Stage 3 **SPOILER**

[Crackle]

Hell no! What's the fun in just applauding them all as jolly good chaps? 'Colour' applies to those of us watching too...

Sure it does, You've got a double share of it though

 

[Chuffy]

I just remembered I wanted to mention Bert Grabsch. What a couple of days that guy has ridden. All of Columbia have been stunning in this first pair of road stages, but Grabsch has stood out. He has a lot riding on him tomorrow, too.

Do you reckon they'll suffer for this tomorrow?

It wasn't hurting Bertie - he hasn't lost a second on any major rival outside his team and his own team-mate has gained 40 seconds. As I said, it strengthens his hand. The higher Armstrong is the more problems it gives to other teams deciding which attacks need to be chased down in the mountains. The two Astana boys were right to work to eek it out as much as possible. I can't understand how anyone could put a negative spin on that.

I suppose that depends on how you read the team situation on Astana. If it were A.N Other team, say Saxo-Bank, and one Schleck was in the break and the other not, then I'd agree with you.

Cavendish seems to be a bit like Marmite, we obviously won't agree there.

Hopefully Wiggy will smear him on toast tomorrow.

 

[Paul_L]

Did he now? I missed that, what did he say?

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/artic...eam-trial-trial-fixation-disrespectful-21539/

Bradley Wiggins, who joined Garmin from Columbia at the end of last year, commented of this year's TTT on Thursday, “as long as we beat Columbia we'll be alright…”

 

[Chuffy]

Sure it does, You've got a double share of it though

Damn right! I have to make up for the boring sods who cheer everyone on an equal basis. It's a cross, but I bear it without complaint.

 

[Chuffy]

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/artic...eam-trial-trial-fixation-disrespectful-21539/

Bradley Wiggins, who joined Garmin from Columbia at the end of last year, commented of this year's TTT on Thursday, “as long as we beat Columbia we'll be alright…”

Ah, that was months ago! And there was some needle from the Manx Mouth back then too.

 

[Paul_L]

Ah, that was months ago! And there was some needle from the Manx Mouth back then too.

there was indeed, but what do we want to see. Wiggins and Cav cuddling up to each other at the end of each stage going "you had a great ride", "no, you had a great ride".

As i said i'd like to see both of them do well.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Could the Cav/Wiggy thing still be simmering all this time after Beijing?

 

[Chuffy]

Could the Cav/Wiggy thing still be simmering all this time after Beijing?

I'd forgotten about that!

 

[HeartAttack]

I don't need to do that Crackers, he's a Scouser and that's more than enough. ...

Isn't it so amazing that someone with so much to say is stupid enough not to know that coming from the Isle of Man does not mean that the person as a scouser, in fact if you want to nit pic the dialect termed scouser was derived from several nationalities one of which was that of the Isle of Man.

Either get your facts right or shut up, whether Cav is from IoM, Wales, Scotland, Ireland or England doesn't matter one jot, he's the best sprinter in the pro tour at the moment and a damn sight better than you could ever be, I'm proud he's there and doing what he does best, and so what if he doesn't bow to everyone, do you really think its the taking part that counts or the winning?? They are all there because they want to do their best and where possible win.

 

[Skip Madness]

Do you reckon they'll suffer for this tomorrow?

I was thinking about this as the stage was unfolding. Of the teams who worked hard today, the one who lost least today was probably Astana - two riders contributing to the breakaway, but other than that not a great deal to worry about. Saxo Bank, Garmin, Silence-Lotto and Columbia all had much more intense days. I don't think we can underestimate how much today will have taken out of Garmin, who committed to the peloton chasing almost as surely as Columbia did to the break. Rabobank and Cervélo, on the other hand were fairly quiet.

This early in the Tour, though, I don't believe it will be too costly for any team.

 

[Crackle]

Isn't it so amazing that someone with so much to say is stupid enough not to know that coming from the Isle of Man does not mean that the person as a scouser, in fact if you want to nit pic the dialect termed scouser was derived from several nationalities one of which was that of the Isle of Man.

I think you missed the winky at the end and fell for Chuffy's bait. I've got something in my fishing basket if you need some help getting the hook out

 

[maurice]

Just finished watching it on itv player now. Excellent stuff, really enjoyed that stage!

Should be very interesting tomorow.

 

[johnnyh]

sponsor HTC

 

[John the Monkey]

I suppose that depends on how you read the team situation on Astana. If it were A.N Other team, say Saxo-Bank, and one Schleck was in the break and the other not, then I'd agree with you.

Possibly a good thing that Cervelo's DS isn't in charge, he'd have made the Lancer sit up, a la Pauwels....

Interesting comment on "The Road Bike" today;

The Astana members in the break helped drive the pace high enough to drop their team leader, Alberto Contador, behind by 40 seconds. This 40 seconds was enough to catapult Armstrong over Contador in the standings, thus making him the highest placed Astana member and the team leader.

Think this through….. Had Armstrong been the highest ranked Astana teammate coming out of the prologue, would team directors allowed Contador to leapfrog Armstrong in the standings by breaking away? Not a chance. Armstrong would have been livid had someone done it to him. His true colors shined through today. Similar to sponsors not living up to their commitments, Armstrong did not live up to his today.

 

[kennykool]

Heard cav being interviewed - He was saying it was like a Junior race yesterday as no team wanted to commit to the chase. This does not bode well for the rest of the "sprint"stages as Columbia have Martin looking at GC so won't want to use up all there energey chasing down breakaways to get cav out there for the sprint.

The other teams are afraid of wasting too much energy to get their "Sprinter" into position only to be beaten by Cav.

this will not help cav in his quest for green