The course of this awesome stage looks like a carbon copy of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. This is not your run-of-the-mill start to the Tour, but it is set to be thrilling because the overall favourites will have to avoid being caught napping. I think they will all be in the mix, especially Froome, Contador, Nibali and Valverde. On this terrain, I would rather put my money on them than on Sagan, as the climbs may well be a bit too tough for his taste. All this is to stay that we should expect to see one hell of a fight during the Yorkshire chapter, at least if the best riders are willing to light the fireworks…

While that was a spectacular stage yesterday, I think we all knew there was going to be a big crash at some point. I feel terrible for Cavendish, that looked proper painful. He will not be starting today. Feeling really gutted for him, hope he heals up soon.

I feel like the crash might get discussed in detail over and over again, so here you go – you can watch it over and over again too!

I will say that racing accidents do happen, there’s not always a clear cut person to lay 100% (or even any) of the blame on. I’ll also say that it’s very hard to understand all aspects of incidents such as this if you’ve never sprinted from a bunch.

But enough of the negatives – who’s the RealHero™ of the day?

What a champ. Also huge rides from Froome (to place 6th – nuts), the owner of these custom bad boys for a great finish, and of course, the demon sprinter himself, Kittel. That guy just keeps delivering, and I’m feeling like a complete muppet for not putting him on my fantasy team. I’m also wondering if he had one of those shimano cameras on his bike – could be a good video. Final note – brilliant move by Cancellara, would have been amazing if he’d pulled that one off, and at one point I thought he was going to. To quote him:

There’s no point in just sitting in the bunch. You don’t win or gets results doing that.

Damn right.

Highlights here.

As always, fantastic photos from stage 1 by steephill.

Today’s stage? Super tough one to call. Kittel will want to keep yellow obviously, but there’s some tough hills. Could Contador want to throw it down straight away? Why wait? It can be his style. Maybe Cancellara to go, or Sagan, or maybe a decent sized break could get away on one of the climbs. I think it should be exciting, no matter what. Yellow is still very much up for grabs for a lot of riders…

A few useful links

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

The Shirt Stains by Martin are at the top of the fantasy league, but it’s early early days.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-mark-cavendish-crashes-in-stage-1-sprint

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voigt-and-cancellara-go-on-the-attack-at-tour-de-france

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/cookson-on-his-sons-role-at-team-sky-zorzoli-and-froomes-tue

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/robert-millar/robert-millar-blog-froome-and-the-tour-de-france-gunfight – Robert Millar does know what he’s talking about

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/yorkshire-puts-on-a-show

Also this

Great summary as ever…I’m sat here, possibly about to miss the whole bloody show trying to decide which way to head and scream my lungs out!

Reckon the climb into Oughtibridge is going to offer a vacant spot of verge…here goes!

Aleez, allez…;)

Mark Cvndsh will not partake any further in the tour so will be concentrating on his new clothing line instead.

Just making the sarnies before nipping over the hill to bradfield. Can’t wait!

Sat at the turn at the top of Cragg Vale, first few official vehicles passing through, looking forward to seeing who will come up the climb first. I have a feeling that one way out another it’ll be a lone rider.

Watching at home today

Buttertubs was just amazing yesterday, Just like the Olympics, us Brits sure know how to make a great sporting event, the people and enthusiasm on Buttertubs was like nothing I have witnessed before

and I got sunburned 🙁

Truly Brill

TDF in Yorkshire,

BLOODY GRAND !!!!!!

Break with 200km to go? Hell why not

Good work RealMan. Excellent summary and forward look.

http://www.strava.com/activities/162049337
Yesterdays but a KOM/Strava check. Keep an eye on Laurens ten Dam’s Strava over the course of the race 🙂

Oh and no idea who’s going to win today but I reckon I’m going to try and stay awake until Hebden hopefully. It’s a little harsh seeing dry England and lots of nice shots of crags, hills and pubs!

Eurosport ragging on Kittel’s teeth.

Seemed a bit harsh.

Eurosport ragging on Kittel’s teeth.

Seemed a bit harsh.

Thought that was just a reference to Cav who well known to have had work done on his teeth.

OIC.

what’s an estimate time for the finish please? I have to nip out.

95.5 to go 2-2.5hrs they reckon (Phil & Paul)

http://letour.yorkshire.com/documents/tdf/timings/TDF2014TimetableStage2.pdf

Good effort battering phones out of people’s hands there 🙂

Some right idiots on the side of the road

It also looks like 1st week at race school and everyone is getting very nervous and managing to cock up by themselves. Hopefully the guy who got shoulder charged at the sprint learnt something. Also I’d be lobbing all those ipads into the fields!

i have to wonder how many of those rubbish pics/videos will actually ever be looked at again? live sport is exciting to watch yet people like to experience the action staring at a 4.5in diagonal screen? 😯

Any idea what happened at the back? Saw Porte in trouble

Crashed. Porte on spare bike.

Good catch up stuff on The Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/06/tour-de-france-2014-stage-2-york-sheffield-yorkshire-live

cheers saw the swap, was hoping he would get a stage win this year (was joking about his press conf if he did 🙂 )

MrSmith – Member
i have to wonder how many of those rubbish pics/videos will actually ever be looked at again? live sport is exciting to watch yet people like to experience the action staring at a 4.5in diagonal screen?

Probably because most of them don’t really give a toss about cycling and the tdf cyclists, they’re just there for the whole experience. most couldn’t name more than one or two let alone spot them. What do you care how they chose to record it.

this stage is a great advert for weight watchers™, so much corpulance on display by the roadside as the low fat peloton glides between the kerbside fatness.

What do you care how they chose to record it.

When they are staring at their 10″ tablet thing and miss the fact there is a rider about to hit them. Thank and obscuring the view for everyone else.

MrSmith

You’re trying waaaay too hard to troll today. This is a happy thread; please post elsewhere, if not about the cycling.

Yours

Mr Necessities.

merely commenting on the yorkshire scenery. 😉

What do you care how they chose to record it.

i couldn’t give a toss, just surprised they choose a tiny phone to stare at rather than the real thing? especially when they could have saved themselves hours of waiting/travelling and watched it on a 40in from the comfort of their sofa.

I’ve been out riding all day (someone has to) – anyone able to give me a summary of what I’ve missed?

MrSmith is misbehaving.

My onions are doing very well.

Hamilton won the GP.

Edit: Sorry, didn’t realise it was you OP. Not sure, I’m on tennis this afternoon

seriously looking at the live pics through sheffield the rest of the world must think the U.K. is populated by fat bald men in shorts and polo shirts??

This is amazing…

that was a bit of a treat for day 2 🙂

Sagan shot his bolt.

8) what a finish!

is it ok to report MrSmith as a T**T?

Nest days racing in a long time! Well done yorkshire for putting on a proper bike race stage.

Well, Nibbles caught them all napping! 😀

Wow. That was great. Brilliant to see the big guns having to race on day 2.
Loving it.

great finish from Nibs and the rest of the GC’ers

is it ok to report MrSmith as a T**T?

i was merely sating facts, watch the last 10 and tell me i’m wrong.

I did, most of Sheffield was packed with loads of people, mostly not

fat bald men in shorts and polo shirts

Great example of the UK putting on world class events again.

Really excellent stage today