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

nothing it will happen untill they get to stage 6.

Final sprint won by Robbie Mcewen.... Nothing it will hapen with Cavendish again.

Looks like an uphill sprint. Kirchen is looking strong if it's a group finish.
Otherwise Acebo for the breakaway points with some inspired Frenchies...

It's not Bastille Day yet. Bunch sprint and I'll take Oscar F. again.

Michael

Pozzatto tries to get away in the last 20 km, gets reeled in. McEwen outsprints Cavendish. Riccardo Ricco blames Craig Hummer for not being able to pronounce "Chateauroux."

Very nice. This is shaping up to be quite interesting. I liked the VeloNews article about how this appears to be playing into Cadel Evans' hand. The stars sure seem to be aligning for him. I think that's bad news for Popovich fans because I don't believe he'll be allowed a clear flyer to attempt a stage win by S-L management.

Would love to see S-L drive the peloton and Cadel drop the group on an attack on one of the mountain stages. Now I'm really hoping against hope.....Cadel on the attack. Perhaps this is the year.

Michael

I would like to SEE McEwen make a run at this stage.

bye bye soler. crashed again in the neutral zone and abandoned at 10km or so. ouch.

how long have you been blind?


The real question is when did robbie become transparent?

I'm hoping for a group sprint, with Mcewen win.

The real question is when did robbie become transparent?

He has a cloaking device and decloaks for his attacks at the end ;)

how long have you been blind?

Does somebody pee in your cheerios every morning?

What happened to Valverde? I just heard Kelly talking about his road rash.

bye bye soler. crashed again in the neutral zone and abandoned at 10km or so. ouch.


Yep, sad to see him go. Just hasn't been his tour.

he crashed.

Looks like I forgot to protect my post from Botto mischief.

Here it is again:

How specifically did Valverde crash? Was it at a high speed? Did he need a bike change? Was it at a time when he had to waste valuable energy catching back on? Is Botto more bored than usual today?

Velo news said he punctured then crashed.

Ouch, that old lady didn't look to comfortable after the Saunier Duval rider crashed into her.

Strong sprint by Cavendish for the win, gotta feel for Vogundy caught in the last 100 meters or so after being away for so long.

my god, that kid's fast. holy cow

who needs urine in cheerios when you have so many idiots in the tour forum?

We idiots here in bike forums are truly blessed to have such a bright and positive star guiding us through the TdF.

Keep up the good work. By weeks end we should have the post count down to 1/20th of last years.

Great finish! And Zabel was amazing again.

We idiots here in bike forums are truly blessed to have such a bright and positive star guiding us through the TdF.

Keep up the good work. By weeks end we should have the post count down to 1/20th of last years.

Precisely. Some of you have been complaining for several years about all of the newbies, novices and idiots of come into the TdF forum. So now most of them have gone. Soon, most of them will stop watching it on television and VS will pull the plug. At least then you'll have something entirely new to ***** about.

nothing it will happen untill they get to stage 6.

Final sprint won by Robbie Mcewen.... Nothing it will hapen with Cavendish again.

Wow you got it exactly wrong :thumb:

Precisely. Some of you have been complaining for several years about all of the newbies, novices and idiots of come into the TdF forum. So now most of them have gone. Soon, most of them will stop watching it on television and VS will pull the plug. At least then you'll have something entirely new to ***** about.

^^^^^ Agreed. I love cycling, and I love bike racing. I'm not a fast enough rider to even think about competing, and don't even factor in my age. But I'm enthusiastic and though I'm reasonably knowledgeable, I surely don't know it all. So for those that do, let the rest of us catch up to your supreme wizardry at our own pace.

BTW, for those who are tired of the habitual complainers, the "BLOCKED SENDER" option is a godsend. A tool for the tool, as it were.

Congrats to Cavendish, even though I picked McEwen to finish ahead of him!

i thought it was classy of the lampre team car to pull george back to the bunch. i also thought it was impressive of kirchen to knowingly sacrifice his green jersey to help pull cavendish to the finish, even though he knew he wouldn't get to keep it after today

re mcewen:
He has a cloaking device and decloaks for his attacks at the end ;)

true enough. he does hide well, but he hid in the wrong place today.

Nice finish for team Columbia. The new sponsor is getting their money's worth, and then some!

... Brad

i thought it was classy of the lampre team car to pull george back to the bunch. i also thought it was impressive of kirchen to knowingly sacrifice his green jersey to help pull cavendish to the finish, even though he knew he wouldn't get to keep it after today

It may only be out on loan for one day if he can manage enough points at the top of Super Besse on Thursday. I see Hushovd and Friere in the autobus.

It may only be out on loan for one day if he can manage enough points at the top of Super Besse on Thursday. I see Hushovd and Friere in the autobus.

true, but you know nobody ever wants to give it up. i'm just always impressed when i see someone give up their personal desires for the greater good

too bad the same can't be said about the designer of their kit.

geez, you're so negative today. it's gonna ruin your reputation :lol:

cyclingnews was giving away a signed liquigas jersey to whoever picked the top 3 in the correct order by 20km left in the stage. i picked the right 3 but in the exact wrong order (zabel, freire, cav) :( they should do giveaways more often. it made it even more exciting.

Impressive effort by Hincapie - the ultimate lieutenant on a cycling team.

He was way behind the peloton from some mechanical (probably a flat) within the last 15-20km, yet, he made it back into the peloton AND led out Cavendish (when the peloton had already really kicked it in to catch the 3-man breakway)

I really wanted to see the breakaway succeed again. 50 meters to catch the last guy in the break is really really really pushing it.

It was so exciting to watch. I've never yelled at my TV while watching cycling before haha.

It was so exciting to watch. I've never yelled at my TV while watching cycling before haha.


Welcome to the club. :innocent:

Glad to see a win go to Columbia, but it wouldve been awesome to see Zabel win.

Damn Cav is fast, and kudo's to Hincapie.

50 meters to catch the last guy in the break is really really really pushing it.

That was a great finish ..... not for the men in the break .... but sooooooo much fun to watch. My heart aches for breakaway riders like that. However, that's what makes the sport. Now bring me some climbs! :giver:

Viva le Tour! (even if they didn't invite the best riders this year ;))

.. Brad

Very impressive the way Columbia controlled the run in and led Cavendish out. Reminded me of the QuickStep lead outs for big Tom. And then when Thor went Cavendish just went with him and crushed him. Way to seal the deal after your team delivers you.

Also really impressed with Hincapies ride. Flatted with no help since the rest of the team was at the front chasing the break down. Work up through the caravan and then go straight to the front and play a role in the lead out when after 200k with everyone at top speed.

That was a hell of a leadout.

That was a great finish ..... not for the men in the break .... but sooooooo much fun to watch. My heart aches for breakaway riders like that. However, that's what makes the sport. Now bring me some climbs! :giver:

Viva le Tour! (even if they didn't invite the best riders this year ;))

.. Brad

True that stage was pretty flat. 2 weeks ago I was just riding in the around of Thouars and they call that area the "Kansas of France"

The hills are coming....