“If three drivers stay ahead against 9 others, are they just the strongest or is the law of the engines in play?”
Karl Vannieuwkerke threw it at his guests’ feet. A specialist sat down with Alain Remue, commissioner of the Missing Persons Unit. He is often on the bike in Flemish races as an “ardoisier”, the man who indicates the time differences.
“We have already seen strange things in this Tour. Of course it is not always obvious. I sometimes have the feeling that we in Flanders are a lot more professional than what I have now seen from ASO. With good agreements, solid briefings and a regulator that does its job.”
The regulator is the one who has to steer everything in the right direction. But that is precisely where the shoe pinches, according to Remue. “I sometimes have the feeling here in the Tour that the regulator does not dare to do its job.”
“A regulator ensures that the course can be fair. Everyone has to ride in their place and do their job, but you have to take into account how the course works.”
“You have to anticipate, know your course. Where does it narrow, where are there risks? Above all, you have to dare to make decisions and send motorcycles away.”
“If car number 10 of the ASO stopped on the col, it’s because it was too close. If a car comes to a stop, there must still be room so that it can leave before the riders arrive. You have to deal with that as a regulator. Our system in Flanders works. I have the impression that it doesn’t always work here.”
Although he toned it down a bit afterwards, Jasper Philipsen insinuated immediately after the ride that the engines did not influence the course for the first time.
Sep Vanmarcke, recently ex-rider, understands the frustration. “Unfortunately, the course is sometimes determined by the engine. Even though there were three very strong men in the front.”
“I used to have to make sure that I had the wheel of the absolute toppers before they attacked. They can attack hard and the engine cannot estimate how fast they will go.”
“Before you know it, you will be in the wake. If you are not close to the wheel, you are sometimes too late. Especially if the strongest men go.”
Fewer engines, according to Alain Remue, that is the solution to avoid similar problems in the future.
“Before the start I saw all the engines in front of the peloton. There were maybe 30 of them and I wondered: do they all have a job? Can’t we throw a few out? You have to visualize it and there are a few engines that you really need. But I think you can filter.”
2023-07-21 21:31:19
#Bordjesman #Alain #Remue #motorcycle #incidents #Tour #Feeling #professional #Flanders #ASO
