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

[hfer07]

Sagan is a great rider but he needs to grow up, way to cocky.

next time he wins, he should do this......

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Already got it.

Ah, thanks, he got the same time, that's nice. n Sporza when they showed the top 10 general Menchov wasn't there, but now when I check letour.fr they have Menchov back in the top 10, so that's good

Hope he didn't hurt himself though, he was looking like GT-winning-Menchov, not like random-sucking-and-losing-time-everywhere-Menchov. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him ride so well near the front all the time; Kathusha doing a good job so far.

 

[Clemson Cycling]

Sagan is a great rider but he needs to grow up, way to cocky.

How do you feel about Mark Cavendish and all of team Sky?

 

[stefrees]

Great to see the anti sky brigade out in force. I think the tea were all a bit emotional after what happened to siutsov (see froome being emotional in post race interview saying he broke his leg). Wiggins also lost quite a bit of ground on that corner that chavanel nearly went into the photographer through no fault of his own. And if you seethe overhead, wiggins tried to go round but had to unclip.

Some will see what they want to see

More importantly hope Rojas and siutsov are ok

 

[El Pistolero]

Be a good wheel sucker.

And get outsprinted by Sagan like the other "smart" people in the peloton?

I thought Tour stage wins were prestigious, but apparently only Chava and Sagan care.

 

[Unkown]

How do you feel about Mark Cavendish and all of team Sky?

None of them are crossing the finish line doing a chicken dance or whatever that was.

 

[zigzag wanderer]

Caruso probably was the Katusha rider who crashed at about 30km to go. Hope nothing is broken. Urtasun and Feillu are sick, I think. Don't know about Stortoni.

Urtasun was on the ground for a long time after the Sivtsov crash - I guess he never made it back to the peloton.

 

[UlleGigo]

Some will see what they want to see

Exactly. I saw everyone who had already been dropped go around the crash except for Wiggins and co. Perhaps they were stopping to do a quick VAM calculation. Its quite important for climbing you know.

 

[cineteq]

None of them are crossing the finish line doing a chicken dance or whatever that was.

 

[Galic Ho]

+1 Politics getting in the way of racing, and rewarding the lazy ones.

uMad? Don't be. I'm not, just confused at why people don't think if you're milking the rules you're technically cheating others. Rationalising it like some did with football divers doesn't validate it. Just shows who you're a fan of. Because it was clear as day there was a gap you could go into. Honestly, who as a pro can't make that. Franck Schleck's handling skills got hime there. So why not Sky...oh, wait, Rogers again. Yeah as I've said, I wouldn't ride near him at all. Bad luck talisman. CVV busted his **** off and for what? Someone who crashed going up hill, takes forever to hop on his bike and finished 10 seconds in front of him looses zero time. Garmin have been shafted today by the crashes. Now Ryder probably is their GC man. Doubling up after the Giro seriously wasn't their strong card to play, might have to be now unless they lose time on another rider and make it back in a breakaway somewhere.

CVV would have been better off losing all his time, falling back to 5 minutes with Voeckler and going into a breakaway. But he didn't. That's the mentality I'm tlaking about. I mean seriously, don't people get that your mentality and outlook are very important in how a GC rider fares? You shouldn't be looking for chances to not work if you want to win yellow. Evans learnt that lesson the hard way. Wiggins? I don't think he has yet.

I was merely pointing out the stupidity of Sky hoping for the commisares to annoint them no lost time. If you're that needy on stage 3, how are you a favourite? When Nibali and Evans are way in front? Because that is where you were supposed to be. Just saying, Sky have a lot of cracks in their team. More are showing every stage. Riders falling everywhere. This could all end up like last year. Don't get me started on Porte. Doing exactly what he did for AC last year. Nothing.

If Bradley Wiggins was next to Edvald Boassan Hagan, this wouldn't be an issue. Once again, poorly placed. This team has major issues now that Sivtsov is out. Nobody talking about that though? He is probably the one guy other than Froome they couldn't afford to lose. At least Cav is delivering, but that was never in question. Him and Eisel are still liabilities. Who wouldn't pay for Flecha or Lovqkvist there instead right now? Wiggins certainly could use them.

While I am at it. Goss and Greenedge need to refine their leadout better. Lotto are better, but Greipel, well he isn't an uphill wonder.

 

[jens_attacks]

well sagan is an unstoppable beast it seems
kudos to chavanel otherwise very boring stage...again

and thanks god all the favourites were given the same time and didn't hurt themselves....this year has to be different than the last one...let the strongest win!

 

[BillytheKid]

Apart from Chavanel the only aggressive racing was the squeeze in the last km.

Where at the third stage of a Grand Tour. Much the chase was left to RSNT and by the time they had help, the freshness of the field kept the tempo high. That and the narrow roads in the closing Ks prevented more attacking. I posted yesterday that I thought the winning attack would come on the Lambert. Well, almost. Chavanel made it a good final. The final crash delayed some, but a lot of guys where strung out behind.

