Stage 3, 3rd July - Orchies > Boulogne – 197 km *Warning - contains unmasked spoilers

doozer16

Nico Roche is 75/1 with PaddyPower for stage 3, anyone reckon he will win it?
If not who do you think will?

elduggo

no, he won't win it. He doesn't really try and win stages. The profile suggests breakaway but its probably too early in the race for one to be let go all the way. Theres a short climb, then 7km downhill to flat. It'll suit an Ardennes classic type rider. I think the pure sprinters will be shelled but the likes of Gilbert, Sagan, Valverde, will all still be in with a shout.

Given the flat to the finish I'd go for Sagan

buffalo

My money's on Gilbert making a show before the Tour leaves Belgium, but I wouldn't rule out Boasson Hagen.

elduggo

buffalo wrote: »

My money's on Gilbert making a show before the Tour leaves Belgium, but I wouldn't rule out Boasson Hagen.

Hes missed his chance. Stage 1 was the stage he'll have eyed up. Start and Finish tomorrow are both back in France.

Bar a brief crossing into Switzerland next sunday, the rest of the tour stays within the confines of France (there are 2 stages in the pyranees that are right on the border - one of those may cross too)

corny

I suspect Nibali might try something if its a bit technical downhill. My moneys on Cancellara though. If he manages to lose Sagan this time and gets to the top unaccompanied no one will catch him on the decent.

Beasty

Thread title changed - if you are going to start stage specific threads please include a spoiler warning in the thread title (or just wait for Ed to come along to start a thread - he got most upset when someone else started this one;))

Thanks

Beasty

Lumen

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-3


Map courtesy of ASO

BQQ

Can see someone like Samuel Sanchez having a go today.
He's already 33 secs behind Wiggins, so he needs to take advantage of every opportunity to grab a few seconds back.

No huge climbs, but 4 in the last 20 km and a descent shortly before the finish. Could see him nicking 10-15 secs.

Chips Lovell

Sagan, Gilbert, Valverde. Sagan favourite given his form.

ednwireland

Beasty wrote: »

Thread title changed - if you are going to start stage specific threads please include a spoiler warning in the thread title (or just wait for Ed to come along to start a thread - he got most upset when someone else started this one;))

Thanks

Beasty

no i didnt just complained it wasnt done properly

whats the betting cav's in the mix again ? bet he hauls himself over those hills today

Cork24

Like to see how sky will play this stage after their win on stage 2,

Morrisseeee

The last few climbs: it looks more like a Classic finish.

Km 132.0 - Côte de L'Éperche, 0.7 kilometre-long climb at 6.9% - category 4
Km 163.5 - Côte de Mont Violette, 1 kilometre-long climb at 9.2% - category 3
Km 181.0 - Côte de Herquelingue, 1.7 kilometre-long climb at 5.8% - category 4
Km 185.0 - Côte de Quéhen, 1.4 kilometre-long climb at 5.9% - category 4
Km 190.5 - Côte du Mont Lambert, 1.3 kilometre-long climb at 8.4% - category 3
Km 197.0 - Boulogne-sur-Mer, 0.7 kilometre-long climb at 7.4% - category 4



I reckon we'll see action on Mont Violette, it's 35k from the finish, so I see Cancellara etc attacking here, and he's 20/1 (e/w Dan-the-man or Igninskiy @ 66/1). It's still a lumpy finish from here but a lead group might just hang on.

Whatever happens it makes for a great stage and on a wet day like today................happy days!!

TheBlaaMan

Beasty wrote: »

Thread title changed - if you are going to start stage specific threads please include a spoiler warning in the thread title (or just wait for Ed to come along to start a thread - he got most upset when someone else started this one;))

Thanks

Beasty

Ha............I could see that happening. Got fed up waiting and nearly started a new one myself, guessed Ed would want to....:D

LOL

georgieM

Mm on Gilbert here at 13/2 and hope Dan Martin can make the top ten I

VinylJunkie

Have Eurosport gone to live pictures yet?

AIR-AUSSIE

Live isn't til 13.15 GMT apparently

doozer16

Beasty wrote: »

Thread title changed - if you are going to start stage specific threads please include a spoiler warning in the thread title (or just wait for Ed to come along to start a thread - he got most upset when someone else started this one;))

Thanks

Beasty

Apologies,
I'm a relative newbie :-)
I can understand a spoiler warning if we were talking about a stage RESULT but why is it necessary to say "Spoiler alert" before a stage commences. Learn me!

doozer16

Yates sounds very positive about Team Sky, My moneys going on Boassen Hagen and a little 2 euro on Roche for the craic!

ednwireland

doozer16 wrote: »

Apologies,
I'm a relative newbie :-)
I can understand a spoiler warning if we were talking about a stage RESULT but why is it necessary to say "Spoiler alert" before a stage commences. Learn me!

because it will turn into the stage thread, and better to have it in one thread

but anyway nice to see someone else wanting to create the stage threads for the next 2 weeks

anyway i'm dipping out until after the highlights tonight

dastardly00

Today is Nico's birthday ..... so you never know!
I don't think he is strong enough to compete with the puncheurs.
I'm going to sit on the fence and guess that either Gilbert, Sagan, Cancellara, Evans, Sánchez, Boasson Hagen, Valverde, or Albasini or maybe even Dan!!

