TDF 2017: Stage 2 - Düsseldorf - Liège 203.5kms *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles

Since it's on in a couple of hours and how everybody here loves to start race threads....

Liège in cycling means a lot of hills before coming to town as Liège-Bastogne-Liège is one of the hardest race on the international calendar but stage 2 is dedicated to the sprinters. Only two category 4 climbs are on the map: Grafenberg after only 6.5km and the côte d'Olne 20.5km before the end. There's something unprecedented on the route: 35 kilometres after leaving Düsseldorf, the riders will come back to the starting town after a visit to the Neanderthal man at the prehistoric site of the Neander valley. Geraint Thomas will enjoy his first day ever in the yellow jersey ten years after he made his debut at the Tour de France in London. Moreover, Team Sky will savor their domination on stage 1 as they placed four riders in the top 8 of a Tour de France stage for the first time since the foundation of the team in 2010. Germany's Marcel Kittel of Quick-Step Floors was the highest ranked of the top sprinters in the inaugural time trial. It makes him the hot favourite in case of a bunch sprint in Liège but his deficit of sixteen seconds doesn't enable him to move into the yellow jersey throughout the time bonuses as only ten seconds are awarded to the stage winner. His compatriot Nikias Arndt of Team Sunweb rode the time trial just as fast as him. He'll be the local hero on German soil until Philippe Gilbert's fans will take over as the last 48.5km will be contested in Wallonia. Gilbert will race as Kittel's domestique though. The other top sprinters to watch are André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal), world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), French champion Arnaud Démare (FDJ), Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), Michael Matthews (Sunweb) and Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis).

Map:-


Profile:-


KoM:
Km 6.5 - Côte de Grafenberg1.4 kilometre-long climb at 4.5% - category 4

Km 183.0 - Côte d'Olne1.3 kilometre-long climb at 4.7% - category 4

Final Kms:-

Liège

Belgium, the neighbouring country that hosted the Tour de France the most times since the race went across the border in 1947, welcomed 77 stage starts or finishes. The next edition will see Liège overtake capital Brussels by becoming a stage city for the 11th time. Such a position at the top of this specific ranking respects the historical leadership of the city that hosts every spring, the oldest of all classics, La Doyenne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, born in 1892 and therefore celebrating its 125th anniversary next year.

Boulet à la liégeoise, or some faggots in Liege.




Boudin blanc de Liège, the local white pudding,


Oh, go on then......

blazing_saddles

More mucky weather today.



Headwind, then head/cross for much of the stage.

Lanterne_Rogue

Tony Gallopin reckons his biggest problem today is getting his foot back into his shoe:

https://twitter.com/tonygallopin/status/881417940553404416

above_the_cows

Richmond Racer 2

Above The Cows wrote:

Not a cycling fan, that cow

above_the_cows

^Noooo

RichN95.

Inner RingeRingentions possibility of crosswords but 'don't get your hopes up'

bobmcstuff

RichN95 wrote:

Inner RingeRingentions possibility of crosswords but 'don't get your hopes up'

That's some great iphone typing

above_the_cows

Well let's have the klaxon at the ready just in case.

Lanterne_Rogue

I see from Matt Rendell's Twitter that at least one anglophone schoolboy in the organising team couldn't resist making TItz the feed zone.

yourpaceormine

Day two in the TdF house, and already the residents are shouting at the telly box... "Oi! Watchfinder advert man. Ride your bike a bit faster"

The diet of Orangina, Port Salut, Roule, brie and chicken liver pate continues. Need some better bread mind. And where is the ITV podcast? Was looking forward to hearing Scouse Nairo

blazing_saddles

And the breakaway of 4 took 90 seconds to get sorted. It's gonna be a long day.
Taylor Phinney: from US top prospect to breakaway fodder.

Lanterne_Rogue

yourpaceormine wrote:

Day two in the TdF house, and already the residents are shouting at the telly box... "Oi! Watchfinder advert man. Ride your bike a bit faster"

The diet of Orangina, Port Salut, Roule, brie and chicken liver pate continues. Need some better bread mind. And where is the ITV podcast? Was looking forward to hearing Scouse Nairo

https://soundcloud.com/user-379492923/itv-sport-tour-de-france-podcast-stage-1

Spoiler: no Scouse Nairo.

yourpaceormine

underlayunderlay wrote:

yourpaceormine wrote:

Day two in the TdF house, and already the residents are shouting at the telly box... "Oi! Watchfinder advert man. Ride your bike a bit faster"

The diet of Orangina, Port Salut, Roule, brie and chicken liver pate continues. Need some better bread mind. And where is the ITV podcast? Was looking forward to hearing Scouse Nairo

https://soundcloud.com/user-379492923/itv-sport-tour-de-france-podcast-stage-1

Spoiler: no Scouse Nairo.

