Mike Says Meh|The blog of Mike Kauspedas | Hosting by www.gearhost.com

Scroll to 3:40 and watch as Theo Bos of Rabobank grabs the leader of the race (yellow jersey) Darril Impey and throws him into the barrier. The camera catches him near the bottom left of the screen and you can see the rider reach up, grab the guy by the jersey and throw him in. The announcer is absolutely correct, this should be a life time ban from the sport. This is the worst thing I have ever seen in sports, let alone cycling. Unbelievable.

http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube/?title=tot-09-st8-finish-crashes&id=aoEd0w-BmfI&w=560

If you think this was an accident. Watch Bos (in red), he grabs the jersey at the left shoulder and pulls the guy towards him. He wasn’t tapping him, he literally pulls him. It could “possibly” be that he was trying to drag him out of the way and the rider is just a complete moron and rookie but I find that hard to believe. Watch his arms, in HQ you can see him pulling. There’s some comments on the youtube video saying otherwise but I don’t think those guys have ever ridden a bike before. It is really easy to pull someone down. Most of these guys weigh between 160-175 and the bike weighs 15-16lbs. You’re clipped in to the pedals meaning attached. At this point the bike is part of you. Anyone that has ridden a road bike before knows this feeling. And if you’ve ridden a nice bike you know it even more.

This guy deserves a life time ban, period.

Update, Theo Bos defends himself.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/5200731/Theo-Bos-defends-himself-after-Daryl-Impey-pile-up.html

Even if it was not intentional by Bos its still a ban IMO. You don’t want someone that inexperienced in major races. There was a pile up into the barries at the end of Flanders. No one pulled anyone there. I understand its easy for me to talk, like I even know what its liek to be in that situation. I wouldn’t want to eat barrier. But when you cause a crash like that and basically put someone out of racing for a long time if not life its a ban. Intentional or note.

“Imprey suffered cracked vertebrae in his lower back and neck, chipped teeth and facial lacerations. He will miss next month’s Giro and could even miss the rest of the season.”

The giro is huge, its a big blow to his career. Especially after getting yellow.

This is one of those sporting incidents like Tyson biting that guy’s ear. You don’t have to watch cycling to understand how wrong this is.