http://youtube.com/watch?v=xP_t5bF0k4o
Printable View
lol these guys are in the 20-30's wtf they doing with that
get alot more adrenaline with a real 999cc bike...
Oh so thats what those things are called...
The arabs that run the kangaroo gas station up the steet from my apartment use to sale those things. They would keep like 6-7 of um parked out on the front lawn i guess for display. But they stopped selling them a few weeks ago, because some punk cholos kept stealing them...
But yeah i never knew that was the name of those things. About how much does one of um cost anyway?
In england about £160 for a new 1 but check ebay they go for like £40
-Lance Armstrong banned for life, career vacated
http://news.yahoo.com/lance-armstron...2581--spt.html
-Eleven teammates turn on Lance Armstrong, testify that he was part of 'sophisticated' doping program
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/eleven-...g-program.html
The state of road cycling is a sad affair. Anyone that watches any of the grand tours each year (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, La Vuelta) are just let down weeks/years later by doping results/scandals. While watching some of the stages over the years, you can almost look back and see miraculous recoveries after the winners (Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck, Floyd Landis, etc.) have struggled tremendously on the stages before they make a breakaway which wins them the tour. Especially in the Alps stages.
Lance killing it after a crash in the Alps
Floyd Landis killing it after the stage before he was dropped
At this point in the game, it only hurts the cycling community to make such a "shitshow" years later of Lance Armstrong. Is he guilty? Probably. Should they strip away his awards. No. It appears that the majority of riders were on some drug enhancements. Many of the runner ups to Lance Armstrong (Jan Ullrich, Alberto Contador, Alexandre Vinokourov) have already been found guilty at one point in their career. The scary part is that none of the drug tests that Lance or his teammates did over the 7 years came back positive for enhancements. His main domestique, George Hincapie, admitted to doping and he was never once suspected or had a false test. So if his team(s) can pass hundreds of tests, I'm sure other teams that had his former riders on it were as well.
nice post
why did you edit out all that stuff about your bike and your riding? lolQuote:
Originally Posted by madchild
A $20 bike that could change the world
http://news.yahoo.com/cardboard-bicy...090732689.html
What stage are they on, and who is in the lead?
- Legless cyclist rides for asylum seekers
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Carlos Gutierrez passed out as the large blade cut through his legs — punishment for his refusal to pay a Mexican gang extortion fees from his successful catering business in northern Mexico.
Four men had forced him into the back of his vehicle at a local park before slicing just under his knees. He spent two weeks in critical condition and sought asylum in Texas as soon as he was able.
Now, facing long odds on getting approval to stay in the U.S., Gutierrez has been staging an unusual demonstration to call attention to his plight and to the thousands of other Mexicans who seek asylum in the U.S. each year from drug cartel violence, with little success. Gutierrez has been riding his bicycle through Texas using his prosthetic legs, talking to everyone he meets.
"If someone from Cuba or from Venezuela can get asylum, why not someone from Mexico?" said Gutierrez, who spent nearly two weeks on his 800-mile bicycle trek from El Paso to Central Texas.
U.S. law allows asylum for those who have credible fear of persecution based on their race, religion, national origin, political status or membership in a particular social group.
But Mexican asylum seekers have struggled to convince U.S. courts they fit in any of these categories, with approval rates running 1 to 2 percent. By contrast, more than a fourth of immigrants from other Latin American countries such as Colombia and Venezuela were granted asylum last year. Many can cite ethnic or political grounds.
View gallery."
Since he hopped on his bicycle in El Paso on Oct. 28, Gutierrez has been making his case for a change in the system. His journey ended Saturday in Austin.
Along the way townspeople came out from shops and houses to wave and talk with him during rest stops. The 35-year-old endured rain, strong winds, flat tires and fatigue. On the fifth day, a prosthetic specialist met him to adjust his legs because he was bruising and blistering.
"There were times when we thought it'd be best to have him rest, to drive him to the next town to let his legs recover, but he'd say, 'No,'" said Jaqueline Armendariz, a member of the support team for the ride to Austin. "He has a mission."
Gutierrez said he never considered quitting.
