Did DZ get dropped? I didn't see him in the finishers list.

They only have up to 114th place so far.

It's all posted now. DZ didn't loose any time.

Huh? Flecha was caught and McEwen won the stage.

You get the points, you get to point.

I was asking about the first intermediate sprint. Flecha was out on a solo break at the time, and according to the live updates, he was leading the peloton before and after the sprint line, but somehow didn't get any sprint points.

Hahahaha! I was about to post that!

It's because he's from Spain. As a rule, Spaniards are not awarded points at the intermediate sprints.

FWIW, according to CSC's live update, Flecha's escape came after the first sprint:

Erling.

.. I call BS on that. Flecha got the points for the second intermediate sprint. See it here

That website is wrong.

McEwen didn't gain any ground on Boonen for the day, though he moved up to the number four spot.

Looks like Lotto needs to contend for some of those intermediate sprints if they want McEwen to gain on Boonen. Even a third place would have helped.

Devil's right. In an effort to discourage Spanish riders from breaking away early, the Tour organizers decided that no points would be awarded to any Spaniard. This is the second year that it's been in effect.

aaah.. finally something that makes sense Odd that the official tour page would have that wrong. Thanks for the clarification.

Correct.

Doesn't matter anyway due to the Spaniard sprint rule.

I hope everyone understands that Aussies like to "shit stir" at any opportunity

I like the way the close-up camera was zooming in on Boonen, obviously assuming he was gunna win, then had to quickly swing over to Robbie

Ah - the ego has landed. Post race interview Robbie says "Je suis l'homme" (I am the man) and "Je suis le plus vite ici" (I am the fastest here). When asked if it was revenge for yesterday's declassification he said "un petit peu, un petit peu" (a little bit) and then he finishes in English "I still think they should reverse it to make an interesting sprint competition"

So, Robbie, petulance and aggro (I won't go as far as -gasp- cheating) should go by the board in order to make the race interesting?

You chest thumping, pointing, egotistical, wheel sucking, prat.


Stew

we don't get any of that on our coverage

Did he say "I'm the man" right after the stage finish?

In the interview which was about 10 minutes after the finish, he was measured and matter of fact, as he usually is.

Possible apocryphical story - Craig Mgrath, Aussie fast bowler, bowling to Eddo Brandes, podgy Zimbabwean amateur, whos is struggling against McGrath's pace and aggression says "Brandes, why are you so fat?"

Brandes replies "Every time I f*** your wife she gives me a biscuit"

In cricket, "shit stirring" is called "sledging"

Stew

Robbie also stated that he was pointing at "Davitimon-Lotto" because the team had done way more work than Quickstep did today.

I can't believe people on here didn't know about the Spanish Sprint rule...

It's Glen McGrath, as he IS a tosser on the field


I guess he means that otherwise Boonen would be too far ahead in the points

It was very shortly after the finish. The French Tele2 interviewer is bilingual. McEwan's French is not bad and getting better, so he was being asked all this in French and replying in French. It was only as he was leaving he made the remark about wanting the declassifation reversed.

Stew

GRRR! I hate making mistakes when fingers type fatser(1) than brain.

And I also have a chip on my shoulder about Assies(2) because the win bloody everything.

Stew


(1) eek did it again!
(2) twice - but I quite like this typo!

Yes, the Spanish Sprint rule. Ironically, in Italy they interpret it differently. Germans can prematurely celebrate while Spaniards DO get the points.

What do you expect? They're all Lancefans.