Tour de France Stage 3: Olonne-sur-Mer - Redon (198 km)

[Damiano]

Since no one else has created this thread I'll do it. I apologize in advance for my bad English.

So, stage 3 is doomed to be a day for the sprinters. Cavendish, Farrar, Petacchi, Galimzyanov. They'll all be there. The profile looks like this:

Is Mark Cavendish too skinny?

Can Galimzyanov continue to do top3 in every single race he participates in?

Will Hushovd do a lead-out for Farrar?

How much will the intermediate sprint affect the finish?

And who is gonna do the sprint for Team Sky? Swift or Hagen?

 

[Ramira]

Is Mark Cavendish too skinny?
Ofcourse not
Can Galimzyanov continue to do top3 in every single race he participates in?
I hope so but Doubt it
Will Hushovd do a lead-out for Farrar?
He will on the total flat sprints, on the ones up hill it might be the other way around
How much will the intermediate sprint affect the finish?
I don't think it will have to much of an effect on the sprints, it will mainly matter in the stages that won't end in sprint finishes
And who is gonna do the sprint for Team Sky? Swift or Hagen?
I think Hagen will lead out for Swift.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Have they actually made a bridge a cat. 4 climb?

Brilliant.

Anyhow, I choose to believe Cav got his obligatory early fail out of the way on Saturdays intermediate sprint, so I'm chalking this one up for him.

 

[Frosty]

Hey, the cat 4 climb is over a bridge. Very exposed if the wind is from the west, its where Armstrong dropped his team on a TTT back in 2000. Not sure how windy it is expected to be tomorrow. Looks like an ENE'ly in the morning gives way to a sea-breeze later in the day.

 

[Jamsque]

Petacchi
Cavendish
Galimzyanov
Farrar
EBH

 

[hrotha]

Yeah, it's one nasty climb, that bridge. In 2000 most teams were destroyed there.

I think Cav hasn't sucked enough yet, as is customary, and the first sprint is often surprising, so I'm going to say... EBH.

 

[Anonymous]

There could well be another pile-up with the favourites involved. I wouldn't want to go lumping-on Cav or the other fancies at short odds.

 

[c&cfan]

Yeah, it's one nasty climb, that bridge. In 2000 most teams were destroyed there.

I think Cav hasn't sucked enough yet, as is customary, and the first sprint is often surprising, so I'm going to say... EBH.

without a single doubt, i bet in vino. mark my words.

without a f*cking single doubt!

(exams.. too much cofee)

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

This is the climb of the day:

3,3km lenght (up & down), 68m height

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Thank God I'll be at work.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

It makes about 1500m at 4,5% average, it's not thát bad

 

[roundabout]

There are some big-*** ships in the world to make a bridge that high.

 

[jens_attacks]

shiit it will be all over the place mark my words,echelons,crashes,pile-ups,from that climb to the intermediate sprint if the wind it will be strong,some big names won't pay attention again.in this kind of stage,minutes can be lost if the wind is so strong.
the last 10km are exposed to the wind too,it will be another nervous stage.
my pick is petacchi or a fast guy from the front echelon(let's say hushovd).

 

[mewmewmew13]

I'd like to see Petacchi take it.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Hoping for lots of wind, else just the usual first spring not won by Cavendish. Farrar looked strong so far, so going for him.

 

[roundabout]

Doesn't look there'll be too much wind in the final 60k.

http://www.letour.fr/2011/TDF/LIVE/fr/300/meteo.html

 

[Midnightfright]

Hoping for lots of wind, else just the usual first spring not won by Cavendish. Farrar looked strong so far, so going for him.

Cavendish doesn't win the 1st sprint. That's what will make the 4 after that mean more

 

[Cobblestones]

I'd like to see Petacchi take it.

+1

Go Ale Jet!

 

[Anonymous]

Final Kilometres. Says sprint all over it.

 

[The Sheep]

This is the climb of the day:
[IMG of bridge]
3,3km lenght (up & down), 68m height

would have been awesome near the end with some echelons

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

shiit it will be all over the place mark my words,echelons,crashes,pile-ups,from that climb to the intermediate sprint

But the intermediate sprint is 39 km before the bridge.

And, unfortunately, the bridge is 55 km before the end of the stage, time for the sprinters' teams to undo what damage the winds might have done to the integrity of the group.

 

[Anonymous]

Cavendish for the win is my call.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

Someone to crash on the bridge and falling off.

You read it here first, guys.

 

[zapata]

They should finish on the bridge, or a km after it. As it is, of course cavendish will win. Unless there's a chance of crosswinds splintering the peloton? The last part of the course is pretty close to the coast.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

They should finish on the bridge, or a km after it. As it is, of course cavendish will win. Unless there's a chance of crosswinds splintering the peloton? The last part of the course is pretty close to the coast.

It's not the Giro.