It doesn't matter, he said, "how grave your wound was. What matters is that you get up. I have no legs, but I am on my feet."
The U.S. Executive Office for Immigration Review did not specifically comment on Gutierrez's case. However, immigration judges have acknowledged in court that asylum cases based on fear of crime or violence are difficult to make.
"I believe everything you just told me," immigration Judge Stephen Ruhle told a Mexican applicant at a recent hearing in which the man described being targeted by corrupt police officers for extortion money. "But asylum is not applicable to cases like yours."
Some scholars have argued that many applicants should qualify under a looser definition of "social group." A 2010 report by the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees said people who, on principle, refuse to pay extortion could be considered a group.
Other experts say the threats to individuals have evolved since asylum categories were defined in treaties after World War II.
"Now, people are fleeing different forms of persecution," said Karen Musalo, director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at the University of California. "There are women fleeing from domestic violence, genital mutilation or honor killings. There are people fleeing from drug cartels and gangs." But others are skeptical. About 9,200 Mexicans sought asylum last year, up from 3,560 in 2008. The increase has prompted some lawmakers to suggest that immigrants are using the asylum system as a backdoor way to stay into the U.S. Applicants often wait more than two years for their court date. Gutierrez's case has been pending since 2011.
Philip Schrag, a professor of public interest law at Georgetown University, said many applications come from Mexicans who have been apprehended crossing illegally into the U.S.
"Many come seeking employment but are not threatened," he said.
Gutierrez has worked in a burrito shop to help support his wife and children while his case goes through the system.
He said he has put his life in Chihuahua behind him.
"I'd rather think about the future," he said.
Gets interesting at about the 0:20 mark.
EDIT : Thanks mods, for moving this to the appropriate thread.
^ It's always interesting seeing these videos. I liked the rhythm jumps. It ridiculous how that guy is running $2000 rims on his bike (obviously sponsored). I think I read somewhere they go through several sets of wheels filming these videos.
This guy below that released this video last year, broke his neck and is paralyzed. Being into bmx before I got into road riding, it's crazy to see these guys do this on a road bike. Your center of balance flipping and what not is so different than on a bmx which is more trick oriented.
TOUR DE FRANCE IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING...
Defending champion Chris Froome set his mark for the Tour de France with an emphatic time trial victory on stage one of the Criterium du Dauphine.
The eight-day stage race is seen as the traditional warm-up for the three-week Tour, which starts on 5 July.
It began with a short, 10.4km loop around the city of Lyon, but Britain's Froome, 29, managed to beat Spain's Alberto Contador by eight seconds.
"I'm here to win the race, we're going to do everything we can," he said.
Another of Froome's potential Tour de France rivals, Vincenzo Nibali, trailed home eighth, 13 seconds behind.
My prediction for Tour De France :
1.Froome
2.Contador
3.Jurgen Van Den Broeck.
http://www.gva.be/ahimgpath/assets_i...1000x800-n.jpg
Jurgen Van Den Broeck was 4th twice. In the other two most recent editions he had to leave because he fell. I strongly believe in him for the third spot. His two first stages in Dauphiné Liberé were excellent. Let's see how he places in the most difficult mountain stage of the Dauphiné...
Today the Dauphiné Libéré, 'the small Tour De France' ended. Outsider Talansky was part of an early group of escapees who made it past all four mountains. Spanish Sky rider Mikel Nieve won the last stage, but Talansky took the overall victory home, completely unexpectedly! Contador, who was the overall leader yesterday, tried to catch up with the escapees at the very end of the race, but it didn't work out for him.
Podium :
1.Andrew Talansky (he's American btw)
2.Albert Contador
3.Jurgen Van Den Broeck aka 'VDB'
Froome fell yesterday and lost more than 5 minutes today.
VDB was also part of the group of escapees. He managed to go from the 5th to the 3rd spot. Excellent! I'm telling you, this guy is ready for the TDF. His only race before the TDF is the Belgian national championship. He'll be training a lot in the mean time.
Andrew Talansky finished tenth in his TDF debut last year. It looks like the Americans have something to look forward to in the TDF again!
You can watch the last 3 k of the final stage here.
