We are now in France and ready to start from Orchies, a familiar place for classics specialists. One could be forgiven for thinking we have come for the cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix, but we are actually going to ride straight away from them towards the hills of the Boulonnais. Six big climbs in 100 kilometres, four of which in the last 16 kilometres. This could mark the opening of hostilities in the Tour. There is no way the sprinters will be there at the finish, which will be decided at the same place as the French Championships won by Chavanel. I think the bunch will be smashed to smithereens.

Tough one to call today. Definitely impressed with Michael Morkov though – he seems to have some kind of phobia about riding in the peloton. I’d like to say Chavanel for today, but he’s too close to yellow for RSNT to let him go – if they can help it.

Another load of great photos from Steephill

http://www.steephill.tv/2012/tour-de-france/photos/stage-02/

Team Hoppy still in the lead. I’m simply disgusted.

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

And a little bit of bike porn

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/lampre-isd-unveils-new-wilier-triestina-cento-1-sr-road-machine

Sagan?

The dude is a monster. But two in three stages? I’d love to see it.. 😀

There seems to be a bit of overegging the pudding going on in that description, from the route profile none of the “big climbs” seems to be over 200 metres.

While it may not be a sprinters route, I don’t think that its going to smash the peleton to smithereens.

I was going to say the same, Strava tells me I ride 4th cat climbs all the time, they’re nowt worth writing home about if you’re a Tour standard hard bastard.

But having like 3 in the final 15km or so? Remember it is a race, and someone who might not be a sprinter might want to win.

MSP – It’s pretty much like it is around here. During the Tour de Luxembourg on the final stage the peloton was smashed by a few teams upping the pace on what are a load of 4 min 6-10% climbs, 2 mins descending then back up. Little chance to get a rhythm going like on a longer hill and the pace stayed quite high. There’s nothing too taxing in the climbs themselves but if they’re going at the pace they were yesterday towards the end, it’ll shell people off the back in droves.

Chances are it will be draining for sprinters and their leadouts to stick at the front for those final 3 climbs.

There is no way the sprinters will be there at the finish, which will be decided at the same place as the French Championships won by Chavanel. I think the bunch will be smashed to smithereens.

I disagree, If Cav is serious about the Olympics he needs to be in the mix at the end of this stage

Cav might need to be capable, but he isn’t going to actually put it into practice on this stage I wouldn’t think?

which will be decided at the same place as the French Championships won by Chavanel.

For this reason I’ve had a nibble on Chavanel for a top 3 finish.

I’ve gone with Sagan for the win.

I don’t think the peleton (Team Sky) will let a break stick at this early stage unless it really is a bunch of chancers with no hope later on in the GC.

I think they will ride aggressively and ramp up the pace so there are no attacks by the main contenders.

Attack by one of the uphill sprinters like Stage 1. Boassen-Hagen will be too tired I recon which will do my virtual team no good. Sagan will be a marked man but I think he might just get another.

I disagree, If Cav is serious about the Olympics he needs to be in the mix at the end of this stage

Cav might need to be capable, but he isn’t going to actually put it into practice on this stage I wouldn’t think?

+1, you don’t have to do 2 and a half weeks of racing after the Olympics.

Also Cav will have a team focussed on him there.

Jilbert for me (or Sagan again!)

There seems to be a bit of overegging the pudding going on in that description, from the route profile none of the “big climbs” seems to be over 200 metres.

While it may not be a sprinters route, I don’t think that its going to smash the peleton to smithereens.

+1

I disagree, If Cav is serious about the Olympics he needs to be in the mix at the end of this stage

I reckon he’ll be in the pack as that’s what he needs to be in after Box Hill (and there’s a long ride back to London for the finish so he just needs to survive and keep enough in his legs for the sprint), but unlikely he’ll be putting in unnececary effort contesting stages that don’t suit him,

Cav might need to be capable, but he isn’t going to actually put it into practice on this stage I wouldn’t think?

+1

This is going to be a tough stage for Fabian actually – lots are going to want to get away, but he’s only, for example, 24 seconds up on Sagan, and a mere 7 seconds up on Chavanel. Hopefully he will lose yellow today..

