Tour de France, July 2, Stage 1: Mont-Saint-Michel/Sainte-Marie-du-Mont *SPOILERS*

Kaisr Sose

Inquitus wrote: »

Traditionally when the Prologue has put the yellow firmly on someones shoulders in stage 1 the racing has a bit more calm and fewer crashes. Its only a recent thing for the the tour, last 4 years or so not to have a prologue and to have a first stage where everything is up for grabs, and there's a direct correlation to more crashes and bigger crashes as a result.

There have always been loads of crashes in the first week of the TDF -prologue or not. A prologue winner may get a few secs lead on GC, but when there was bonus seconds for primes or stage placings, riders were always trying to go through gaps that were not there. Big bunch, Narrow Roads, Street furniture, feet of barriers. Also, for the sprinters, their best chance of a win can be in the first week so that means a lot of movement in the bunch to form team groupings for lead out trains - one moment lapse of concentration and crunch!

gman2k

Tweet from Bora Argon
BORA – ARGON 18 â€@BoraArgon18
no fractures or serious inyuries for @Sammmy_Be ! but we will see tomorrow if he is able to start. #FingersCrossed #Fight #TDF2016

Brian?

ThisRegard wrote: »

Contador's crash
https://twitter.com/cyclingnieuws1/status/749285418013691904?s=09

That crash is bizarre. He wasn't even cornering that hard. Just slid out.

magicbastarder

ThisRegard wrote: »

Contador's crash
https://twitter.com/cyclingnieuws1/status/749285418013691904?s=09

seems to be the video the above was taken from. much easier to see.
http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/video-fans-clip-shows-just-how-horrible-contadors-tour-crash-was/

Mattie500

Why was I this own fault? Didn't see it clearly myself. Hope is recovers and is able to continue.

Pudsy33

I'll get the stage 2 thread up before kick off tomorrow

Inquitus

Mattie500 wrote: »

Why was I this own fault? Didn't see it clearly myself. Hope is recovers and is able to continue.

He just lost his front wheel going round a corner, no contact by another rider, just bad luck, bad bike handling, maybe some oil on the road, who knows.

You can review it on stickybottle here

gordongekko

Pudsy33 wrote: »

I'll get the stage 2 thread up before kick off tomorrow

You mean the stage Dan wins and goes into yellow??

Inquitus

gordongekko wrote: »

You mean the stage Dan wins and goes into yellow??

I looked at the finish on street view and it's no Mur de Huy, looks more like one for a pure sprinter who can do a hill, not a Purito, Valverde or Dan Martin type puncheur.

gordongekko

Inquitus wrote: »

I looked at the finish on street view and it's no Mur de Huy, looks more like one for a pure sprinter who can do a hill, not a Purito, Valverde or Dan Martin type puncheur.

Piss off with that ****e Dan FTW

Brian?

Inquitus wrote: »

I looked at the finish on street view and it's no Mur de Huy, looks more like one for a pure sprinter who can do a hill, not a Purito, Valverde or Dan Martin type puncheur.

GVA v Sagan v Matthews

Pudsy33

Inquitus wrote: »

I looked at the finish on street view and it's no Mur de Huy, looks more like one for a pure sprinter who can do a hill, not a Purito, Valverde or Dan Martin type puncheur.

There are 14% parts so it'll be interesting. I think a lone person could get away. I'll write it up in the morning anyway!

Pudsy33

If Dan does one of his 1 km sprint attacks like in the Dauphine I think it'll be very hard to get around him tbh. Fingers crossed

cunavalos

Poignant photo of Greipel and Vichot earlier today

JK.BMC

Inquitus wrote: »

I looked at the finish on street view and it's no Mur de Huy, looks more like one for a pure sprinter who can do a hill, not a Purito, Valverde or Dan Martin type puncheur.

I rode it last year in the real world, rather than on a computer; it certainly isn't for a sprinter- very steep in parts. Sagan is built for it with maybe Valverde and Matthews on the podium.

Boscoirl

https://mobile.twitter.com/BoraArgon18/status/749513566970142720

Sam starts today!

velo.2010

They appear to be keeping the time gaps from the stage finish. Clearly there were guys affected and many slowed down after the crash in the finale. If the result stands then Froome already has 30 seconds and more on most of his rivals.

Lusk_Doyle

velo.2010 wrote: »

They appear to be keeping the time gaps from the stage finish. Clearly there were guys affected and many slowed down after the crash in the finale. If the result stands then Froome already has 30 seconds and more on most of his rivals.

The did the same in the Dauphine and Contador lost time in a similar fashion.

neris

Inquitus wrote: »

Aye but when you have the yellow jersey up for grabs, GC riders and sprint trains trying to stay at the front, there's too many trains and not enough road and it lends itself to the sort of carnage we saw today. Traditionally when the Prologue has put the yellow firmly on someones shoulders in stage 1 the racing has a bit more calm and fewer crashes. Its only a recent thing for the the tour, last 4 years or so not to have a prologue and to have a first stage where everything is up for grabs, and there's a direct correlation to more crashes and bigger crashes as a result.

its much better having a GT or stage race without prologues.

velo.2010

All riders given the same time from yesterday.