Classy Behavior! Tour de France Fans Spat at Armstrong

[BlackRain]

Tour director says fans spat at Armstrong
Wed 21 July, 2004 19:44

L'ALPE D'HUEZ, France (*******) - Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc has admitted he had seen fans spit at five-times champion Lance Armstrong during the 15.5-km time trial to L'Alpe d'Huez.

Leblanc also said the swarming crowds on the twisting climb on Wednesday had frightened him as riders, including Armstrong, were forced to weave through excited fans who jumped out on to the road.

"I was scared too and I felt relieved when we reached the section with barriers," Leblanc told ******* after stage winner Armstrong described the stage as a "bad idea" and hit out at some German fans.

"Until this morning, everybody thought this time trial was a good idea and now we realised it was not so.

"There were lots of aggressive fans surrounding the riders and I even saw two idiots spit at Lance Armstrong."

"Unfortunately I doubt you can put barriers on the 14 kilometres of the climb," he added.

Armstrong, who stormed to victory nearly a minute ahead of his closest challenger Jan Ullrich and now looks set for a record sixth Tour win, urged organisers to think seriously about holding another time trial at the ski resort.

"I don't know if that's such a good thing for the Tour de France. I don't think it's safe. I think organisers should watch out," said the American.

[SeanAshi]

Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc has admitted he had seen fans spit at five-times champion Lance Armstrong during the 15.5-km time trial to L'Alpe d'Huez.
All I have to say is....6 time Tour de France champion in a row!

[WolverineBlue]

BlackRain -- we have an Armstrong thread in the off-topic forum. Hope you don't mind I posted this article there.

Thanks!

[BlackRain]

Here is another instance of European fans targeting Armstrong last Friday:


Armstrong, now just 22 seconds off the lead after yesterday's Stage 13 win, was spit on Friday and booed yesterday by some orange-clad Basque fans who seemed angry that their homebred hero, Iban Mayo, tried to quit the race halfway up the mountain yesterday.

Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.tour18jul18,0,339125.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines

[duck]

It's disgraceful behavior towards an outstanding athlete and human being. The Tour management is all too keen on publicity and TV coverage and not paying any attention to the safety of the participants.

[Kilgor]

He needs to ride behind a german panzer, then he would be safe !

:P

[Zarathustra]

The germans ullrich fans are a bit jealous, I unterstand them but what can they do ? Armstrong is the best, that's it ! But the bad behaviour of a part of them today is unnacceptable, even if they were to many people on the "alpe d'huez", almost 1 000 000 million people on about 15 Kms ( 20 miles ) said the TV, very impressive...

[ChuckThunder]

Here is another instance of European fans targeting Armstrong last Friday:


Armstrong, now just 22 seconds off the lead after yesterday's Stage 13 win, was spit on Friday and booed yesterday by some orange-clad Basque fans who seemed angry that their homebred hero, Iban Mayo, tried to quit the race halfway up the mountain yesterday.

Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.tour18jul18,0,339125.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines

rofl

[Kitsune]

Unfortunately there are always some jerks who take sports too serious. With soccer there are hooligans, and not even the Tour de France seems to be secure. But what can one do? All it takes is the one asshole in a million normal fans.

:|

[Olybrius]

that belongs to the Tour, it can be sometimes a little bit unpleasant but there are no way (and no desire) to park several millions people. I remember to have seen Hinault , several times, knocking some spectators p-) ... without whining at the end of the stage..
Nobody is forced to take part to the Tour ;)

[Shake n Bake]

I guess Lance will just have to wipe off all that spit with the yellow jersey. :)

[BlackRain]

that belongs to the Tour, it can be sometimes a little bit unpleasant but there are no way (and no desire) to park several millions people. I remember to have seen Hinault , several times, knocking some spectators p-) ... without whining at the end of the stage..
Nobody is forced to take part to the Tour ;)

Ah, now you are rationalizing bad behaviour, tres noble.

[MEGR]

I don't think politcs, or "the war" should have anything to do with the Tour de France.

[Olybrius]

that belongs to the Tour, it can be sometimes a little bit unpleasant but there are no way (and no desire) to park several millions people. I remember to have seen Hinault , several times, knocking some spectators p-) ... without whining at the end of the stage..
Nobody is forced to take part to the Tour ;)

Ah, now you are rationalizing bad behaviour, tres noble.