 

[Bala Verde]

The Garmin team had a bad day too:

75. USAVANDE VELDE Christian 68 GARMIN-SHARP-BARRACUDA 04h 45' 06'' + 02' 08''
[...]
105. IRLMARTIN Daniel 65 GARMIN-SHARP-BARRACUDA 04h 48' 03'' + 05' 05''
[...]
171. GBRMILLAR David 66 GARMIN-SHARP-BARRACUDA 04h 51' 00'' + 08' 02''
172. USAFARRAR Tyler 63 GARMIN-SHARP-BARRACUDA 04h 51' 58'' + 09' 00''
173. RSAHUNTER Robert 64 GARMIN-SHARP-BARRACUDA 04h 51' 58'' + 09' 00''
174. USAZABRISKIE David 69 GARMIN-SHARP-BARRACUDA 04h 51' 58'' + 09' 00''
175. USADANIELSON Thomas 62 GARMIN-SHARP-BARRACUDA 04h 52' 09'' + 09' 11''

Large parts of the Orica Greenedge team too

93. NEDWEENING Pieter 209 ORICA GREENEDGE 04h 46' 52'' + 03' 54''
94. AUSO'GRADY Stuart 208 ORICA GREENEDGE 04h 46' 52'' + 03' 54''
95. AUSGOSS Matthew Harley 204 ORICA GREENEDGE 04h 46' 52'' + 03' 54''

[...]

178. AUSLANCASTER Brett Daniel 206 ORICA GREENEDGE 04h 53' 35'' + 10' 37''

[...]

181. AUSGERRANS Simon 201 ORICA GREENEDGE 04h 53' 35'' + 10' 37''
182. NEDLANGEVELD Sebastian 207 ORICA GREENEDGE 04h 53' 35'' + 10' 37''

123. NEDWESTRA Lieuwe 121 VACANSOLEIL-DCM 04h 50' 25'' + 07' 27''

77. FRADUPONT Hubert 74 AG2R LA MONDIALE 04h 45' 06'' + 02' 08''

148. FRAVOECKLER Thomas 21 TEAM EUROPCAR 04h 50' 25'' + 07' 27''
149. FRAGAUTIER Cyril 24 TEAM EUROPCAR 04h 50' 25'' + 07' 27''
150. FRAJEROME Vincent 26 TEAM EUROPCAR 04h 50' 25'' + 07' 27''

180. ESPCOBO ACEBO Juan Jose 162 MOVISTAR TEAM 04h 53' 35'' + 10' 37''

 

[TRDean]

Absolutely Classic!!

 

[the asian]

And get outsprinted by Sagan like the other "smart" people in the peloton?

I thought Tour stage wins were prestigious, but apparently only Chava and Sagan care.

Then, at least he has a chance of getting in the top 10 and earning some prestigious World Tour points for his team.

 

[maltiv]

EBH failed a bit in the final corner, so Sagan kind of got a "free" gap. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway, because Sagan clearly didn't even have to try hard. He was barely breathing over the finish line, insane...I remember there was someone on this forum who said something like "I don't like Sagan, because he will win everything EBH would otherwise win" which seems to be quite correct at the moment.

But man, those time gaps annoy me. Just because there are falls, people who would otherwise lose time end up not losing time. Van Garderen for example wasn't hindered by the crash at all, and there was clearly a time gap back to him. Yet he got the same time as EBH and thus kept his white jersey.

 

[UlleGigo]

Truly impressive.

 

[VeloCity]

With Voeckler losing 7+ minutes Europcar has to be all in for Rolland now. Be interesting to see what he can do now that's he's their sole GC candidate.

 

[roundabout]

Urtasun was on the ground for a long time after the Sivtsov crash - I guess he never made it back to the peloton.

Thanks for the correction. Hope nothing is broken for him as well.

 

[Coramoor]

uMad? Don't be. I'm not, just confused at why people don't think if you're milking the rules you're technically cheating others. Rationalising it like some did with football divers doesn't validate it. Just shows who you're a fan of. Because it was clear as day there was a gap you could go into. Honestly, who as a pro can't make that. Franck Schleck's handling skills got hime there. So why not Sky...oh, wait, Rogers again. Yeah as I've said, I wouldn't ride near him at all. Bad luck talisman. CVV busted his **** off and for what? Someone who crashed going up hill, takes forever to hop on his bike and finished 10 seconds in front of him looses zero time. Garmin have been shafted today by the crashes. Now Ryder probably is their GC man. Doubling up after the Giro seriously wasn't their strong card to play, might have to be now unless they lose time on another rider and make it back in a breakaway somewhere.

CVV would have been better off losing all his time, falling back to 5 minutes with Voeckler and going into a breakaway. But he didn't. That's the mentality I'm tlaking about. I mean seriously, don't people get that your mentality and outlook are very important in how a GC rider fares? You shouldn't be looking for chances to not work if you want to win yellow. Evans learnt that lesson the hard way. Wiggins? I don't think he has yet.

Well Ryder is wearing the 61(not an indicator of anything but I think it was said pre race that he was their guy). VDV is awesome but a little old at this point for the tour, especially with 100km of tting and him not being the best of the best at it

 

[cineteq]

Truly impressive.

Absolutely Classic!!

He's our fearless hero!

 

[Galic Ho]

it was only ever going to be Hesjedal, Danielson doesn't have a top 5 at the TDF in him, let alone a podium, also the guy has the worst luck i've ever seen on anyone in cycling

Christian Vande Velde use to have pretty bad luck as well. Two broken legs in two years from two Giros.

Michael Rogers also has horrible bad luck. Crashes often at the Tour, mostly in weird situations or when he is on form at another race his entire team abandons him whilst he is leading the race.

Tommy D can top 10. After today? Take back as many small chunks as you can. That climb today would have had time gaps if there wasn't a crash.

 

[Gloin22]

BBC reporting Siutsou broke his leg

 

[maltiv]

Sagan totally chilling, everyone else dying

 

[Coramoor]

calling it now, Brice Feillu wins one of the high mountains stages cause nobody really cares enough to follow him