I’m thinking RSNT will smash it up the climbs to stop attacks getting away, riders are going to fly out the back door, and someone will break in the last 1 or 2km. Gilbert maybe, but his bark is worse then his bite I think. Chavanel has been impressing me, and is on awesome form, but Sagan could be the one to watch again. Also will have an eye on EBH.

http://twitter.com/CyclingCentral/status/220060179411107840/photo/1

tough finish

Hopefully he will lose yellow today..

you don’t like Spartacus? i agree his team choice has let him down, but you’ve got to love him?

Why isn’t Hushovd racing? Would’ve been his kind of finish today.

EDIT: here’s why:

Change of programme for ex-world champ as he continues recovery from viral infection that forced him out of Giro

so he’s fit for the Olympics

Why isn’t Hushovd racing? Would’ve been his kind of finish today.

Last I heard from him he was dropping out the Giro. Maybe no form? Here you go..

http://road.cc/content/news/59584-bmc-racing-confirms-thor-hushovd-miss-tour-de-france

you don’t like Spartacus? i agree his team choice has let him down, but you’ve got to love him?

I love him, but he’s not on my team.. 😈

Not an out and out sprinters day today, looking to the same kind of guys who showed on stage 1 EBH, Gilbert & Sagan, if he wasn’t in yellow it’d be a good one for Spartacus to have a run at, he might have to have a sprint instead. That said its about time Tommy legged it off down the road.

the biggest danger of losing time for the teams on this stage would be from the crosswinds breaking the peleton, but I don’t think it’s windy enough today but we shall see.

I’m going for EBH for todays stage!

Break has settled in, 5 nobodies 5 minutes up the road so that’ll get pulled back in towards the end.
Cav will probably go for the intermediate sprint then sit back over the hills. No point wrecking yourself just yet and as he said, the team has bigger ambitions.

Over the hills it’ll come down to chipping off the front or keeping the pace high enough to put everyone else into trouble. Cancellera, Evans, Gilbert, Sagan, Boassen Hagen should all be there in the mix for the stage win.

Is there a STW velogames league?Just out of interest…cos I’m 30th overall

Is there a STW velogames league?Just out of interest…cos I’m 30th overall

You been living under a rock? There’s two links in the OP.

I can’t read and I’m deaf.

why oount Sagan out, just because he has one stage is no reason to think he won’t have the legs for a few more, and in his first tour is he going to go to Paris anyway?

Think classics winners, and there will be the winner.

I’ve got Boozy Hagen, Gilbert and Sagan in my team and think they’re all good shouts for today, but fancy someone not mentioned, and not a GC favourite to have a go.
Sanchez, Scarponi or Valverde?

Might be an opportunity for Cuddles to show his cards and test the water with Wiggo – maybe too early though.

Illiterate, blind and winning

What is the estimated finishing time of this stage, so I know when to turn over the telly in reception?

normally around 4:30-5:00 but not sure for this one.

What is the estimated finishing time of this stage, so I know when to turn over the telly in reception?

Click on
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/stage-3.html then find “time schedules” and there’s a full schedule based on 3 possible average speeds.

As a general rule, 40kph is a good benchmark and the stages are timed to end between 5 and 5.30pm French time so 4 – 4.30pm UK time.

Team Sky DS Sean Yates has identified this stage as one where the team will be trying to stay safe. He said that Peter Sagan (Liquigas) is the favourite for today’s finale but that it could also suit Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen.

Orchies

didn’t read it all in the rush to say that that’s twinned where my family live

can i say belatedly [ Yes I have been up RM and not just got out of bed tut tut] but impressed that Cav could still hold his own on the sprint without a train and with less power – bodes well for the Olympics

can i say belatedly [ Yes I have been up RM and not just got out of bed tut tut] but impressed that Cav could still hold his own on the sprint without a train and with less power – bodes well for the Olympics

The olympics are scary, so much based on a single race. Anything can happen. So much pressure. Going to be awesome to watch.

Now that’s just rude! Coming on here and stealing my hard earned lead with not so much as a by your leave.

Have you even been through dope control?

Cav so chilled there. Could get the green jersey anyway.

LOL @ Cav at the intermediate.

*shakes head*
*what’s this, amateur hour?*

😉

This Francis bloke in the Halfords adverts – is he annoying the hell out of anyone else?