July 6 210 km

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Anyone expecting some problems with the cobbles? I am sure many will not like them and it sounds like many riders are concerned about the danger involved, especially this early in the tour. If it rains it could be devastating. Where are the cobbles in relation to the finish line? In other words could we see the peloton split on them and a team with some cobble experts, quick step possibly, maybe postal or csc, drive the group to get some time?

A little piece of Paris-Roubaix in this stage. TriDevil, from what I understand, yes we could see the peloton split on them. Lance said in an interview with Sherwen that this year's Tour will be decided before the mountains. I'm thinking he was talking about, in part, this stage.

It's a dangerous stage. 200 riders will be trying to get to the front before the Muur. Expect lots of accidents and splits in the pack.

True, but I think the Mur is too early to really shape the race.

Any predicitons for the stage win?

Boonen, maybe?

Has Ulrich ever done any races on cobbles?
I maybe wrong, but he could loose huge time if he gets into trouble on the pave. Smashing those big gears will not help him on the mountian bike like terrain, so we maybe up for a big surprise from USPS since Hincappy and Lance both love the rough roads.


Cheers

I read ullrich shouldnt have to big a problem due to his size but the flyweights, heras, hamilton, etc could be in for a pretty tough ride. The cobbles are 65k to the finish and 20 k to the finish I think. Obviously the last section has HUGE potential for a split to form. This should be good. Devil, I remember lance saying something to that affect also, just dawned on me that the cobbles could have been what he was talking about, good point. Anyone know when that entire interview is going to be aired? I thought they said they would be showing snippets of it so is the full thing going to come out post-tour maybe?

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Postal is going to make a huge move tomorrow on the pave.

Damn, I can't wait until tomorrow!

I expect teams with serious GC contenders to try to stay out front on
the cobbles. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and agree with devil USPS
makes a move, but only to avoid all the crashes etc.

The drive to the pave will probably crazy. Possibly a bit worse than the pave itself.

I have a feeling that something might happen in the field, and Postal will then plow at the front, creating a huge split by the end of the stage.

I doubt the Mur will cause a problem. They aren't even climbing the full thing.

I hope it rains so the whole peleton can look like the alien Georgie covered in mud from Paris-Roubaix a couple years ago. A picture of Lance with just his eyes and lips showing ought to make front page :eek:

-murray

I second that

We need lots of mud and rain to make this a real bike race :) A little bit of the classics in July

I heard an interview with Leipheimer and his concern wasn't the rough ride it was the narrowness of the cobble street. Everybody jockeying for position and heading into narrow, rough roads early in the race when there are still a lot of nerves and adrenelin.

I think it's great that the organisers are mixing things up a little with a few cobbles. As it stands, the tour has basically come down to the team and individual time trials towards the latter part of the race, and it has become quite boring to a degree.

Spice things up a little, I say. Maybe they need a few jumps as well as cobbles? ;-]

so exciting, there is a gap on the bad road, hope they (USPS team and Lance) can open that gap.

Mayo is down at the cobbles!!! behind 1:30 from the USP and Telekom team! Mayo is in a group witht he yellow jersey.. USP is going really fast.. lets see if Mayo manages to catch up!

The gap is about 1:55 now.

2:10 now

2:36 now.. I think this is the end of Mayo's bid for the tour.

Is it bad etiquette to attack Mayo like this? I mean, he crashed, but a lot of those other guys in that group didn't. The cobbles split them. So technically, I guess it wasn't bad form to attack them. Is Heras back there too?

Heras was in the second group (I think, its rather confusing).

Have no idea as to etiquette when riding
cobbles.

Euskaltel is unfortunately toast,
Liberty may be in the same position if Heras
loses 3 minutes today.

Marty

Lance officially won the TDF today. Postal is the greatest team ever.

Mayo and the yellow jersey 3:52 behind! Adios al Tour Iban!