We are speaking about Tour de France, not Abu Graib ...
the passion of the spectators belong to the legend of the Tour since it's creation , and despite dozens of millions people every year, there never was dangerous excesses.
Armstrong has to deal with that , as all others champions did in the past.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

I don't think politcs, or "the war" should have anything to do with the Tour de France.

Nobody said it does, more likely its some jealous fan. I guess some people made some bets and are about to lose big time :lol: Unfortuneatly it only takes 1 idiot in a crowd to start something....

[Jehuty]

Unfortuneatly it only takes 1 idiot in a crowd to start something....

And only one Black Rain to start a thread about it.

[EvanL]

Unfortuneatly it only takes 1 idiot in a crowd to start something....

And only one Black Rain to start a thread about it.
C'est enervement oui?

[cut]

Obviously spitting at anyone is disgusting. Is it really necessary though for Blackrain to post every minor* incident just so he can bash the French or Europeans in general?

*Yes this is minor, compared to real international issues and the likes of Sudan that really don't get enough coverage.

[EvanL]

Obviously spitting at anyone is disgusting. Is it really necessary though for Blackrain to post every minor* incident just so he can bash the French or Europeans in general?

*Yes this is minor, compared to real international issues and the likes of Sudan that really don't get enough coverage.
Oh man i love it when you make sense.
It makes you look so.........Suave ;)

[hank]

Spitting at the Tour has nothing to do with French or Germans, it has everything to do with WAY TOO MUCH BEER AND WINE. Those people sita around and drink for 48 hours and then the peloton is ther for 15-45 seconds. Frustrated drunks. For the time trials its even worse because they don't even know who is winning!

hank

[cut]

Spitting at the Tour has nothing to do with French or Germans, it has everything to do with WAY TOO MUCH BEER AND WINE. Those people sita around and drink for 48 hours and then the peloton is ther for 15-45 seconds. Frustrated drunks. For the time trials its even worse because they don't even know who is winning!

hank

:D good point, I hadn't thought of that

[Deuterium]

that belongs to the Tour, it can be sometimes a little bit unpleasant but there are no way (and no desire) to park several millions people. I remember to have seen Hinault , several times, knocking some spectators p-) ... without whining at the end of the stage..
Nobody is forced to take part to the Tour ;)

Ah, now you are rationalizing bad behaviour, tres noble.

We are speaking about Tour de France, not Abu Graib ...
the passion of the spectators belong to the legend of the Tour since it's creation , and despite dozens of millions people every year, there never was dangerous excesses.
Armstrong has to deal with that , as all others champions did in the past.

HAS dealt with it before. A man that has dealt with cancer doesn't worry about a little saliva; he's much more of a man than these cretins. That's why he is a 5 time champion.

[Flagg]

I don't know about you guys, but I like to assume the best in people.

Like maybe in France spitting on someone is considered to be a compliment.

[EvanL]

I don't know about you guys, but I like to assume the best in people.

Like maybe in France spitting on someone is considered to be a compliment.
it is in China! ;)

[Zarathustra]

Like maybe in France spitting on someone is considered to be a compliment.


Most of the supporter on the alps stages are not french, but foreign of this country ( tourist : italian, german, american, english or even spanish )

[Nizark]

NUKE PARIS!

[Milkman]

Moabs away!

[Zarathustra]

NUKE PARIS!


woot woot woot KILL 10 MILLIONS PEOPLE !!! woot woot woot





:roll:

[SeanAshi]

It has to be frustrating for Ullrich.

[hank]

It has to be frustrating for Ullrich.

Man you said it. He flew today and I'm sure he thought he had won when he finished under 41 minutes. Then Lance wnet and blew up a ub 41 on him. Smoking. Still, give Jan his due. Hardest thing to do is suffer liek that when you KNOW you will lose. Jan is one tough SOB and I take my hat off to him

hank

[SeanAshi]

Jan is one tough SOB and I take my hat off to him
Eventualy I believe he will win it all but it appears that he will finish again behind Lance. He's gotta keep his chin up and more hardwork in the off season come back next year.

[MEGR]

Sitting there waiting for a bunch of bikers has to be pretty boring.. Anyways, all crowds get rowdy, even in all events, and I think Hank said it when beer and whatever has something to do with it.

[Deuterium]

NUKE PARIS!


woot woot woot KILL 10 MILLIONS PEOPLE !!! woot woot woot





:roll:

Don't worry they'll kill themselves in the next heat-wave.

