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

[alspacka]

Bah, watching that made me pine for Cav, good ride from Renshaw or no.

Kittel's so giant, from the head on shot at the finish Sagan was completely obscured from view.

 

[Tommy2cans]

Andy Schlek - "In the end it was also really dangerous, there were gaps in the peloton. Normally it's the three kilometre rule and they keep the same time but I don't think it will be the case today. We lost something like over a minute but it's not over, the Tour has just started, in the climbs I think that will change.”

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/stage-3/news/int/andy-schleck-171-it-s-not-over-187.html

Anyone know why there wouldn't be a 3km rule today, cost alot of riders time

 

[kingjr]

Kittel just too damned good not going pass him. Greipel mechanical or not was badly spotted just avoided the crash it seemed.

He avoided the crash well enough, but his cornering is just abysmal especially on wet roads

 

[Amsterhammer]

Indeed. When did the term "Rabofail" come into common usage? I think it was in the Dutch era as you say.

I am not completely following Amsterhammer's point. Is he referring to the clinical finishing of Germans versus the "choking" (panic-stricken decision-making at critical junctures) of Dutch?

Perhaps I didn't make my point clear, as I was in haste. I was simply struck by the contrast in profile and fortunes between these two Dutch teams, both of whom almost entirely relied on foreigners for their successes.

Giant is a pretty new team/organization by comparison with how long the Rabos were a fixture in world cycling. By careful planning and team selection Giant has become a 'big' team in virtually no time. As a simple soul, that impresses me.

 

[Jagartrott]

Giant is a 'big' team when it comes to sprints. In other departments, they're one of the weaker teams in the pro-Tour.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Anyone know why there wouldn't be a 3km rule today, cost alot of riders time

Not answering your question directly, but, a minute or two lost on a flat stage is nothing. The first hilly stage will dramatically resort GC.

GC contenders are content to watch each other and come in together relative to each other on stages like this. It's not *imperative* they come in right behind the sprinters or a breakaway.

Since a Schleck is quoted, that means he's got no power.

 

[Vino's Mum]

Another good showing today from Bryan Coquard. I haven't checked the profiles, but can he win a stage, and if so, which one(s)?

I guess we don't know how well he'll last the race, and he hasn't exactly got much support, but he can climb pretty well for a sprinter.

 

[Arnout]

I really do not want to be the Rabobank defender on here. But seriously, they had some good years too you know. Freire did win a bunch of stages and the green jersey when at Rabobank...

It was after they were done with Menchov/Freire and wanted to go for all the Dutch riders, that they had some real years of failure. But that says more of the Dutch riders capabilities at that time...

I'd say their Leipheimer years were worse than their last few years.

 

[rainman]

Andy Schlek - "In the end it was also really dangerous, there were gaps in the peloton. Normally it's the three kilometre rule and they keep the same time but I don't think it will be the case today. We lost something like over a minute but it's not over, the Tour has just started, in the climbs I think that will change.”

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/stage-3/news/int/andy-schleck-171-it-s-not-over-187.html

Anyone know why there wouldn't be a 3km rule today, cost alot of riders time

Andy is right, the finish was dangerous. But, 'king hell, didn't he realise when he agreed to start this Tour that there would be dangerous finishes?
He's simply in the wrong profession if he's whining about danger in the TDF.
Andy mate if you don't like snow don't live in Antartica, get the hell out!

 

[RobbieCanuck]

I'm sure RobbieCanuck will be along soon to congratulate everybody on their correct predictions.

On June 3, 2014 CN in its preview of Stage 3 said this,

"It is the flattest of the three days in Britain and will almost certainly end in a bunch sprint...However, he'll have much tougher competition here from Mark Cavendish (article written before the crash), Marcel Kittel and André Greipel.

Hmmmm. Kittel the strongest and best sprinter in the peloton this year. Gee, I wonder who I should pick to win Stage 3 arguably the most boring stage of this year's TDF. Here are some early prognostications from CN commentators on this thread.

