TdF Stage 2 *spoiler*

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  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Tomorrow?

    Given Chavanel's decent rides in Floubaix the last couple of years why wouldn't QS try and give it some stick at the front? You can be certain at least one GC favourite will lose out as a result.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    mididoctors wrote:

    didn't see anybody start waving white flags on the strada Bianche thou....

    Aye, but in the Giro, they didn't wait when 2 of the faves decked it.

    Lightweight.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Rabo site:
    Robert Gesink with a hairline fracture to his arm. He'll start tomorrow, but it'll be painful. Day to day racing.

    Oooh those cobbles.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    andyp wrote:
    Gesink has a fractured wrist.
    Can't he learn how to fall without hurting himself/me!

    Perhaps he can sleep it off overnight.Perhaps we should neutralise the TdF

    PTP Veulta d'Espania early pick...Gesink.
    Half man, Half bike
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    McEwen's Elbow is also a bit screwed

    http://twitpic.com/22q5pn
    cartoon.jpg
  • amd-sco
    amd-sco Posts: 94
    From Cadel Evans

    Tour de France - Stage 2
    Monday, 05 July 2010

    Another stage, another dozen crashes…

    I don't remember seeing so many guys down in one race. The usual first week of the Tour nerves caused some angst and accidents, but something very slippery on the already narrow steep descent off the Cote du Stockeu caused real chaos. As we descended at seemingly safe speed, all I saw was all fifteen guys in front of me sliding down the road on everything but their bikes...as my bike spun everyway but forwards, I caught a glimpse of those behind in various modes of cycling and falling. In our sport, in that situation you get back on your bike, if it works, and get back to group ASAP. Sometimes it can be the difference between being in contention and falling way out of it.

    Today, because of the number of guys who went down, the group agreed not to sprint. Considering the number of guys injured, the danger of the last 10km, I'm sorry for the spectators, but it was the right thing to do. Sorry, we are human as well. Don't fear, for the masochists amongst you, there will be plenty of suffering/crashes/damage to come...probably most of it tomorrow...
    ‘There is No Try. There is only Do. Or do not.’
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Rabo site:
    Robert Gesink with a hairline fracture to his arm. He'll start tomorrow, but it'll be painful. Day to day racing.

    Oooh those cobbles.
    That's my boy!
    Half man, Half bike
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    at least cadel is honest.. What he is trying to say is "Sh1t Happens"

    But USA today on the other hand.. :roll: :roll:

    h[url]ttp://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/2010-07-05-2440575590_x.htm?[/url]
    cartoon.jpg
  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    Brailsford's take:

    http://www.teamsky.com/tour-de-france/a ... 94,00.html

    1910CET, Monday 5 July

    Starting from the beginning of the stage, the breakaway went early and we didn't want to be in it so that was fine. Cervélo were keen to ride, presumably for Hushovd. So they worked with Saxo Bank on the front.

    And then it started to rain as they got into the climbs. First of all there was a crash with Michael Barry and a couple of Garmin guys went down, as did a Lotto rider. Michael hurt his backside but he's okay and had managed to claw himself back on by the end.

    Then they got to the descent off the Côte de Stockeu climb and down there it was just like an ice rink, it was absolute carnage.

    There were bodies and bikes everywhere. I saw the motorbike that was following the breakaway riders for TV and he just slid off and into the ditch. And then as the peloton came through there were riders everywhere and the Schlecks went down really heavily.

    The front group - Cancellara, a couple of Cervélo riders, Evans and some BMC guys - got through unscathed. But behind Armstrong, Contador, the Schlecks, Bradley, Hincapie and many others all came down.

    Probably about 30 guys in total hit the road and Simon Gerrans was just caught up at the end of it. They all came down on exactly the same patch - it was a super-slippery road. Whether it was wet leaves, some spilt diesel or something else we just don't know, but it was like an ice rink.

    Brad bust his bike so Edvald (Boasson Hagen) gave him his and in the front group we had Thomas (Löfkvist) and (Juan Antonio) Flecha and the riders all started talking amongst themselves about it being such a big crash behind that they shouldn't really ride. So they decided they wouldn't, it all came back together and that was it.

    Brad's got bumps and bruises and it's the same with Simon and Michael.

    I think everyone's got to calm down for a couple of hours now. Get showers, have a bite to eat, chill out a bit, sleep on it and then we'll start afresh tomorrow.
    @stagehopper
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    stagehopper wrote:
    And then it started to rain as they got into the climbs. First of all there was a crash with Michael Barry and a couple of Garmin guys went down, as did a Lotto rider. Michael hurt his backside but he's okay and had managed to claw himself back on by the end.

