Theo Bos To Switch Sports?

April 21, 2009 · Comments

You may not have seen this yet.  This is the crash that everybody’s been talking about in the final stage of the Presidential Tour of Turkey.   Fast forward to 3:41 and look at the bottom of the screen (watch in HQ).  Sure looks to me like Theo Bos intentionally man-handled Impey and threw him down.  But why would he throw Impey down infront of himself?   That’s the part that confuses me.

From cyclingnews:

Bos didn’t remember all the details, as things happened in a split second. “But I know for a fact that I just wanted to defend myself against him [Impey]. He came over to my side and I was as good as in the barrier.” The barriers, which were not put in a straight line, eventually caused the crash. “I touched a foot of one the barriers and that way brought down Impey,” Bos said.

Doesn’t look to me like Bos was defending himself.  Looks more like ice hockey than cycling.  Go Habs!

This got me thinking –  would it be such a bad idea for Theo to make the switch to ice hockey?   I mean, there’s no doubt that he possesses the offensive prowess that a team such as the Montreal Canadians could use in the playoffs.   He’d certainly make more money that the $47,000 a year he’s probably getting now and it would sure as hell open up a lot more options with the ladies  (all because of the $$ of course).

It might suit Theo better than you may think.  He’s already made a remarkable switch to road racing from the track and has shown quite a bit of potential.   I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t do the same transition to hockey.  How hard could it be?  A velodrome is approximately the same size as an ice rink so he’d feel right at home.   He’s Dutch so it’s likely that he’s spent a bit of time on the skates.  When in form I’m sure Theo could easily do a flying 200 from one end of the rink to the other and back in a hair over 9.772 seconds.

Bos could finally get a chance to show off his elusive win with a victory salute like no other cyclist in history has ever done.

boshockey

The maximum sanction Theo could possibly get for an infraction like his most recent is 2 minutes in the penalty box – and trust me, Don Cherry wouldn’t be crying “disgusting tactics” as in the video above.

bosshockey4

I think my argument has potential.  I’ll be calling my Montreal Canadians contacts immediately after my coffee break.

Sorry – Aussies…not sure you’ll fully appreciate my humour on this one.  Who knows…not certain the Canadians will either…

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  • Jakes
    I hear both sides of the story but I cannot help but wonder how Bos gets right up next to Impey if he was being so badly squeezed? Even the rider in front of Bos is closer to the barrier at the time of the incident.
  • He should not have grabbed that shirt, on the other hand he was pushed into the fence so it is possible he just panicked, it is all too human to make a mistake then... I think we should give Theo Bos the benefit of the doubt.
  • Don
    Given that the guy who led the Canadians in penalty minutes this season earned approx $850,000 USD, Theo should def change sports.
  • Martelino
    @Tim. Of course it's just your view and that's exactly why you shouldn't write "That was definitely a deliberate act", but use words like "in my view/opinion". Just a way to keep things clear.
  • Theo's comment from his websit
    The reactions to the crash in the Tour of Turkey are no laughing matter. On Youtube you can see how I seem to intentionally cause a crash. Even Lance Armstrong makes it known that I should be suspended for a long time. A reaction which I fully understand after seeing the images and hearing the accompanying commentary.

    Of course I also watched them myself, over and over. It is difficult to see in the view from above, it seems as though I pull him off his bike. However, I am completely boxed in there while being pushed into the barriers on the left and, as a reflex, the one thing I do is to make an ultimate attempt trying to keep him away from me. At that moment the only option, precisely to prevent the crash. I think I then hit a barrier foot with my front wheel and go crashing down immediately, together with Impey.

    Anyone who knows me well, knows that I would never intentionally take the risk to cause a crash this way. Why should I: I take myself out as well. For years I have been a track sprinter at the highest level. Keirin is notorious for its pushing and pulling, the taking of risks. But do note: in those circles I am not known as a sprinter who takes extreme risks. In Japan this even earned me my nickname. It is not in my character. This is really making me sick.

    For my transition from the track to the road I deliberately chose Rabobank's continental team. To learn the trade out of the limelight. I am not looking forward to being known for this. Naturally, I also told my story to Barloworld. I really feel sorry for Impey and have indicated to the team that I would like to discuss it with him, to tell my side of things. I have no reason to walk away from him but understand that he is angry.

