# Stage 3: SPOILER



## fossyant (6 Jul 2010)

It's started...everyone is having a bun fight in Stage 2 !


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

Cummings going strong in the front pack!


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## NickM (6 Jul 2010)

Exciting! - this almost makes it worth coming to work 

_Almost_, I said


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## iAmiAdam (6 Jul 2010)

Tbh, they need to start closing the break away now.


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## iAmiAdam (6 Jul 2010)

Simon Gerrains is down.


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## fossyant (6 Jul 2010)

There is going to be a great 'crash' video of this years tour...awesome !!!!!


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## accountantpete (6 Jul 2010)

Cav has had a problem - making his way back up now probably after adjusting his bike for the Pave.


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## rsvdaz (6 Jul 2010)

is this live (video) online anywhere free?


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Yay here come the cobbles.


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

aargh, my live feed has been taken down and cyclingfans also seems to be gone - is anything happening? Is there a working live feed anywhere?


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## Landslide (6 Jul 2010)

I've not got a hope in hell of getting to watch live, but is there a live text feed anywhere?


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## NickM (6 Jul 2010)

Landslide said:


> I've not got a hope in hell of getting to watch live, but is there a live text feed anywhere?


http://live.cyclingnews.com/11.html


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Cunego's gone down into a crash into some bushes. Other than that not too much.


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Don't know all the names of the riders smeggers. Gap's coming down at a fair rate.


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Cummins is going for it, just as well, nearly reeled the breakaway in just as they got to the bad stuff. A few seconds more and that might have been that.


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

One of the Schlecks is down in a big crash. Still lying down .


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Frank.

Massive crash, really bad.


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## NickM (6 Jul 2010)

I'm off home now. There's a stretch of cobbles on my route


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

NickM said:


> I'm off home now. There's a stretch of cobbles on my route



do you live on coronation street?


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

Armstrong flats!


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

This is a really excellent stage. Bit like the white roads in the Giro, it is really shaking things up and bringing the strong men to the front.


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

Phrrrrrp!


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Chavanel has punctured too.


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

There's some seriously hard people in the chasing group. Going to be an interesting finish.


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Cancellara is now pushing it really hard. Thomas is a bit of a revelation this year, isn't he?


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

Super G's in that chasing group as well i've just noticed. Excellent race so for for the spleenless taff.


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Cancellara is now pushing it really hard. Thomas is a bit of a revelation this year, isn't he?




And i'm gonna try to not post the same thing at the same time as FM.


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Is he not going to get an earful if he loses Schleck off the group? Or has Schleck got enough time at present over Contador, Lance etc?


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## iAmiAdam (6 Jul 2010)

Well, schlecks ruined my chance of gaining any fantasy league points today.


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

He's pulling Schleck along with him. I think that's part of the point. He'll probably be allowed to go for the win at the end, once he know Schleck is realtively safe in the front.


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

damn, there goes my feed, and cyclingfans, again...


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Armstrong's trying to go up to the Contador group I think, was quoted as 1 min 44 secs down. another puncture for Chavanel .


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## iAmiAdam (6 Jul 2010)

Anyone see chavanel throw his bike down in disgust?

What does he expect when he rides in the gutter.


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## Landslide (6 Jul 2010)

Should've taken primary?


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## Crankarm (6 Jul 2010)

If Lance makes up the 1'10" to catch the group infront including Contadour it will be one of the best recoveries ever ........ But Fabian is pushing the group in front.


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

He has. It has been a champion's performance from Armstrong today.


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Gotta see some attacks now in the last km


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Hushovd, Thomas, Evans - great ride by Thomas


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Thought Evans had a bit more in him but well done Hushovd. Guess they'll be pleased with the time.

Vino lost contador .


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## Landslide (6 Jul 2010)

Hope no-one else falls off, I've got 4 of the first 6 in my Velogames squad...


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## Crankarm (6 Jul 2010)

marinyork said:


> Thought Evans had a bit more in him but well done Hushovd. Guess they'll be pleased with the time.
> 
> *Vino* lost contador .


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Also fantastic by Wiggins. Cav is up there too in one of the top groups!


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## zimzum42 (6 Jul 2010)

Today's stage was very difficult to follow with the German commentary, wish they would speak English!