[Apogee]

HAS dealt with it before. A man that has dealt with cancer doesn't worry about a little saliva; he's much more of a man than these cretins. That's why he is a 5 time champion.

Well put

[WolverineBlue]

I suggest we put all new posts on the Armstrong thread in off-topics...a man can only spend most of his waking hours scanning militaryphotos.net for a good fight only so long... woot

[Deuterium]

I suggest we put all new posts on the Armstrong thread in off-topics...a man can only spend most of his waking hours scanning militaryphotos.net for a good fight only so long... woot

This is the perfect thread for this site. It allows US bashing and French bashing in one topic. Well almost pefect. If Lance was Jewish I think it would cover all the bases. Man just imagine....

[Zarathustra]

If Lance was Jewish I think it would cover all the bases. Man just imagine....


Who know ? Maybe he is... :)

[gilgoul]

I suggest we put all new posts on the Armstrong thread in off-topics...a man can only spend most of his waking hours scanning militaryphotos.net for a good fight only so long... woot

This is the perfect thread for this site. It allows US bashing and French bashing in one topic. Well almost pefect. If Lance was Jewish I think it would cover all the bases. Man just imagine....


What, didn`t you know that his grand mother ( maternal) was jew ? :D

(ok, this is BS, but it could have been fun

[Zarathustra]

I suggest we put all new posts on the Armstrong thread in off-topics...a man can only spend most of his waking hours scanning militaryphotos.net for a good fight only so long... woot

This is the perfect thread for this site. It allows US bashing and French bashing in one topic. Well almost pefect. If Lance was Jewish I think it would cover all the bases. Man just imagine....


What, didn`t you know that his grand mother ( maternal) was jew ? :D

(ok, this is BS, but it could have been fun


fine :hug: i was not far from the true !

[usa320]

I hope he wins just to stick it to the french.

he will anyways. THe man is a natural born winner.

[Olybrius]

Armstrong : i love France p-)

"People were not against me.Let us develop the things, I would not like to present the things in bad way:it is normal that the public feels emotions.It is as with football or basket with Chicago bulls.That does not touch my desire to concentrate me and win
...
It is the Tour de France which made me and I do not forget it.If one asks me the question to know which is my preferred country, apart from the United States, and Texas especially, I answer that it is France.I really think it.This is a country which has many things to bring, much beauty, much intelligence.I have good relationships with many people here, even if that is not seen.In any case, I learned how to like the place and the culture"


(google translation)
http://www.equipe.fr/Cyclisme/20040721_195027Dev.html

[Zarathustra]

Don't start stupid things here like " the french don't like armstrong" or other bull****, the only problem was some germans and basques jealous supporters ( because of the "bad" results of their champions ), that's all. Armstrong also speak a bit french and these people like the man who try to speak their ****ing difficult language... :P

[flickme]

Those good for nothin spittin on american french! :|

[BlackRain]

More news from Lance:


But for yesterday's tough climb in the French Alps, the fans were not only compressed into 10 miles, but cyclists had slowed to 15 mph.

Contact is almost inevitable. Armstrong fell after a collision with a fan during last year's race.

Many Europeans are openly contemptuous of the American.

That sentiment was captured in a roadside sign last week that read, "Lance Go Home."

As a result, Armstrong has bodyguards during the three-week race.

"Nothing against the French, but in France, they're after us," Armstrong said.



Jose Luis Rubiera, one of Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service teammates, said Wednesday's 16th stage was a new experience -- for all the wrong reasons.

"I never saw this part of sport before," Rubiera said. "Normally, everybody is supporting everybody else. On this climb, I saw a lot of people say not such good things. It's probably because Lance is the strongest and maybe they want to see another cyclist win."


Ullrich, 30, the 1997 Tour champion, made a break-away attempt during Tuesday's stage that was thwarted by the combined effort of the U.S. Postal Service and Basso's Danish CSC teams.

That failure may have sparked bad behavior a day later from some German fans, and Armstrong wasn't the only rider to complain.

Robbie McEwen, an Australian, said he had been frightened. Jens Voigt, a German riding for CSC, told several people that he too had been taunted and booed by German fans.