    I feel like shit for having become headline news in this way. As a sportsman, I want to show that I am a different man. This is bugging me. I hope that there is more footage. Perhaps those videos can be viewed side by side and analysed frame by frame. I would give everything to prove that this was not my fault. It was never my intention. Not even in the heat of the battle. I will have to convince everyone that I win my sprints differently. I love this sport. Sport is on the cutting edge. Fair play is part of that in every way. It is never worth going beyond that!
  • Tim
    Sorry mate, but that's my view of it, agree with it nor not, it doesn't matter. It looked like a deliberate grab and sling, especially from the 2nd clip. If you compete in sport at all, you'll know that people do strange, and sometimes out of character, things when they're in the grip of adrenalin and fatigue.

    I think he should buy some skates and head for the nearest rink!
  • Martelino
    People like Tim who use words like "definitely a deliberate act and they should ban him" don't really contribute to a clear view on the incident. Just like all the commentators wichever country they're from, who were pointing at Bos the moment Impey hit the ground. Bos is a very professional rider and a good sport. Very amitious, yes.
    But most of all he is not insane! No biker would ever create a kamikaze crash like this at 65 km/h. He could get very badly injured himself.
    Looking at the slo-mo several times, it seems like he was being cornered into the fences, lost control and in reflex held on to Impey (wich was wrong).
  • bm
    this is what happened in my view. Bos is a very unexperienced road cyclist. he was about to go into the fence to the left. First natural reaction when you fall to the left is grab on to anything to the right. Stupid in those circumstances ofcourse, but because he's unexperienced it's the most natural reflex.
  • jg
    Theo's brother Jan is actually an olympic speed skater, so there are definitely some skating genes there.
  • Tommy P
    Amazing how people can look at the same piece of footage and see something completely different..!
  • with an arm like that he should take up discus - or javelin - or dwarf throwing - lots of crazy crashing finishes lately - must be some jittery nerves out there
  • Graham
    If you look at the slow mo several times and use pause/play/pause you will notice that the initial movement was to place a hand on his back (no grab yet) to keep Impey from pushing him into the barriers (deliberate move by Impey?? Don't know). When Bos hit the barriers (you can see his shoulder running along the barrier and the barriers moving - before the fall). Bos began to fall because Impey did not move out and continued to close the gap to the barriers and squeezed Bos even more. Bos was already on his way down when he hit the foot of a barrier. His hand moved up Impey's back grabbed the jersey near his shoulder and didn't let go, there bye pulling him down with him. Only Bos knows if it was reflex self survival or a deliberate move in anger at not being given any room. Impey is not faultless either (IMHO)
  • Mr T
    I'm sure Theo would do ok in the NHL. He's fast, explosive and (obviously) has an aggro streak. Though I don't see him getting the Habs back from 0-3 down somehow. You get to do better salutes their too!
  • Mike
    After looking at some videos of the crash and reading Bos's statement I dont think it was intentional. Look at the crappy job they did setting up the barriers and how close they were riding to them. Should he have put his hand up to Impey's back, no. But It is certainly believable that Bos's front wheel hit one of the barrier feet causing him to crash and take Impey down with him.
  • here's another video that shows the whole thing in slow mo. You make up your mind.

    http://picasaweb.google.de/hokmann/ExportierteV...

    Either way you call it, I still think Theo should consider hockey...
  • Go Anaheim!
  • sm
    Boss just got put into the barries as the road closed up, It did look like he pulled Impey down but but I think he was just trying to hold it up right.. Commentary probably doesn't help..
  • Tim
    That was definitely a deliberate act and they should ban him from the sport for it.
    Even in ice hockey you'd wear a significant penalty for something like that. (It does actually have rules!) Go Wings!
  • Jack Campbell
    That was pretty mad though, there is no way Bos would have thrown him like that, across the front of his own bike?!? BUT You would instinctively grab some ones shoulder if they had ridden you into the barrier and you were trying to regain your balance.
  • http://cyclocosm.com/2009/04/the-bos-impey-crash/ for a good and sensible perspective of the crash.
  • CM
    you never see the experienced road cyclists pull shit like that. Only the new ones. Bos may be experienced on the track, but he has no respect for the rules on the road
  • Mike
    Take a look at the barriers. They were zig zagging all over the place.
  • Danny
    Fark! There's no way Bos was "defending himself". No sure his reasoning behind doing that though...
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