    Is it true just after this Armstrong was heard muttering "snitches get stitches"?

    :wink:
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    I just hope the organizers don't go and do something stupid with tomorrows stage,
    cartoon.jpg
  • amd-sco
    amd-sco Posts: 94
    Sorry OT but off Mick rogers tweets - so sweet & almost adorable...

    http://tweetphoto.com/31013372
    ‘There is No Try. There is only Do. Or do not.’
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Doobz wrote:
    I just hope the organizers don't go and do something stupid with tomorrows stage,

    Unleashing the lions?

    Covering the cobbles in jelly?

    Cover them in sand?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    iainf72 wrote:
    Doobz wrote:
    I just hope the organizers don't go and do something stupid with tomorrows stage,

    Unleashing the lions?

    Covering the cobbles in jelly?

    Cover them in sand?

    decide that they don't want mini and older schleck losing a bundle before the Alps and declare all the cobbled bits neutralised?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    But it would be best if the cobbles don't skew the Tour outcome too much and the top contenders make it through safely. It would not be convincing if Armstrong or others win simply because the paving stones hobbled their rivals.

    From USA today article linked above

    So let me get this straight, you don't want the course to sort out the riders? :roll:
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    edited July 2010
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    Doobz wrote:
    I just hope the organizers don't go and do something stupid with tomorrows stage,

    Unleashing the lions?

    Covering the cobbles in jelly?

    Cover them in sand?

    decide that they don't want mini and older schleck losing a bundle before the Alps and declare all the cobbled bits neutralised?

    I presume They could still re-route the stage to avoid the cobbles sections I suppose. I would'nt be surprised if lance spat his dummy out in the morning... moaning about it being unsafe etc etc

    I don't see what the fuss is about..

    Go back a few weeks to the Giro... No one stopped and sat up then did they when there was a huge fcuk of crash??
    cartoon.jpg
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    To be fair to Armstrong, he's got least to fear out of most of the GT contenders from the Pave. At 74kg or whatever, he's built a bit better than the likes of Schlecks, Contador etc and has the advantage of having won a Tour with a similar stage in the past.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Thor's not happy at all, quite rightly. I doubt he'll wait for his own mother tomorrow.
    It wasn't until two hours after the stage finish when Hushovd finally gave his opinion to Cyclingnews and his frame of mind was no different than his post-race anger: "What happened is not normal," Hushovd said on the phone. "I'm very sorry for the riders who crashed. It was a big mess. But yet, this is still a bike race. Crashes happen all the time. It's been a really big mistake from ASO and the UCI commissaires to agree to neutralise the end of the stage. The Tour de France is a big, big race. Things like that shouldn't happen."

    "Why should Cancellara decide?," the Norwegian questioned. "He's a rider like us." Hushovd and the Cervélo team were one of the few to not accept the decision of the yellow jersey to wait for some injured riders and then to prevent the sprint for second place from being contested. Jeremy Hunt chased behind Chavanel for a while.

    "I've been riding all day for the stage win and the green jersey and I end up with nothing," Hushovd continued. "This is not fair. Will the same thing happen tomorrow? Will the times for GC be taken before the pavés sections? If Alberto Contador or another big rider crashes tomorrow on the cobblestones, he's entitled to ask for the race to be neutralised too! So when will we race, really?"

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hushovd-furious-as-points-neutralised-in-spa
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Well said Thor!
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    I think they should have allowed the MV contenders to sprint for the points in the last km.

    Can't help thinking back to last year when everyone cried 'boring' because 98% of the GC contenders were out of the race by the end of week 1. Would it be a better race had the Schlecks, Evans etc lost shed loads of time today and basically have no chance on GC?

    Funny how no teams complained when the parcours was announced - I'm sure they all saw the opportunity to make time over their rivals. Then when the opportunity bites them in the arse it's the most unsafe stage ever, how dare the organisers, blah blah blah.

    V surpised that Armstrong was scared of a bit of wet weather - didn't he build his first TdF victory in worse conditions?
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    mididoctors wrote:
    Thought boardman's take was about right

    well see...

    it's not the giro... no mercy there
    I thought his comment summed it up OK.
    Brought a large smile though, coming from a guy that hit the deck more regular than most.
    Thor says it best. IMO.

