Paris - Nice, Stage 1 Saint-Germain-en-Laye -> Nemours 195 km, Monday 4th March

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Lindeman, Talarbandon and Sicard in the break

 

[spalco]

90° bend in the final K of a sprinters' stage? I hope it's a wide road there, otherwise I don't agree with that sort of route, especially so early in the season. That's just asking for a crash.

 

[Netserk]

90° bend in the final K of a sprinters' stage? I hope it's a wide road there, otherwise I don't agree with that sort of route, especially so early in the season. That's just asking for a crash.

The green points are for the finish, 500m to go and 1k to go:

 

[search]

yep, and it's a relatively wide road, should be no big issue

 

[spalco]

Ok, that looks fine, nevermind then.

 

[wirral]

Sebastian Turgot to win and keep the yellow jersey in Europcar.

 

[Netserk]

So far the average speed is 30 km/h.

 

[Cyivel]

75km gone gap is 7:05

 

[jens_attacks]

this is for petacchi.

 

[jens_attacks]

fedrigo, the big french enigma quits

see you in july

 

[Peccio89]

this is for petacchi.

i'm very sad to say this because i really appreciate Petacchi style, however i think he's too old now to sprint at a decent level, he didn't retire only because Lampre needed his points.

 

[TeoSheva]

fedrigo, the big french enigma quits

see you in july

what happens? crash?
usually he does well at the criterium

 

[Ruudz0r]

what happens? crash?
usually he does well at the criterium

He is sick

 

[l.Harm]

Costa abandon

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Costa gone!

What the ****!?!?!

Well that makes it a lot easier for Gesink

 

[BlenJones2]

Costa out will probably please the Quintana fans here...

 

[The Sheep]

left wrist broken

 

[l.Harm]

Transported to hospital. Probably fraction in the left wrist.

 

[theyoungest]

What the ****!?!?!

Well that makes it a lot easier for Gesink

Suspected broken wrist.

Don't jinx Gesink BTW. This final promises to be very nervous with really small roads.

 

[Pentacycle]

Suspected broken wrist.

Don't jinx Gesink BTW. This final promises to be very nervous with really small roads.

And Quintana will be his main opponent together with possibly Westra, De Gendt and Peraud. Gesink is not the outstanding favourite here, thinking that has 85% chance of disappointment.

 

[Cyivel]

Kristoff down

 

[l.Harm]

Kristoff lying on the ground. Stupid narrow roads.

 

[wwabbit]

Now Kristoff is down too, looks bad

 

[spalco]

Who's that lying on the ground there?

 

[will10]

Yikes, one top favourite out already. All chips on Quintana