Tour de France Tour de France 2021, Stage 3: Lorient - Pontivy, 183.9 km

[Broccolidwarf]

Cavendish intro interview:

I have no excuses, the team is perfect, the equipment is perfect, I feel like one of those modern GC riders.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Rolf Soerensen making the point on TV2, that a rainy race is an advantage to Mads P, who tends to be better than everyone else in bad weather, not least with a couple of big, Belgian cobbles specialists as his lead out.

Maybe we should just bet on anyone with a Nordic sounding name!

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Maybe we should just bet on anyone with a Nordic sounding name!

It's called "Dane weather" for a reason

Despite the Danish hype, I still think Ewan will take it today ahead of Cavendish - it's not like the Lotto or DQ boys are not used to bad weather

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Fair bit of focus on Barguil as expected

https://www.facebook.com/ArkeaSamsic/posts/4158342540925172

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Mads P also saying in the intro interview, that a key point in the race is at 18K to go (at K164,8), where you have to be in front.

Chris Anker (commentating) elaborates, that at that point the riders turn off the main road, and onto a long stretch of small, twisty roads, that can easily create separation in the peloton.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Am I the only one loving Showman Schelling?

 

[BlueRoads]

Rolf Soerensen making the point on TV2, that a rainy race is an advantage to Mads P, who tends to be better than everyone else in bad weather, not least with a couple of big, Belgian cobbles specialists as his lead out.

I don't think that matters much in a bunch sprint; Pedersen is great in bad weather when it's a long classic's race, but I don't think the final speed of the really fast guys will be much affected by the rain - the only thing that might change due to the weather is the importance of technical skills and the team. And even with the rain it won't be extremely cold today.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I don't think that matters much in a bunch sprint; Pedersen is great in bad weather when it's a long classic's race, but I don't think the final speed of the really fast guys will be much affected by the rain - the only thing that might change due to the weather is the importance of technical skills and the team. And even with the rain it won't be extremely cold today.

Soerensen always refers to "rainy legs", saying that in the rain (and the wind chill that comes with it), many riders struggle with their power output.

So far it's a moot point though, as we can all see from the pictures.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

SHAMELESS PLUG:

If you are bored during this loooooong bunch sprinters stage, the stage winners challenge is still open for late entries:

2021 TdF Stage Winners Challenge

It is very much still anyone's game, with the leader at 2 points, and 76 potential points still to be awarded.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Lotto & FDJ pulling the peloton.

Behind them the GC riders from Ineos, then Jumbo, then UAE, then Movistar, then Bahrain.

Neither Alpecin, Trek or DQ visible near the front.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Lotto & FDJ pulling the peloton.

Behind them the GC riders from Ineos, then Jumbo, then UAE, then Movistar, then Bahrain.

Neither Alpecin, Trek or DQ visible near the front.

I thought that GC riders from Ineos were an extinct species.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Gap to the break stabilised at between 2:30 and 3:00, they are not getting a longer lead today, baring something unforeseen like a major crash.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I thought that GC riders from Ineos were an extinct species.

Carapaz will reach the podium, mark my words

 

[Broccolidwarf]

View: https://youtu.be/TzFnYcIqj6I

 

[Lequack]

Some light reading for todays predicable stage

Lefevere threatens to bench Sam Bennett from races and dock his pay unless he 'behaves'

'He didn’t show me respect. It's more a pity for him than it is for me' says Deceuninck-QuickStep boss

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Some light reading for todays predicable stage

Lefevere threatens to bench Sam Bennett from races and dock his pay unless he 'behaves'

'He didn’t show me respect. It's more a pity for him than it is for me' says Deceuninck-QuickStep boss

www.cyclingnews.com

"If you fight like a devil and cry like a child because Bora-Hansgrohe treat you wrong and then after nearly 14 months you sign with the team again it says more about him than it does about me. I have balls, he doesn’t.”

I LOVE Lefevre - he is an old school badass - who gives exactly ZERO fcuks about what anyone else thinks

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Thomas down

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Of course Thomas crashes

 

[wheresmybrakes]

G out of the Tour, oh dear.

 

[MartinGT]

Thomas DNF

 

[glassmoon]

*** this ***!

 

[sir fly]

Disaster.
I'm gutted.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah he's not getting back on his bike.

 

[MartinGT]

Fist pump to Rowe, game over. The lad has some bad luck.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Looks like a broken wrist, and possibly his last GC shot in the Tour over