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

[Wergeland]

Blame for Cav's poor position goes to Eisel or Martin in my opinion. Martin looked totally shocked when Eisel swung off, and then did a half-hearted pull himself (not happy to be a part of the train?), so it was Renshaw alone with 1k to go.

Chapeau to Farrar, but also to Thor who in my opinion earned half of this win.

HTC should have brought Grabsch. They missed him today. SUPERstrong Lars Bak though.

 

[Maxiton]

Hushovd interview. Not going for green. Doesn't really look too thrilled about it.

It's amazing to watch these guys switching languages like a machine during the interviews.

 

[Anonymous]

Cav on ITV now. Credits his team for a great lead-out as always. Says Roman Feillu causes havok, claims Feillu took him out on the last corner. Says HTC were on the front too early so he fell back a bit and tried to slot in on Garmin's wheel. He went in to the corner with Rojas on one side and Feillu on the other, Feillu caught his rear wheel and he nearly went down.

He says he knows people will write him off but he knows he has great form and will come back.

NOT A HAPPY CAVENDISH.

In reality, he is still the fastest, and will have plenty more chances to show it, and I am sure he will succeed. Farrar won, and that's great, but I wouldn't count on HTC c0cking up the finish like that every day. I also am not going to go around saying Farrar is faster because he isn't and never will be.

 

[hrotha]

Most of the opposition was gone BEFORE the turn, because they were simply badly positioned. The 'crash' only mattered for the places 4-10.

I guess I'd have to wait for someone to upload the video, but that's definitely not the way I saw it.

What is being debated is whether anything was "handed" to a team that put themselves in the best position at the most crucial moment. Reducing a win to being caused by someone crashing when this is the TdF, corners before finish lines are well known hazards, and the best tactics are to have your strongest guys at the head of the pack right before going into that corner is what is ridiculous. Deal with it.

Maybe "handed to" is a colloquial expression you shouldn't take literally. Now there's a thought.

Also, the "deal with it" bit - you're arguing this point as if those who disagree with you were mad at Garmin for winning or as if they were emotionally involved in any way. I'm not. If anything, I like Farrar better than most of the guys who got caught behind.

 

[Wergeland]

who thinks this is thors last day in yellow. its not surely cadels, if millar manages to hold on he gets it. everyone forgotten about him.

Evans will most likely get yellow tomorrow. Millar is definitely Garmins joker. He's got a really good chance.

 

[Jamsque]

2009 Tour de France was the only time Cav won the first sprint he contested in a GT. I guess it takes him one to get his eye in or something.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

They might be a ProTour team, but they hardly get any coverage, and certaintly aren't a team people talk about much. I mean Eurosport don't even know de gendt has a broken collar bone. If it was HTC they'd know about it

It's more an anglosaxon problem. RAI identified Marcato in the attack after seconds. Not everyone just focuses on Cav, Evans and sh*t.

 

[will10]

Felliu and Rojas nearly beat Farrar. interesting...

Was a comfortable win.

 

[auscyclefan94]

When did De Ghent crash?

 

[jobiwan]

Felliu and Rojas nearly beat Farrar. interesting...

No they didn't.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Was a comfortable win.

Really? Watch the reply, Felliu and Rojas were very close.

 

[jobiwan]

When did De Ghent crash?

Stage 1

chaishoigfhaqrhgk.zsn

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

When did De Ghent crash?

You're not really into this TdF stuff, aren't you?

Btw, this Gilbert guy has won stage 1.

 

[Jamsque]

Green Jersey standings are interesting:

1. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 64 pts
2. FARRAR Tyler 58 pts
3. HUSHOVD Thor 54 pts
4. GILBERT Philippe 51 pts
5. CAVENDISH Mark 37 pts
6. FEILLU Romain 36 pts
7. EVANS Cadel 35 pts
8. GALIMZYANOV Denis 28 pts
9. HINAULT Sébastien 26 pts
10. BOZIC Borut 26 pts

Rojas will probably lose the jersey to Gilbert tomorrow. Cavendish only 21 points behind Farrar, not anything to be worried about yet but he can't afford to let out too much more of a gap.

 

[Anonymous]

I guess I'd have to wait for someone to upload the video, but that's definitely not the way I saw it.

Maybe "handed to" is a colloquial expression you shouldn't take literally. Now there's a thought.

Also, the "deal with it" bit - you're arguing this point as if those who disagree with you were mad at Garmin for winning or as if they were emotionally involved in any way. I'm not. If anything, I like Farrar better than most of the guys who got caught behind.

