OT: Tour de France

[dash]

Nice start for Ryder today (15th place in the prologue)

 

[mooger_35]

Now tied for 9th after 2nd stage.

 

[dash]

I can't believe there's not more pileups, those guys are so close to each other, all it takes is one guy to lose control or hit the brakes suddenly (not to mention people stepping out into the roadway to get a picture).

 

[esls79]

There will be broken collarbones tomorrow, I have a feeling.

 

[forty_three]

I can't believe there's not more pileups, those guys are so close to each other, all it takes is one guy to lose control or hit the brakes suddenly (not to mention people stepping out into the roadway to get a picture).

Having ridden in packs like that with some really flaky people, I am constantly amazed at how the pros stay upright. Gotta be a lot of trust in the peloton.

Fortunately, I have BMX skills so when people go down in front, I just bunny hop 'em.



(or hop up curbs and go around...)

 

[dash]

There will be broken collarbones tomorrow, I have a feeling.

I didn't see today's stage, but it was described as crash-marred (that can't be good)

Sagan wins third stage of Tour; Hesjedal tied for eighth

/Ryder tied for 8th after today's stage, 18 seconds behind the leader...

 

[esls79]

I didn't see today's stage, but it was described as crash-marred (that can't be good)

Sagan wins third stage of Tour; Hesjedal tied for eighth

/Ryder tied for 8th after today's stage, 18 seconds behind the leader...

Narrower roads in France, wider roads in Belgium - it was a no brainer.

 

[dash]

Another day filled with crashes, Ryder finishes 45th today, drops to 9th (still only 18 seconds behind the leader, though)

1. Fabian Cancellara, RadioShack-Nissan - 20:04:02
2. Bradley Wiggins, Sky - :7
3. Sylvain Chavenal, Omega Pharma-Quick Step - :7
4. Tejay Van Garderen, BMC Racing - :10
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Sky - :11
6. Denis Menchov, Katusha - :13
7. Cadel Evans, BMC Racing - :17
8. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Cannondale - :18
9. Ryder Hesjedal, Garmin-Barracuda - :18
10. Andreas Klodern, RadioShack-Nissan - :19

 

[dash]

Andre Greipel of Germany led a frenzied bunch sprint to the fifth stage finish line for his second straight Tour de France stage win on Thursday.

Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara retained the yellow jersey for a sixth straight day despite finishing the fifth stage in 32nd place. Canada's Ryder Hesjedal was 35th, but sits eighth in the overall standings, 18 seconds behind Cancellara.

The mostly flat 196.5-kilometre trek from Rouen to Saint-Quentin was almost tailor-made for sprinters except for a slight uphill near the end.

The barrelling pack overtook three breakaway riders with barely 100 metres left, and Greipel wheeled out in front a split-second ahead of Matt Goss of Australia, who was second. Mark Cavendish was fourth.

The top standings didn't change: Bradley Wiggins, the leader of Cavendish's Team Sky, was second overall, seven seconds behind the Swiss leader. Defending champion Cadel Evans of Australia was 17 seconds off the pace in seventh.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

shite ... Ryder involved in a crash ... finished 13 minutes back today


/end tour

 

[dash]

Damn, that's a shame...

 

[esls79]

Take it easy now and concentrate on the Olympics.

 

[elocomotive]

That sucks for Ryder. This years Tour definitely does not have the same drama as in the past. I thought the battles with Alberto Contador and Andy Schlek were very entertaining and had a hint of a good guy/bad guy rivalry. So with both of them out, that's a lot of star power gone. But then again, last year's race had a very thrilling finish, so who knows.

Is conventional wisdom that this year will come down to Wiggins and Evans?

 

[forty_three]

Peter Sagan got his third stage win out of 7 so far. Todays final sprint was EPIC.

He started on BMX bikes.

BMXers make great torque. I love riding with old Road bikers, guys who have only ridden on roads. They never can figure out how I can drop them on my Aluminum bike when they have Carbon Fiber and shave their legs. They just can't get it.

It's those dead starts. Tree Trunk legs and power to spare.

 

[puckhead]

shite ... Ryder involved in a crash ... finished 13 minutes back today


/end tour

he could have CDN company next year.
Sebastian Salas (the guy who holds the record for the Grouse Grind) has turned his attention to cycling, and has said he wants to do the European season next year.
currently doing all of the BC Superweek races, recently won the King of the Moutains jersey in the Tour of California.

 

[puckhead]

Hesjedal has withdrawn from the race with a hip injury.
No word on Olympic status

 

[elocomotive]

Peter Sagan got his third stage win out of 7 so far. Todays final sprint was EPIC.

Yeah, the whole stage was pretty dramatic (albeit for the wrong reasons) - some major contenders now out or pretty far back and a few very close sprints. I think we are going to see big things from Sagan, the kid is pretty phenomenal.

 

[forty_three]

For the record, Peter Sagan has finished second in the last two stages.

Today's stage was a mountain stage, and he's supposed to be a sprinter.

I may have a new favorite.

 

[elocomotive]

For the record, Peter Sagan has finished second in the last two stages.

Today's stage was a mountain stage, and he's supposed to be a sprinter.

I may have a new favorite.

Yeah, the kid is a beast. And probably a big doper. But most of them are, so whatcha gonna do.

Today was very strange. Some idiot(s) threw tacks all over the course and it caused major problems. Something like 30 guys had flat tires all in a small area of a few miles. It was pretty classy of the peloton to hold up for Cadel Evans towards the end so that the tacks wouldn't kill his chances in the Tour.

 

[puckhead]

Frank Schleck has tested positive (diuretic) according to the UCI.