Tour de France Tour de France 2023, stage 3: Amorebieta-Etxano - Bayonne/Baiona, 193.5k

[Aimar16]

They’d be even happier with a stage win or more.

I would not be surprised if Bol is currently faster than him

 

[Samamba]

It wasn't only because they changed lanes, it was because both almost made Rodríguez crash.

Yes something that happens in every bunchsprint.

 

[Boehmand]

If Vineggaard tucks WVA into bed on time tonight and turns the light off properly, then maybe he can win the stage tomorrow.

He's got to read him a story first, and stroke his hair gently while telling him he is loved and that everything is going to be alright - like any PROPER gc captain would!

 

[Boehmand]

The last 500 M today is a 2-3 % incline, and there is a 4-5 % 500 M hill 6 K from the finish, which will certainly be used to put pressure on some of the trains (especially Soudal and Jayco).

So I think it is one for the punchier sprinters: Philipsen, Girmay, WvA, Pedersen - maybe Ewan if he is in shape.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

This stage got me thinking: Do we actually have a stage this year where we can expect crosswinds?
With the omission of Northern France this year I totally forgot about that.

 

[Breezy1985]

We are leaving the Basque Country and it has been a great couple of days. If you still want more, consider this documentary by Jørgen Leth about the Basque sport Pelota.

Documentaries of that era have such a cool aesthetic.

 

[laarsland]

Documentaries of that era have such a cool aesthetic.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UULIfPLMuDw

 

[Valv.Piti]

I will never understand cyclists and its experts on matters like sprinting. They want infinite safety protocols, but changing lane and endangering other riders like Rodriguez yesterday is supposed to be totally fine? No reason to cut in front on him like that, it looked really dangerous and there was no reason to do so. On top of that it doesn't mean jackshit in the grand scheme of things, so I dont know why you'd complain.

 

[Rob5091]

That 180 degree turn at 2 km to go looks dodgy - Caleb Ewan needs to win, but we have Cav, Kristoff, Sagan & Degenkolb so it could be a "Golden Oldies" sprint!

 

[KZD]

I will go with Girmay, the hard stage plus a slightly uphill finish could play into his hands.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

The last 500 M today is a 2-3 % incline, and there is a 4-5 % 500 M hill 6 K from the finish, which will certainly be used to put pressure on some of the trains (especially Soudal and Jayco).

Perfect for Jonas to help out Wout

 

[Red Rick]

I will never understand cyclists and its experts on matters like sprinting. They want infinite safety protocols, but changing lane and endangering other riders like Rodriguez yesterday is supposed to be totally fine? No reason to cut in front on him like that, it looked really dangerous and there was no reason to do so. On top of that it doesn't mean jackshit in the grand scheme of things, so I dont know why you'd complain.

Dude, you just cant go blame rider unless its Bouhannii

 

[Rob5091]

Trentin at the sign-in, but with a big gauze over a knee.

 

[RobertCrawley]

I would not be surprised if Bol is currently faster than him

Cavendish looked great in his win in the final sprint in the Giro. But he had G as a leadout. He needs a great poisson pilote, I think. Wheel hunting really isn't his forte. So it all depends on how well Bol leads him out and how well they work together. I don't give him a great chance of breaking the record, but it will be historic if he does.

 

[RedheadDane]

But he had G as a leadout. He needs a great poisson pilote, I think.

A what-for-a-pilote?

 

[RobertCrawley]

Of course Neilson (who is very nice) tries to get out on the break.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Powless is going for the strategy of getting so many points early on that nobody else even tries for it.

 

[Aimar16]

Cavendish looked great in his win in the final sprint in the Giro.

The competition was quite a joke there

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Has the leadout train for WVA started yet?

 

[Eclipse]

Now this is a proper early TdF stage.

 

[MrTea1976]

I would like Powless to win this stage. Won't happen but it would be an epic miscalculation.

 

[Samamba]

Powless is going for the strategy of getting so many points early on that nobody else even tries for it.

1 HC climb and he loses his jersey...

Will obviously try to go in the break himself on Wednesday but the points he's getting now are pretty irrelevant if he wastes all his energy and a better climber racks up the points in the actual mountain stages.

 

[DNP-Old]

Powerless will be exhausted by the time we reach Tourmalet. This isn't smart.

 

[RobertCrawley]

1 HC climb and he loses his jersey...

Will obviously try to go in the break himself on Wednesday but the points he's getting now are pretty irrelevant if he wastes all his energy and a better climber racks up the points in the actual mountain stages.

He's a good climber. They don't have any GC hopes. (Rigo is 20 minute down.) Who knows.

 

[RedheadDane]

Cavendish just wants to suffer "in a nice way".