st class low life. Let alone going back on his word a year later (a lesser offense to me because both riders should ride to win both years). NO other sport would alow that to go on without completely excommunicating that athlete to the hall of shame. Great rider, but 4 wins.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Wasn't there another Tour winner who once said, "no gifts" ??

I love the Badger. Always spoiling for a fight.


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## serbski (Dec 2, 2002)

Short version of a long story but Floyd Landis talked about racing the TdF or Paris-Nice (can't recall) and there was a protest and apparently Hinault was in an ASO car and when it pulled up he just jumped out and punched the first protester he saw square in the jaw. I gotta say I dig that he just jumps in there "old school" without thinking "will I get sued over this?". I would be very ready for "fight or flight" if I saw Hinault coming quickly in my direction! I'm a liberal guy but a frenchman's got to know that you don't mess with Hinault regardless of the piety of your cause!


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## runningdud (Mar 17, 2005)

great, badger.
but what I really want to see is the podium girl's skirt blowing up during the stage presentation.
anyone seen this photo posted online?


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## yarble (Dec 16, 2005)

12345


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## chuckice (Aug 25, 2004)

yarble said:


> 12345


OMG.


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## Tschai (Jun 19, 2003)

bigmig19 said:


> Anybody who ASKS a better competitor to LET him win is a 1st class low life. Let alone going back on his word a year later (a lesser offense to me because both riders should ride to win both years). NO other sport would alow that to go on without completely excommunicating that athlete to the hall of shame. Great rider, but 4 wins.


Perhaps, but I think any better competitor that actually allows the lessor competitor to win is also the same kind of low life. I understand he was young and that there were other factors, but Lemond should not have listened, even if there were big consequences as a result. At the end of the day, if you can win, you gotta go for it, period. Same logic applies to all those yahoos that think Valverde taking Stage 1 was a mistake. If you can win, you gotta go for it. 

Nonetheless, Lemond is probably my favorite rider. Hinault is also up there. Lance is not even on my list.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Tschai said:


> Perhaps, but I think any better competitor that actually allows the lessor competitor to win is also the same kind of low life. I understand he was young and that there were other factors, but Lemond should not have listened, even if there were big consequences as a result. At the end of the day, if you can win, you gotta go for it, period. Same logic applies to all those yahoos that think Valverde taking Stage 1 was a mistake. If you can win, you gotta go for it.
> 
> Nonetheless, Lemond is probably my favorite rider. Hinault is also up there. Lance is not even on my list.


LeMond was working for Hinault in '85. As long as Hinault had a shot at winning, then LeMond was obligated to wait. Going against the trend and doing his own thing almost surely would have got him ostracized in some fashion. By this time Hinault was an Icon and LeMond was not.

Just last year you saw Kloeden slow down and wait for Vino, even though Kloeden had a legitimate shot at winning the race.

But since none of us are pro riders, who can say what would really happen if you went against team rules and a cycling icon?


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## Tschai (Jun 19, 2003)

Einstruzende said:


> LeMond was working for Hinault in '85. As long as Hinault had a shot at winning, then LeMond was obligated to wait. Going against the trend and doing his own thing almost surely would have got him ostracized in some fashion. By this time Hinault was an Icon and LeMond was not.
> 
> Just last year you saw Kloeden slow down and wait for Vino, even though Kloeden had a legitimate shot at winning the race.
> 
> But since none of us are pro riders, who can say what would really happen if you went against team rules and a cycling icon?


I believe Lemond claimed his coaches lied to him, which as far as I am concerned trumps all of the alleged old school obligations. Besides, per Hinault's own code, the best rider is supposed to win. As to the Kloden/Vino situation, it simply does not compare to the 1986 Tour scenario. Moreover, turns out neither one was able to win.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

Sorry, I'm late to this thread. Now _who_ is that red-faced munchkin jumping across the stage?


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## edhchoe (Jun 3, 2007)

Creakyknees said:


>


Is that our George Hincapie in the neon green vest!!!


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## ti-triodes (Aug 14, 2006)

HevyHittr said:


> He's a complete piece of ****. It would have been much better if the protester kicked him square in the balls. He completely f'ed over LeMonde, if it wasn't for his team manager holding him back, he would've crushed Hinault. Then him going back on his word the next TDF after saying he was going to support Greg for the win? You better believe 4 time winner.



Wow, you sure know how to hold a grudge don't you? What is it, 23 years? 

Are you sure you're not Greg LeMond's mult?


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## HevyHittr (Apr 5, 2008)

No grudge, just hate to see people heap(okay heap may be a stretch, but you get what I mean) praise onto a guy who cant stand by his word. I can see the first time LeMond got screwed (85)was really on his coaches, and him being there to support Hinault. But in '86 that was a complete about face on Bernies part. No excuses. He's not a guy I would want backing me up anywhere. Hopefully, but I doubt it, his "manufactured" win in '85 keeps him up at night occasionally.


