The winner of 24 stages of the Tour de France since the 2008 edition only has one victory to his credit in the 2013. Every success is a major achievement but Mark Cavendish isn’t used to being beaten. In Tours at the end of stage 12, he was poised to add another win to his tally after another perfect lead-out by Geert Steegmans.It didn’t happen.

Marcel Kittel has arrived.

The winner of stage one backed up his effort in Bastia by beating a surprised André Greipel in St-Malo; and the Argos-Shimano speedster did the same again in Tours against Cavendish.

In pure sprints, this trio has a shadow with a green hue. Peter Sagan has one stage victory to his name in 2013 but it came on a day of constant undulation; on the flat, he doesn’t quite have the speed to match Kittel, Cavendish or Greipel.

These are all things we’ve learned in the opening half of the 2013 Tour but there are two more ‘flat’ stages for the sprinters to continue confounding one another. If anything the 100th Tour has an added element of suspense again… ‘Cav’ no longer wins on a whim. He has a rival who is showing no sign of slowing down. The sprint stanza continues tomorrow. These are the names of those most likely to feature at the finish but will the surprises keep coming.

That dude is fast. An interesting point (like all facts, I saw this in one place on the internet, it had no source, but I’m assuming it’s true (hey, it was on the internet (like I said (I bet you’re not even sure how many parenthisis I’ve used now)) so it must be) and spreading it on)…

12 stages, 5 German wins. That is almost 50%. Still German tv won’t show Tour de France on tv.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOAe1MmYWkU[/video]

Photos from Stage 12

I was quiet yesterday in an attempt not to jinx anything. It didn’t work, so screw it. Cav will win. He has to. It’s just not fair anymore.

It’s worth noting that once again, there’s a load of sharp bends in the final kilometer, a left, right, left.

Healing vibes to EBH, looked like a nasty crash.

A few useful links

Live Cycling News Text Updates
Steephill
Official Tour Live Feed App
Classifications
Withdrawals
Fantasy League Standings
Loser League Standings

In the fantasy league Mike`s Men – no Fro by mikewingrave is still on top but a certain someone is creeping their way forward, stage by stage. The loser league must be getting boring for the rest of you now, this is almost too easy – of course, Time to do some crashing is still on the bottom.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boasson-hagen-out-of-tour-de-france-after-crash

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kittel-was-simply-faster-says-cavendish

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-shorts-more-pseudo-science – surely the best kind of science?

http://inrng.com/2012/04/photo-finish-camera/ – or maybe this?

And I’ll leave you all with this. Om nom nom. Recipes too!

Oh wait, I almost forgot, here’s some half naked pros..

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDQ4bv4pJlI[/video]

EBH is out with a broken scapula.

EBH is out with a broken scapula.

He is? OMG 😯

The King is dead. Long live the King.

Nah …. can’t see Cav fading into the distance that easily.

And it makes for better viewing… so hoping for another big gun shot out today.

That little lump 8-10km out from the finish might make things interesting – maybe enough of a springboard for another do-or-die attack like Flecha yesterday but otherwise, more of the same. Turn on in the last 20km and it really is about time that Cav had another win.

Mind you, yesterday’s stage had some lovely chateaux. Shame they kept cutting away to a bike race, I wanted to see more of the scenery!

OK, so Wee man got beaten but only by half a wheel, I am sure it shocked him even more than us, but pretty sure he will be fired up even more for a win now.

I see on yesterdays thread there was speculation that maybe his lead out went early but watching the documentary on him last night refreshes the memory, he has won from early leadouts, late leadouts & no leadouts.

Cav for the win today, I might even have a bet on it. 🙂

It’s worth noting that once again, there’s a load of sharp bends in the final kilometer, a left, right, left.

I think this really doesn’t help OPQS, they seem to fall to pieces on anything over than a straight run in, they did yesterday, but were ‘saved’ by a great ride by Steegmans.

I think Greipel today, it’s not Cavs year

OPQS are not HTC when it comes to lead outs .It seems strange to build a team with Cav in ,pay him a fortune but not get the squad to support him .They just dont seem quick enough to control the finishes .Golden Shoulders look good !

Whether tiredness or complacency, Cav seemed to ease up ever so slightly before the line, then get caught out by Kittel.

Big crash at the finish and Sagan to take it.