Thanks. Just as lighting a cigarette whilst waiting for a bus guarantees the bus turning up within the next minute, so posting the question 'where's the podcast' on a public forum guarantees its appearance on Soundcloud.

blazing_saddles

Oh my God. Eurosport have given Juan Antonio a mike in the commentary box.

specialgueststar

My man Yoyo Offo in the break. What time do they cross the border. Woul look good leading Wanty into Belgium

No_Ta_Doctor

yourpaceormine wrote:

Just as lighting a cigarette whilst waiting for a bus guarantees the bus turning up within the next minute

This only works if you aren't actually trying to summon a bus. The Gods don't look kindly upon trying to cheat fate.

The_Boy

I'm glad they just flashed up the names of the comms on itv4. Was thinking Theo bos spoke English like a native.

blazing_saddles

Durbridge out of the race.

The_Boy

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Turbo Durbo out of the race.

Ffy

yourpaceormine

No tA Doctor wrote:

yourpaceormine wrote:

Just as lighting a cigarette whilst waiting for a bus guarantees the bus turning up within the next minute

This only works if you aren't actually trying to summon a bus. The Gods don't look kindly upon trying to cheat fate.

Normally I'd agree, just by saying such a theory out loud immediately consigns it to the 'doesn't work' pile, this theory has been said out loud and tested over many years of getting home from the pub *. And it works.


* of course a British standard minute, and a getting home from the pub minute may have no parity whatsoever

awavey

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Oh my God. Eurosport have given Juan Antonio a mike in the commentary box.

still streets ahead of Matt Smith

blazing_saddles

awavey wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Oh my God. Eurosport have given Juan Antonio a mike in the commentary box.

still streets ahead of Matt Smith

Matt Smith is so bad, that's how I found out.
Harmon being on also, is bliss. Kirby arrives = time to leave.

No_Ta_Doctor

yourpaceormine wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

yourpaceormine wrote:

Just as lighting a cigarette whilst waiting for a bus guarantees the bus turning up within the next minute

This only works if you aren't actually trying to summon a bus. The Gods don't look kindly upon trying to cheat fate.

Normally I'd agree, just by saying such a theory out loud immediately consigns it to the 'doesn't work' pile, this theory has been said out loud and tested over many years of getting home from the pub *. And it works.


* of course a British standard minute, and a getting home from the pub minute may have no parity whatsoever

A British standard minute is roughly equal to a getting home from the pub minute divided by the number of pints drunk at said pub.

The same relationship exists between standard cigarettes and on the way home from the pub cigarettes.

Transposing this to your tested hypothesis, the bus always comes within (1 minute * number of pints drunk) of smoking (1 cigarette * number of pints drunk). So on a moderate 5 pint evening, the bus comes within five minutes of you lighting your fifth fag. Sounds reasonable to me.

bobmcstuff

The_Boy wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Turbo Durbo out of the race.

Ffy

Bit of a blow for Chaves as Durbridge would have been doing a lot of the work on the flat and valleys.

bobmcstuff

Also neither Eurosport nor ITV player work in China so I'm relying on you guys and CN live blog.

RonB

yourpaceormine wrote:

Day two in the TdF house, and already the residents are shouting at the telly box... "Oi! Watchfinder advert man. Ride your bike a bit faster"

Though it was slo-mo to start with but you're spot on

RichN95.

Am I being unreasonable to think that if you are going to take an elephant that's a fussy eater to party you should take your own bloody nuts.

kleinstroker

bobmcstuff wrote:

Also neither Eurosport nor ITV player work in China so I'm relying on you guys and CN live blog.

Just get Kodi. Works everywhere

imatfaal

bobmcstuff wrote:

Also neither Eurosport nor ITV player work in China so I'm relying on you guys and CN live blog.

Four riders still 2:23 off the front of the peleton. Slight crosswinds but not enough for echelons. 94km to go

imatfaal

If I have my map right the riders, who are in a purecrosswind at present, will turn in a few kilometre so that it will be cross-head which will make things harder but not the best environment for echelons