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Is Vinokourov a contender for the overall? Could get interesting...


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## zimzum42 (6 Jul 2010)

Looks like Wiggo got some time back too!


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## zimzum42 (6 Jul 2010)

Flying_Monkey said:


> He has. It has been a champion's performance from Armstrong today.


He didn't catch Contador though, did he?


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Woah vino took more time than I thoght, he's 9s ahead of contador, didn't look like 20 seconds!


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## zimzum42 (6 Jul 2010)

zimzum42 said:


> Looks like Wiggo got some time back too!


Or did he??? Difficult to tell what is happening...


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

zimzum42 said:


> Or did he??? Difficult to tell what is happening...



Yes, he'll have got 20 seconds or there abouts out of contador. Outside the top ten in the GC so not immediately visible.


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

Thomas 2nd on GC! Brilliant.


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## chfp77 (6 Jul 2010)

Flying_Monkey said:


> He has. It has been a champion's performance from Armstrong today.


Tremendous riding.


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

Millar finished in the second chasing group. Not too shabby. Wiggins in the first chasing group and Thomas 2nd for the stage/GC .


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## zimzum42 (6 Jul 2010)

From BBC


> Contador was dropped in the last few hundred metres by the, er, Contador group (that included Wiggins) but he finishes well ahead of Armstrong.


SO Lance didn't catch him at all...

Still a brave ride though


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## marinyork (6 Jul 2010)

User3094 said:


> anyone got a new GC listing?



yeah they've added it very quickly to the official site today.

1. CANCELLARA Fabian TEAM SAXO BANK 14h 54' 00" 
2. THOMAS Geraint SKY + 00' 23"
3. EVANS Cadel BMC RACING TEAM + 00' 39"
4. HESJEDAL Ryder GARMIN + 00' 46"
5. CHAVANEL Sylvain QUICK STEP + 01' 01"
6. SCHLECK Andy SAXO BANK + 01' 09"
7. HUSHOVD Thor CERVELO + 01' 19"
8. VINOKOUROV Alexandre ASTANA + 01' 31"
9. CONTADOR Alberto ASTANA + 01' 40"
10. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen LOTTO + 01' 42"
11. ROCHE Nicolas AG2R + 01' 42"
12. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN + 01' 47"
13. MENCHOV Denis RABOBANK + 01' 49"
14. WIGGINS Bradley SKY + 01' 49"
15. MILLAR David


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

Wiggo 9" off Contador. Not bad at all after that prologue.


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## NickM (6 Jul 2010)

dan_bo said:


> do you live on coronation street?


No, the cobbles are in Burgess Park - and I survived them, and nobody on a bike passed me, and there was nobody in front of me when I arrived at my road... so _I_ won today's stage of the Tour d'Imagination


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## zimzum42 (6 Jul 2010)

http://www.letour.fr/2010/TDF/LIVE/us/300/classement/index.html

1.	CANCELLARA Fabian	13	TEAM SAXO BANK	14h 54' 00" 
2.	THOMAS Geraint	39	SKY PRO CYCLING	14h 54' 23"	+ 00' 23"
3.	EVANS Cadel	121	BMC RACING TEAM	14h 54' 39"	+ 00' 39"
4.	HESJEDAL Ryder	54	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	14h 54' 46"	+ 00' 46"
5.	CHAVANEL Sylvain	131	QUICK STEP	14h 55' 01"	+ 01' 01"
6.	SCHLECK Andy	11	TEAM SAXO BANK	14h 55' 09"	+ 01' 09"
7.	HUSHOVD Thor	95	CERVELO TEST TEAM	14h 55' 19"	+ 01' 19"
8.	VINOKOUROV Alexandre	9	ASTANA	14h 55' 31"	+ 01' 31"
9.	CONTADOR Alberto	1	ASTANA	14h 55' 40"	+ 01' 40"
10.	VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen	101	OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO	14h 55' 42"	+ 01' 42"
11.	ROCHE Nicolas	81	AG2R LA MONDIALE	14h 55' 42"	+ 01' 42"
12.	VAN SUMMEREN Johan	58	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	14h 55' 47"	+ 01' 47"
13.	MENCHOV Denis	191	RABOBANK	14h 55' 49"	+ 01' 49"
14.	WIGGINS Bradley	31	SKY PRO CYCLING	14h 55' 49"	+ 01' 49"
15.	MILLAR David	57	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	14h 56' 06"	+ 02' 06"
16.	KREUZIGER Roman	44	LIQUIGAS-DOIMO	14h 56' 24"	+ 02' 24"
17.	SANCHEZ Luis-Leon	161	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	14h 56' 25"	+ 02' 25"
18.	ARMSTRONG Lance	21	TEAM RADIOSHACK	14h 56' 30"	+ 02' 30"
19.	LÖVKVIST Thomas	37	SKY PRO CYCLING	14h 56' 34"	+ 02' 34"
20.	ROJAS Jose Joaquin	169	CAISSE D’EPARGNE	14h 56' 35"	+ 02' 35"
21.	MARTIN Tony	115	TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA	14h 56' 35"	+ 02' 35"
22.	DURAN AROCA Arkaitz	214	FOOTON-SERVETTO	14h 56' 49"	+ 02' 49"
23.	MC EWEN Robbie	75	KATUSHA TEAM	14h 56' 52"	+ 02' 52"
24.	LEIPHEIMER Levi	25	TEAM RADIOSHACK	14h 56' 53"	+ 02' 53"
25.	MAASKANT Martijn	56	GARMIN - TRANSITIONS	14h 56' 57"	+ 02' 57"


