Have you noticed the increasing 'unruly' spectators on the hill climbs this year? Those steep narrow roads where the crowds move into the centre and seem reluctant to move out of the way to allow the racers thru.
Well that attitude has got worse in this years Giro with the exitable Italian public determined to either touch the racer or to wave at the camera. Saturdays race finish was the traditional uphill and the Heli camera showed disgraceful shots of spectators walking back uphill to the car parks once the main peloton group had gone thru and being punched by the struggling racers trying to get to the finish line and so get a finish time.
I know its not new and its always been part of the scene, but I feel it wont be long now before theres another major incident (like the Armstrong fall) which could put an end to this form of racing on public safety grounds.
"taywood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Have you noticed the increasing 'unruly' spectators on the hill climbs this year? Those steep narrow roads where the crowds move into the centre and seem reluctant to move out of the way to allow the racers thru.
Well that attitude has got worse in this years Giro with the exitable Italian public determined to either touch the racer or to wave at the camera. Saturdays race finish was the traditional uphill and the Heli camera showed disgraceful shots of spectators walking back uphill to the car parks once the main peloton group had gone thru and being punched by the struggling racers trying to get to the finish line and so get a finish time.
I know its not new and its always been part of the scene, but I feel it wont be long now before theres another major incident (like the Armstrong fall) which could put an end to this form of racing on public safety grounds.
We were on Angilu (sp) for the Vuelta a couple of years ago. As soon as the first riders passed, the Spanish crowds just swarmed into the road and headed back down the mountain oblivious to the poor cyclists fighting their way through them. We just couldn't believe thier attitude.
