Just got under way I think.

Nothing too troubling, and apparently its not too windy, plus a fairly short route. I'm thinking it's gonna be a Cav day today..

Has to be a cav day if he wants to challenge Thor. Not only the finish, he needs to get some sprint points too.

And after 1.5km there's already been a breakaway, 5 riders getting away. Already got 30s on the peloton.

Unless there's some real drama (eg Thor crashes out or crashes at least twice, missing sprints) then the green jersey competition is over already.

Yeah, looks to be a good day for the little ogre. I think his green jersey chances are dwindling though, he's not tough enough to go out there and grab the intermediates day after day.

Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) is among the starters, but he says he won’t be sprinting today. He broke his wrist in the Ardennes on Monday, but somehow came through the cobbles yesterday. “I hope to be able to sprint again by the second week of racing. I think I'll need a few more days to let the swelling go down and everything, before being competitive again," he said afterwards.

Broken wrist and still rode the cobbles? Impressive.

Where's the spoiler?

Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) is among the starters, but he says he won’t be sprinting today. He broke his wrist in the Ardennes on Monday, but somehow came through the cobbles yesterday. “I hope to be able to sprint again by the second week of racing. I think I'll need a few more days to let the swelling go down and everything, before being competitive again," he said afterwards.

Broken wrist and still rode the cobbles? Impressive.

Massive respect, pro riders are pretty tough

like tyler hamilton who rode with a broken collarbone for a week or so in the mountains, ground down his teeth, due to grinding them with the pain.

Nah, he didn't feel a thing – he was d0ped to the gills 😉

Columbia are bringing the gap down now though – trying to give Cav a chance of some points?

ffs itv 4 isnt even showing it yet are they?

anyone got a good internet stream ?

Yeah, looks to be a good day for the little ogre. I think his green jersey chances are dwindling though, he's not tough enough to go out there and grab the intermediates day after day.

Bollocks.
Part of the problem is the team don't want to wear themselves out chasing all the breaks down to ensure he can have a pop at the sprints. Later in the race they will if they have to.
Don't forget he won Milan San Remo which also has a massive hill near the end that noone thought he would get over.
Thor will be pretty much on his own in a couple of days as they switch attention to Sastre to see what he can do.

good point actually tom. Cavendish IS team columbia, the whole team is set up for him, Cervelo have a GC contender too, although you get the feeling Thor can do it by himself at the moment, great ride from him yesterday

Cervelo have a GC contender too

If racing for a top-10 place counts as a contender….

I love how people give Cav so much stick. Did these people give the likes of Cippo any stick? I doubt it very much.

Because cipo was a cool, likeable dude.

Chav is a grumpy, arrogant, boring guy.

steephill.tv
loads of decent streams on there.

Chav is a grumpy, arrogant, boring guy.

Arrogant – yes
Grumpy – oor emotional
Boring – hell no!

Boring – hell no!

Off the bike he is very boring. On the bike he is only exciting when he crashes or takes people out, which is not a good thing.

Cav is a great rider who wears his heart on his sleeve. You need arrogance to be a top contendor for a sprinter!

Cipo was arrogant wasnt he?

Cipo was arrogant wasnt he?

self-assured 😉

Cav is obviously a fantastically talented sprinter but, just like Lance, you need more than that to be likeable.

Lance manages to combine being a dick with being loved by millions

maybe Cavendish is using him as a business model

The kid cant win can he? Boring off the saddle? What about Contador? Wow, what a party diva that lad is

pffft

tomlevell – My point totally stands then, he's not tough enough. He needs the team to tow him around, unlike Thor who can get into a break (like last year) and do some work for himself.

Various reasons I'm not a Cav fan:

– Arrogant
– Dangerous: sprints this year and last where crashes or near-crashes are caused by him.
– The uncalled-for gestures when he does win.
– His shouting at riders in the second group at last year's British Champs, wanted everyone to work for him and chase down the escape.

Team Columbia loosens the lid, Cav just unscrews it the last little bit.

On the bike he is only exciting when he crashes or takes people out, which is not a good thing.

Seriously? Yeah, I practically fell asleep every time he won a stage last year…

As to comparisons with Hushovd, they're actually completely different types of riders – Cav is a pure sprinter, just as Cipo was – not able to do anything on the climbs or race solo but with an awesome finishing kick. Hushovd isn't a pure sprinter which is why he won Paris Roubaix and also why he did his brilliant move last year to get all the intermediate points by breaking away. Cav just couldn't have done that. It's not a matter of toughness.

You don't have to like him.

It's a team race.
Thor get's plenty of help from his team but he doesn't get the dedicated train that Cav has as he can't deliver that sort of stage win so predictably.

– Arrogant
Indeed and most top sportspeople are. He does back it up with results though.

– Dangerous: sprints this year and last where crashes or near-crashes are caused by him.
How many? And have they been analysed that closely. I can't say I've payed enough attention to be able to comment.

– The uncalled-for gestures when he does win.
Once if I recall did he make rude gestures. Shouldn't have done it but he did seem quite pissed off with the Journos.

– His shouting at riders in the second group at last year's British Champs, wanted everyone to work for him and chase down the escape.
No idea. I guess he wanted some help which wasn't forthcoming as everyone realised he'd win the sprint. I assume he missed the break and had no way of bridging it on his own.

His shouting at riders in the second group at last year's British Champs, wanted everyone to work for him and chase down the escape.

Riders shout at each other to do more work all the time. Spartacus was doing it yesterday, big deal.

Dangerous: sprints this year and last where crashes or near-crashes are caused by him

Sprints are dangerous, people crash, all the time. some are caused by him, some aren't. Notice the final crash on the first stage, two riders went across the road, from left to right in a much more dangerous fashion than cav did in the tour of switzerland, nothing was said by anyone.

EDIT, it was right to left in the sprint on the first stage

Ah, the tour, when all the once-a-year armchair experts come out to play.

Hushovd isn't a pure sprinter which is why he won Paris Roubaix

U23 Paris Roubaix, quite a different race.

Ah yes, you're right 😳 I was actually thinking of last year when he actually crashed and gifted Boonen, finishing 3rd in the end… Regardless, the point still stands, he's a very good P-R rider (finished second this year too) and as such a very differnt type of rider to Cav.

Definitely not a once-a-yearer as my wife will testify 😉

Clubber – I know you're not, I just happened to remember what it was that irked me while reading this thread.

I like Cav but he's not as cool as Cippo

Ah, the tour, when all the…

armchair experts come out to play. 🙂

sorry finbar, shaved legs are never cool

no-one is as cool as cippo. There was a stage in the giro this year when he was walking down the finishing straight,chatting to the crowd as riders were still coming in. brilliant.

and that skin suit…..

I know you're not, I just happened to remember what it was that irked me while reading this thread.

Yup statements like this.

he's not tough enough to go out there and grab the intermediates day after day.

Which that skinsuit? There were loads of them!

check out the HTC real-time speeds here = http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/mytrackstour/

sorry finbar, shaved legs are never cool

With an attitude like that you're on the wrong thread 😉