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## bigmig19 (Jun 27, 2008)

I guess when you are tiny and old (short man's disease), its easy to punch people because nobody expects it ("thats assault brother"). Its funny, my non-cycling friends ask questions (right around the armstong era) about cycling like "how it can be a team sport?" Its hard to splain' it to them, but nothing is harder to explain than this "working for Hinault" crap. I understand there is a captain on the team and all, but in LeMonds case he was poised to win the yellow and is/was already a good climber and TT'er. They literally told him to let Hinault win. Try explaning that to anyone with a sense fair competion and integrity. Hasnt there been several examples in recent years of 
2nd tier GC guys taking up the leader role when the presumptive leader faltered? 5th win was a gift.. weak.


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## wesmon (May 23, 2004)

Here's the video of it.

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

Whether you like him or not, Bernard did the right thing.


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## HevyHittr (Apr 5, 2008)

Obviously you're referring to him throwing the protester off the stage.


wesmon said:


> Here's the video of it.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BczZrJyVjJY
> 
> Whether you like him or not, Bernard did the right thing.


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## robbyracer (May 30, 2007)

Don't eff with the Badger. He'll stage dive your protesting ass!!!!


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## wesmon (May 23, 2004)

HevyHittr said:


> Obviously you're referring to him throwing the protester off the stage.


Yes, throwing the protester off the stage.


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## gh1 (Jun 7, 2008)

I think its time to bury the Hinault and Lemond conflict. I loved watching both of them race. We got like 30 minutes worth of coverage on Sundays and it was still great. Wished we had the versus coverage back then where we could have actually seen some of the race.


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## cbuchanan (Mar 6, 2006)

Hinault did the right thing, good on him for that. It was awesome to watch it live and kind of ask myself WTF?


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## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

I became a big Hinault fan this week. Way to act like a man.


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## ilan (Nov 27, 2006)

Hinault and ASO were very lucky that the person wasn't hurt falling from that podium. In fact, it was a clear case of assault. Moreover, in France, the right to demonstrate is respected, as shown in the numerous peaceful negotiations between ASO and demonstrators as happened this year and in 2003, it usually ends up with the demonstrators congratulating the riders and trying to shake their hands. Even the French Eurosport commentator remarked that Hinault's action was wrong. 

For all the people here who thought Hinault was right, I hope you get run off the road by a homologous ******* in a fit of road rage when slowed down by bicyclists using public roads merely for exercise, that will teach you a thing or two about promiscuous violence. 

-ilan


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## Patti (May 20, 2008)

Ilan,

I'd agree with you if Hinault had started punching the guy or something. But what about the right of Samuel Dumoulin, the stage winner? That may have been the shining moment of his career. He undoubtedly worked years for that moment... a Tour de France victory... something to tell his grandkids about! Then that demonstrator, with no regard to what that moment meant to Dumoulin, jumps out there to selfishly spoil it. 

I still say hats off to Hinault!

Patti


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

ilan said:


> Hinault and ASO were very lucky that the person wasn't hurt falling from that podium. In fact, it was a clear case of assault. Moreover, in France, the right to demonstrate is respected, as shown in the numerous peaceful negotiations between ASO and demonstrators as happened this year and in 2003, it usually ends up with the demonstrators congratulating the riders and trying to shake their hands. Even the French Eurosport commentator remarked that Hinault's action was wrong.
> 
> For all the people here who thought Hinault was right, I hope you get run off the road by a homologous ******* in a fit of road rage when slowed down by bicyclists using public roads merely for exercise, that will teach you a thing or two about promiscuous violence.
> 
> -ilan


Any respect that the demonstrator should have been shown, was complete thrown out the window when he failed to show any respect for the rider on the podium, IMO. 

Do you really think Hinault pushing someone off the stage is equal to someone using a motor vehicle to run a cyclist off the road? 

I'm not saying shoot the guy, but pushing him off the podium is pretty mild.


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## ilan (Nov 27, 2006)

ChuckUni said:


> Any respect that the demonstrator should have been shown, was complete thrown out the window when he failed to show any respect for the rider on the podium, IMO.
> 
> Do you really think Hinault pushing someone off the stage is equal to someone using a motor vehicle to run a cyclist off the road?
> 
> I'm not saying shoot the guy, but pushing him off the podium is pretty mild.


It's not a question of respect, that has nothing to do with it. It's a question of legality, Hinault's act is assault, which is illegal. Furthermore, you can get really hurt falling awkwardly off that podium as much as being run off the road by a motor vehicle. 