(English speaking commentator)
Article & pic here http://www.outsideonline.com/news-fr...medium=xmlfeed
It kind of sucks that Wiggins isn't going to the Tour de France. He was out last year with an illness and the prior year he won it. I realize Froome is their GC and would dominate but it would make it interesting. I guess they don't want drama on the team, especially since Wiggins would be ahead after the TT stages and then would lose time in the mountains (which doesn't come until 2/3s of the way through) I'd imagine to Froome. I haven't watched enough racing to know though. I guess there going to put all their eggs in one basket.
I hope Andy Schleck is there and back with some form to challenge the GCs. I can't believe Cadel is still a GC. Give it up.
Your analysis is on point imo! Wiggins is leaving Team Sky, probably heading for Team Orica. I hope he competes in the TDF next year, should make for an interesting duel with Froome.Quote:
Originally Posted by madchild
Just like you I hope Andy Schleck comes through, but truth be told : will he ever reach his old level again? I fear not.
I don't blame Cadel for still trying. At least he's not giving up. But realistically, he will never snatch a top five position in one of the big three rounds again. He's simply too old. But there's no dishonour in placing in the top ten or top fifteen at his age. In the TDF Tejay Van Garderen will be the main man for Team BMC, Cadel will most likely never compete in the TDF again. But not all is well for Team BMC, as Van Garderen did not perform well in the Dauphiné, because of a problem with his hip (dating back to the Tour De Romandie).
Interesting, if there's rumours that he's leaving? The problem is he isn't getting any younger. He'll be 35 next year. It must suck to sit out the biggest race of the year when you're in top form.Quote:
Originally Posted by 5th state
It's too bad that he hasn't gotten back to his top form since the crash. Looking at the Tour de Suisse results, he doesn't look in too bad of shape. Let's hope he's not letting on how well his form is right now. Nonetheless, I imagine he's still not good at TT and he won't have his brother for the 1-2 punch in the mountains. That made for some exciting mountain stages.Quote:
Originally Posted by 5th state
I'm not sure how BMC's can back him though as their GC. I guess there's money to be made whether he wins or loses, based off the name alone for the brand. The problem I have will Cadel is that it's all about himself. If TVG turns out to be ahead of Cadel in time and shape, will Cadel work for him? Probably not. Never really been a fan of Cadel since I like guys that attack in the hills.Quote:
Originally Posted by 5th state
Hopefully there's some crazy spanish dude that I can get behind. I don't really find myself routing for Froome, Contador, Cadel, TVG, etc.
It's too bad Richie Porte wasn't a domestique and more well-rounded. He looks like he could destroy in the hills if he wasn't working for Froome. Then again, that's all he's there for, so he probably is saving his energy.
This week and next week most European countries have their national championship races for all categories. Men, women, youngsters (several separate categories for them) in normal races and time trial races.
Some national time trial races have already been ridden this week, for instance in Switzerland (Fabian Cancellara has won his 9th title), Poland (Michal Kwiatkowski) and Holland (Tom Dumoulin).
It's always fun to 'discover' what riders are wearing national jerseys in the Tour De France. I always think it's a shame when a rider wins the national championship race and due to circumstances (e.g. being member of a small team) cannot compete in the Tour De France.
Favorites for the Belgian national championship race are Tom Boonen, Greg Van Avermaet, Jrugen Roelandts and Gianni Meersman.
When does the Tour De France start?
Starts on the 5th of July, ends on the 21st. They always aim for this period because they can include the 14th then, which is France's national holiday. French riders always try their very best to win the stage that day. Since the French don't really have any serious top five contenders, they're aiming for stage wins, this one being the most prestigious one.Quote:
Originally Posted by hectis
The French also traditionally aim for the mountain jersey (best rider in the mountains, with a point system) and the first Frenchman in the overall classification.
This looks like a good site in English for you to keep tabs on what's going on once the Tour starts :
http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/
I hope to find time (should be alright) to provide an update once in a while during the Tour.
In preparation of the Tour De France, here are some fun facts & interesting riders.
First off, for the first time around, cameras whill be installed on steering wheels (or whatever you call them for bikes). This has been tried out in the Tour of California.