    I did say in an earlier post that ES put adverts on and I presumed the crash was at the bottom of the Stockeu (T junction post :roll: ): but I've now seen the ITV bit.
    So it happened after the Eddy Merckx rememberance stone while still under the trees at the top and before the steep downhill pave section.
    It seemed to be a Lampre guy who went down followed by the motorbike.

    So Spartacus was in the lead at the top of the Stockeu or he rode through the carnage.???

    If it was Spartacus in the lead up there, then the race was already in a Tempo type Neutralised Plod anyway and no wonder they fell off.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    micron wrote:
    I think they should have allowed the MV contenders to sprint for the points in the last km.

    Can't help thinking back to last year when everyone cried 'boring' because 98% of the GC contenders were out of the race by the end of week 1. Would it be a better race had the Schlecks, Evans etc lost shed loads of time today and basically have no chance on GC?

    Funny how no teams complained when the parcours was announced - I'm sure they all saw the opportunity to make time over their rivals. Then when the opportunity bites them in the ars* it's the most unsafe stage ever, how dare the organisers, blah blah blah.

    V surpised that Armstrong was scared of a bit of wet weather - didn't he build his first TdF victory in worse conditions?

    If the front group had ridden all the GC favourites would have lost time behind, no? That would have given us the most open Tour for years. Cancellara was slowing it down on Riis's instruction no doubt to avoid wasting his domestiques chasing an impossible gap.

    My stance on this has hardened as the day has gone on... No reason to wait. There was a crash, pretty much everyone was effected, let the chips fall.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    afx237vi wrote:
    Well said Thor!
    I bet Cav his having a quiet little snigger.....
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    To be fair to Armstrong, he's got least to fear out of most of the GT contenders from the Pave. At 74kg or whatever, he's built a bit better than the likes of Schlecks, Contador etc and has the advantage of having won a Tour with a similar stage in the past.

    Except he's lost his bottle..............well almost. :wink:

    Good update here:
    http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/ ... age_125976
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    deejay wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    A disgrace if all those who rolled in down on the peloton get the same time.

    This is the hardest race in the World. It is not meant to be easy or kind.
    I cannot miss this one.
    The guy in Yellow is the Patron you say, well, well. and all the time I thought it was some guy who rode in a race in MILAN last year.
    Now come on stop pulling my plonka you know who contols the UCI and therefor the ASO.

    Classic DJ you are a star so you are.
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    OK without reading the whole thread and as ES highlights didn't cover what officially happened what exactly did happen in the end? To quote Harmon it was bollocks that the didn't race. OK it was sporting to wait for the crashed riders but they should have raced once they were back together, the course wasn't dangerous just a bit wet. The Giro opening was far worse :?
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    afx237vi wrote:
    Well said Thor!

    +1 - I'm doubly peed off - I had Thor in the PTP. Sniffle. :(

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    Some people are saying it must have been diesel on the road. I came off on the way home from work in the wet once. It was under overhanging trees and I think there must have been sap or something on the road. I was turning slightly, and my bike suddenly shot out from under me. Next thing I knew, I was sliding feet first along the ground on my stomach facing back the way I'd come. It was so slippery i struggled to get up, and almost fell over twice again once I was on my feet. No diesel, trecherous descent or poor route choice required!
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    micron wrote:

    V surpised that Armstrong was scared of a bit of wet weather - didn't he build his first TdF victory in worse conditions?
    One day wet..... (Paris - Nice is wet and cold and that is why he has never finished that race)
    1996 The rain pee'd down the first week and that little darling stopped, ripped his number off and rode off in the opposite direction so that no media would follow.
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    And you can add the Passage du Gois to that list
    That is his first podium TDF 1999 and how he put the boot in at the crossing of the Passage du Gois when Zulle and others fell over.
    No prisoners that day.

    Oh deary me.
    This not in your history books, Suckers.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Graeme_S wrote:
    Some people are saying it must have been diesel on the road. I came off on the way home from work in the wet once. It was under overhanging trees and I think there must have been sap or something on the road. I was turning slightly, and my bike suddenly shot out from under me. Next thing I knew, I was sliding feet first along the ground on my stomach facing back the way I'd come. It was so slippery i struggled to get up, and almost fell over twice again once I was on my feet. No diesel, trecherous descent or poor route choice required!

    Some people on Podiumcafe were speculating that it may have been a newly laid surface on the road, which apparently gets very oily during the first few periods of rainfall.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Possibly, depending on the material used but it would be unusual for it to get that slippery. It was more likely to be Cavls fault :wink:

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