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## Crankarm (6 Jul 2010)

So AC is 50 seconds in front of LA. If LA is going to have any hope of getting on the podium he will have to have a couple of very good days in the mountains or ride a time trial of his life. Maybe a bridge too far.


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## Smokin Joe (6 Jul 2010)

Cracking stage, and an awesome performace by Thomas, Wiggins too. I did not realise Brad was in the Contador group till the last kilo, thanks to the Lance Lance Lance Lance Lance Laaaaaaaaance obssession with his fanboys in the ITV commentary box. They hardly mentioned Wiggins and I kept looking at the groups further back for him.

Even Duffers was better than these two, at least he had Kelly beside him to point out the bleedin obvious.


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

NickM said:


> No, the cobbles are in Burgess Park - and I survived them, and nobody on a bike passed me, and there was nobody in front of me when I arrived at my road... so _I_ won today's stage of the Tour d'Imagination



I know that place- I've a punter in the Maudsley which entails me staying in the pascha hotel nearby. 

Do you ever drink in the Carib bar?


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## Crankarm (6 Jul 2010)

Smokin Joe said:


> Cracking stage, and an awesome performace by Thomas, Wiggins too. I did not realise Brad was in the Contador group till the last kilo, thanks to the Lance Lance Lance Lance Lance Laaaaaaaaance obssession with his fanboys in the ITV commentary box. *They hardly mentioned Wiggins* and I kept looking at the groups further back for him.
> 
> Even Duffers was better than these two, at least he had Kelly beside him to point out the bleedin obvious.



Wiggo quietly biding his time ......


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## zimzum42 (6 Jul 2010)

Smokin Joe said:


> Cracking stage, and an awesome performace by Thomas, Wiggins too. I did not realise Brad was in the Contador group till the last kilo, thanks to the Lance Lance Lance Lance Lance Laaaaaaaaance obssession with his fanboys in the ITV commentary box. They hardly mentioned Wiggins and I kept looking at the groups further back for him.
> 
> Even Duffers was better than these two, at least he had Kelly beside him to point out the bleedin obvious.


At least you had something in English, I was going nuts with the German commentary, I had no idea what was going on today!


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## NickM (6 Jul 2010)

dan_bo said:


> I know that place- I've a punter in the Maudsley which entails me staying in the pascha hotel nearby.
> 
> Do you ever drink in the Carib bar?


No, I rush straight through on my way home. Why, should I stop (and risk losing the Tour  )?


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## dan_bo (6 Jul 2010)

It's a funny little pub that's all.


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## Noodley (6 Jul 2010)

Smokin Joe said:


> I did not realise Brad was in the Contador group till the last kilo, thanks to the Lance Lance Lance Lance Lance Laaaaaaaaance obssession with his fanboys in the ITV commentary box. They hardly mentioned....



anyone else. 


They are a right pair of arse-lickers are they not. Liggett even screamed something about his awesome power and how he's always performed and liked the cobbles...err, yeh, that's right, Lance will long be remembered for turning up and taking on the cobbles of Paris - Roubaix year after year....


