The Daily Race: Tour de France Stage 2
by Jen See on Jul 4, 2010 10:20 PM EDT
in Tour de France
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Stage 2: Brussels — Spa
What is it? A tribute to the Ardennes classics, this stage is up and down all the way.
Got Climbs? Yes, there are climbs, nine of them in all. All are short and steep, classics stylie.
Yellow Jersey Battle: The roads in the Ardennes are a tricky business. Watch for crashes!
Ideal Rider: Jérôme Pineau. Pineau has the knack for finding the right breakaway and the tactical smarts to get to the line first.
@Gavia: Spotty dots! With nine categorized climbs, today is a good day to grab an early lead in the mountains classification.
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The stage runs east from Brussels into the hilly terrain of the Ardennes and finishes in Spa. This year, the opening stages of the Tour celebrate the spring classics, and here Tour borrows from La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It's a bumpy ride, though none of the climbs are especially long. The course is likely difficult enough to eliminate the pure sprinters like Mark Cavendish and the terrain may slow the chase sufficiently to allow a break to survive to the finish. Riders like Jérôme Pineau and his team-mate Sylvain Chavanel could find stage glory from a break. If the race comes back together, sprinters like Oscar Freire and Thor Hushovd who climb better than many of their rivals will have the advantage.
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Chavanel Takes Yellow in Day of Crashes
A wet descent threw the race into chaos today allowing Sylvain Chavanel to win from a daylong break. Behind him several GC riders fought with all they had to avoid timelosses after the big crash. The Schleck-brothers managed to reconnect but the detante in the field cost Fabian Cancellara and Saxo Bank the leaders jersey. Peloton rode as a group across the line in protest of the dangerous road conditions under the watchful eye of Cancellara. Read More...
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Preview: The Pancakes were crap
It was a sign yesterday. If you can’t even make good pancakes from 1-2-3 Pancakemix, where you obv only need to add the milk… How can a stage which is broadcasted from begin to end on pancakes road over the Deltawerken be an spectacle? Mission impossible.
So it was. Only 10km’s for of crashes to spice some things up.. There even commited someone suicide in the wheel of Farrar.. Too bad the only thing what was killed was his bike… For punishment he had to walk… you would kill yourself no if you have to walk in a bike race.. if you’re not a cyclocrosser, and walk… is like.. have to craw.. the last 40m of a marathon.. Although that has something heretic.
What happened with my new best friend.. Hi Lance! We won battle 1 Lance.. You scared the hell out of them yesterday with that DM.. I will present me as you Councillor and as long as I’m here.. Find a way to crush Conta.. I think we really form a good team.. We both have won 6 times the Tour de France! Unbelievable no? 2 second places in the AGR and do not forget our lace ribbon diploma.. That last one is from me.. I think we cover our weaknesses.. But we won the first battle.. He already looked a little tired today.. Tonight’s DM:
Ha Kiddy. You were scared tonight.. Surprise element today? I didn’t attack.. And there you was all the time.. So st 2? Just dream sweet…
Don’t you like the reversed psychology in that DM Lance?
I’ll preview again tomorrow.. Keep them up Lancie.. (We are a team Lance.. We should get familiar with each other)
Tomorrow’s stage? A small Luik-Bastenaken-Luik.. Or they let us believe that.. Because it really is more of a Brabantse Pijl.. Without the cobbles.. Perfect suitable for the.. Climbing sprinters? Punchy climbers? I think we need to look there. obvious pick all over the place.. The whole Liqui squad.. (Esp. Bole), Roche, Freire, Gerrans.. Noooo n ot an Aussie!, Ballan, Voekcler! and others. That categorie we are going to look for.. Only there also will be some sprinters.. Freire, Peta who could already have an decisive adventage in green after today.. But the stage goes to… Linus!
Oh and a shout out. KOM points on the line tomorrow.. We are still in Belgian so a Belgian rider for the KOM? Devenyns?
by Frinking on Jul 4, 2010 4:34 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
That makes no sense
luv it!
Los Geht's Deutschland!!!!
Down with Spain!!!!
Quitter's People United member # 42
Well I for one am glad Lovely Lloyd Mondory wasn't killed!
"A mountain is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity" - Robert Millar
Yes I have. I'd prefer that it looked a little less painful for the poor boy though.
"A mountain is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity" - Robert Millar
Hang on, Frinky has a lace ribbon diploma?!
"A mountain is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity" - Robert Millar
I want a picture of a lace ribbon diploma :)
Great job as usual Frinky.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
And what does that mean? Enlighten us Lopex!
"A mountain is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity" - Robert Millar
Gosh this gets more and more confusing!
"A mountain is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity" - Robert Millar
Here I am to shed light on Frinkinism in its purest form
A veterstrikdiploma is a certificate pupils at elementary schools in Holland can earn when they learn how to tie their own shoe laces. I never received one so it is clear that I could never give advise to Lance.
Money is the best doping. - Gerrie Kneteman
now I want pancakes
seriously, I read all of it.
Dude, I can see my house from here
Did you notice
Rabobank has rider names on the side now too? Boom showed it clearly. Nice development, hopefully all teams will folow!
Money is the best doping. - Gerrie Kneteman
Yes, nice. They could do with being a touch bigger though I think!
"A mountain is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity" - Robert Millar
Go Andy
I hope you can make up some time today Andy, I hope you get a good result mate. You deserve it such a good sport you are.
Cheers,
Charlie Sprocket
Cheers,
Charlie Sprocket
by Charlie Sprocket on Jul 5, 2010 9:38 AM EDT reply actions
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