Professional Cycling For the Fans - TdF Stage 3 - Monday July 6 - 196 km - Marseille → La Grande-Motte

Watch Astana crash tomorrow...

How you don't notice a WHOLE TEAM slowly creating a spearhead.....

How about this theory.

The Columbia boys got pissed off no one was coming to the front. Cross wind was coming up. They shafted the field into the gutter and hammered home after the split. Those that made the split, made the split, those that didnt, didnt.

I disagree. It was a tactical choice to hammer it at the point they did. Astana did the same thing a couple of years ago. Columbia wasn't thinking about anybody but themselves, and rightfully so. The riders with them probably sensed something was up when they saw eight Columbia riders at the front at a key moment in the stage, so they tucked in with them. The wind wasn't a secret, heck, the Velonews online commentator mentioned like three times beforehand. I just don't buy the magic split theory, I really think the riders that made the front deserved to be there and peloton couldn't catch up because of disorganization. Simply as that.

One can only hope. :roflmao2:

Anyway you slice this...it was a SPECTACULAR day for the TdF!!

How much will it cost Columbia/HTC tomorrow, though? Brilliant win today for them though.

We all know why this lady is smiling.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bIP2ba74q80V/610x.jpg

Anyway you slice this...it was a SPECTACULAR day for the TdF!!

Indeed!:thumb:

We all know why this lady is smiling.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bIP2ba74q80V/610x.jpg

these folks too:
http://gallery.techarena.in/data/600/htc-touch-diamond-war.jpg

I disagree. It was a tactical choice to hammer it at the point they did. Astana did the same thing a couple of years ago. Columbia wasn't thinking about anybody but themselves, and rightfully so. The riders with them probably sensed something was up when they saw eight Columbia riders at the front at a key moment in the stage, so they tucked in with them. The wind wasn't a secret, heck, the Velonews online commentator mentioned like three times beforehand. I just don't buy the magic split theory, I really think the riders that made the front deserved to be there and peloton couldn't catch up because of disorganization. Simply as that.

No, this is exactly what Im also saying happened.
The only difference is I dont agree with the last part. The peleton couldn't catch up in the crosswind because its just usually not possible, no matter how hard you try.

Watch Astana crash tomorrow...

Yep,

I'm not sure it was the smartest thing to have 3 of your riders, all competent TTers, burying themselves for the last 30 km the day before a TTT.

And I respectfully disagree with some of the above posts, the old L. Armstrong would not have bothered getting into that breakaway, since none of his rivals were in there. He knows better than anyone that its a 3 week race and one pays for big efforts like that in week 3. This to me signals that he's not out for the overall, team leaders don't cover breakaways on the 3rd day.

I posted a thread a few months ago asking if it ever happens http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=513689 and the responses pretty much described how it went down with the crosswinds.

Yep,

I'm not sure it was the smartest thing to have 3 of your riders, all competent TTers, burying themselves for the last 30 km the day before a TTT.

And I respectfully disagree with some of the above posts, the old L. Armstrong would not have bothered getting into that breakaway, since none of his rivals were in there. He knows better than anyone that its a 3 week race and one pays for big efforts like that in week 3. This to me signals that he's not out for the overall, team leaders don't cover breakaways on the 3rd day.

There is some truth to this, except it was really only 2 Astana riders burying themselves. LA only did 30sec worth more work than anyone who didn't make the split.

Your right, LA of old wouldn't have covered that break. However, LA of old probably would have won the prologue, or at least not lost 18 seconds. You adapt your tactics to your abilities.

Actually, Hincapie ---- who had just been back to the team car for strategy ---- rode up and told Lance, his friend, that Columbia was pissed and that they were going to kick it into gear and to be ready for it.

Yep,

I'm not sure it was the smartest thing to have 3 of your riders, all competent TTers, burying themselves for the last 30 km the day before a TTT.

