Sir Dave Brailsford says abuse by spectators is “a French cultural thing”

alansmurphy wrote:

JF, you are drawing a conclusion that fits your rhetoric. He may well have deliberately stereotyped the French as a whole, alternatively he may have been saying it as he sees it, a cultural thing that is pertinent to French fans at TDF.

 

Let's face it, Sky have had it for years. There are many that call their approach robotic, many who don't like British winners, many who want a French winner, many who think Lance's tarnishing of their national event is a disgrace, many who don't think Hinault was a cheat or Bardet is massively flawed. They (as in the aforementioned) want a French winner, they feel it is acceptable to spit, throw urine and physically assault professional athletes. They are wrong!

I am from the alps (the flatier part) Saw TDF so many time over the years. You spend most of your day waiting in the sun arguing who's gonna win with the guy next to you. One thing is sure "they are wong" only you know best. At some point a few goodies are thrown at you by the carravane. Time to wake up. Then you see the bunch passing so fast in front of you that the only thing you have time to scream is "Allez ! Allez Allez". Then it's gone. You are free to support whoever you like you would be very lucky to see them at all. That's the spirit of it.

Roads are not covered with nails. Spits and buckets of urine are not flying accross the roads. There are no line-up of kamikazes trying to rugby tackle riders off their bikes.

There are a few idiots like in every gathering. And they will do silly shit such as breaking a shop window, jumping on an ambulance. In TDF they can get very close and they have spent a day drinking god knows what in the sun - hence the danger.

My rhetoric is that people who draws conclusions based on a few observations are giving in to their prejudices. Works for Sir Dave in this occasion. Works for whoever will go around at the pub with "all cyclists jump red light" or any other more disgraceful topic

jfparis wrote:

 

There are a few idiots like in every gathering. And they will do silly shit such as breaking a shop window, jumping on an ambulance. In TDF they can get very close and they have spent a day drinking god knows what in the sun - hence the danger.

You are probably right that this is about a very small minority but the comments by Lapartient and Hinault, which were totally out of order, encourage these idiots. Lapartient and Hinault have only thrown fuel on the fire. Hinault was my hero, and I still admire they way he rode, but as someone who is seen as an ambasador of the sport his behaviour was awful. As for Lapartient, as president of the UCI he should take responsability for the leak that led to the controversy about Froome's AAF, and he should have been defending the UCI's rules which state that a rider should be allowed to continue to race whilst and AAF is investigated. He is a disgrace and should resign. 

iandusud wrote:

You are probably right that this is about a very small minority but the comments by Lapartient and Hinault, which were totally out of order, encourage these idiots. Lapartient and Hinault have only thrown fuel on the fire.

Very important that one hears confitmation of their bias. In that business there are professional shit stirer (with some medias definitely playing thtat line), on-the-decline attention seekers that can't resist giving quote to the professional shit stirers and officials that can't resist talking even when hey shouldn't.

Pattern above apply to every single topic

jfparis wrote:

Quote:

a French cultural thing

Sir Brailsford's prejudices are transpiring, just a little bit

 

Well it appears to be a cultural thing that's happening in France... what else do you suggest he calls it?

alansmurphy wrote:

jfparis wrote:

Quote:

a French cultural thing

Sir Brailsford's prejudices are transpiring, just a little bit

Well it appears to be a cultural thing that's happening in France... what else do you suggest he calls it?

Based on a few observations, Sir Brailsford draws conclusion on the country "French Cultural Thing". One can follow the same though process with their own little pet peeve. This is called prejudice

jfparis wrote:

alansmurphy wrote:

jfparis wrote:

Quote:

a French cultural thing

Sir Brailsford's prejudices are transpiring, just a little bit

Well it appears to be a cultural thing that's happening in France... what else do you suggest he calls it?

Based on a few observations, Sir Brailsford draws conclusion on the country "French Cultural Thing". One can follow the same though process with their own little pet peeve. This is called prejudice

No, it's called rationale. So far the French fans are quacking like ducks and swimming in the water, so I think calling them ducks is ok.

Did UK football have a hooligan problem at one point? Yes.

Was a cultural thing? Yes.

Same deal here. Cycling hooligans.