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## Crankarm (6 Jul 2010)

Isn't Ligget President of the CTC ?


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## NickM (6 Jul 2010)

dan_bo said:


> It's a funny little pub that's all.


Maybe I'll pop in next time I walk home that way. I thought you might mean the Miliki Spot... I've no idea whether that's worth a visit, but something tells me that its priorities and mine (first class beer in peace and quiet!) may not be well aligned


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## Smokin Joe (6 Jul 2010)

Noodley said:


> anyone else.
> 
> 
> They are a right pair of arse-lickers are they not. Liggett even screamed something about his awesome power and how he's always performed and liked the cobbles...err, yeh, that's right, Lance will long be remembered for turning up and taking on the cobbles of Paris - Roubaix year after year....



I thought I had been missing a whole chunk of recent cycling history when I heard them say that, like you I can't remember any startling performances over cobbles from Lance.

Those two are like the Daily Express and their fixation with Diana, it's time they realised his career is nearly as dead as she is.


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## Crackle (6 Jul 2010)

Cracking stage that. Surprised and glad to see Wiggins in the Contador group, those muppets didn't mention him once, I thought he was back with Chavanel.

Armstrong, cobbles...........cobblers more like.


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## lukesdad (6 Jul 2010)

I dont think Fab. and Andy wanted to see Cuddles sitting there at the end.Great ride by him, Menchov too, they weren t fancied by many at the start . Cotenders ? Maybe.....


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Very interesting - that stage was almost an early 'selection'... if you look at it only in terms of the contenders for the Top 3 spots, taking Cadel as the current 'virtual favourite', this is how it looks (although I may have missed a few others consider contenders):

1 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:00 
2 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:30 
3 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 0:01:00 
4 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:01:01 
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:01:10 
6 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team 0:01:10 
7 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo 0:01:43 
8 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0:01:44 
9 Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack 0:01:51 
10 Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia 0:01:56 
11 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:02:14 
12 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack 0:02:21 
13 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC – Columbia 0:02:21 
14 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack 0:02:22 
15 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0:02:25 
16 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:02:40 
17 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:02:41 

(and of course, this is all meaningless fun)


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## Smokin Joe (6 Jul 2010)

Geraint Thomas as a dark horse?


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Jul 2010)

Smokin Joe said:


> Geraint Thomas as a dark horse?



I think Sky are working him up to being a Green jersey contender - he's not a pure sprinter by any means, but he is the kind of guy who could be 'up there' on a number of different kinds of stages.


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## iAmiAdam (6 Jul 2010)

I'm still backing wiggins for Yellow, he's just building it up now.


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## jpembroke (6 Jul 2010)

Good day for Cuddles. Plus, having won Fleche Wallone this year, I'm now wondering if he has it in him to win P-R.


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## montage (6 Jul 2010)

top show "G"
Brad only 9 seconds behind contador!


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## Chuffy (6 Jul 2010)

Go Geraint! 

That was worth waiting for. And go Cuddles too!


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## threebikesmcginty (6 Jul 2010)

Well done G, such a nice young lad too!


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## montage (6 Jul 2010)

Cav out of the running for green?


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## mcshroom (6 Jul 2010)

OT but for those looking for a video feed of the stages, ITV4 is on www.tvcatchup.com for free (I think it's UK only)

All I kept thinking about on those cobbles today was ouch. Some very assured riding on some nasty terrain.


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## dragon72 (6 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> Cav out of the running for green?



I was thinking yesterday that Wiggo had blown his GC chances but I'm not so sure now. 
Owt can happen.


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## Chuffy (6 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> Cav out of the running for green?


Quite probably. Thor can nab points on stages where Cav can't, plus Thor got the 'bonus' of a Cav-free sprint on Sunday.


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## laurence (6 Jul 2010)

nice to see Vino being his usual self, riding Contador off the group! i wondered how long he'd stay a 'team' mate to AC before he decided it was his team after all.

Poor 'Bert, he really needs a loyal squad. Shame he isn't Basque.


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## BigSteev (7 Jul 2010)

I'm not so sure about that, he only got dropped on the final run-in and it looked like he had a flat rear as he crossed the line. I'm not sure the Vino had noticed and was driving the pace thinking Bertie was in there and was actually helping him.


