Professional Cycling For the Fans - stage 12 - Lavelanet Narbonne 168.5 km Spoiler

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THIS IS A TOUR STAGE THREAD - POSSIBLE SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

Our bike club will be located at Mile 92.5 during the tour's Noon time break . We'll post photos the next day.

Another sprinter's delight...I'll go with Cavendish getting his 3rd stage of the Tour and giving Team Columbia and good start to the back half of the race.

Dang! That's a lot of downhill riding. I'll concur with Cavendish in a field sprint FTW.

gonna be a fast day for sure

I think this could easily have a strong break away in it. perhaps a Samuel Sanchez and Millar can get out? lots of descending which will benefit them both.

if the sprinters let this one get away they've really screwed up

There has been very few bunch sprints compared to years past so I'm sure they'll be hungry for this one. I'd like to see McEwan take it but I just don't think he has it.

Dare I say Cavendish again :)

Dare you?

Ill take Cavendish also

Looks like it's pretty straight to the line, but just to be contrary I'm going to go with Mr. Zabel.

McEwen will get the stage

Cavendish is suffering with injuries from a fall. Freire, Ciolek or Hushovd for me.

i'd like cavendish or millar

I wonder if barloworld will finish the tour.
They've lost a lot.

Cavendish HTFU'ed fo sho. Good lord.

Not a bad little effort by Cav, even banged up he still whips them.

Not a bad little effort by Cav, even banged up he still whips them.

I hate to say it, I really do, but that are the chances he's on something too? It's hard after all that's happened to not think that way.

I hate to say it, I really do, but that are the chances he's on something too? It's hard after all that's happened to not think that way.

It's certainly possible, but he's been tested at least twice already. Unless he's successfully masking it.

with columbia's testing program, it's doubtful

I wouldn't stress over Cav. Cavendish would be among the most likely to be clean.

There is nothing superhuman about his performances. He is physically mature for a 21-22yo, has always been recognised as a big talent (world champion at 19yo on the track), plus his training is very sprint orientated with the UK track endurance program. His performances in the mountains this Tour do not indicate doping to my mind. You don't see Cav riding up cols in the second group with his mouth closed. He is generally among the first in the autobus and looks to be suffering like a dog when he gets shelled out the back. Give him a sniff of a finish line though and he is a different man. He is also outspokenly anti drug.

The announcers said that Cavendish is the first Brit to win three stages in one Tour. Is he the first Brit, or the first ever?

dave

Didn't Cipollini win 4 stages in a row? And Pélissier, in 1930 (yes, Google is my friend :D ).

We were there and took about 25 photos. Perfect day. A little overcast. Winds maybe gusting at 20 mph. We were there to watch them ascend at hill at about mile 95. At the time they passed us, a Cofidis rider was about 20 seconds in the lead followed by an FTJ rider . We followed the Tour on our bikes for about 15 miles after they passed. Felt really good that we could move but cars could not due to traffic backed up as much as 10 miles./ While en route on our bikes, I tried to keep track of the most common name found scribbled on the pavement. / Must have been a bunch of Norwegians present, even if we did not see that many Norwegian flags. / The most common name found was Arversen and or Kurt.

The announcers said that Cavendish is the first Brit to win three stages in one Tour. Is he the first Brit, or the first ever?

dave

Several Brits have won stages in TDF, he's the first to win three in one tour.

Barry Hoban won twice in '69 & '73.