The season opens...**SPOILER**

[raindog]

Yes, Gerrans was fourth - Swift finished on the same time though so he was in the bunch. Maybe he's going for overall?

Post win interview here - "I just stamped on the pedals as hard as I could"

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8WRk7j944k&feature=related

 

[raindog]

stage 3

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxbKru5tRIU

 

[iAmiAdam]

You have to hand it to UCI, making Cavendish negotiate traffic while still racing is a new way of hindering HTC-Highroad.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Interesting TT over in the San Luis, with Serpa maintaining the lead and finishing with the same time as Basso - 45 seconds behind the winner, Tondo.

And in the TDU, a fine breakaway win by Cameron Meyer which puts him in the lead. Ben Swift is still up there, and Cav, to his credit, did not drop out or fall off the back today. I would imagine he's sore in several ways, though.

 

[raindog]

Today's stage in case anyone's interested and hasn't seen it. Great to see Robbie still has the legs to go for the intermediate sprints.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp3b1Fd5G4A&feature=player_embedded#
!

 

[Telemark]

Thanks for all the Youtube links :-)

Saw the new leader life at the Edinburgh Nocturne elite race in 2009, didn't realise he was so young! He came second to his team mate, Millar, in Edinburgh.
(hope that information doesn't make this a spoiler )

T

 

[Keith Oates]

Interesting TT over in the San Luis, with Serpa maintaining the lead and finishing with the same time as Basso - 45 seconds behind the winner, Tondo.

And in the TDU, a fine breakaway win by Cameron Meyer which puts him in the lead. Ben Swift is still up there, and Cav, to his credit, did not drop out or fall off the back today. I would imagine he's sore in several ways, though.

I agee with that statement FM, but I often wonder when riders have had a bad crash and are suffering whether it would not be better to drop out and concentrate on getting better again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rich p]

I agee with that statement FM, but I often wonder when riders have had a bad crash and are suffering whether it would not be better to drop out and concentrate on getting better again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You do wonder but maybe it's nice to ride in a race than train.

Cav, Farrar and DEan all fiished dead last together today, 14 minutes down. I wonder if they were chatting away and looking at the scenery.

 

[yello]

Equates to a pootle, that does, 14 minutes down. Praps swapping family snaps along the way, stopping for a brew etc.

I reckon Julian Dean is going to be one of those gnarly cyclists that just seems to go one and on. He's approaching 36 now and still knows how to put in a good day at the office.... perhaps he just phoned in sick today!

Edit: added a smiley for anyone that thought I was serious!

 

[iLB]

I'm guessing this is more of a build up to milan- san remo for cav, and probably a tasty appearance fee as well

 

[raindog]

It would be a shame if he's getting paid appearance money to "pootle" 14 minutes down.

 

[rich p]

It would be a shame if he's getting paid appearance money to "pootle" 14 minutes down.

I watched yesterday's stage and Cav and Farrar, especially Cav, put in a massive effort on the front about 50km out. It was great seeing Mark leading the whole pack for a goodish distance and explains why he and Farrar got blown away as soon as they hit the hills.
Much respect is due.

Ben Swift wins the last stage today - great stuff with the GC going to Meyer.

 

[raindog]

Swift has had a great race hasn't he? He even ended up on the podium on general. Greipel, who was hyped as race favourite ended up seventh.

Can't wait to see today's video - apparently there was alot of handbag swinging in the sprint.

 

[raindog]

last stage

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDsfWX_R7q8&feature=player_embedded

That really was a superb sprint from Swift. Well done!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I'm very pleased for Ben Swift - he's a rider I've been watching for a while now, and I'm especially pleased because he's not a 'pure sprinter'. He can actually get over the lumps and bumps, and he's pretty tough - more of a Thor than a Cav, which means, with more experience and stamina, he is serious future points contender for the GTs.

I don't think Cav will be too concerned about this one - he wrote it off after the injuries he got from that crash, but Greipel is going to be very disappointed.

(Meanwhile, over in San Luis, there was a another mega-stage yesterday, and the South American-based riders very much upstaged the European-based ones, with a Chilean guy now in the overall lead. I'd really like to see more South Americans riding in the Pro-Tour again. I know Cafe Columbia's team is moving up through the levels again, but it does seem as if they are still quite capable of showing of showing the Europeans how to ride in the mountains).