Each day four riders on two teams will get the cameras. They are allowed to shut them down should they choose so in situations where secrecy is advised (I hope this does not refer to them injecting themselves with dope).
I was hoping they'd install cameras in the cars too (you know, with the coaches), as they do for some UCI races, but I haven't heard anything about that yet. Probably not going to happen.
Now, for some interesting riders...
1) Ji Cheng, first Chinese rider in the TDF ever. Works for Marcel Kittel, German sprinter.
http://mondialiciclismo.net/wp-conte...se-al-Giro.jpg
Rumor has it his idea of showing his team mates around Chinese eating habits is serving them chicken wings in a coca cola sauce. Yummy.
2) Samuel Dumoulin. Shortest rider in the peloton. 159 centimetres. (A little over 5 ft.)Has been for years. Unlike Cheng Ji a fairly well-known and successful rider. Has a good sprint if he goes to the finish line in a small group. Won a stage in the TDF of 2008, for instance.
This pic should give you a good idea of his length.
http://wielersport.slogblog.nl/get/1...20Dumoulin.jpg
3) Jens 'der Jensie' Voigt is the oldest. This German rider is 42 years old. He's a real go getter, winning all kinds of stages in all kinds of races. Now he's here simply to help out the team (led by the Schleck brothers). Has six children.
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images...t-portrait.jpg
4) Adam Hansen. This Australian rider is famous for his love of riding the three big races. He is on his ninth (!!!) consecutive big race (finishing them all). Meaning that he will have completed the Giro d'Italia, the Tour De France and the Vuelta d'Espana in the same year, three years in a row.
For people who don't follow bike racing very closely, practically no rider does that any more these days.
As you can imagine, Adam Hansen has not come to win the general classification. He is a helper, working for André Greipel, the German sprinter on the Belgian Lotto team.
Doesn't mean he isn't successful. Last year for instance he won a stage in the Giro d'Italia.
Did I mention he has his own shoe manufacturing company too? Which he does the accounting for, even while riding the three big tours. Amazing guy.
http://www.lottobelisol.be/pictures/...jpg?1340005150
5) Mathew Hayman, another Australian rider. The oldest rider to debut in the Tour De France. He's 36, so you see, it's never too late.
http://www.greenedgecycling.com/cms_...-2014_1468.jpg
Everybody enjoy the Tour De France!
---- 5 things to know about doping at Tour de France
LEEDS, England (AP) — Doping has been an unfortunate part of the Tour de France since its inception in 1903. Instead of today's high-tech performance enhancers like blood-booster EPO, riders juiced up on wine and cocaine, even strychnine, to get a lift in the race.
As the sport went prime-time and grew more competitive and lucrative, the crackdown on doping cheats also intensified — leading to the eventual dethroning of seven-time champ Lance Armstrong, the most famous rider of a tainted era.
Anti-doping testing was introduced at the Tour in the 1960s but did not prevent the death of British rider Tom Simpson on the slopes of the Mont Ventoux in 1967 after he used a lethal cocktail of amphetamines and alcohol.
Here are five things to know about doping before the race starts on Saturday:
THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTIONS:
Reigning Tour champion Chris Froome drew controversy after a UCI medical supervisor authorized his use of a doctor's note in order to take a corticosteroid to fight a chest infection during the Tour de Romandie this year. Cyclists who suffer from illness can, in some cases, be given such a Therapeutic Use Exemption to use otherwise-banned medication.
Because of that incident, the governing body's TUE panel — not just a single UCI doctor — will from now on examine all such exemptions, the head of cycling's governing body Brian Cookson said Friday, reasoning that "maybe they're all of a potentially controversial nature."
Cookson also said a key lesson for today's competitors from Armstrong's era was that sooner or later, "We will catch you." While he said he couldn't guarantee that new doping cases won't come to light at this Tour, "the radar is being lowered all the time."
In a meeting with two reporters, Cookson said the science and technology involved in catching drugs cheats are improving and sport authorities continue to enhance their anti-doping procedures.
"I think we are closer to the cheats than we have ever been," he said.