And I respectfully disagree with some of the above posts, the old L. Armstrong would not have bothered getting into that breakaway, since none of his rivals were in there. He knows better than anyone that its a 3 week race and one pays for big efforts like that in week 3. This to me signals that he's not out for the overall, team leaders don't cover breakaways on the 3rd day.

I have to disagree: Lance, Contador, Levi and Adreas Kloden are better tt'ers than Zubeldia or Popvic. Lance didn't waste too much energy today, so I think Astana will do just fine tomorrow... the only bad consequence could be that one halfof the team is riding for Lance and the other half is riding for Contador... that would be bad... but they wouldn'y notice that tomorrow, but rather in the rest of the tour...

Lance rode for Levi in California. Levi won't abandon him.

1) I don't know whether a 37-and-3/4-year-old guy can keep this up. But it's damn fun to watch him try. Cancer or not, just seeing a guy that old ride like he does is inspirational.

2) I think Cavendish's finish-line gesture just gave HTC the quickest best return on a sponsorship investment in the history of bicycle racing.

3) What is this stuff from Wilcockson about how the "breeze" helped the later riders? I'm no scientist, but I was fairly sure that, as a general rule (so not accounting for hills, buildings, etc.)on an out-and-back course (and this was basically that), wind is always worse for your time than no wind, no matter the direction of the wind.

Lance rode for Levi in California. Levi won't abandon him.

Contador rode for Levi in Vuelta a Castilla y León. Is Levi going to abandon him?

Can't wait for tomorrow.

Lance rode for Levi in California. Levi won't abandon him.

Yup. and he rode for him in the Giro too.

Wow what a stage. Gotta lol at all the Lance haterz and fanboyz here.

My 2 lasting impressions of the stage ... Cancellara recognizing the split was happening and nailing it in the opposite lane then bunny hopping the median to just grab the caboose of the front group.

Yeah, I've been shelled like that a ton in crosswinds because I'm not strong enough. But it does not happen by magic ... the guys at the front were too freakin strong to stay with. Its not like they have motors, they had to fight the wind too. If you are a legitimate tdf contender and the gap happens right in front of you, you are either not strong enough to contend, too lazy to notice, or tactically choose not to respond.

The finish was awesome. Team Columbia burned all their matches making the split stick. Only Renshaw left to lead Cav out into a head wind finish. Thor, The God of Thunder stuck to Cav's wheel ready to roar. Renshaw seems to go a long way out and he's slowing almost 200m out forcing Cav to come around and put his nose in the wind with Thor glued to his rear tire. I thought Thor was set up perfectly, no way even Cav can hold off one of the fastest men in the world who was perfectly in his draft for 200m into the wind ... and Cav just freakin rode him off his wheel to win by a bike length while phoning home to HTC. A dominant finish by Cavendish to cap a brilliant stage by Columbia/HTC. I'm going to look for a pic of Cav making his call to make by wallpaper for the next 24 hours while you guys argue about Lance some more.

^^ +'s^^
With Contador in the back, none of the other big guns were in the front to fire. Lance is a damned smart racer, he's in the split. Columbia/HTC honks to the line hard with a TTT tomorrow. The rest of the Astana squad doesn't expel all their energy today but will tomorrow, hoping today's effort, leaves, Cav et al feeling a bit wasted. Divide and conquer.

If Astana slays tomorrow and Lance ends up in MJ, he rides up the hill then hands it off to Contador., who rides it in to Paris if he can with the support of one of the most talented teams I've ever seen. An Astana dominated Tour, with Lance getting all the face time Livestrong™ could want. All Astana all the time in this Tour would help Bruyneel to ward off a Vinny power play afterward. Today just might have been one of the most brilliant tactical moves I've ever witnessed.

"If Astana slays tomorrow and Lance ends up in MJ, he rides up the hill then hands it off to Contador..."

I've never heard this before... do you mean hand off literally?

Mad props to Cav and the rest of Columbia/HTC, what a ride boys!!! The shots of Thor tryin' to work the sprint and being denied were awesome!!!

