Prudhomme's thoughts about the stage:
Another flat stage awaits the peloton and us, followers of this 3 week event, starting in the spa town Mondorf-les-Bains (Bad Mondorf) in Luxembourg. Shortly after the start, the Tour enters France yet again, going roughly south all day, and just passing the outskirts of the city Metz. The finish line is located in the town of Vittel, a town famous for its bottled water carrying the same name. Vittel was hosting a stage finish in 2009 where the latest Danish stage victory in the Tour is to be found. Nicki Sørensen with the joy screaming in his eyes so to speak, pictured below..
..won the stage, attacking and leaving first his breakaway companions behind and 5 kilometers from the finish, his only follower Sylvain Calzati from Agritubel. That stage caused nothing to the GC standings at the time, where Nocentini (AG2R) was leading with 6 seconds down to Alberto Contador and 8 seconds to Lance Armstrong Astana had actually 4 guys in the top 10 at the end of the stage; the two aforementioned, Levi Leipheimer (4th) and Andreas Klöden (6th). Alberto Contador did his best in trying to destroy the doubts of the hierarchy in Astana by crushing every competitor the final victory with the legendary and record-breaking (in terms of VAM) ride up the Verbier a couple of days later.
Vittel was also the start of a 200 km long hilly stage to Colmar the day after the last truly euphoric Tour moment for Denmark, where Heinrich Haussler won from a breakaway.
Now, have a look at the profile of the stage
And zoom in on the last kilometers..
Slightly, barely noticable uphill, except if you are one of my size and fitness. It won't have any significance at all for these riders. Bunch sprint is to be expected, since the unlikelihood of letting a break go as in 2009, the year of the Verbier
.
Weather forecast:
GC after stage 3:
1. Geraint THOMAS
2. Christopher FROOME + 12''
3. Michael MATTHEWS + 12''
4. Peter SAGAN + 13''
5. Edvald BOASSON HAGEN + 16''
6. Pierre Roger LATOUR + 25''
7. Phillipe GILBERT + 30''
8. Michal KWIATKOWSKI + 32''
9. Tim WELLENS + 32''
10. Nikias ARNDT + 34''
Points jersey classification top 5:
Marcel KITTEL 66
Arnaud DEMARE 57
Peter SAGAN 50
Michael MATTHEWS 44
Sonny COLBRELLI 32
Will be updated (with poll) as soon more info (and time) is available.
Another flat stage awaits the peloton and us, followers of this 3 week event, starting in the spa town Mondorf-les-Bains (Bad Mondorf) in Luxembourg. Shortly after the start, the Tour enters France yet again, going roughly south all day, and just passing the outskirts of the city Metz. The finish line is located in the town of Vittel, a town famous for its bottled water carrying the same name. Vittel was hosting a stage finish in 2009 where the latest Danish stage victory in the Tour is to be found. Nicki Sørensen with the joy screaming in his eyes so to speak, pictured below..
..won the stage, attacking and leaving first his breakaway companions behind and 5 kilometers from the finish, his only follower Sylvain Calzati from Agritubel. That stage caused nothing to the GC standings at the time, where Nocentini (AG2R) was leading with 6 seconds down to Alberto Contador and 8 seconds to Lance Armstrong Astana had actually 4 guys in the top 10 at the end of the stage; the two aforementioned, Levi Leipheimer (4th) and Andreas Klöden (6th). Alberto Contador did his best in trying to destroy the doubts of the hierarchy in Astana by crushing every competitor the final victory with the legendary and record-breaking (in terms of VAM) ride up the Verbier a couple of days later.
Vittel was also the start of a 200 km long hilly stage to Colmar the day after the last truly euphoric Tour moment for Denmark, where Heinrich Haussler won from a breakaway.
Now, have a look at the profile of the stage
And zoom in on the last kilometers..
Slightly, barely noticable uphill, except if you are one of my size and fitness. It won't have any significance at all for these riders. Bunch sprint is to be expected, since the unlikelihood of letting a break go as in 2009, the year of the Verbier
.Weather forecast:
GC after stage 3:
1. Geraint THOMAS
2. Christopher FROOME + 12''
3. Michael MATTHEWS + 12''
4. Peter SAGAN + 13''
5. Edvald BOASSON HAGEN + 16''
6. Pierre Roger LATOUR + 25''
7. Phillipe GILBERT + 30''
8. Michal KWIATKOWSKI + 32''
9. Tim WELLENS + 32''
10. Nikias ARNDT + 34''
Points jersey classification top 5:
Marcel KITTEL 66
Arnaud DEMARE 57
Peter SAGAN 50
Michael MATTHEWS 44
Sonny COLBRELLI 32
Will be updated (with poll) as soon more info (and time) is available.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram