This is the third of the so-called “transition” stages, even though the route for this one is a bit more rolling: we are approaching the Pyrenees, the major objective at the end of the week. In theory, there is an opportunity here for the sprinters in a Tour that quite frankly doesn’t do them a lot of favours? In fact, it is quite possible the battle for the green jersey might already have been decided. Imagine, for example, Sagan has taken two victories in Corsica (if only…), leaving him well ahead of Kittel, Cavendish, Goss, Greipel? How will his rivals catch up with him? Once again, this underlines the importance of the initial days of the race. Any time or points dropped there could be regretted to the very end!

Instead of the final few km, here’s an insight into what the yellow jersey really means. Always liked Impey.

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

Photos from Stage 6

Feeling like it might be another day for Cavendish today. But I think Sagan will be getting frustrated and will be gagging for a win, so expecting him to go all out, and maybe try something a bit different.

A few useful links

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

Everything stays the same – Jimsters` Jinkers still in 1st place in the Fantasy league, with team Wait for me! by headfirst staying at the top (or is that the bottom?) of the loser league.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/daryl-impey-becomes-first-african-to-wear-yellow-jersey

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/frank-schleck-surprised-by-radioshack-dumping – I did find this quite funny. Oh Frank…

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hesjedal-races-on-despite-broken-rib-at-tour-de-france – I do like Ryder, but I also have him in my loser team…

It would of course be better if the rib wasn’t broken. It’s like having a knife going into your chest and back, and it’s all day with my breathing and pedalling. It sucks.

Must finally be a day for a small group to get away? Côte de Teillet at 30km out is surely made for an escape? Or that little lump at 193,5?

Too many nervous GC contenders and too many teams with a sprinter but no GC contender makes it very unlikely I think.

Too many nervous GC contenders and too many teams with a sprinter but no GC contender makes it very unlikely I think.

Yeah, but hope springs eternal… I do wonder if modern Tour teams are getting a bit too powerful / controlling?

… but we Schleck’s are fighters

[b]Oh, Andy[/b], 😆

(and Oh, cycling news, for that crime against apostrophes)

Yeah, but hope springs eternal…

Have a look at the profile for tomorrow 😉

poor little Bouhanni 🙁 – nearly had him in my team

Cos i’m doing a bit crap, i’ve gone for a chavanel breakaway and to take the yellow jersey (probably why i’m doing crap) 😆

Interesting day today…..a number of possibilities really. All the sprinters could be there at the end given the distance between the tough climbs and the finish, but if the pace is really put on over the Cat 2 and 3 climbs, will they make it back? If a break has a gap of 90 seconds plus over the final climb then it’s hard to see them getting brought back as it’s all downhill from there. Can’t see any GC damage happening….if Green Edge hadn’t got the yellow jersey I’d say that it was a stage for them-Albasini in the breakaway and if it got brought back either Gerrans or Goss would be there for the sprint. As it is, I reckon someone like Jens or TV Tommy from a break (will Voeckler be allowed away in a break nowadays though) or Cannondale to gun it up the climbs to get rid of Cav et al and Sagan to do the business from there.

Have a look at the profile for tomorrow

Nice stage, with lots of GC potential, but I’d like to see some relative unknowns get away, that tense wait as you wonder if the peloton is going to catch them, the final attacks from the group of 4, 5 riders… Can’t see that tomorrow, should be a good stage but it won’t be unknowns going for the win.

Too many nervous GC contenders and too many teams with a sprinter but no GC contender makes it very unlikely I think.

Interesting thought. Out of all the riders in the TdF, how many of them are actually trying to win the race? Only a handful? Quite a contrast to the early days of the tour probably, when every rider was in it to win it!

Nice stage, with lots of GC potential, but I’d like to see some relative unknowns get away, that tense wait as you wonder if the peloton is going to catch them, the final attacks from the group of 4, 5 riders… Can’t see that tomorrow, should be a good stage but it won’t be unknowns going for the win.

Did you watch stage 5? Pretty much exactly that..

poor little Bouhanni – nearly had him in my team

I’ve got both Van den Broek and Maxime Bouet in my team. Propping up the bottom by the end i’m sure!

Schleck’s are fighters

Especially on the descents – in my loser team as he is pants

Sprinters day so hoping for Cav as I think he will be cross after yesterday when the sprint back to the peleton cost him

I’m going for a large breakaway that splits and goes on to win by a narrow margin

in my loser team as he is pants

Still he did make the best attack of recent years, and one of the all time best stages, back in 2011. A repeat of that sort of form would be fun.

Especially on the descents – in my loser team as he is pants

Schleck’s in my winner team, mainly cos I reckon no one else will have chosen him, it’s an all-or-nothing strategy 🙂

Did you watch stage 5? Pretty much exactly that..

But they got caught…

Interesting thought. Out of all the riders in the TdF, how many of them are actually trying to win the race? Only a handful? Quite a contrast to the early days of the tour probably, when every rider was in it to win it!

Maybe 5 or 6 will be realistically thinking they can win. tbh, even in the early days there was always some sort of team set up. even before ‘teams’ were officially recognized, money changed hands so the favorites got the help of other riders.

Still he did make the best attack of recent years, and one of the all time best stages, back in 2011

Except it wasn’t the brave attack people make it out to be. Frank Schleck was interviewed after the stage and said something along the lines of “well that was Plan B, Plan A was everyone else would chase him down and I’d counter-attack when they were tired”, so it was exactly the sort of approach we’ve come to expect from the Schleck sisters. The fact he stayed away might be impressive, but it wasn’t the gutsy, committed, do-or-die move that it would have been if, say, Evans had made it.

I’m hoping that Cav is angry. Angry Cav is 10% quicker than content Cav and 20% quicker than crashy Cav. I loved all the comments about how good his bike handling skills were as he hopped onto a roundabout – the guy just crashed because his wheel washed out!

why did Steegmans pull off so early yesterday? I’m guessing he was spent, but Cav looked a bit confused and then messed up by having to dodge Greipel’s leadout man and then going on the outside of the turn which cost him a couple of metres.

Cav did well just getting back on the front after that crash, probably cost him that yard or two at the end.

I think the sprinters could suffer early on opening the door for a late break on the last couple of climbs – but then every sporting prediction I’ve ever made has been 100% wrong

ots too long a downhill run in for the peleton to not catch anyone

I suppose Sagan could go on the attack on the climb ….that would be interesting

I want Sagan to win and do a backflip over the line.

David Veilleux breakaway win for me please.

Jens on the attack. About time.

Excellent. I had heard he has friends visiting so put him in my RCUK fantasy team in the hope he can stay away and grab the win.

Very lumpy for the big sprinters, but a long way to the finish, so very hard to call!

Yep, popped Jens in my fantasy team* last night 🙂

http://teamjva.com/jens-voigt-soundboard/

*He’s already in my VG team before there are any complaints!

Jens is in my team, purely on sentimental grounds. Not convinced he’s going to give me a lot of points, but heart over head.

I’ve gone off Jens since he started tweeting about Geospaffing and not just reeling out comedy catchphrases like the much vaunted ‘shut up legs’.
Shut up Jens.

Vande Velde is out, after another crash. He’s had a shitty tour.

HughStew – Member
Jens is in my team, purely on sentimental grounds. Not convinced he’s going to give me a lot of points, but heart over head.

He won a stage of the tour of California earlier this year from a break. He’s still got it.

Vande Velde is out, after another crash. He’s had a shitty tour.

Another shitty tour.

If I were in the peleton I’d give him a wide birth, he’s always on the floor at some point in the first week.

Hasn’t Jens’ hinted it might be his last tour? Maybe they’ll let him stay away for a solo victory?

got money on jens to win a stage at 4/1

SHUT UP LEGS!!!

didn’t they let Jens have a few parade laps on the Champs last year because it might be his last?

not looking like his day is it

Greipel, Cav, Kittel, Goss, all dropped.

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Ahem.

But I think Sagan will be getting frustrated and will be gagging for a win, so expecting him to go all out, and maybe try something a bit different.

😉

so, the Bull and Snake labels the Cannondale riders have on their bums is the names of the Fizik saddles that they ride.
Does this serve a purpose beyond marketing?