OPQS are not HTC when it comes to lead outs .It seems strange to build a team with Cav in ,pay him a fortune but not get the squad to support him .They just dont seem quick enough to control the finishes

Not sure this is quite true. The team IS built around Cav, and it’s pretty close to the team that crushed every single sprint stage in the Giro. I think their lack of success is down to two things:

Controlling the end of a stage with a sprint train is hard. Very hard. OPQS are actually doing a pretty good job considering that it’s their first year of supporting a top-end sprinter with this kind of train (since Boonen became more of a classics specialist). They’re doing at least as well as Lotto, and better than Greenedge.

It’s the Tour. All the other teams are trying to do the same – a train that’s good enough for the Giro needs to be going better at the Tour.

If Cav sticks it out at OPQS, then next year things could be very different, especially if the rumours about Renshaw moving are true (I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eisel moving after being left out of the TdF team this year as well).

I too tried not to jinx things yesterday by avoiding posting. Didn’t work, so I’ll come out and say it: Cav for the win.

especially if the rumours about Renshaw moving are true

Didn’t the ITV highlights say they were signing him for next season?
Good shout about Eisel though. Happy Cav = fast Cav.

Cav’s head’s not in the right place. He relies on wins to get his head straight, which just isn’t right. He was unlucky yesterday – whilst Kittel was fast, Cav didn’t look as easy and quick as he does when he’s on top form. I fear he’s becoming a bit of a prima donna and a bit complacent. Hopefully he’ll smash it out the park today. He’s running out of opportunities.

Come on Cav!! He needs at least another win under his belt so that he’s at 100% mojo for the Champs Elysee. The thought of him not winning there makes me sad.

sagan as cav takes out Kittel on a bend

Junkyard has man love for Sagan shocker… was it the naked picture that got to you? 🙂

Bored of flat stages now bring on the mountains

Expect it will be the usual suspects, hope its Cav

Being a bit of a prima donna is not uncommon in the sprinting game and it is not something new to him

especially if the rumours about Renshaw moving are true

yes, as confirmed by @ukcyclingexpert:

More amazing news coming out of the Le Tour this morning: Mark Cavendish MBE’s Kwik-Fit team have bought him a rickshaw for next season!

Cav to take yet another fisting today, maybe from Greipel maybe its time that guy from Bros had him over.

Sagan will fall short too tho

looking for a Champs D’Elysee sprint to determine the Green Jersey under the lights of Paris.

Cav, Sagan 1-2 would be nice for my team though, although I’ve just sneaked into the top ten. I don’t think I was out the bottom ten last year. 😀

I’ve just had a thought, Cav and co. should approach the Dutch airline to be joint sponsors of the team. Then they could me known as….

KLM’N’OPQS

If Quick Step could be convinced to change their name to Quick Right that would be even better.

And yes, it is a very slow day here at work.

Similarly, Sky could team up with a certain boy band:

Sky Blue, or Blue Sky – it works either way

What about

FDJ Hammerite too?

I just find it funny that Jack Bauer is riding in the tour. Surely he should be doing 24 hour races?

opqs trying a different tactic

I just find it funny that Jack Bauer is riding in the tour. Surely he should be doing 24 hour races?

about 3 years ago he was racing for Endura, at the Newcastle cyclone crits. I turned up to watch on my pink 456, I went for a snoop around the team buses, and Jack was heard to say “nice ride mate” about my bike.

that is my cycling claim to fame.

Another great stage today. The usual sprinters stage of let it roll until the last 15 wasn’t working for OPQS so they are cranking the pace early instead. Got to love the tour

Another dull transition sta….oh.

Valverde suffering collateral damage from OPQS being too scared to take Argos on in a straight sprint, struggling to get back on after a puncture and having to drag his team rather than vice versa.

Valverde down to 6th in virtual gc

Shame if it ends up this way cos of a flat

The pain train at the front today is a thing of beauty. That’s some serious hurt they’re piling on.

I love flat stages with cross winds. Does anyone know where Greipel is?

It’s amazing, and the crosswind makes it look as if the front group could snap at any moment as well. The valverde puncture was unfortunate but it’s keeping the pace up as well.

Greipel front group I believe

oooooh. 60 clicks to go. will they? won’t they?

Dear gods the adverts! BBC you have spoilt me.

Just got in from bleeding my brakes. Wtf is going on? Crosswinds?

Dunno, hope they get a tail wind I would like to finish early today!!!

crosswinds and a large serving of pain from Belkin and OPQS.

Tinsy, is your day dependent on when the tour finishes?