Security guards are trained in legal issues and would normally not behave this way, though there have been problems with Tour security in the past (one year I believe they beat up some guy who slowed them down driving back down the hill after the Alpe d'Huez stage). It is true that they were inefficient in letting the person get by them onto the podium, but since he wasn't endangering anyone, his safety should have not been put at risk.

You can be excused for not knowing French law, but Hinault, who now represents the Tour organization cannot be. He has once again proved himself to be a reckless ignorant *******. By the way, since I live in France, I see such people all the time who will take as much time as they deem necessary to threaten to beat you up just for slowing them down in their car (which is yet another irrational aspect of their screwed up "code of honor") and if ever they actually illegally assault someone, you can see them strutting around after just like Hinault, having finally fulfilled their male biological imperative. 

-ilan


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## ilan (Nov 27, 2006)

Patti said:


> Ilan,
> 
> I'd agree with you if Hinault had started punching the guy or something. But what about the right of Samuel Dumoulin, the stage winner? That may have been the shining moment of his career. He undoubtedly worked years for that moment... a Tour de France victory... something to tell his grandkids about! Then that demonstrator, with no regard to what that moment meant to Dumoulin, jumps out there to selfishly spoil it.
> 
> ...


Either you live in a jungle where people are assaulted for doing something annoying or you're one of the jurors who acquitted OJ. Remember that most of us live in civilized countries in which there are laws which punish assault on people who are not threatening life or limb. To put it another way, I hope that one day you are charged with assault for a case similar to Hinault's and hear how much more the judge sentences you after he's heard your "code of honor" defense. Those extra thousandd of hours of community service will put you up to speed on how the legal system applies to violent acts.

-ilan


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

Has the demonstrator made an attempt to charge Hinault with assault? If so, I am sure your legal system will be able to determine if Hinault is guilty of assault or not.

And how does OJ fit in to this? He was acquitted by process of the legal system. Reasonable doubt and all. You and I weren't presented the case, as were the jurors. It's setup as to not wrongly convict. Sometimes it might get it wrong, but hopefully spares the innocent. A process of civilized society you know.

Or maybe we can just convict based on what we saw on TV...

All that aside, most won't go starting trouble and expect no ill results from it, legal or illegal.


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## Patti (May 20, 2008)

ilan said:


> Either you live in a jungle where people are assaulted for doing something annoying or you're one of the jurors who acquitted OJ. Remember that most of us live in civilized countries in which there are laws which punish assault on people who are not threatening life or limb. To put it another way, I hope that one day you are charged with assault for a case similar to Hinault's and hear how much more the judge sentences you after he's heard your "code of honor" defense. Those extra thousandd of hours of community service will put you up to speed on how the legal system applies to violent acts.
> 
> -ilan


Huh??? * Why the personal insults, Ilan?* I did not attack you. All I did was state my opinion, which mostly consisted of concern for Samuel Dumoulin since it was his moment that was spoiled. 

Patti


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## ilan (Nov 27, 2006)

Patti said:


> Huh??? * Why the personal insults, Ilan?* I did not attack you. All I did was state my opinion, which mostly consisted of concern for Samuel Dumoulin since it was his moment that was spoiled.
> 
> Patti


I'm sorry if you felt it was a personal attack. The reason this whole Hinault incident so annoys me is that I live in France and I have to daily deal with aging male jerks just like him who quickly escalate into violence when they feel that their own personal set of rules has been violated. In particular, I get run off the road by motorists who feel I slow them down, and when I'm a pedestrian they will often get out of their car to challenge me to a fight if I insist too much on my right to walk at a pedestrian crosswalk. Also I live across the street from a Cafe where one time a homeless person knocked down their flower pot which was (illegally) placed on the street and two waiters came charging out and beat him up right in front of the place. Afterwards they were strutting around with pride. Once again that was a case of assault, though none of them realized it, total ignorance of the law. The most annoying thing is that the cafe actually sponsors a bicycle team, the only one I was considering joining, but there is no way I am going to have their name on my jersey after that incident.

Basically, rapid escalation to violence due to total ignorance of the law is fairly common in some areas of France (mostly the Paris region and on open roads) and I have to deal with it every time I step out the door to my house.

-ilan


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## Patti (May 20, 2008)

ilan said:


> I'm sorry if you felt it was a personal attack.


Ilan, I did not *feel* it was a personal attack... it WAS a personal attack. 

I understand your being "annoyed" by what goes on over there. From what you've described, I'm sure I would be too. I even understand if you have sympathy for the protestor.... I just happen to have sympathy for the stage winner instead since he was the real innocent in all this. 

But I repeat, that does not give you the right to launch into an unprovoked personal attack on me. 

Patti


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