2012 Tour de France - stage 3: Orchies - Boulogne-sur-Mer (197km)

[Fetisoff]

It's provisional. Menchov will get his time loss removed too, if he was with the group when the crash happened.

Sure hope so. Otherwise I will claim this as British conspiracy

 

[saosinfangirl]

Sagan 1st
Peter Velits top10

qft.....

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I have only 3 words. What a mess.

It's a bit unfortunate when 95% of the excitement in a stage comes from crashes delaying people.

 

[Arnout]

these are the rules..

LIVE WITH IT

Its an extremely liberal interpretion of the rules. Once riders cheer when there is all fall so they can stop pretending they are held up, hou know something is wrong.

 

[will10]

qft.....

Would you like a medal?

 

[Roude Leiw]

tommy Voeckler just said live on french tv that his knee hurts again. had to do he stage on his left leg mostly.

 

[trevim]

It's a bit unfortunate when 95% of the excitement in a stage comes from crashes delaying people.

We can thank Chavanel for the other 5%

 

[Bala Verde]

In the replay it looks like a lotto rider causes the crash. (Greipel?) swerving from outside to inside, making a Vacansoleil rider hit the deck

EDIT definitely Greipel doing a German Kamikaze

And later on Poels goes straight off the course? He almost caused EBH to go down, and otherwise he made him tak ean extra 400m to get around him...

I saw some KAT riders caught up in the crash, but it was unclear if Menchov was there.

 

[Pharazon]

Menchov will get the time back.. they are classing Froome at 2:02 atm, and he was certainly in the crash

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Menchov living up to his name as silent assassin, so the jury has some problems finding him back.

 

[Hartog]

Dutch tv identifies one of the Katusha riders in the crash as Menchov. If so, he'll get time back for sure.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Right.
Menchov was there. Had a mechanical after le barrier.
Will get the same time.
Can't decide which Vacan rider caused it, since they all ended up on the ground or in the crowd.

 

[Kazistuta]

Danielson lost for GC today

 

[UlleGigo]

Don't think he had anywhere to go, if it's the rider I think it is he was boxed in and ended up having to unclip.

He was the one getting dropped ten seconds behind where the crash happened. Is that the rider you thought it was?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

We can thank Chavanel for the other 5%

I'd go Chavanel 3%, Sagan 1%, Morkov 1%, crashes 95%. Basically a disappointing stage.

 

[Frosty]

Danielson lost for GC today

Only 2 Garmins in the top 104

 

[Arnout]

Dutch tv identifies one of the Katusha riders in the crash as Menchov. If so, he'll get time back for sure.

That almost guarantees it wasn't Menchov though.

You know, when they apply rules like this, they should bring back bonus seconds for sure. At least give some advantage to guys managing the basic act of staying on a bike.

 

[woodie]

Its an extremely liberal interpretion of the rules. Once riders cheer when there is all fall so they can stop pretending they are held up, hou know something is wrong.

No, its exactly how the rule is meant to be interpreted, and since when do we see riders cheer because of crashes?

 

[saosinfangirl]

Would you like a medal?

no, i'm just bragging

 

[labratty]

That almost guarantees it wasn't Menchov though.

You know, when they apply rules like this, they should bring back bonus seconds for sure. At least give some advantage to guys managing the basic act of staying on a bike.

I'm sure he was in there somewhere, they don't call him The Pope for nothing, he earned that the hard way.

 

[Bala Verde]

It was Wigans I think.

Froome 105

 

[Arnout]

Come on guys, road cycling is battling with your bike against the terrain, the weather, your adversaries.

But no, staying on the bike is not required. It doesn't make sense on any level.

 

[Hawkwood]

He was the one getting dropped ten seconds behind where the crash happened. Is that the rider you thought it was?

Not sure need to see it again, two riders come to back of crash one tries to go right to avoid it, but is cut off by team-mate and has to put his foot down. Might have wrong riders, so please correct me if this is the case.

 

[velosiped]

where are the lactate, Peter? Are you immune against it?

 

[Arnout]

No, its exactly how the rule is meant to be interpreted, and since when do we see riders cheer because of crashes?

Look back at the heli replay. Wiggins is nearly the last rider in the group, he has ample opportunity to pass the guys on the right side, but chooses to unclip and greet his pathetic teammates who just crashed into each other.