July 5, Stage 5: Rouen - Saint-Quentin 196.5km*Warning - contains unmasked spoilers

ednwireland

Rouen – St-Quentin

Distance: 196.5km
Highest point: 205m
Category: Flat





flat as a very flat thing

Unregistered.

Nico to clinch it!

BQQ

Unregistered. wrote: »

Nico to clinch it!

Love the blind optimism :pac:


I'm a big fan of Nico, but there's no way he wins this stage unless he suddenly becomes one of the best sprinters in the peleton.

Cav probably still sore from the crash yesterday, so I think it will be Greipel again.

Inquitus

Cav with a point to prove.

buffalo

It's another bit of an uphill finish:



Sagan to make it three? Or Cav to power on up in his new leaner shape? Chavanel to make another attempt to get 7 seconds on Cancellara?

dastardly00

buffalo wrote: »

......
Sagan to make it three? Or Cav to power on up in his new leaner shape? Chavanel to make another attempt to get 7 seconds on Cancellara?

They are probably the main talking points for the stage today, along with if when a crash takes half the peloton out! :pac:

A_Sober_Paddy

Can someone please tell me...

Why are riders breaking away so early in the stage? At the mo, there is a group of 4 riders 5mins 31sec ahead of the rest with 230km to go in the stage

buffalo

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Can someone please tell me...

Why are riders breaking away so early in the stage? At the mo, there is a group of 4 riders 5mins 31sec ahead of the rest with 230km to go in the stage

The possibility that they might stay away?

Also, publicity for their sponsors and the prize for most combative rider. And they'll scoop up the top intermediate sprint points probably (though I don't know who's in the break).

Morrisseeee

FYP

dastardly00 wrote: »

They are probably the main talking points for the stage today, along with if when a crash takes Cavendish out! :pac:

A_Sober_Paddy

buffalo wrote: »

The possibility that they might stay away?

Also, publicity for their sponsors and the prize for most combative rider. And they'll scoop up the top intermediate sprint points probably (though I don't know who's in the break).

Well Cav isn't in the break so I was kinda assuming there isn't an intermediate section coming soon

VinylJunkie

Very unlikely a sprinter will go out in a break or be let out in a break.

A_Sober_Paddy

VinylJunkie wrote: »

Very unlikely a sprinter will go out in a break or be let out in a break.

Ok now I'm more lost...

If they are looking for sprint points, why wouldn't sprinters go out?

VinylJunkie

To save energy for the sprint at the finish, if there is 4 in the breakaway today they will take the points for the first 4 at the intermediate sprint. The pelaton will contest the rest.

ashleey

I reckon cav got back last night and started reading his contract for get out clauses. He looked pretty 'dismayed' yesterday at the finish.

Mint Sauce

None of the four leaders went for the sprint. Will have to wait a couple of minutes for the main pack to go for it. Hopefully they all stay upright.

Mint Sauce

Cav gets it.

CramCycle

Please pay attention and post in the correct days thread, there are some who may not see/read this till later but have been linked to a previous days thread.

Mint Sauce

CramCycle wrote: »

Please pay attention and post in the correct days thread, there are some who may not see/read this till later but have been linked to a previous days thread.

My bad. Seen this Warning - contains unmasked spoilers and thought results could be discussed in race.

CramCycle

irish-stew wrote: »

My bad. Seen this Warning - contains unmasked spoilers and thought results could be discussed in race.

They can but you are posting in yesterdays thread, I moved your post here (I can't see the race at the minute but presume from your posts that they are related to today).

iregk

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Can someone please tell me...

Why are riders breaking away so early in the stage? At the mo, there is a group of 4 riders 5mins 31sec ahead of the rest with 230km to go in the stage

If you break early, regardless of the distance left and the flatness of the stage it all comes down to this simple fact. With 230km to go 4 riders are 5.5mins ahead. At 230km till the finish, it's way to early for the peloton to worry about bringing them back. So they will leave them there and reel them in with about 30km or so to go so thats 200km at an average speed of say 40kph equating to 5 hours. That all boils dow to 5 hours with the TV cameras focused mainly on the 4 guys in the breakaway giving their sponsors 5 hours in the limelight in one of the worlds most watched sporting events of the year.

It doesn't matter if you don't have the legs to hold out for the win, you're sponsors name will be all over the TV and in that you've done your job.

buffalo

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Ok now I'm more lost...

If they are looking for sprint points, why wouldn't sprinters go out?

Really it's more advantageous for KOM points, but there's none of them today, afaik. So I said sprint points instead.

CramCycle

Jeez they are taking it handy today, also TG4 is in english today, are they just streaming eurosport?

BQQ

I see Greipel sat out the intermediate sprint again saving his legs for the end of the stage.

If he wins again, Cav and Goss are going to have to think about following suit.




Is it me, or has there been an inordinately large number of punctures so far this year?

Morrisseeee

BQQ wrote: »

Is it me, or has there been an inordinately large number of punctures so far this year?

I didn't notice if there was a large increase, but if they are puncturing alot, what's the main cause ?! ie. the roads are perfect ! Imagine if they were in Ireland :eek:

Mint Sauce

Four leaders still have a minutes lead with 15km to go.

buffalo

20" gap at 3km. Falling fast.

Mint Sauce

Wow. Just wow.

AGC

What a finish

on_the_nickel

Cav second wheel at nearly 2k out? A cheery dinner in the Sky hotel tonight, I'd say.

AGC

They aren't to worried about him, everything they are focusing on is keeping Wiggins out of trouble

sportfanatic

Cav is still class but at what point will he get fed up of not getting the same support as he got at HTC?

michaelm

sportfanatic wrote: »

Cav is still class but at what point will he get fed up of not getting the same support as he got at HTC?

Will he go the distance at this rate - or withdraw early with July 28th in mind?

Darkglasses

Gessink was awesome, loved seeing him ride off into the distance. If it was only 100m shorter..

Flandria

Farrar went bonkers afterwards and tried to board the Shimano bus for a 'quiet word'...

http://www.cyclismas.com/2012/07/farrar-attempts-to-steal-team-argos-shimano-trade-secrets/

ben.schlomo

Backed Cav yesterday and Sagan today, what a nasty habit I have of almost killing riders, God help who i do tomorrow .

ednwireland

wow greipel nearly off in that crash didnt see that earlier

@MarkCavendishsh*t, tried to drop back a bit with 1km to go to get a run-up. Didn't work, as I left myself too much ground to gain. Congrats @AndreGreipel

Flandria wrote: »

Farrar went bonkers afterwards and tried to board the Shimano bus for a 'quiet word'...

http://www.cyclismas.com/2012/07/farrar-attempts-to-steal-team-argos-shimano-trade-secrets/

hmm looked like farrar was leaning on the argos rider then everything moved and he fell off from the replay, farrar looking fro someone toblame i think, he does crash a lot doesnt he.