[Roger Rabbit]

Here is another instance of European fans targeting

When will people like you learn to stop tarring all Europeans with the same brush. A minority of people spat at Armstrong and they may or may not have been from Europe. Do you know the nationality of everyone who spat at Armstrong? Regardless if they were Europeans there were far more Europeans who did not spit at him.

[SeanAshi]

A minority of people spat at Armstrong and they may or may not have been from Europe. Do you know the nationality of everyone who spat at Armstrong?May or may not have... ;) Do you know?

[Deuterium]

Here is another instance of European fans targeting

When will people like you learn to stop tarring all Europeans with the same brush. A minority of people spat at Armstrong and they may or may not have been from Europe. Do you know the nationality of everyone who spat at Armstrong? Regardless if they were Europeans there were far more Europeans who did not spit at him.

Now you know how we US soldiers feel about the comments made on THIS forum about the Abu Graib incidents.

[moughoun]

So would now be a good time to bring up the Walker cup ;)

[Romulus]

Now you know how we US soldiers feel about the comments made on THIS forum about he Abu Graib incidents.

Good call. ;)

[Deuterium]

So would now be a good time to bring up the Walker cup ;)

Hey call a spade a spade. Bad sportsmanship or bad fans don't deserve any respect regardless of their nationality.

[moughoun]

So would now be a good time to bring up the Walker cup ;)

Hey call a spade a spade. Bad sportsmanship or bad fans don't deserve any respect regardless of their nationality.

I agree, but you seem to have missed some of the retarded post's in here "nuke Paris", wow

[AVZ]

Tour director says fans spat at Armstrong
Wed 21 July, 2004 19:44

L'ALPE D'HUEZ, France (*******) - Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc has admitted he had seen fans spit at five-times champion Lance Armstrong during the 15.5-km time trial to L'Alpe d'Huez.

Leblanc also said the swarming crowds on the twisting climb on Wednesday had frightened him as riders, including Armstrong, were forced to weave through excited fans who jumped out on to the road.

"I was scared too and I felt relieved when we reached the section with barriers," Leblanc told ******* after stage winner Armstrong described the stage as a "bad idea" and hit out at some German fans.

"Until this morning, everybody thought this time trial was a good idea and now we realised it was not so.

"There were lots of aggressive fans surrounding the riders and I even saw two idiots spit at Lance Armstrong."

"Unfortunately I doubt you can put barriers on the 14 kilometres of the climb," he added.

Armstrong, who stormed to victory nearly a minute ahead of his closest challenger Jan Ullrich and now looks set for a record sixth Tour win, urged organisers to think seriously about holding another time trial at the ski resort.

"I don't know if that's such a good thing for the Tour de France. I don't think it's safe. I think organisers should watch out," said the American.

All rght, but do you want to do?? It's the Tor de FRance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The problem is: How much does it take for a fan to put an driver down??Not much as we've seen in the last years( Armstrong)
I understand him(Armstrong) but it also stimulates him to drive faster!!!!!!!

But , of course, the security is very, very low!!!!!!!
The drivers just drive a feet aside the fans!!!!!!! THis has to be stopped!!!!!!!!




My american friends: Cheering for the best man of the Tour de France!!!!!!!! - ARMSTRONG!!

[BlackRain]

Lance Armstrong in one of the Pyrenees stages

http://homepage.mac.com/cfj/.Pictures/lance-and-basque.jpg

http://cache.*****images.com/comp/51089191.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=538EA340DCCBB2AD058E088C0290625EA9C30E9B9B114CE8


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040724/capt.ny15007241850.france_on_lance_ny150.jpg


As Armstrong raced toward unheard-of Tour de France glory, France is torn. Many resent a brash Texan muscling in on their beloved cycling classic. But how can you hate such a champ?(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

[Zarathustra]

Lance Armstrong in one of the Pyrenees stages

http://homepage.mac.com/cfj/.Pictures/lance-and-basque.jpg

http://cache.*****images.com/comp/51089191.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=538EA340DCCBB2AD058E088C0290625EA9C30E9B9B114CE8


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040724/capt.ny15007241850.france_on_lance_ny150.jpg


As Armstrong raced toward unheard-of Tour de France glory, France is torn. Many resent a brash Texan muscling in on their beloved cycling classic. But how can you hate such a champ?(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)


These people have nothing to be proud, what the hell is the ****ing link between the GWB politic and a great man as Armstrong ???

I have not enough words to qualify that, screw them !!! :fork:

[szr]

Don't Mess With Texas :P