Motorcycles hold up professional cyclists
“Distortion of competition” on tour enrages Zimmermann
07/21/2023 11:57 am
The Tour de France is the largest cycling event in the world – but this year motorcycles are always the focus. They stand in the way of the pros several times, and the overall leaders Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar are also held up. Professional cyclist Georg Zimmermann is upset by this.
Professional cyclist Georg Zimmermann has criticized the influence of motorcycles in racing at the Tour de France. “A huge problem in cycling and, in my opinion, the biggest distortion of competition at the moment is that the motorcycles give slipstreams,” said the 25-year-old from Augsburg in an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
The problem is not new, but it always causes criticism from the drivers. “If you’re second and ten seconds behind someone in front of a motorcycle, then you can pant your heart out as you want, you won’t get there,” Zimmermann continued. The mountain specialist has shown strong performances on his third tour so far. He experienced his highlight when he took second place on the tenth stage and only narrowly failed to win the day.
George Zimmerman.
(Photo: IMAGO/Panoramic International)
On the current tour, there were mainly negative headlines because two press bikes outbraked Tadej Pogacar before the pass of the Col de Joux Plane during the 14th stage and thus prevented the Slovenian from attacking Jonas Vingegaard. The tour organization ASO then punished the two motorcyclists as well as the cameraman and photographer.
Vingegaard and Pogacar affected
While downplaying the incident, Pogacar admitted he wasted his strength unnecessarily. His manager Joxean Matxin found clearer words: “Of course it can happen, but the rules of the UCI are clear. Driving two meters away is unacceptable.” The photographer then apologized: “I will not defend the untenable. We shouldn’t be in this situation. I should have asked my biker to distance me faster and earlier.”
On the 17th stage it was overall leader Vingegaard who was slowed down by a motorcycle. There were also sanctions afterwards, this time for the former French professional cyclist Thomas Voeckler. The crowd pleaser, who rode the motorcycle for French television, and his pilot were suspended for the 18th stage of the Tour and fined 500 Swiss francs.
The two came to a standstill on a steep section of the Col de la Loz on Wednesday and forced other escort vehicles to stop. As a result, the way was blocked for overall leader Vingegaard and Frenchman Thibaut Pinot – they had to get off their bikes for a short time and maneuver through the vehicles.