Tdf Stage 2 *Spoiler*

ilm_zero7

and they rolling.... got to be one for the sprinters today surely?

TMR

Cav thinks so.

Yellow Peril

It's going to be interesting today. All of the sprinters will want to put a marker down. for the first time in about 4 years Cav looks vulnerable and has sacrificed, by his own admission, top end speed. I think this will play in to Sky's hands as they won't be expected to do all of the pulling back of the breakaway.

Is it too early in the race for a Sandy Casar long break?

ilm_zero7

another Sagan stage, or maybe Goss? Green edge were up for it yesterday, just got their chain timings wrong by about 2 km!!

or maybe a sneaky Argentinian?

gsvbagpuss

Lots of willing workers for Greipel I reckon, but Sagan / Goss to take it. Makes for a easy highlights viewing for me, my little one is usually asleep by 7:30 and you only need watch the last 10 minutes of the highlights on these sort of stages

DeadCalm

From the live ticker...
There hasn't been much interest in an early attack today. The bunch is still all together and it has just reached the 17km mark. This is five minutes behind the slowest schedule offered by the itinerary...

Just now we've heard a call on Radio Tour for the Team Sky to come and see Mark Cavendish at the back of the peloton but we don't know the reason for this consultation.

ellerslierd

finally someone goes for it, and no big surprises: Anthony Roux, Christophe Kern and Morkov

(according to the live ticker)

Pross

Could be one of the more interesting bunch sprints later. Kittel and Greipel will fancy their chances and then there's Goss, Renshaw, Sagan - first proper chance to see if there's anything in the rumours about Cav losing top end speed.

avoidingmyphd

It's a bit premature to expect Sagan to win a proper bunch sprint in a field of this calibre. Let him take part in one first! Cav, Greipel, Kittel should all beat him.
If Cav wins today, that'll give the teams who chase a dilemma for Weds/Thurs/Friday.

pat1cp

Has Tony Martin started ? There was talk this morning that he was going for another x-ray and making a final decision prior to todays stage.

ilm_zero7

Tony Martin will be hoping for a better day - 2 stages gone - 2 disasters. or is he a challenger for Levis Elastoplast jersey?

Yellow Peril

ellerslierd wrote:

finally someone goes for it, and no big surprises: Anthony Roux, Christophe Kern and Morkov

(according to the live ticker)

Wasn't Morkov in yesterday's break as well?

Turfle

Will they pull them back in time for the sprint point with 50k to go? And if so, who will do it?

avoidingmyphd

ILM Zero7 wrote:

Tony Martin will be hoping for a better day - 2 stages gone - 2 disasters. or is he a challenger for Levis Elastoplast jersey?

He started today, but cyclingnews says broken scaphoid. I predict he'll abandon this to recover and prepare properly for the Olympics.

DeadCalm

Yellow Peril wrote:

ellerslierd wrote:

finally someone goes for it, and no big surprises: Anthony Roux, Christophe Kern and Morkov

(according to the live ticker)

Wasn't Morkov in yesterday's break as well?

Yep. He's leading the KOM and is presumably chasing the points for the single cat 4 on today's route.

pat1cp

I fractured my scaphoid 5 weeks ago, the day after I did it I was feeling sick with pain and couldn't have contemplated riding my bike, but then I'm not Tony Martin. Chapeu to him.

Turfle

Morkov is in almost every break in almost every race. Now he's in polka dots he'll be in even more.

tailwindhome

I'd have thought that irrespective of getting the break back for Cav's sprint, Sky have to work today. Just like BMC last year they need to keep Wiggins clear of trouble and assert some authority.

avoidingmyphd

TailWindHome wrote:

I'd have thought that irrespective of getting the break back for Cav's sprint, Sky have to work today. Just like BMC last year they need to keep Wiggins clear of trouble and assert some authority.

But especially over three weeks, there is a big difference between the work involved in "hovering near the front of the bunch, occasionally taking some responsibility" and "actually driving the peloton committing to ensuring the catch". So they'll be around the front of the bunch, but not working as hard as argos or lotto.

Yellow Peril

Turfle wrote:

Morkov is in almost every break in almost every race. Now he's in polka dots he'll be in even more.

My race hero so far. First Tour, bags of enthusiasm and sh*t or bust attitude. Could be this year's Hoogerland.

TheStone

avoidingmyphd wrote:

It's a bit premature to expect Sagan to win a proper bunch sprint in a field of this calibre. Let him take part in one first! Cav, Greipel, Kittel should all beat him.

That's how I see it.
If Sagan wins today I'll be a bit surprised and very impressed.

Interested to see how Cav goes. Didn't look great in the intermediate yesterday and never starts too hot.
I expect the others to have closed the gap.

dsoutar

pat1cp wrote:

I fractured my scaphoid 5 weeks ago, the day after I did it I was feeling sick with pain and couldn't have contemplated riding my bike, but then I'm not Tony Martin. Chapeu to him.

Must be a bad one 'cos many don't show up on x-ray until a week or so after

B3rnieMac

cav never wins his first sprint, therefore i predict this thread to go to 15+ pages.

emadden

Gilbert almost committed a major rule infraction there ... putting his helmet on over his glasses... but he recovered in time. Consummate professional.

Turfle

Lotto, Argos, Orica all got a man helping in the "chase". Nobody from Sky yet.

ilm_zero7

excellent , it is now live on RAI Sport

emadden

Alright Harmon - we get it ... its a sprinters stage - but dont jizz your pants dude.

Rigga

Cav was been a right arse in the interview before the start!

TMR

Rigga wrote:

Cav was been a right ars* in the interview before the start!

About what exactly?

afx237vi

Roux is doing a terrific Hellboy impersonation over these cobbles.

Jez mon

The Mad Rapper wrote:

Rigga wrote:

Cav was been a right ars* in the interview before the start!

About what exactly?

In the interview I saw he just looked a bit grumpy, as I might, if someone shoved a microphone in front of me and started asking silly/repetitive questions before going into the office...