This pancake flat stage is tailored to pure sprinters. If Cavendish has missed out on a win the day before, this is the perfect place to make amends. This will be the third day straight that the Tour de France stays in Belgium. The stage will start from Visé, which is hosting the Tour for the first time. The bunch will visit the citadel of Namur halfway through the stage (km 82). We are sticking to tradition.

This is when everyone starts regretting that they didn’t put Cav on their team. This stage is merely a formality I think. Although it will be interesting to see if Sagan can get up there as well. Interested to see that we haven’t had any crashes yet (that I’m aware of) – how long can that last? I’m very unaware of things, and Tony Martin has gone out with a broken collarbone. Nasty.

Absolutely loving the big photos from steephill.

http://www.steephill.tv/2012/tour-de-france/photos/stage-01/

Team Hoppy currently in the lead with a whopping 1145 points, with Jimster`s Jinkers bringing up the rear on a waiting-for-the-mountains 64 points.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/stw-tour-de-france

A few useful links

http://live.cyclingnews.com/
http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/live/aso/
http://www.velogames.com/tdf/leaguescores.php?league=25113755

Also, bikes..

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/pro-bike-fabian-cancellaras-trek-domane-6-series-maillot-jaune
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/gallery-time-trial-bikes-at-the-tours-opening-prologue

bit late aren’t you?

This is when everyone starts regretting that they didn’t put Cav on their team

given his slow starts in previous years, his lack of beef, and the wealth of on-form sprinters in the bunch, I think it’s going to be tight.
not sure what the finish is like, but I’d expect lots of elbows at the end from the lead out teams

could’ve swore I saw a crash yesterday

I only just got out of bed, and it only started like 20 mins ago.

Given the way he always silences the doubters, I think he’s gonna smash this one 🙂

could’ve swore I saw a crash yesterday

You’re right, Tony Martin is out with a broken collarbone, dunno how I missed that.

I thought he was still riding?
anyone know if there is a live feed on the radio (internet) – particularly for the end?

He is. Broken scaphiod, plastic cast, has started the stage.

A whole three quid on Greipel here..

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/sports-around/2012/jul/1/2012-tour-de-france-results-sagan-wins-cancellara/

Is apparently wrong then. Oops.

Watching Sagan’s bike handling a few weeks ago in the tour of Switzerland was amazing; he’s strong everywhere, aggressive and still very young – the next rider to dominate??? I wonder if a bookie would take my bet that Sagan will win the Tour more than once within the next 5 years???

Do the velogames points update “live” so to speak?

As I’ve dropped a place since this morning

Do the velogames points update “live” so to speak?

As I’ve dropped a place since this morning

No, after every stage, but sometimes it can take a while, they’ve got a LOT of teams, and leagues.

I wonder if a bookie would take my bet that Sagan will win the Tour more than once within the next 5 years???

It’s worth a google that, think I might have glanced at an article that was discussing exactly that.

put another penny in the meter.

The run into the finish at Tournai is relatively straightforward today. There is one major roundabout roughly 800m from the finish but apart from that it looks like plain sailing.

is excited.
do I watch a live internet feed, listen on the radio, or wait for the highlights this evening?

Will be interesting to see if Cav’s 4kg weight loss has impacted his ability to dominate when it matters.

More sprinters than ever in this years tour, going to be a nail biting finish as only a few teams have leadouts that cav enjoyed with BMC HTC, most have 1-2 leadout team members.

Edit 😳 What was I thinking, yes HTC, I was looking at BMC team kit so had them in my head.

cav enjoyed with BMC

FYI it was HTC
HTH

Love how HTC is now “a super-team”.

They well should have had capes 😀

Sky are playing a very good tactical game at the moment. Last year, and in previous years, the team(s) that had the best sprinters were forced to do all the chasing. This year, as Sky also have Wiggins they aren’t doing any work at the front at all. could this be the plan? get a train going at 10k out, saving the legs of the climbing domestiques for Wiggins…

Will be interesting to see if Cav’s 4kg weight loss has impacted his ability to dominate when it matters.

Must have the real question is whethe rhe still has enough to woin – did not yesterday in the little sprint so i am not sure tbh.

This is the work friendly widget I use for keeping up with TdF: http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/fr/direct/aso-france-tv/

Lots of sites use it with different skins.

It used to be more fun tho with little stick men cyclists spinning away for hours on end.

I predict carnage today. No one team is strong enough to dominate the lead out trains like HTC did in previous years. You end up like the flat run in before the final drag yesterday with three or 4 trains all over the road, riders jumping from train to train, riders doing a turn and trying to drift back only to be swamped by other teams trying to pass. It gets SO tight and everyone is trying to be at the front.

I hope I’m wrong, I hate seeing road race crashes, especially at the speed these guys are going.
Did you see yesterday’s run in with Greipel on the front? They were doing close on 40mph!

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/live/aso/

for the non french speakers amongst us

Backed Cav for the win and Sagan for a top three finish.

As above though, I think it’ll get scrappy at the finish.

Cool stuff mattjg and junkyard, very similar to the link in the OP. Oh wait.. 😉

dont have a go at me I just got up have you seen what a mess you made of your OP 😛

I was on the phone when the crash happened, and then a prestigious newspaper lied to me.. 😳

I’m tipping Marcel Kittel for todays stage!

Mine’s in French. It’s more French.

Junkyard yours is handy too.

No-one ever reads posts as long as the O.

& the tellybox version is at http://www.itv.com/tourdefrance/stages/stage2/, it’s a bit ad heavy but it is free

& I like their Twitter @itvcycling too

Reckon the intermediate is gonna be interesting.

with Jimster`s Jinkers bringing up the rear on a waiting-for-the-mountains 64 points.

We’ve got the strongest team in the league – we’re holding everyone else up!! 😆

Renshaw beating Cav? Wasn’t expecting that at all.

Renshaw beating Cav? Wasn’t expecting that at all.

Cav looked a bit boxed in there and also less than 100% committed. Probably saw from 100m out that he couldn’t get through so just rolled it in 3rd out of the bunch.

See what happens in the finish – if Sky get a leadout train going for him or if he has to try and rely on others for it.

CAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Awesome.

Too light, no HTC train, blah blah blah. The man is a machine.

WOW! he was nowhere with 1km to go, 20 places back, and from nowhere he’s 3rd wheel.

Very, very impressive indeed!!!

who who who?

Cav 🙂

45mph on the run in… 😯
Well done Cav.

he’s too good !

get in!

Radio 5 live sport extra were supposed to have this live but chose to play Wimbledon instead 👿