It should be a fantastic last 20km!!

griffin100

Martin got a top 10 finish on stage 1 when told not to go for the win by his team according to his Irishtimes blog.......what if the team give him the go ahead to have a blast today?

AG2R

GRIVKO Andriy 184AST+00:00:38
BERNAUDEAU Giovanni 23EUC+00:01:08
PEREZ MORENO Ruben 36EUS+00:03:09
MINARD Sébastien 77ALM+00:03:39
MORKOV Michael 175STB+00:04:59


Leaders
90 km to go and they've a 5 minute advantage

DDC1990

Dunno if anyone is watching, but the camera was just on the 5 leaders, and a guy in the crowd wearing full cycling gear and a helmet was leaning into the middle of the road and cheering into the Motorbike Camera.

He was there for 5-6 seconds, until the next motorbike camera came along and smacked him in the head. Was quite funny :P

AG2R

DDC1990 wrote: »

Dunno if anyone is watching, but the camera was just on the 5 leaders, and a guy in the crowd wearing full cycling gear and a helmet was leaning into the middle of the road and cheering into the Motorbike Camera.

He was there for 5-6 seconds, until the next motorbike camera came along and smacked him in the head. Was quite funny :P

atleast he was wearing a helmet

Rovi

Cavendish taking the piss

DDC1990

Cav takes 6th in the intermediate sprint so easily.

Had a go at Kenny Van Hummel as he crossed the line, because he was boxed in with about 400m to go.

tawfeeredux

AG2R wrote: »

GRIVKO Andriy 184AST+00:00:38
BERNAUDEAU Giovanni 23EUC+00:01:08
PEREZ MORENO Ruben 36EUS+00:03:09
MINARD Sébastien 77ALM+00:03:39
MORKOV Michael 175STB+00:04:59


Leaders
90 km to go and they've a 5 minute advantage

3 days in a row for Morkov to be in the main break of the day, must be claustrophobic or something.

happytramp

tawfeeredux wrote: »

3 days in a row for Morkov to be in the main break of the day, must be claustrophobic or something.

After the mountains points, I'd say.

SomeFool

What's the story with the yellow helmets by SKY?

SomeFool

SomeFool wrote: »

What's the story with the yellow helmets by SKY?

http://www.supersport.com/cycling/article.aspx?Id=1461491

Team Classification leaders!

Cork24

Bad crash with 56 km left,

One of two cyclist using cars to gain some time lost

ThisRegard

SomeFool wrote: »

http://www.supersport.com/cycling/article.aspx?Id=1461491

Team Classification leaders!

Probably not for long now with the abandonment just announced.

edit:Typical, both Eurosport and ITV away on breaks when there's a major pile up.

SomeFool

more crashes,

AG2R

GAUTIER Cyril 24EUC+00:01:09
HUTAROVICH Yauheni 143FDJ+00:02:56
DUPONT Hubert 74ALM+00:04:25
KITTEL Marcel 211ARG+00:11:17
FEILLU Brice 94SAU+00:13:37



have been dropped from the peloton


BERNAUDEAU Giovanni dropped from the lead

Lead group of 4 have a 2 minute gap

j@utis

just 'discovered' that I have eurosport and can watch tdf live lol. 15km left to go.

stevemac

dan martin in the 3rd group trying to get back to the peleton, anyone know where Roche is? wsa that him in the background in Martins group?

ThisRegard

Don't get too excited, you'll spend half the time watching ads !

j@utis

I can always pause the adds and go make myself a sandwich and nice cuppa or just wonder around in general. I never thought watching cycling can be entertaining until started cycling myself.

Jeez road is too narrow for so many cyclist.

dastardly00

There's the peloton, then a group with Valverde (@ ?m ?s), and then a group with Voecklar (@ 1m 40s).


EDIT: Valverde seems to be in the Peloton, maybe Dan Martin too.

downwiththatsor

stevemac wrote: »

dan martin in the 3rd group trying to get back to the peleton, anyone know where Roche is? wsa that him in the background in Martins group?

Was that Roche about 10 back in the main group?

AG2R

Tommy V dropped

j@utis

ok, got disappointed already. commentary is pathetic.

p.sagan takes it.

DDC1990

Class for Sagan :P Nico in 7th.

AGC

Did Roche miss that crash?

Vélo

AGC wrote: »

Did Roche miss that crash?

Finished 7th

dastardly00

fcuk me that was class!

AG2R

AGC wrote: »

Did Roche miss that crash?

yeah came home 7th

AGC

Vélo wrote: »

Finished 7th

Cheers, link went and was following by text!

Morrisseeee

Superlative again from Sagan, what power !!
Well done Nico aswell.

mcgratheoin

DDC1990 wrote: »

Class for Sagan :P Nico in 7th.

Should move up a few places on GC there - only the top 13 at 00'01" from Sagan and everyone else losing a handful.

*edit* does Evans move up to 3rd overall or is the website telling me porkies?

GetWithIt

Unfortunately he won't get any reward. Everyone who was in the top group before the crash will probably get the same time @Sagan +1.