Tour de France 2013 *spoilers*

[albion]

Well, it is a shame so many are interested in anything but the cycling.
I started to read a media report and gave up after the first paragraph.

Too many are creating their own reality.
Gawd I thought all that was the preserve of football.

 

[yello]

I was waiting for that remark

Off course people are going to be interested in the crashes/incidents, such stuff is a part of cycling. Certainly part of today's cycling! You might as well say 'why are people only interested in the sprint finish?'

 

[smutchin]

Be fair - there's not a lot else to talk about in today's stage.

 

[G3CWI]

Getting fed up with the music now.

 

[smutchin]

"@MarkCavendish: Can all sprint experts on twitter go & try flicking their bike right at 65kph without leaning your body left to balance & come back to me."

Race jury have called no fault.

 

[yello]

Race jury have called no fault.

And as Argos-Shimano haven't complained, that's the end of it.

 

[SWSteve]

It's not a great hotel TBH.
I take it you were referring to the.... um.... "bar" next door ?

yes

 

[fossyant]

Looking at the replays, Veelers drifted and at this point wasn't paying attention. The corner added in a complication that everyone would have had to go off line to get round.

 

[zizou]

Looking at the replays, Veelers drifted and at this point wasn't paying attention. The corner added in a complication that everyone would have had to go off line to get round.

Was a messy 5k to go with the road furniture, traffic islands then the tight corner just before the sprint, surprised there was only the one crash!

 

[thom]

Just took a closer look at the finish and realised I was somewhat confused. It doesn't help that Griepel and Cav are in national jerseys and that since those jerseys are predominantly white they are similar to the Argos-Shimano shirts...

Kittel's win is more impressive since he comes from behind Cav and has to make a large swerve to avoid the last Lotto lead out guy.

Looking back, Greipel seemed to have the conventional A1 position, while Kittel and Cav were attempting to come from further back and surf various passing slipstreams. That style of sprinting just looks dangerous when various guys are giving it a go at the same time.

 

[thom]

Looking at the replays, Veelers drifted and at this point wasn't paying attention. The corner added in a complication that everyone would have had to go off line to get round.

In his defence, given the left turn and that both Greipel and Kittel chose to start their sprints by going left, it was maybe reasonable to think Cav would jump that way too.

 

[Sittingduck]

First impression was that Cav was a bit naughty but after the replay I changed my view. I reckon he was anticipating a lot more of a swerve to the right from the guy he barged and would have neutralised it by leaning into him but it didn't pan out that way and the guy came off worse. No malice in Cav's actions, imho.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

I can't see any malice in it either. Like SittingDuck says above, it looked like an attempt to neutralise or counteract a potential nudge (again unintentional) from Veelers. Now, okay, it caused one in its turn but there was no intention there IMO.

 

[fossyant]

If you watch Veelers from the rear camera, he is off the boil not sprinting but then drifts, he's looking to the left as he goes in right towards Cav as Cav is going left following the others. Tough cookie Cav considering his size, doesn't knock him off line too much.

 

[PaulB]

I thought Cavendish had done it deliberately and haven't seen anything to change my mind back. It looked nasty from my perspective.