___
PRE-RACE CASES: Two riders who were expected to compete in the Tour were suspended by their teams before the race. Daryl Impey of South Africa, who last year became the first African to wear the leader's yellow jersey, failed a drugs test in February and was removed from the Orica-GreenEdge lineup after the Australian team was notified of the result.
Involved in a case dating back to 2011, Roman Kreuziger — a key climbing lieutenant of Alberto Contador on Tinkoff-Saxo — was dropped by the team because of anomalies in his biological passport detected in 2011 and 2012. The Czech rider, who won the Amstel Gold Race last year, was with Kazakh team Astana at the time. Kreuziger denies any wrongdoing.
___
WHO'S HANDLING THE TESTING?
The UCI is again teaming up with the French anti-doping agency AFLD to test riders on the Tour. Blood checks will be carried out on all participants before Saturday's first leg from Leeds to Harrogate, the first of three stages in Britain. The British anti-doping agency will also be involved, sharing intelligence and information about the potential cheats.
AFLD will use data from the UCI's biological passport program to target possible cheats, but also information from a special French police unit specialized in the fight against doping.
Some samples will also be kept to be tested in the future — in expectation that detection methods may improve in the future.
No riders tested positive for doping during last year's race, where 622 samples were collected.
___
FORMER DOPERS
Four well-known doping offenders will be at the start line in Leeds:
— Alberto Contador: The joint favorite, with Froome, to win this year's race, Contador was stripped of the 2010 Tour title and was suspended for two years after testing positive for clenbuterol in the final week of the race that year. Contador claimed he ate a contaminated steak bought in Spain.
— Alejandro Valverde: Fellow Spaniard Valverde was handed a two-year suspension in 2010 for his involvement in the Operation Puerto doping plot, which ensnared dozens of riders over secretly stored blood bags. The 34-year-old Valverde is leading Team Movistar, and is regarded as a potential Top-5 finisher.
— Rui Costa: The Portuguese world champion with the Lampre squad tested positive for stimulant methylhexanamine in 2010 following his victory in the national time trial championship. He was given a one-year ban, which was reduced to five months on appeal. He won his third consecutive Tour de Suisse last month.
— Frank Schleck: Schleck, the elder brother of 2010 Tour champion Andy Schleck, missed out on last year's Tour because of a one-year suspension for a positive test for a diuretic during the 2012 race. Last month, the 34-year-old Schleck claimed his fifth Luxembourg champion title.
NOT MILLAR'S TIME
One of the most outspoken voices against doping, David Millar, will be conspicuously absent this year. The Scottish veteran was denied the chance to compete with the Garmin-Sharp team, which cited his ill health for keeping him out of the roster this year.
Millar, 37, completed a two-year ban in 2006 after confessing that he used the blood-booster EPO, then joined the World Anti-Doping Agency's athlete committee.
The UCI are a bunch of fags cause they only announced they would tighten the usage of therapeutic drugs since Chris Froome inhaled his ... errr ... inhaler thingy (for asthma) in an interview on TV, instead of using it during the race when no camera was on him.
Last year young Belgian rider Jonathan Breyne attempted suicide after the Tour of China after clenbuterol was detected in his blood. He claimed he was innocent and afterwards tried to commit suicide. Fortunately, he was found in time.
After an extensive investigation the UCI conceded what his & Michael Roger's lawyers (Michael Rogers is a more famous rider who was also considered to be doping during the Tour of China) had claimed all along ... China is known for beefing up beef (ha!) with all kinds of dope, this is how it got into their system. UCI is now advising its riders not to consume meat in China.
As stated, fuck the UCI. They're about as corrupt as FIFA too. Lance Armstrong paid for an antidoping device (some kind of testing machine) for the UCI as a buy off for some test he himself had failed. And the UCI took the bribe.
Long live cycling, fuck UCI. Also, fuck the TDF committee. Because when they catch wind of doping and catch one guy, they urge riders who they suspect of the same kind of dope to silently leave the TDF, on pretenses of being ill (often stomach ache or tendinitis).
TDF, stage 1 : Leeds - Harrogate (UK)
Pics of the official start in Yorkshire.
http://media3.onsugar.com/files/2014...4-Pictures.jpg
Kate Middleton, Prince William and Prince Harry. The rider in the rainbow jersey (on the left) is Portuguese rider Rui Costa. He is the current world champion.
