Le Tour de Crash: Big names come tumbling down on another day of carnage

[Baclava]

16. Wiggins: Waiting seemed the honourable thing to do

With rumours of over 30 punctures in the peloton - plus flat tyres for five motorcycles that were part of the race entourage, and a number of cars - it was obvious that the 14th stage of the Tour de France was affected by sabotage.

“There were so many punctures at once that it was obvious that something had happened. We went up the climb hard. Nothing happened. And obviously it seems logical to wait; we were 17 minutes behind the breakaway... when everyone punctured at once it made sense to ride easy for a couple of kilometres so everybody could get their wheels changed. The climb was so narrow that the team cars were a long way back and waiting seemed the honourable thing to do."

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/stage-14/news/int/wiggins-waiting-seemed-the-honourable-thing-to-do.html


Tour de France competitions director Jean-Francois Pescheux was at a loss to explain the sabotage that affected the 14th stage.

Around 30 riders punctured near the top of the Mur de Peguere, with Robert Kiserlovski forced to abandon the race after suffering a collarbone injury in a crash near the scene.

"We don't know who it was. No-one saw anything," Pescheux said. We've found some of the tacks. They're the kind of tacks you use in mattresses or carpets. They were obviously thrown by a spectator.

"There were around 50 riders together in the front peloton at the top and about 30 of them ended up with punctures. Some of them had three or four nails in their tires.

"There are always some idiots out there. What else can I say."

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/stage-14/news/int/wiggins-waiting-seemed-the-honourable-thing-to-do.html