2012 Tour de France: Stage 4: Abbeville → Rouen (214.5km)

[Bala Verde]

JV on twitter:

Vaughters
Dear roadside fans: we have noticed a disturbingly high percentage of male nudity roadside.female nudity is at zero% currently. Pls remedy.

 

[El Pistolero]

JV on twitter:

Actually, I've seen 2 (partly) naked girls alongside the roads this season and only one naked man.

 

[Bala Verde]

Actually, I've seen 2 (partly) naked girls alongside the roads this season and only one naked man.

Maybe his sideburns got into his eyes.

 

[argyllflyer]

Actually, I've seen 2 (partly) naked girls alongside the roads this season and only one naked man.

Are you including the mankini from the Giro?

 

[vcampbell]

Why? Would Contador and Schleck make this stage exciting all of a sudden if they were riding?



I remember watching the Tour in the 90s on Eurosport and the TV coverage usually would'nt come on for an hour later than what they do now for flat stages. You would usually see the last 60km-80km from what I remember, compared to the 120km-130km for these type of days today.

I could give you an answer, but it's not very nice, so because my favorite rider (OK, the second favorite) is Alberto Contador. I hope this is enough for you.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Actually, I've seen 2 (partly) naked girls alongside the roads this season

That was the Schlecks when they crashed together.

 

[Bala Verde]

Haha they didn't even bother to pick up 1500E/1000E/500E.

Supersprint my... erm..

All those people lined up to see three guys pedaling along.

 

[Finn84]

It took quite a long time to change Kruijswijk's wheel.

 

[benzwire]

Yeah that wheel change was painfully long.

 

[Bala Verde]

1Arashiro; 2Delaplace; 3Moncoutie; 4Cav; 5Goss; 6Renshaw; 7Sagan for the sprint

 

[Mellow Velo]

Intermediate zzzzzzzzzzzzzzprint.
At least the Sun is shining.

 

[Afrank]

Intermediate zzzzzzzzzzzzzzprint.
At least the Sun is shining.

This entire stage is zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Cav continues to not go for the points contest.

If the result today is a repeat of Monday, Cav will gain more points over Sagan today than Sagan gained over Cav yesterday.

 

[Bala Verde]

Good time to show some of that beautiful French landscape.

That always motivates me to make it through the stage.

Has Nat Geo ever considered purchasing the rights to the TdF?

 

[Bala Verde]

Is this a bold prediction that Levi will make the podium?

 

[Afrank]

Apparently according to NBC sports the peloton is riding at 23 miles per hour now.

 

[wirral]

At about 30 km to go, the profile appears to suggest they go off a 50m high cliff lemming style. Let's hope they all brought their parachutes.

 

[Trunnions]

Great to see Yukiya Arashiro in today's break. He came third in a Giro breakaway 2 years ago, and pulled the victor to the line.

He won many friends for his attacking style. He's a sprinter, about 2 bike-lengths slower than the old Cav.

He trains during Winter in the mountains where I live, and thrilled us all by turning up unannounced to our local UCI Criterium in a sleepy village. He brought most of the top Japanese riders with him too.

We "let him win" of course.

Very humble Chap.

Sorry he missed the squad last year.

 

[afpm90]

Great to see Yukiya Arashiro in today's break. He came third in a Giro breakaway 2 years ago, and pulled the victor to the line.

He won many friends for his attacking style. He's a sprinter, about 2 bike-lengths slower than the old Cav.

He trains during Winter in the mountains where I live, and thrilled us all by turning up unannounced to our local UCI Criterium in a sleepy village. He brought most of the top Japanese riders with him too.

We "let him win" of course.

Very humble Chap.

Sorry he missed the squad last year.

Isn't this the second time you say that?

 

[will10]

Great to see Yukiya Arashiro in today's break. He came third in a Giro breakaway 2 years ago, and pulled the victor to the line.

He won many friends for his attacking style. He's a sprinter, about 2 bike-lengths slower than the old Cav.

He trains during Winter in the mountains where I live, and thrilled us all by turning up unannounced to our local UCI Criterium in a sleepy village. He brought most of the top Japanese riders with him too.

We "let him win" of course.

Very humble Chap.

Sorry he missed the squad last year.

Yes, we all read it when you posted it 3 hours ago, on this thread, thank you.

 

[afpm90]

Starting to rain...

 

[Machu Picchu]

Starting to rain...

Hey I notice Arashiro today, anyone ever met the guy / any stories to tell?_?

 

[Bala Verde]

Rain?

Have our prayers been heard?

 

[Trunnions]

Yes, we all read it when you posted it 3 hours ago, on this thread, thank you.

Because you poor lot need something interesting to read... and I've not finished yet...

By way of a topical interlude:

Fellow Flyers amongst us will have noted that today's start at Abbeville was the WW1 airfield for many famous Allied Squadrons.

Mick Mannock, Albert Ball, Rene Fonk, and Georges Guynemer, Billy Bishop et al. flew over the same fields we are watching.

Manfred von Richthoven was brought down by Aussie infantrymen around here, when wind drifted him over British lines without him realising, until it was too late.

Come on Arashiro drag the break to the line again...

 

[dlwssonic]

Goss is my darkhorse today if he gets the position right today.