The Sky rider on the right is English/Kenian rider Chris Froome, who won the TDF last year.
http://e2.365dm.com/11/07/660x350/Pe...20110707171213
Map of the stage.
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/img/gra...rcoursgene.jpg
Ended in a sprint.
1) Marcel Kittel
http://www.dewielersite.net/db2/wiel...2473Kittel.jpg
2) Peter Sagan
3) Ramundas Navardauskas
4) Bryan Coquard
5) Michael Rogers
WATCH THE LAST FEW HUNDRED METERS HERE
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/matchcent...nce_2014_rit_1 (embedded video on that page)
Interesting first stage. Breakaway of 3 riders right from the start : German Jens Voigt (oldest man in the race) and Frenchmen Edet and Jarrier. Edet is last year's mountain king of the Vuelta d'Espana.
The 3 riders had an average lead of about 3 minutes on the peloton. There were 3 hills that counted for the mountain classification. Jarrier won the first uphill sprint because Edet was afraid he would get past Voigt's back too late (the public attendance was enormous, making it hard on the hills for the riders to ride in rows of two or three - it was almost like a real mountain stage in for instance the Alps).
So it seemed that Jarrier and Edet were going to aim for the first mountain jersey since Voigt didn't turn out to be that explosive uphill (remember his age). But Voigt had one over on them. During an official inbetween sprint for the green jersey the Frenchmen allowed him to win that sprint easily (since they were focusing in the mountain jersey themselves) but Voigt noticed he had a small lead and decided to try and escape.
Now Voigt is a very good rider and his plan worked. He quickly took 30 seconds, making his lead bigger as the race went along. In this way he was able to reach the next hills as the first rider, winning him today's mountain jersey.
Shortly after the last hill the peloton caught up with Voigt, who was the last one to be picked up by them.
In the final sprint Cavendish leaned in on Simon Gerrans while trying to pass him, causing them both (and a few others) to fall. Thus the sprint worked out differently. Kittel won convincingly, keeping off Peter Sagan.
Every day a prize is awarded to the rider who showed the biggest will to attack. Today's prize was awarded to Jens Voigt. (There is a classification for this at the end of the tour as well.)
Cavendish will be able to continue tomorrow despite him falling down.
Hope you enjoyed the first stage. Two more stages in the UK. Tomorrow's stage has 9 official hills (which count for the mountain classification). Should be very entertaining!
http://centenarynews.com/media/uploa...mn9p_thumb.PNG
More vids (including interviews) and pics on the official Tour website here.
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/stage-1.html
Overview of riders' tweets after the first stage (all but one in English) :
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenne...witter_na_rit1
The tweets can be found below the article in Dutch.
UPDATE on Cavendish : he has dislocated his shoulder. He should be alright for tomorrow.
are they all required to wear the daisy duke shorts?
I did 150km's today, 32km/h. I can't imagine doing that for 21 stages, practically straight with 2 rest days thrown in there.
I didn't realize Frank Schleck was back from his 2-year suspension? Wonder where him and his brother are at.
You must be very fit. 32km/h, respect!Quote:
Originally Posted by madchild
Regarding the Schlecks : word has it they're aiming for a top 5 spot for one of them. Perhaps more realistic for Fränk than for Andy this year.
SECOND UPDATE ON CAVENDISH : Just watched the news and found out British sprinter Marc Cavendish hasn't started in the second stage after all, due to his shoulder injury. This is a major problem for his team, QuickStep, which brought along a few riders just to help Cavendish during his sprints. They still have Tony Martin for his time trial capacities (one time trial in the TDF this year).
@check two : yes, they do. Wouldn't mind seeing the movie version of Daisy Duke cycling along in the peloton. Eye candy's always welcome.
TDF, 2nd stage (York - Sheffield, UK) :
Won by a solo breakaway in the last 2 kilometers.
