2012 Tour de France; Stage 1: Liège → Seraing (198km)

[dlwssonic]

Wtf yellow helmets??
This will give teams more to boast about when they win the prestigious teams competition.

 

[jens_attacks]

omg that's hillarious
look at wiggo,worst combo ever

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

They can always say that. Doesn't mean its true.

You would need to project a pretty depressing level of stupidity on to them, and they've both posted enough sense in the past for that to be a rather silly presumption to make.

 

[dlwssonic]

omg that's hillarious
look at wiggo,worst combo ever

Indeed its quite bad.

 

[Winnen]

I know this road pretty well and the final couple of hundred meters are more like false flat. So, much easier than Mont des Alouettes. I know in the immediate surroundings of a few much harder climbs. But, well, you know. This is the TdF. It has to be somewhat boring...

According to Gesink it is the other way around. This is harder then Mont des Alouettes. That is what he said in a dutch newspaper this morning.

 

[will10]

Sky have really upped their trolling of the cycling forums this year

 

[goggalor]

Sky have really upped their trolling of the cycling forums this year

According to their twitter it's an ASO rule! But I don't know if that means it's required or just allowed.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Looks like the six riders who got away the instant the flag was pulled in are going to be the breakaway du jour. Their lead was at 2:10 as of the last time check.

 

[Delicato]

According to their twitter it's an ASO rule! But I don't know if that means it's required or just allowed.

It is required, as far as I know.

 

[goggalor]

It is required, as far as I know.

So if Bradley doesn't win the yellow jersey, at least he can ride into paris wearing le casque jaune!

 

[SetonHallPirate]

You know, it drives me nuts that these people don't even webstream the first hour or two of these stages...does French Television even have the cameras turned on yet? You would think they could either webstream the first couple of hours without commentary, or have race radio in the background...

 

[Veritas]

The riders who are in the lead are: Gene (EUC), Urtasun Perez (EUS), Bouet (ALM), Edet (COF), Delaplace (SAU) and Morkov (STB)... they are 20" ahead of the peloton at the 4km mark.

Peloton led by 4 RSNT men.

Who will take home the first polka dot jersey?

 

[One Eyed Aussie]

You know, it drives me nuts that these people don't even webstream the first hour or two of these stages...does French Television even have the cameras turned on yet? You would think they could either webstream the first couple of hours without commentary, or have race radio in the background...

+1....Its not the 80's any more.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

+1....Its not the 80's any more.

Of course, now that we say that, ASO hasn't sent out a dispatch in nearly 20 minutes...and that was to say that Eddy Merckx is riding with Christian Prudhomme, which has nothing to do with how big the breakaway's gap over the peleton is.

 

[jens_attacks]

this live ticker seems like a big fail to me

 

[MrRoboto]

You know, it drives me nuts that these people don't even webstream the first hour or two of these stages...does French Television even have the cameras turned on yet? You would think they could either webstream the first couple of hours without commentary, or have race radio in the background...

You know...driving around with those motorcycles and choppers and broadcasting that stuff is pretty expensive.

 

[Sylvester]

Who will take home the first polka dot jersey?

I'd say Bouet.

 

[Helivac]

a Quick TDF laugh with Robbie Hunter from Garmin Sharp Barracuda

http://helivac.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/robbie-hunters-prologue-are-we-jinxed/

One will be posted every day!

Enjoy

 

[Froome19]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/18663807
This ticker is much more accurate and less biased..

 

[SetonHallPirate]

this live ticker seems like a big fail to me

Technical difficulties, per ASO. They're back on line.

Tony Martin's Tour has already had its share of trials and tribulations. Him and Robbie Hunter both got into a crash. Also, the escape was stopped by a train! Can't they schedule things, at least at the start of the race, to avoid that sort of issue? I know the Belgian trains run far more punctually than Amtrak does!

 

[jens_attacks]

oh boy crashses galore and we're not even in the final 100 kms

i hope tony is fine

 

[dlwssonic]

So early into the race and there are already crashes, not a good sign.
Today is gonna be a nervous day.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

I missed a few more crashes too...Anthony Roux and Bram Tankink.

I hope Martin is OK too, although he seems to have had several visits with the race doctor, according to ASO.

 

[dlwssonic]

Tony Martin (OPQ) was one of four riders who have crashed early in stage one. He has consulted the race doctor a number of times since the incident that ocurred at the 11km mark. He rejoined the peloton quickly after his fall but appears to have concerns with his injuries although we cannot (yet) confirm what they are...

this is not looking great for Tony. I hope he can fully recover for the TT stages.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

BTW, for those wondering, Sky wearing yellow helmets were not their decision...ASO made that decision for them.