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## marinyork (7 Jul 2010)

That may be the case but not something that the commentators appeared to pick up at the time.


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## raindog (7 Jul 2010)

laurence said:


> nice to see Vino being his usual self, riding Contador off the group! i wondered how long he'd stay a 'team' mate to AC before he decided it was his team after all.
> 
> Poor 'Bert, he really needs a loyal squad. Shame he isn't Basque.


That's odd I got the impression Vino rode out of his skin for Berto yesterday. I thought he was pulling the small group with Wiggins and Berto hanging on the back?


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## John the Monkey (7 Jul 2010)

marinyork said:


> That may be the case but not something that the commentators appeared to pick up at the time.


Doesn't mean it isn't true.

It was a very canny bit of racing - Bert gets Vino's time becuase he flats from the Vino group within 2k of the finish, so the faster Vino rides, the better Bert does. TBH, I'm not even sure Bert realised, given how cross he looked, but it was nice work by his team mate.

Fantastic stage today - Cadel shows what a good world champion he is, great rides from Thomas and Wiggins (and I thought Sky did well in general today) and some genuine unpredictability. Gutted to see Chavanel lose yellow though.


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## PpPete (7 Jul 2010)

What happened to Tony Martin ? ITV 4 didn't mention him at all. Did he fall or does he just not like the cobbles? I always thought him a useful all-rounder


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## zimzum42 (7 Jul 2010)

I didn't look to see at the time, but watching this


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6sfGLFlWAo


it definitely looks like he had a flat rear...


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## Chuffy (7 Jul 2010)

John the Monkey said:


> Doesn't mean it isn't true.


What, Liggett and Sherwen missed something? Perhaps they were distracted by events happening a minute further back. 



> It was a very canny bit of racing - Bert gets Vino's time becuase he flats from the Vino group within 2k of the finish, so the faster Vino rides, the better Bert does. TBH, I'm not even sure Bert realised, given how cross he looked, but it was nice work by his team mate.


He doesn't get Vino's time. The group gapped him by 10s and the 'same time' rule only applied to crashes. I'd be inclined to agree that it wasn't deliberate by Vino though, especially if Bertie had a flat.

Hi Laurence, nice to see you back.


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## trustysteed (7 Jul 2010)

i can't help feeling that the crashes and cobbles have actually ruined the whole race within the first 3 stages. it was poised nicely with armstrong a few seconds ahead of contador and both schlecks always ready to cause mayhem in the mountains. now armstrong's almost a minute off the pace so that kind of ends the intriguing fight with contador and some good names have gone like schleck and van de velde.

one good note is seeing evans up there, he's had a good start and may come out of this well as he can certainly time trial and he's not completely rubbish in the mountains.


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## Smokin Joe (7 Jul 2010)

trustysteed said:


> i can't help feeling that the crashes and cobbles have actually ruined the whole race within the first 3 stages.


I don't think many people would agree with you there. In the past the first week of the Tour has often been a series of long uneventful club runs ending in a bunch sprint or with a no hoper winning on his own. 

What we have now is much better, the race is wide open with no one team able to strangle it. And if Armstrong is a serious contender (which I doubt) a minute behind Alberto would at this stage be easily managable.


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## Landslide (7 Jul 2010)

I don't think that ruins the race at all, just means that gameplans will have to change, and the individuals and their teams that have to make more of the running may not be those we initially suspected.


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## trustysteed (7 Jul 2010)

i know what you mean but when main contenders and big team players that can have an effect on the race are taken out of contention or the race early on, it loses some of it's appeal for me.


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## zimzum42 (7 Jul 2010)

Why does everyone love the mountains? 

Because it opens up gaps in the field.

Like Smoking Joe says, this has made the boring first week a bit better and has set this tour up to be more interesting

As much as it's nice to see no hopers get to wear yellow for a few days, the GC at the moment looks much more like it normally does after 2 weeks, which IMO is good


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## Smokin Joe (7 Jul 2010)

So who is "out of contention"? 

Surely you can't thing Contador has sewn it up?


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## trustysteed (7 Jul 2010)

on a slightly separate but related note, surely racing down these single file cobblestone roads with spectators encroaching on the road is a recipe for disaster? sure it might be spectacular to watch but both riders and spectactors risk real damage for the sake of it.