1) Vincenzo Nibali (nicknamed the Shark of the Strait of Messina)
http://assets.hookit.com/RFS/2013/09...5.jpg?size=235
2) Greg Van Avermaet (Belgian)
3) Michal Kwiatkowski
4) Peter Sagan (finished second yesterday and remains in the green jersey for best sprinter)
5) Tony Galopin
Since most riders finished in the same group as the winner yesterday (peloton sprint won by Marcel Kittel), Nibali not only won today's stage but also managed to get his hands on the yellow jersery. Kittel himself lost over 14 minutes today as he's a pure sprinter and hills are not his thing at all.
A stage with nine official climbs (counting for the mountain jersey). A group of six escaped right from the start. Belgian Bart Declercq persued them later on, joining the group which then stayed together for a long time. This stage remained entertaining throughout because various riders tried to take the mountain jersey away from Jens Voigt (who remained in the peloton for the whole race, even losing sight of the peloton in the final part of the stage). The French were especially active in trying to win the mountain jersey. The best of them was Blel Kadri, who left his fellow escapees behind in search of the mountain jersey. He took two hills solo, including the most important hill (2nd category climb). But he didn't manage to stay in front of the race afterwards to gain extra mountain points. Thus the mountain jersey went to fellow Frenchman Cyril Lemoin, who had successfully sprinted uphill a few times earlier on in the race.
Frenchmen Pierre Roland (4th in this year's Giro d'Italia) and Jean-Christophe Péraud attacked in the final 15 kilometers, leaving behind the peloton (which consisted of only about 25 riders anymore, including all the riders who are aiming for the QC at the end of the TDF). However, they had attacked too early. Roland lasted the longest, but the peloton eventually took him back.
About 5 km before the finish line there was another nasty climb. Last year's overall TDF winner Chris Froome tried to break away, wanting to conquer the yellow jersey in his home country. However, the other GQ riders managed to stay with him.
A few more riders tried to escape in the next few km, but were taken back almost instantly. Vincenzo Nibali, GQ rider for this TDF (and winner of the 2010 Vuelta d'Espana and the 2013 Giro d'Italia) then broke away and was successful.
The peloton almost got to him in the last few hundred meters, but he still pulled it off. The peloton then sprinted for the second place, with Greg Van Avermaet beating Michal Kwiatkowski[/b].
UPDATE : video, pics and English comments for this stage on the TDF's official website here :
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/
Tomorrow's stage will take us to London. It will be the last stage on British soil.
WINNER'S PROFILE
-------------------
Stage 1 : Marcel Kittel
Marcel Kittel is a young German sprinter. He was very successful in last year's edition of the TDF, winning a surprising 4 stages. Two weeks before the TDF national championships are organized. Marcel Kittel didn't win the German championship. André Greipel, another sprinter, won it. Greipel participates in this year's TDF as well.
Kittel, Greipel and Cavendish are considered the three best sprinters of the world. Cavendish has already left the TDF due to a shoulder injury.
Kittel won the opening stage last year as well, which allowed him to wear the yellow jersey (as he did today).
http://en.africatopsports.com/wp-con...kittel-940.jpg
Kittel has won stages in all 3 major rounds (the TDF, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta d'Espana). He has won stages in a lot of smaller races as well, including the so-called 'unofficial world championship for sprinters', the Scheldeprijs (a Belgian race which sprinters are very fond of).
Kittel has been on a roll this year, winning stages in the Tour of Oman, the Scheldeprijs (third consecutive victory) and a stage in the Giro d'Italia.
Kittel is aiming for more stage wins (sprints) and possibly the green jersey. This is the jersey for best overall sprinter. His biggest competitor for that jersey is last year's winner of that competition, Peter Sagan.
Kittel's difficulty in winning the green jersey competition is that he's very bad in mountain stages, unlike Peter Sagan.
WATCH KITTEL'S STAGE WIN AGAIN
WINNER'S PROFILE
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Stage 2 : Vincenzo Nibali
Nibali is a completely different kind of racer when compared to Kittel. Whereas Kittel is a sprinter, Nibali is an all around good rider who performs very well in mountain stages. Nibali is this year's Italian champion. Nibali has won the GQ of two major rounds in his career, the Vuelta d'Espana (2010) and the Giro d'Italia (2013). Nibali has also won the smaller Italian multi-stage race Tirreno-Adriatico twice.