On July 7 ... I expect the fastest sprinter to take it: Marcel Kittel, in front of Greipel.

Kittel to win

Only a crash can stop Kittel here. (Geraint Too Fast)

Kittel FTW

I can't see how the sprinters could muck it up.

This is gonna be won by a big German.

Snooze into inevitable Kittel.

Kittel to take another one.

Kittel is by far the best, it's not even close. Anyone else than him winning would be a big upset.

Now Afrank was not one of these prognosticators. Hedging his bets? Gunshy? but with the race just about over, he jumps in with his prediction,

Afrank - "Giant taken control. Think this is gonna be textbook Giant/Kittel."

Oh really? Do you think?

So congratulations boys. You nailed it today. I wouldn't have expected it to be any other way. Keep up the good work.

 

[mrhender]

On June 3, 2014 CN in its preview of Stage 3 said this,

"It is the flattest of the three days in Britain and will almost certainly end in a bunch sprint...However, he'll have much tougher competition here from Mark Cavendish (article written before the crash), Marcel Kittel and André Greipel.

Hmmmm. Kittel the strongest and best sprinter in the peloton this year. Gee, I wonder who I should pick to win Stage 3 arguably the most boring stage of this year's TDF. Here are some early prognostications from CN commentators on this thread.


Now Afrank was not one of these prognosticators. Hedging his bets? Gunshy? but with the race just about over, he jumps in with his prediction,



Oh really? Do you think?

So congratulations boys. You nailed it today. I wouldn't have expected it to be any other way. Keep up the good work.

Is this daily collective insult really necessary?

Also you include only the predictions adding to your point.
A point that I still have a hard time figuring out..

If it really bothers you so much that people make predictions, then why not just ignore it instead of selecting some of them to comment in a IMO unfriendly way..

For the record I had Avermaet for yesterday, and chose Cancellara today because I wanted more excitement than just a sure Kittel win...

If you want to discuss quality of predictions, feel free..
But maybe adding your own and beeing constructive/or at least friendly would be the way to go..

Cheers

 

[trevim]

After Mourinho stopped by to greet the portuguese riders at the Tour and failed to meet with Machado:
http://www.record.xl.pt/Modalidades/Ciclismo/Tour/2014/interior.aspx?content_id=893406
"May Jorge Jesus come here to meet me."
Rui Costa is old news. Go Tiago!

[Rui Costa said in his Facebook diary that he's been dealing with a pain in the leg that has been worsening. He hopes to turn it around and that it isn't nothing serious.]

 

[roosters76]

Kittel is so dominant I think the other teams need to call Giant's bluff and refuse to chase.

... or try and get someone in the break. They probably won't be allowed but it might wear the Giant guys out a bit if they have to police and chase the initial break. Would be good fun if Lotto, Cannondale and OPQS just kept launching new attacks each time one got caught. There are enough riders down on time they could keep trying with people Astana don't really care about going up the road.

I applaud the idea. Moving towards the equilibrium.

 

[karlboss]

OPQS forgot that they aren't HTC.

 

[RobbieCanuck]

Is this daily collective insult really necessary?

Also you include only the predictions adding to your point.
A point that I still have a hard time figuring out..

If it really bothers you so much that people make predictions, then why not just ignore it instead of selecting some of them to comment in a IMO unfriendly way..

For the record I had Avermaet for yesterday, and chose Cancellara today because I wanted more excitement than just a sure Kittel win...

If you want to discuss quality of predictions, feel free..
But maybe adding your own and beeing constructive/or at least friendly would be the way to go..

Cheers

Boy are we ever touchy, defensive and anal. My first post about predictions regarding Stage 2 was a tongue in cheek comment. Any one with half a brain could see I was merely chiding the predictors (who take themselves so seriously) in that thread for missing their predictions by a mile. My post concluded with suggesting we consult an Octopus as they do in the World Cup (see post #804 in the Stage 2 thread)

But rather than seeing the humour in my post the response I got was childish and immature criticism by people in here who take themselves way too seriously. Even an administrator/moderator failed to see the humour in my post and got all defensive.