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## threebikesmcginty (7 Jul 2010)

I think it's been great - the talk was of Chavanel holding onto the yellow jersey for days. The cobbles changed all that in one day - interesting racing IMO.


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## raindog (7 Jul 2010)

Contador is one minute down on Evans and AndyS - that's nothing at all if he's in good shape when we hit the mountains. The only one who's looking a bit dodgy at the moment is LA and even he's not that far back. Remember this year's Giro when Basso lost a shed load of time on that early stage in the mud? Well, he went on to win the race. Nothing's decided from yesterday's stage and we've got two and a half weeks of intrigue and racing ahead of us - sit back and enjoy.


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## Stephen-D (7 Jul 2010)

My first TDF and im loving it so much already, the passion the crowds and the great races, hope it stays like this.


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## montage (7 Jul 2010)

it did annoy me that the wheelsucker won yesterdays stage.


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## Thor (7 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> it did annoy me that the wheelsucker won yesterdays stage.



But that's what sprinters do!


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## montage (7 Jul 2010)

Thor said:


> But that's what sprinters do!


yer I know, I guess it is a fair one, but I would rather somebody who had done a bit more work won it.

I guess thor put in one bit of effort to keep up with cancellara at one point


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## MacB (7 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> it did annoy me that the wheelsucker won yesterdays stage.



all around tactics though, he only had an interest in catching the lone guy left out front and staying ahead of any chasing pack. The effort needed for that was minimial, after that it was stage win and points that mattered. Don't forget he wasn't too happy with the way he'd been forced into complying with the non-race the day before. He'd done all the hard work for the day and kept himself out of trouble. I don'y know who Fabian was trying to kid claiming it as the right thing to do. Had the Schlecks not been in the crashes I doubt he'd have attempted similar. The least he deserved was a bit of wheelsucking.


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## Flying_Monkey (7 Jul 2010)

trustysteed said:


> i can't help feeling that the crashes and cobbles have actually ruined the whole race within the first 3 stages. it was poised nicely with armstrong a few seconds ahead of contador and both schlecks always ready to cause mayhem in the mountains. now armstrong's almost a minute off the pace so that kind of ends the intriguing fight with contador and some good names have gone like schleck and van de velde.



I feel completely the opposite. This has been a great start - and it means that every stage is going to be far more contested. It won't be just a parade to the mountains. The GC and Green jersey competitions are wide-open, the fight for white looks interesting, and I have no idea who is going to get the KoM. Not everything is about Armstrong...


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## Flying_Monkey (7 Jul 2010)

montage said:


> yer I know, I guess it is a fair one, but I would rather somebody who had done a bit more work won it.
> 
> I guess thor put in one bit of effort to keep up with cancellara at one point



It was the perfect way for the Thunder God to flip the bird at Cancellara for his organisation of the 'protest' that neutralised the previous stage. Exactly what Cancellara deserved IMHO. And as for 'wheel-sucking' - you can't stay in the front group on a stage like that merely by wheel-sucking...


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## Willo (7 Jul 2010)

I took the opinion that Hushovd's win just evened out Cancarella pulling rank the day before. I did wonder what would've happened if he wasn't in that leading group, would Thomas have had a real chance of winning the stage, or be let win the stage for his efforts at the front given Canceralla got the yellow back and Schlek gained time on his rivals which may have been reward enough for them?

In terms of excitement, a good start; don't think I could ever say I enjoy watching crashes, but the cobbles yesterday provided quite a spectacle generally and, as others have said, livened up the first week which can be a bit sterile in terms of GC reckoning. Was really interesting watching the tactics and how they coped. Sean Kelly's insight was interesting in terms of the pyschology of not being able to resist the gutters when the going gets tough, despite deep down knowing the risk of punctures.


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## Toshiba Boy (7 Jul 2010)

Flying_Monkey said:


> I feel completely the opposite. This has been a great start - and it means that every stage is going to be far more contested. It won't be just a parade to the mountains. The GC and Green jersey competitions are wide-open, the fight for white looks interesting, and I have no idea who is going to get the KoM. Not everything is about Armstrong...



+1 ... Could be most interesting Tour for some years.


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