Re: hand off... not in the literal relay race sense but MJ from one Astana rider to the other as Contador kicks up as the road turns vertical. Stage 7 perhaps?
http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/LIVE/us/700/index.html

Not bad Astana has 4 riders in the top ten....

"If Astana slays tomorrow and Lance ends up in MJ, he rides up the hill then hands it off to Contador..."

I've never heard this before... do you mean hand off literally?

:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:
I am seriously rolling on the floor right now, well, a second ago before I started typing again.

On a serious note, I kinda like this Cav kid now. That phoning home sign he did was pretty cool.

1. Armstrong sees the possibility of a cross wind splitting the field.
2. He positions himself on the train of the fastest riders in the last kilomters, aka Columbia.
3. He banks on getting enough time to "slightly" leapfrog ahead of Contador.
4. Tuesday's team time trial result potentially puts him in yellow, if all goes right.
5. He gets additional exposure, hoo ha, TV time, added benefits for his own agenda.
6. Contador regains jersey in the mountains, back to status quo.

Relax!

Yup. and he rode for him in the Giro too.
You mean when Lance got dropped, thats when he conveniently "waited" for Levi?

Columbia-HTC, Skil and Armstrong = smart

Everyone else = dumb

Racing in escalons is becoming a lost art.

Hey thanks!

I'm just following the race. Maybe you could tell me what new tunes are being played out there.

I'm not in the Astana meetings but, you don't agree that Armstrong is up to his old tricks?

Wouldn't you agree that it was really stupid for Contador and quite a few other GC contenders to miss the break?

Wouldn't you agree that it was really stupid for Contador and quite a few other GC contenders to miss the break?

Nah, it's a long race. I think it's going to be decided by a lot more than 35 or 40 seconds, at least where Armstrong is concerned. Obviously Contador would like to have made it, but it's not going to matter all that much.

This whole thing reminds me of 2004 with the cobbles and Mayo crashing except to a lot lesser effect, and the guy Armstrong is trying to gain time on is on his own team.

Besides Armstrong, what other possible GC contenders were in that break?

Contador is only 19 seconds down. Unless he crashes, I don't see how Armstrong can beat him.

I'd be really surprised if Armstrong finishes higher than he did in the Giro.

Wouldn't you agree that it was really stupid for Contador and quite a few other GC contenders to miss the break?

No. Too early in the race, too little time gained and no one of consequence to matter.

No. Too early in the race, too little time gained and no one of consequence to matter.

It may have worked out that way this time.

It's not like the peleton ever wads up at the front after this type of split taking folks out, nah that never happens. Why take the chance?

OK, I did lots of cleaning. Took out all the snarky, non-topic and any ankle biting. Please keep it on topic, no trolling, no baiting and remember this is just a flipping forum about cycling. There is no reason to make things so high maintenance as it not really all that serious, no matter what that cartoon says.

Enjoy the tour and have fun posting, but jeez, give it a rest with all the personal agenda's and the ankle biting. It's getting really old.

I think Contador will break some legs on the first mountain top finish. His frustration must be approaching boiling point with all the media hype that's going on.

OK, I did lots of cleaning. Took out all the snarky, non-topic and any ankle biting. Please keep it on topic, no trolling, no baiting and remember this is just a flipping forum about cycling. There is no reason to make things so high maintenance as it not really all that serious, no matter what that cartoon says.

Enjoy the tour and have fun posting, but jeez, give it a rest with all the personal agenda's and the ankle biting. It's getting really old.

Thanks

:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:
I am seriously rolling on the floor right now, well, a second ago before I started typing again.

On a serious note, I kinda like this Cav kid now. That phoning home sign he did was pretty cool.

I generally don't like trash talk from winners, but Cav's comments about people who ride like juniors get results like juniors was brutal.

Some Saxo Bank power numbers from Stage 3 - http://www.velonews.com/article/94684