Tour de France 2017 stage 4: Mondorf-les-Bains-Vittel 207 km

Inquitus

Prudhomme's thoughts about the stage:

Passing through Schengen and before returning to French territory, the peloton will have confirmation it can go around freely… Without major difficulties, this stage should offer a second opportunity to the sprinters. Beware however, the roads of Meurthe-et-Moselle could be swept by the wind and that could represent a menace for the title contenders.

Hard to see beyond a bunch sprint and most likely another Kittel victory, no significant crosswinds expected today, so not much to do but watch the countryside roll by listening to the dulcet tones of the Eurosport commentary for 5 odd hours!

Now, have a look at the profile of the stage



And zoom in on the last kilometers..



Weather forecast:



GC after stage 3:

1. Geraint THOMAS
2. Christopher FROOME + 12''
3. Michael MATTHEWS + 12''
4. Peter SAGAN + 13''
5. Edvald BOASSON HAGEN + 16''
6. Pierre Roger LATOUR + 25''
7. Phillipe GILBERT + 30''
8. Michal KWIATKOWSKI + 32''
9. Tim WELLENS + 32''
10. Nikias ARNDT + 34''

Points jersey classification top 5:

Marcel KITTEL 66
Arnaud DEMARE 57
Peter SAGAN 50
Michael MATTHEWS 44
Sonny COLBRELLI 32

pelevin

Kittel in Vittel.

Inquitus

Marcel Kittel 10/11
Arnaud Demare 17/4
Andre Greipel 6
Mark Cavandish 9
Peter Sagan 11
Dylan Groenewegen 14
Nacer Bouhanni 20
Alexander Kristoff 33
Sonny Colbrelli 33
Michael Matthews 50
Dan Mclay 40
John Degenkolb 125

pelevin

Out of interest, anyone know if Sagan got the same points for his stage win yday as Kittel did in the pure sprint stage?

Inquitus

pelevin wrote: »

Out of interest, anyone know if Sagan got the same points for his stage win yday as Kittel did in the pure sprint stage?

He got 30 for yesterday as opposed to 50 for Kittel the other day.

pelevin

Inquitus wrote: »

He got 30 for yesterday as opposed to 50 for Kittel the other day.

Seems to me wrong to be setting things up a certain way to hinder a rider cos he's so strong if that's the case. If you removed Sagan from the points jersey the last few years, it's not as if it's another all-rounder who'd have been winning it. It'd probably be a pure sprinter every time.

"It's more important to win a flat stage for the points jersey than one with a significant kick." What's the reasoning? Is it specifically meant to be a sprinters' jersey? It's all the more impressive that a guy is able to compete in such different terrain generally in the top 3 to 5 in sprints, & then beating gc & punchy riders like yday.

Decuc500

The question is by how much will Kittel win by? I'm guessing a full bike length.

Taxuser1

Bouhanni is from the area, if he gets to the front a little slower than he did on Sunday he might be thereabouts

Inquitus

Taxuser1 wrote: »

Bouhanni is from the area, if he gets to the front a little slower than he did on Sunday he might be thereabouts

Can't see it, he's well down the list of fast men.

Kittel, Cav, Greipel, Demare, Sagan would all expect to beat him comfortably.

Andy Magic

it seems an awful long way for a bunch sprint. I hope I'm wrong though

NamelessPhil

Jens Voigt is on Eurosport at the moment!

NamelessPhil

NamelessPhil wrote: »

Jens Voigt is on Eurosport at the moment!

Great listening to him.

MPFGLB

This has long day written all over it....

Working at home...usually have TV on in the back ground but maybe will turn it off today as need to concentrate

Inquitus

MPFGLB wrote: »

This has long day written all over it....

Working at home...usually have TV on in the back ground but maybe will turn it off today as need to concentrate

I am WFH as well, have it on in the background, can't see anything happening tbh bar a slow day with one man in the break!

stecleary

being a bit of a technical finish it might suit Cav a little. It also suits Sagan

Miklos

Sagan could potentially try and make a break if it's crosswindy, he's within in asses roar of yellow.

Somedude9

Zzzz...

C3PO

Miklos wrote: »

Sagan could potentially try and make a break if it's crosswindy, he's within in asses roar of yellow.

Not sure it would be worth the effort ... they'd hardly let him go?

MPFGLB

Nico Diary

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/i-had-to-stick-an-elbow-in-bardet-to-get-through-the-tight-gap-35892361.html

stecleary

Glad SK enjoyed his Sangqiuch

neris

duno what timezone kellys in but talking about midday lunch at 2:45 french time

neris

jeez this is a snoozefest

Somedude9

Jaysus, Kelly positively gushes when paired with Rob Hatch. My favourite pairing btw.

stecleary

neris wrote: »

jeez this is a snoozefest

starting to think the decision to show every km of racing was a bad one

neris

itv on the cannondale bus with one of the soigneurs going through the post race bags and hes an irish guy.

MPFGLB

https://twitter.com/itvcycling/status/882237670491082759

kenmc

Went to watch online tg4, but showing basketball, WTF?

kenmc

Oh wait. Fu¢kin IP address of company showing as bloody Texas. Geolocked

neris

these pro conti teams always go mad to get in the break away, wonder how boring and slow teh racing could be if they got rid of the likes wanty etc

loudymacloud

having a sneaky watch of it on the phone in work using TG4 live.

work PC has all such websites blocked :mad:

Nothing much to see until the sprint today

Lusk_Doyle

neris wrote: »

itv on the cannondale bus with one of the soigneurs going through the post race bags and hes an irish guy.

Let's have a look at what's back here in these packages behind this curtain. Oh, em, sorry. Back to you in the studio.

neris

Big crash

neris

Yellow jersey down

RobertKK

Crash central at the end.

Come on Cav!!!!!

neris

Cav down in the barriers looks like sagan elbowed in to them

irishrover99

Ouch Cav

Djoucer

Carnage. Looks really bad for Cav. Looks like his head hit the barrier a few times.

longshanks

Sagan took out Cav?

spock.

Sagan forces Cav into the barrier. Awful crash.

Demare wins.

neris

Cav looks fuc**d on the ground

Oh ffs lads still down Cav among them

Inquitus

Sagan could find himself in deep dodo

Confidis rider looked to have run over Cavs head :eek:

REBELSAFC

Sagan could be in big trouble here. Looked like an elbow to Cavendish

Itziger

Sagan will be out for a while after that, or would be if there was a ban system for 'foul' play. Cav out I presume.

REBELSAFC

REBELSAFC wrote: »

Sagan could be in big trouble here. Looked like an elbow to Cavendish

Over head deffo suggested that.

dragratchet

hard to see the full incident but that looks bad for sagan throwing his elbow.

Djoucer

Haven't such a sketchy run in like that for years. Last 3km was nuts.

Can see Sagan's elbow coming out as Cav comes up inside

Dcully

Lets not forget Cavendish has dished it out many times before including headbutts, hes far from saint.

Hope hes ok though looks rough.