He decided to aim for the GQ in the TDF this year. (Riders do not usually ride all three major rounds in the same year.)
Unlike Kittel, Nibali has been considered not to have performed well this year. (IIRC only one victory before the TDF this year.) He is under a lot of pressure from his team. His team manager sent him a letter a few weeks ago, saying management expected more from him. But Nibali has kept on working towards the TDF. He reached his peak form very recently, winning the national championship two weeks ago and winning today's stage of the TDF.
He runs the risk of reaching peak form too soon, which might prove to be his downfall in the third week of the TDF.
In the pic below you can see Vincenzo Nibali wearing the pink leader jersey of last year's Giro d'Italia.
http://pelotoncafe.com.au/wp-content...nzo-Nibali.jpg
WATCH NIBALI WIN THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (ITALY) HERE
AN OVERVIEW OF NIBALI'S CAREER SO FAR (SLIDESHOW)
Watch the last kilometer of the second stage.
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone...aylist=7.50144
Footage from cameras mounted on bike steering wheels in TDF.
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone...aylist=7.50144
Interview in English with last year's green jersey winner Peter Sagan.
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone...nterview_sagan
Footage from the last climb of today's stage (5 km before the finish)
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone...ins_road%2B%2B
(Dutch commentators.)
TDF, third stage (Cambridge-London)
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Short stage (155 km), ended in a sprint.
1. Marcel Kittel
http://www.wielerrevue.nl/wp-content...cel-kittel.jpg
2. Peter Sagan
3. Mark Renshaw
4. Bryan Coquard
5. Alexander Kristoff
All of the above are established sprinters. Mark Renshaw is usually Cavendish' leadout man (= last rider to stay in front of his sprinter, has to accelerate in the last few hundred meters), but since Cav' has left the TDF, Renshaw now functions as his substitute in sprints.
The man who placed fifth, Norwegian Alexander Kristoff, has won this year's Milan-San Remo, a very important Italian race.
This was quite an uneventful stage. The first breakaway was the right one : Czech Jan Barta and Frenchman Jean-Marc Bideau broke away early and stayed away until the final five kilometers. By then Barta had just left behind a very tired Bideau, but to no avail. The peloton caught up with Barta and we were in for another sprint.
André Greipel's Lotto Team had chased Barta and Bideau for the previous twenty kilometers and now didn't seem to have enough punch left to get their sprint train to function properly. Fellow German Marcel Kittel's sprint train on the other hand worked perfectly. His team mates dropped him off right where he wanted to start sprinting. Peter Sagan tried to close in on Kittel, but he didn't succeed.
This marks Kittel's second stage victory in this year's TDF. Is he the fastest sprinter? Sure looks like it.
Because Barta left Bideau behind in a desperate attempt to keep the peloton behind him he was awarded the daily prize of keenest attacker.
Since GQ leader Vincenzo Nibali finished in the first group, he was able to keep the yellow jersey in his possession. Peter Sagan still has the green jersey (best sprinter), Frenchman Cyril Lemoin was able to hold on to his coveted polka-dot jersey (best climber) as well. The white jersey for best placed rider under the age of 26 went to Frenchman Romain Bardet. Best placed team (= GQ result for the best three riders on a team) is Chris Froome's Team Sky.
Once again lots of people had gathered to catch a glimpse of the riders, unfazed by the rainy weather (which caused a few riders such as Belgian Jan Bakelants, winner of a stage in last year's TDF, and Luxemburg climber Andy Schleck to fall, fortunately without any dire consequences).
Tomorrow's stage is the first one in France. (In case you're wondering, the teams get to France by plane.) The riders will go from Le Touquet-Paris-Plage (this is not Paris btw) on the coast to Lille. These cities are both in the north of France. It's another flat stage.
Will there be another sprint? Or will one rider or a group of riders stay in front of the peloton? We'll find out tomorrow...
Watch today's sprint here.
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2014/us/
The above webpage also includes pictures.
You can read a few tweets by teams and individual riders at the bottom of the linked page.
http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/matchcent...nce_2014_rit_3