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

[will10]

Well, the rain could make things interesting, for the wrong reasons of course.

 

[Trunnions]

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

Funny you should mention that...

Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to divulge

 

[valentius borealis]

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...

Abbeville was where the communist resistance relocated to in Allo Allo.

 

[Machu Picchu]

Funny you should mention that...

Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to divulge

Your like our very own Carlton Kirby!

 

[screaming fist]

Did Harmon just say Cancellara hasn't had success in this Tour?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Nibali involved in the crash.

 

[Fetisoff]

Cineteq eating his words about crashes and positioning, or not yet?

 

[Trunnions]

BBC Radio 5 Live commentary just began:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/18654555
Peter Slater and Graham Jones have their work cut out.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Maybe Cantwell brings down Nibali?
Anyhow, seems OK.

 

[cineteq]

Cineteq eating his words about crashes and positioning, or not yet?

I'm watching you I think Sagan should go and bring back Nibali, and the win the sprint for a change.

 

[Fetisoff]

LOL @ Liquigas
What a bunch of ****ing cheaters.
Should definitely be penalized, A & S did at the Tour of Austria

Come on BMC car, slam on the breaks

 

[Trunnions]

Your like our very own Carlton Kirby!

Sorry Old Horse, never heard of the bloke...
though the face is weirdly familiar...

 

[cineteq]

LOL @ Liquigas
What a bunch of ****ing cheaters.
Should definitely be penalized, A & S did at the Tour of Austria

Jens_attacks is now a fan

 

[Mellow Velo]

Pretty impressive use of the cars and motorbikes, by Nibali.
Any closer and he could have used their rear seats.

Danielson out the back door.

 

[Fetisoff]

Jens_attacks is now a fan

You saying Nibali is a doper?

 

[Machu Picchu]

Pretty impressive use of the cars and motorbikes, by Nibali.
Any closer and he could have used their rear seats.

Danielson out the back door.

Big Maggy agrees:

Magnus Backstedt ‏@MagnusBackstedt
Young riders should take notice of how to get back on a peloton after a crash. Nibali did that job perfect. No panic just class!

 

[Fetisoff]

Tarmac looks awesome on that bridge

 

[Trunnions]

3 minutes lead with 30km to go, theoretically possible break wins. Arashiro looking frisky, wanting to press on. Good man!

 

[cineteq]

You saying Nibali is a doper?

You called him a cheater, I think he doesn't care...it's kind of blurry for him.

 

[will10]

Big Maggy agrees:

Magnus Backstedt ‏@MagnusBackstedt
Young riders should take notice of how to get back on a peloton after a crash. Nibali did that job perfect. No panic just class!

A perfect example of why it's often easier to come back on your own rather than with the whole team waiting.

 

[Fetisoff]

You called him a cheater, I think he doesn't care...it's kind of blurry for him.

Correction - I called the whole team ****ing cheaters

 

[cineteq]

Correction - I called the whole team ****ing cheaters

cheating = skill rider, gotcha!

 

[Fetisoff]

cheating = skill rider, gotcha!

Yep, took a lot of skill from Wiggans to purposely ride into that crash yesterday so that he was not to lose time to Evans

 

[cineteq]

Yep, took a lot of skill from Wiggans to purposely ride into that crash yesterday so that he was not to lose time to Evans

Now we're talking the same language.

 

[argyllflyer]

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.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Competitive Olympics training / keeping options open (i.e. if Wiggins withdraws and focus can shift to green)