2014 Tour de France Stage 3: Cambridge – London: 155km, flat

[DenisMenchov]

2014 Tour de France Stage 3: Cambridge – London: 155km, flat

Overview:
Look at the map and profile, and you know enough: this is the first really flat stage of the race.

It’s a very short stage too, as it is followed by a transfer to mainland France by train. It’s located closer to the coast, and thus maybe more prone to echelon forming.

Predictions:
Somehow I don’t expect anything exciting to happen on this stage, but I will be happy proven wrong. This is about as flat as it can get, and barring misfortunes I expect the fastest sprinter to take it: Marcel Kittel, in front of Greipel.

Credit to:
rghysens

 

[del1962]

Kittel to win, a split in the peloton puts Sagan in yellow.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Only a crash can stop Kittel here.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Was a bit surprised how early Demare dropped today (I know he had a mech). Anyway one of the German powerhouses will grab the win here.

Hopefully Gorilla in front of the Queen.

 

[veji11]

agreed regarding Demare. With Cav out you could have hoped he could shock one of the germans, but he seems a bit sluggish. Echelons seem unlikely. To me the only real possible action (which i'd rather avoid) would be crashes.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Will the whole stage be televised? want to see every second of Nibali in yellow

 

[No_Balls]

Rest day light. 155 k scroll into London. Could've been worse day on the job. Tailormade for Cav. Oh wait...

 

[GoGarmin]

I'll be tuning in for the last 15 minutes.

 

[hfer07]

Kittel FTW

next

 

[VeloHuman]

Somewhat technical finale, with two right-handers in the last kilometer. Probably won't make much of a difference but you never know, especially on the Tour's last day in England.

 

[murali]

is there any map of the final few kms?

if it gets a bit technical, then griepel(has a better team). if it is straight, Kittel.


without cav, OPQS wont be controlling. so lotto and giant will end up doing more work.

 

[Netserk]

 

[murali]

Thank you Netserk.

this looks like fight for right-hand side. go full gas in last 3 km. hope no one crashes in the tight bend( and pray for no slippery roads). there is enough room for a good sprint.

Fireworks in front of Buckingham


Can the OP plz add this in the initial post?

 

[veji11]

I can't see how the sprinters could muck it up. Barring some sort of a Tony Martin performance in the last few Ks or a big fall disorganizing the bunch in the last ks, we should have a nice big sprint. There shouldn't be much wind and the road doesn't make it danger with a very long urban stretch in the end, whereas on tuesday it might play a role.

 

[murali]

Anyone remember this stage:

that was a bit more technical. but, sometimes i like to believe in the improbable.

 

[RedheadDane]

This is gonna be won by a big German.

without cav, OPQS wont be controlling. so lotto and giant will end up doing more work.

More than Lotto (Bak) did on stage 1?

 

[Eclipse]

Snooze into inevitable Kittel.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Every flat stage should have 150 kms. I wonder how Viviani/Sagan combo will work. Kittel to take another one.

 

[BeagRigh]

This is gonna be won by a big German

Aye, hopefully Tony Martin

 

[Netserk]

Every flat stage should have 150 kms. I wonder how Viviani/Sagan combo will work. Kittel to take another one.

Freire would be sad to hear that.

 

[RedheadDane]

Aye, hopefully Tony Martin

Haha! That would actually be rather awesome. Panzerwagen to do his own private TT!

 

[Vino's Mum]

Haha! That would actually be rather awesome. Panzerwagen to do his own private TT!

Oh god yes, from the gun.

Once he's out of sight, switch to his TT bike, and goodbye.

 

[murali]

Oh god yes, from the gun.

Once he's out of sight, switch to his TT bike, and goodbye.

if panzer gets a @ 1 min adv with 15 K to go, he will win comfortably.

actually, i wud prefer a TM win than a formulaic bunch sprint

 

[maxmartin]

Kittel 1st, Sagan 2nd

 

[SeriousSam]

if panzer gets a @ 1 min adv with 15 K to go, he will win comfortably.

actually, i wud prefer a TM win than a formulaic bunch sprint

Don't forget that Froome can time trial as well as Tony, so he might just decide to drag the entire peloton back to Tony's wheel to further demonstrate his strength.