Instead of recognizing the obvious humour for what it was, all the responders got their knickers out of joint.

So fair is fair. If other posters on here cannot handle the heat then get out of the kitchen. Any reasonable and logically thinking person with a sense of humour can see my post in the Stage 2 thread at post #804 tongue in cheek.

So lets stop pretending who is friendly and who is not. Once it became apparent the posters on here can dish it out, but cannot take it in return and after the nasty baiting I got from Geraint Too Fast and others I fired back.

So quit being so sanctimonious, quit taking your self so seriously and quit acting like a bunch of spoiled children. Ninety-nine, decimal 999 per cent (99.999%) of great things in life happen outside of cycling, especially outside a cycling forum and especially a CN prediction thread!

 

[winkybiker]

Updated with today's placings:

Nibali 64

...

Sagan 8
Albasini 31
GVA 33
Froome 53
Mollema 60
Contador 70
Valverde 74
JVDB 74
Bardet 76
TJVG 83
Fuglsang 87
Péraud 103
Machado 103
Rui Costa 104
Nieve 115
Zubeldia 119
Porte 121
Gallopin 184
Kwiatkowski 205
Talansky 249

Not much of a change today, probably the same tomorrow.

What do those numbers mean?

 

[Afrank]

mrhender is right, this is becoming nothing but trolling. Robbie, if you want to put in your own predictions or question others in the respectful manner of a discussion than go ahead. But pulling out individuals predictions and making fun of them while it may be "tongue and cheek" to you, will appear to others as if you are insulting them.

Further more, in the thread yesterday no one acted defensive, no one criticized you. People explained why their prediction was a logical thing to say before the stage and explained how the predictions you posted actually were accurate in a lot of ways. I myself only questioned how the predictions were "pathetic" and what the point of posting them was. And you responding not logically or respectively, but with insults.

Making a post that will appear insulting to others (even if you claim it to be tongue and cheek) then responding to others replies by accusing them of being defensive and insulting them is trolling. And it's not going to fly here anymore.

We're all just trying to discuss the sport we love. So let's be constructive with our posts, respect other peoples posts, and not resort to insults and false accusations.

 

[purcell]

Andy Schlek - "In the end it was also really dangerous, there were gaps in the peloton. Normally it's the three kilometre rule and they keep the same time but I don't think it will be the case today. We lost something like over a minute but it's not over, the Tour has just started, in the climbs I think that will change.”

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/stage-3/news/int/andy-schleck-171-it-s-not-over-187.html

Anyone know why there wouldn't be a 3km rule today, cost alot of riders time

Are there any conditions, anywhere, that Andy Schleck does not consider dangerous?

Dude needs to take up shuffleboard.

 

[mrhender]

Boy are we ever touchy, defensive and anal. My first post about predictions regarding Stage 2 was a tongue in cheek comment. Any one with half a brain could see I was merely chiding the predictors (who take themselves so seriously) in that thread for missing their predictions by a mile. My post concluded with suggesting we consult an Octopus as they do in the World Cup (see post #804 in the Stage 2 thread)

But rather than seeing the humour in my post the response I got was childish and immature criticism by people in here who take themselves way too seriously. Even an administrator/moderator failed to see the humour in my post and got all defensive.

Instead of recognizing the obvious humour for what it was, all the responders got their knickers out of joint.

So fair is fair. If other posters on here cannot handle the heat then get out of the kitchen. Any reasonable and logically thinking person with a sense of humour can see my post in the Stage 2 thread at post #804 tongue in cheek.

So lets stop pretending who is friendly and who is not. Once it became apparent the posters on here can dish it out, but cannot take it in return and after the nasty baiting I got from Geraint Too Fast and others I fired back.

So quit being so sanctimonious, quit taking your self so seriously and quit acting like a bunch of spoiled children. Ninety-nine, decimal 999 per cent (99.999%) of great things in life happen outside of cycling, especially outside a cycling forum and especially a CN prediction thread!