No Tifosi was trying to minimize the win. That is what I am objecting to.

 

[hrotha]

Really? Watch the reply, Felliu and Rojas were very close.

Nah, Rojas wasn't. He had launched the sprint from pretty far off and was done by then. Feillu is more debatable since he was doing a nice progression, but IMO by then Farrar knew he had won and he wasn't going all out anymore.

 

[valentius borealis]

When did De Ghent crash?

stage 1, I believe it was the crash when Iglinsky collided with the spectator

 

[auscyclefan94]

You're not really into this TdF stuff, aren't you?

Btw, this Gilbert guy has won stage 1.

Sorry! I have had my internet down the past few days so I am struggling to naivgate and find information and I have watched every stage of whcch Liggett nor Sherwen had mentioned anything. Don't need to be rude

 

[Peccio89]

Htc train was clearly too long, that's why Lampre tried to put Hondo upfront to lead for some time given the fact that Petacchi was at Cav's wheel, however Hondo passed them too fast and the htc guy wasn't able to follow him; at -1.5 km Cav noticed that it was impossible for Eisel and Renshaw to finish the job and he did slow down creating the gap, losing a lot of position and making Petacchi out of the contest; the garmin train than did a great job to take the lead before the turn, and thanks to the slow down of the sky guys and the crash by Doumulin, they were able to deliver the win for Farrar.


Really happy for Farrar, however he didn't outsprint the top guys; it's not that we are taking away credit for his win, but still i would like to see how he performs in a true sprint against Cav and Petacchi.

 

[Anonymous]

Htc train was clearly too long, that's why Lampre tried to put Hondo upfront to lead for some time given the fact that Petacchi was at Cav's wheel, however Hondo passed them too fast and the htc guy wasn't able to follow him; at -1.5 km Cav noticed that it was impossible for Eisel and Renshaw to finish the job and he did slow down creating the gap, losing a lot of position and making Petacchi out of the contest; the garmin train than did a great job to take the lead before the turn, and thanks to the slow down of the sky guys and the crash by Doumulin, they were able to deliver the win for Farrar.


Really happy for Farrar, however he didn't outsprint the top guys; it's not that we are taking away credit for his win, but still i would like to see how he performs in a true sprint against Cav and Petacchi.

Cav is faster, but Petacchi is washed up. Time for the glue factory there, so in a true sprint, Tyler will do fine against him.

 

[Frosty]

WRT the points, could see HTC go for the intermediate sprint tomorrow. Maybe with both Cav and Goss as they wont be a factor at the finish (too steep for Goss). Rojas may be able to pick up a few points at the finish.

 

[jobiwan]

Htc train was clearly too long, that's why Lampre tried to put Hondo upfront to lead for some time given the fact that Petacchi was at Cav's wheel, however Hondo passed them too fast and the htc guy wasn't able to follow him; at -1.5 km Cav noticed that it was impossible for Eisel and Renshaw to finish the job and he did slow down creating the gap, losing a lot of position and making Petacchi out of the contest; the garmin train than did a great job to take the lead before the turn, and thanks to the slow down of the sky guys and the crash by Doumulin, they were able to deliver the win for Farrar.


Really happy for Farrar, however he didn't outsprint the top guys; it's not that we are taking away credit for his win, but still i would like to see how he performs in a true sprint against Cav and Petacchi.

Are you aware that Farrar has beaten them both in the Giro and the Vuelta, along with wins in other races?

 

[Jamsque]

Cavendish clearly has great form, he won the intermediate sprint with ease and closed up to fifth place despite being 50 meters behind after the corner. If he gets in a good position to sprint I'm sure he'll have no trouble passing Farrar.

We didn't get to see Galimzyanov or Petacchi really go at it today, I'd like to see what their form is like.

 

[Gloin22]

No luck at all for Sky today. Thomas done great lead-out but then on the corner Hagen and Swift lsot his wheel. Swift will prove himself though.

 

[KassyC]

It's more an anglosaxon problem. RAI identified Marcato in the attack after seconds. Not everyone just focuses on Cav, Evans and sh*t.

OK well I only get eurosport so I guess that's the difference. I love the attacking style of Vacansoleil, wish we got more coverage of them. Even when they are right there they don't get a mention. The commentary of the Bozic win in Tour de Suisse was hilarious, not a mention he was there until he won.