2012 Tour de France: Stage 2: Visé → Tournai (208km)

[SafeBet]

Was it the last stage in Madrid?
Cause I recall him winning on Bennati and Petacchi, but I wasn't sure it was a bunch sprint.

Still he's never faced this level of competition. Curious to see what he's gonna do.

 

[BillytheKid]

Sagan again.

 

[Froome19]

Stage 2 profile:

How this stage will go:
1. Pictures of random animals being posted looking bored.
2. Bad jokes of how posters are bored.
3. Novel suggestions of how the Tour should be altered to include mountains only
4. An update or two concerning the racing
5. Debate as to whethet there should be time bonuses
6. Debate as to whether there should be sprinters
7. Halfway debate whether cav is going for the green jersey after he loses to Goss in the intermediate sprint.

Will come back to check this after the stage

On a more serious note would expect it to between Goss, Kittel, Greipel and Cav will punt for Greipel for no apparent reason.

 

[al_pacino]

I think Cav will struggle against what could be two strong sprint trains. He's won before with minimal lead out but the whole Argos team working for Kittel looks the favourie to me.

 

[BoxCoppi]

Was it the last stage in Madrid?
Cause I recall him winning on Bennati and Petacchi, but I wasn't sure it was a bunch sprint.

Still he's never faced this level of competition. Curious to see what he's gonna do.

Sure. Sagan did win three stages in the Vuelta, although only two were really sprints and of them only the one in Madrid was in full peloton. Bennati, (an old) Petacchi and Degenkolb can't really compare to Kittel, Greipel, Goss and Cav though.

I for one love the kid, however I would be surprised to see him in top3 in a flat stage with a non technical flat finish. 4-8 more likely. Will be an interesting match up though.

 

[burning]

I'm sure about one thing


Greipel wont win because lotto will do all the work between 10-3km, then he will start sprinting from 30th place and will be 7th or something

 

[Steady]

I just put a few pounds on Goss to be Stage Winner at 11.00 in odds.
I have a good hunch about him tomorrow

 

[Richeypen]

I just put a few pounds on Goss to be Stage Winner at 11.00 in odds.
I have a good hunch about him tomorrow

why waste your money?

 

[Trofinios]

And how did Goss become a better sprinter than Sagan all of a sudden?

Sagan will want to show that he can hang with Cav and Griepel on a flat sprint. He will be up there. Top 3.

 

[Froome19]

And how did Goss become a better sprinter than Sagan all of a sudden?

Sagan will want to show that he can hang with Cav and Griepel on a flat sprint. He will be up there. Top 3.

Since when was Sagan the better sprinter..?

It was clear in the Giro that in terms of sprinting it went Cav then Goss then everyone else.
Now throw Kittel and Greipel into the mix and you get those 3 just behind Cav until Sagan shows something to say he can take on Cav like those 3 have done he will remain just behind them.

 

[cineteq]

And how did Goss become a better sprinter than Sagan all of a sudden?

LOL!!!! You're hilarious. It's more of the opposite, if you take some time to do some research.

 

[Steady]

Since when was Sagan the better sprinter..?

It was clear in the Giro that in terms of sprinting it went Cav then Goss then everyone else.
Now throw Kittel and Greipel into the mix and you get those 3 just behind Cav until Sagan shows something to say he can take one Cav like those 3 have done he will remain just behind them.

Yeah, it's weird how many don't think Goss can win tomorrow..

 

[Steady]

LOL!!!! You're hilarious. It's more of the opposite, if you take some time to do some research.

Indeed cineteq.

 

[Old&slow]

Cav always seems to win when people begin to doubt him which is usually after he messes up the Tours first sprint. Since people are already doubting him I have to believe he will win tomorrow.


1. Cav
2. Van Hummel
3. Renshaw
4. Goss
5. Rojas
6. Greipel
7. J.J. Haedo
8. Hutarovich
9. Sagan
10. Henderson
11. Farrar
12. Bozic
13. EBH
14. Gallopin
15. Pettachi

 

[dabaideschbi]

I'll go with sagan! i can't support against this champion

 

[Antianti]

"..mutha****as act like they forgot about Goss!"

Isn't this a classic 'oh, Cavendish is not in his best shape, someone else will win' and then BAM! 6 stages in the tour 2012? ^^

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Cav always seems to win when people begin to doubt him which is usually after he messes up the Tours first sprint. Since people are already doubting him I have to believe he will win tomorrow.


1. Cav
2. Van Hummel
3. Renshaw
4. Goss
5. Rojas
6. Greipel
7. J.J. Haedo
8. Hutarovich
9. Sagan
10. Henderson
11. Farrar
12. Bozic
13. EBH
14. Gallopin
15. Pettachi

I would expect to see at least one GC rider within the top 15. Likely Evans, but Van Den Broeck and Wiggins are also possible.

 

[Afrank]

I think we'll see the Greenedge and Argos trains both trying to lead out their sprinters in the closing kilometers. Cav and Sagan will have to take advantage of them. And I think they will be able to get the jump on kittel, Goss, and Greipel. Cav or Sagan for the win, Goss to get 3rd, and Kittel and Greipel to fight for the next couple spots.

 

[williamp78]

I'm going for a breakaway win!

Only kidding. Sprint will be chaotic resulting in an unusual winner; a second tier sprinter who lucks upon some free air near the finish line, maybe even a leadout man who loses his sprinter so maybe Henderson?

 

[The Hitch]

Cav is so much ahead of everyone else as a sprinter, that even when not in top shape he can still do it imo.

 

[Fowsto Cope-E]

Cav is so much ahead of everyone else as a sprinter, that even when not in top shape he can still do it imo.

Except that the evidence that suggests that Cav is not on top sprinting form comes from the fact that at ZLM he got beat by Greipel or Kittel in every sprint

I think we're going to see Marcel Kittel take the stage tomorrow.

 

[Caruut]

Except that the evidence that suggests that Cav is not on top sprinting form comes from the fact that at ZLM he got beat by Greipel or Kittel in every sprint

I think we're going to see Marcel Kittel take the stage tomorrow.

Yes, and in 2010 Kris Boeckmans beat Greipel in the final stage. At the Giro (when it mattered) he was easily better than Renshaw, who was at a similar level to him in the ZLM sprints.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

in this 99th edition of Tour of California.

LMAO. Good stuff.

 

[Altitude]

Why are Sky wearing yellow lids? That looks ***.

 

[hfer07]

Why do we need to argue about this stage? Cav & the UK postal will get the stage-unless of course something fvcked up happens -like a crash or a split caused by an early crash where Cav gets caught up- otherwise is done deal
Goss may surprise - but is unlikely since the the team is new to the tour handling