Amid the chaotic scenes on Mont Ventoux yesterday when Richie Porte (BMC Racing), Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) crashed after piling into the back of motorbike which had been stopped by crowds, a video has been posted showing Nairo Quintana (Movistar) hanging onto the back of Mavic motorbike on the climb.

The video was posted by Twitter user @assekevin and was filmed at the spot where the accident took place.

Froome can be seen setting off with his broken bike as Porte gets a push from spectators. Seconds later, Quintana who had been dropped rides past holding onto a wheel on the back of a Mavic support motorbike.

57 COMMENTS

  1. Starting to lose all respect for Quintana. Refuses to actually race and now caught cheating at a time that as far as he was concerned he was potentially gaining time on a crashed yellow jersey wearer.

    • An energy gel is a bit different to taking a tow from a motorbike, especially to get past a crash 😉 I use to really like Quintana but he’s not doing himself any favours 🙁

      • Really, are you serious, i bet if he asnt holding to that bike he probably would be going att he same speed due to the crowd. I mean after someone falls i would think it safer to hold on to something so it wont happen to you as well. Plus is not like was holding on to the bike that long.

    • An energy gel is a bit different to taking a tow from a motorbike, especially to get past a crash 😉 I use to really like Quintana but he’s not doing himself any favours 🙁

    • I think he’s struggling, Froome is clearly stronger, but how much time would Froome have lost without that gel? More than the 20 second penalty! I just hope Quintana and Porte can make a race out of it in the last week

    • I think he’s struggling, Froome is clearly stronger, but how much time would Froome have lost without that gel? More than the 20 second penalty! I just hope Quintana and Porte can make a race out of it in the last week

    • If it was Chris Froome he would have cycled up not taken an illegal tow. I like Quintana but this is blatant cheating. Nibali was thrown off the Vuelta for taking an illegal tow.

    • Bullshit – if you recall, Froome was “disqualified” from the 2010 Giro for taking a toe up a mountain from a moto to get to his team car, even though he had already radioed in and retired from the race. He quit due to injury and was way behind the peloton, but still got penalised by the UCI. No special treatment for him. If Quintana doesn’t get disqualified for holding on to a motorbike in the last few kilometers of a stage where he is trying to get time on the yellow jersey to go for an overall win, then there’s something very wrong with the rules.

    • And Niall King, have you seen those crowds? I would probably have punched more than one of them in the face. Three riders came off their bikes yesterday because of unruly fans and it’s up to the UCI to protect the riders’ safety during the race – that’s why they didn’t disqualify Froome for hitting that guy to stay out of the way. They did fine him though, so again, no special treatment.

  2. He just seems so passive on the road as regards tactics. No point in waiting till the last couple of stages and going on big attacks, more than likely too late. Sky race from week one whereas Movistar seem to just wait and see.

  3. Hard to defend but probably couldn’t get around the moto and just grabbed on to stop crashing into it if it stopped suddenly due to crazy crowds etc. don’t think he is that kind of rider. Willing to give him benefit of the doubt given the situation.

    Noting being said about Frooms abuse of the yellow jersey on the 32km to go mark. Pulling up for Stannard and Row when they crashed therefore neutralising the race until he had he’s friends back in to ride/protect him.

  4. I started out hoping Quintana would win but I am now shouting for Froomey. Quintana is just so one dimensional and this video just proves it. At least Contador, Nibali and Froome are good TV

  5. Really, are you serious, i bet if he asnt holding to that bike he probably would be going att he same speed due to the crowd. I mean after someone falls i would think it safer to hold on to something so it wont happen to you as well. Plus is not like was holding on to the bike that long.

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