So whilst the rest of us are acting like immature spoiled children
post #282 and #287 in this thread are mature, humourus, not taking yourself too seriously...
Sorry but that dog won't hunt

Furthermore you criticie posters for beeing defensive..
I get that, since you obviously prefer the aggressive way of doing things..

EDIT: Have a nice day -And i meant that in a friendly way

 

[jaylew]

Boy are we ever touchy, defensive and anal. My first post about predictions regarding Stage 2 was a tongue in cheek comment. Any one with half a brain could see I was merely chiding the predictors (who take themselves so seriously) in that thread for missing their predictions by a mile. My post concluded with suggesting we consult an Octopus as they do in the World Cup (see post #804 in the Stage 2 thread)

But rather than seeing the humour in my post the response I got was childish and immature criticism by people in here who take themselves way too seriously. Even an administrator/moderator failed to see the humour in my post and got all defensive.

Instead of recognizing the obvious humour for what it was, all the responders got their knickers out of joint.

So fair is fair. If other posters on here cannot handle the heat then get out of the kitchen. Any reasonable and logically thinking person with a sense of humour can see my post in the Stage 2 thread at post #804 tongue in cheek.

So lets stop pretending who is friendly and who is not. Once it became apparent the posters on here can dish it out, but cannot take it in return and after the nasty baiting I got from Geraint Too Fast and others I fired back.

So quit being so sanctimonious, quit taking your self so seriously and quit acting like a bunch of spoiled children. Ninety-nine, decimal 999 per cent (99.999%) of great things in life happen outside of cycling, especially outside a cycling forum and especially a CN prediction thread!

I don't know that you'll believe it, but honestly, you're the one who is coming across as overly sensitive, childish and defensive.

I felt the same about the stage 2 thread and I didn't have a dog in that fight. I actually did see what you were trying to do there. It just didn't quite work and your post didn't quite go over the way you wanted because the predictions were nowhere near as off as you made them out to be so it just wasn't that funny. It would have been completely different if the peloton had stayed together and Greipel won the sprint or Tony Martin had soloed for the entire race and stayed away. I actually might have chuckled at your post in that event. Honestly, did you ever stop to think that maybe people didn't get your "joke" and missed the humor because it just wasn't that funny?

I didn't think anyone came off as overly touchy in their responses but you certainly did. Especially when you used the tired internet forum "it's not that important / you guys take yourselves too serious / there's more important things in the world schtick. Yeah, most people here are fairly intelligent and they understand that. It's seems rather silly and unnecessary to make that kind of comment.

That said, people here do truly love their cycling and that's why they're here (and probably why you're here as well). We could all be on a more generic cycling forum or on none at all but we all choose to be here because we like to talk to other people who are just as interested as we are. Your post in this thread was just...well, you know damn well what it was. You should have just let it go.

 

[Netserk]

What do those numbers mean?

It's the sum of their stage placings so far, which will decide the order of the GC riders (and therefore the car order for the cobbles) when they have the same time in GC.

 

[karlboss]

It's the sum of their stage placings so far, which will decide the order of the GC riders (and therefore the car order for the cobbles) when they have the same time in GC.

I'd prefer to see olympic game medal count style separation. Yellow goes to whoever is further ahead on time. Next order everyone by wins, next by seconds etc. So after 3 stages. the order would be
1st Nibali, (obviously)
Then noone else at st has a win.
2nd Sagan has 2nds
3rd Van Avermaet has one 2nd
4th Kwiatkowski has a 3rd
5th Gallopin with a 5th
and so on.

This way the result is going to be changed by someone achieving a result like winning or a podium in a stage rather than someone finishing 90th vs someone elses 180th in a stage.

 

[Netserk]

I'd prefer a prologue

As it is now, it just adds bigger risks to the sprint finishes.

 

[karlboss]

I'd prefer a prologue

As it is now, it just adds bigger risks to the sprint finishes.

Olympic medal method doesn't increase sprint risks, unless Froome, for example, thinks he can beat Kittel in a sprint.