Tour of Britain - 11th to 18th September - Race Thread

[Ferminal]

1325: Visibility very bad now, only ~20m because of thick fog and very heavy rain on Black Mountain. And there's a strong headwind too #tob

Would it be a Tour of Britain without it?

 

[stefrees]

Think it's all kicked off, up to 5 groups on the road, htc have split it up

 

[euanli]

Some of the pictures I'm seeing right now are of horrendous conditions

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Meyer leads alone over Black Mountain, chased by 8 riders at 1m20. This includes Albasini at HTC. Henderson is in a group of 30 or so riders 2.45 minutes back.

Looks like the effort by Sky on getting Henderson the stage win yesterday is backfiring massively.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

10k to go. Meyer still in front by 30s from chasing group, 1m30s back to yellow jersey group.

TOB twitter says 'I don't think there's a rider riding next to another along the whole course, single file only at 10km to finish for leader'

Sounds like TOB's version of stages 7 and 11 of this years Giro.

 

[Anonymous]

final kilometres of todays stage

 

[Anonymous]

Wiggins dropped apparently. He looks finished and done in according to the comms.

Im outta this thread now till 8pm

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Albasini leads up constitution hill by 5 seconds. He's on his way to the yellow jersey today. Wiggins dropped from chase group.

 

[stefrees]

So albasini has got overall wrapped up already.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

So albasini has got overall wrapped up already.

Looks that way but tomorrow might be similar to today.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Albasini wins stage 3 and is the new leader. Henderson was 1.35 back at the last time check.

 

[Ferminal]

And so the 5 hour wait for the complete classification begins!

It sounded like HTC were setting it up for Albasini with all the work they were doing.

 

[sublimit]

Its sounds like a bloodbath with HTC rubbing SKY's nose in it..
Wiggans,Tony Martin went out the back.

Welcome to Britain.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Top 3:

1 Michael Albasini (HTC-Columbia)
2 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Garmin - Transitions
3 Mark Mcnally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Top 3:

1 Michael Albasini (HTC-Columbia)
2 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Garmin - Transitions
3 Mark Mcnally (GBr) An Post - Sean Kelly

Correction. Rumour has it Ian Bibby of Motorpoint came 2nd

 

[Ney the Viking]

how did Porte do, and is there any exitement left in the GC?

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Top 7 from today.

1. Michael Albasini Team HTC-Columbia
2. Ian Bibby Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta @ 8s
3. Stijn Neirynck Topsport Vlaanderen @ same time
4. Cameron Meyer Garmin-Transitions @ 21s
5. Mark McNally AN Post Sean Kelly @ 28s
6. Simon Richardson Sigma Sport-Specialized @ 31s
7. Richie Porte Team Saxo Bank @ 1m 15s

 

[maltiv]

Top 15 overall:

1 Michael Albasini - Team HTC-Columbia 10:57:01
2 Greg Henderson - Sky Pro Cycling Team 01:26
3 Richie Porte - Team Saxo Bank 01:28
4 Borut Bozic - Vacansoleil Pro Cycling 01:41
5 Johnny Hoogerland - Vacansoleil Pro Cycling 01:46
6 Michael Golas - Vacansoleil Pro Cycling 02:08
7 Patrick Sinkewitz - ISD-Neri Giambenini
8 Travis Meyer - Garmin-Transitions 02:10
9 Christian Meier - Garmin-Transitions
10 Robert Partridge - Endura Racing 02:13
11 Koen De Kort - Skil-Shimano 02:47
12 Dan Craven - Rapha-Condor-Sharp 03:07
13 Geraint Thomas - Sky Pro Cycling Team 05:18
14 Bradley Wiggins - Sky Pro Cycling Team 06:34
15 Heinrich Haussler - Cervelo Test Team 09:52

Albasini will surely get the GC, unless something odd happens.

 

[Ferminal]

Was Albasini in the break or did he go for a long solo at some point?

 

[Frosty]

Was Albasini in the break or did he go for a long solo at some point?

He was one of a few riders who broke away on the climb of the Black Mountain and caught up the remnants of the break on the descent. He had Tony Martin to help him.

 

[Anonymous]

Its sounds like a bloodbath with HTC rubbing SKY's nose in it..
Wiggans,Tony Martin went out the back.

Welcome to Britain.

even worse, haussler was destroyed for 10 minutes.

That stage was evil, worthy of a semi-classic, hats off to Albasini, and Cam Meyer did a cracking ride as well.

It gets equally nasty tommorow, I know most of the climbs tommorow and they are sharp and steep.Will be hard to get a rythm, think a breakaway could stay away.

There will be a few riders who were sold the tour of britain on the basis of it being mostly flat, relaxing riding who will be having words with their team management this evening.

 

[Anonymous]

Top 15 overall:
Albasini will surely get the GC, unless something odd happens.

tommorow in devon is pretty nasty. There will be big gc changes yet.

If albasini gets through the next two days he will be ok.

 

[Jamsque]

Crazy stage, much more racing than I expected to see at the ToB this year. Sky screwed the pooch yesterday and paid for it today.

 

[Cobblestoned]

even worse, haussler was destroyed for 10 minutes.

That stage was evil, worthy of a semi-classic, hats off to Albasini, and Cam Meyer did a cracking ride as well.

It gets equally nasty tommorow, I know most of the climbs tommorow and they are sharp and steep.Will be hard to get a rythm, think a breakaway could stay away.

There will be a few riders who were sold the tour of britain on the basis of it being mostly flat, relaxing riding who will be having words with their team management this evening.

I hope you finally found your comforting pavement.
This man comes from rehab.

 

[maltiv]

even worse, haussler was destroyed for 10 minutes.

That stage was evil, worthy of a semi-classic, hats off to Albasini, and Cam Meyer did a cracking ride as well.

It gets equally nasty tommorow, I know most of the climbs tommorow and they are sharp and steep.Will be hard to get a rythm, think a breakaway could stay away.

There will be a few riders who were sold the tour of britain on the basis of it being mostly flat, relaxing riding who will be having words with their team management this evening.

Makes Sky's decision to put all eggs in one basket (Henderson) look really foolish. Not the first time they do this mistake...