TdF Stage 2 (Potential Spoilers, but not from me)

[chengher87]

That was a very entertaining and animated stage today!

[akelman]

Where are people watching?

[akelman]

Sorry, google is my friend. (I just didn't want the NSA to know that I'm so anti-American as to follow cycling.)

[chengher87]

I watched it on NBCSports today and usually steephill.tv. I wish David Harmon were commentating. Paul and Phil were insufferable today unable to determine who the riders were. Even I knew who the riders were.

[slidey]

You poor sods! I noticed steephill went all diplomatic in listing the live links today, maybe sign of things to come. I googled and found this, and was still able to enjoy around an hour of Sean Kelly, and David Harmon commentary :banana:

I'd have gone to sleep if I didn't find an ES link though.

http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-de-france/live

Where are people watching?

I watched it on NBCSports today and usually steephill.tv. I wish David Harmon were commentating. Paul and Phil were insufferable today unable to determine who the riders were. Even I knew who the riders were.

[chengher87]

You poor sods! I noticed steephill went all diplomatic in listing the live links today, maybe sign of things to come. I googled and found this, and was still able to enjoy around an hour of Sean Kelly, and David Harmon commentary :banana:

I'd have gone to sleep if I didn't find an ES link though.

http://www.cyclingfans.com/tour-de-france/live

David Harmon is back? Carlton Kirby commentated yesterday and I read that Harmon was hoping to be back for the Vuelta? If he's back, I am dropping Phil and Paul like sprinters on mountain stages.

[slidey]

Ok, sorry about that as I can't be sure its DH or CK. I mainly tune-in to hear SK...but they sure as hell beat out the PumPkin brothers.

Having said that, the commentary towards the ending of the stage today was phenomenal...a-la Spanish goal-scoring frenzied commentary in crisp english.

David Harmon is back? Carlton Kirby commentated yesterday and I read that Harmon was hoping to be back for the Vuelta? If he's back, I am dropping Phil and Paul like sprinters on mountain stages.

[chengher87]

Ok, sorry about that as I can't be sure its DH or CK. I mainly tune-in to hear SK...but they sure as hell beat out the PumPkin brothers.

Having said that, the commentary towards the ending of the stage today was phenomenal...a-la Spanish goal-scoring frenzied commentary in crisp english.

Haha, I meant for the weekend. Usually I watch Eurosport feeds while at work (NSA, don't contact my work and tell my superiors that) on the weekdays. On the weekends, I do like just lounging on the coach and watch it in HD, so it's NBCSports.

[MattTuck]

The interview with stage winner was GREAT, I thought. Very humble seeming guy.

[regularguy412]

The interview with stage winner was GREAT, I thought. Very humble seeming guy.

+1000 on this. VERY refreshing from a very deserving soul.

MIke in AR:beer:

[ultraman6970]

The spanish trio looked weak today, not good.

Froome looked way to strong... good and not good if you like to bet.

Evans looked good today, too good IMO.

Well, if froome gets some time in the TT then he is going to win this thing w/o even having a team.

Evans will get podium, 2nd maybe.

3rd, any of the spanish trio.

[rnhood]

The stages with mountains always garner excitement and I'm glad we are seeing hill stages early in the tour. And NBC Sports is providing great coverage in my opinion. The HD picture on my 50" TV is outstanding. The video tours of the landscapes and villages around Corsica makes me want to take a vacation there.

Some good riding by the young fellow that won today's stage. It was a good route today.

[slidey]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves yet - remember Hesjedal in the Giro? (Where was Hesjedal anyway?)

Too early to make any calls. I'm still not ruling out Contador, as I think he's going to pull a double bluff till the instant he needs to show his hand.

The spanish trio looked weak today, not good.

Froome looked way to strong... good and not good if you like to bet.

Evans looked good today, too good IMO.

Well, if froome gets some time in the TT then he is going to win this thing w/o even having a team.

Evans will get podium, 2nd maybe.

3rd, any of the spanish trio.

[ultraman6970]

Hesjedal was suffering trying to catch the small group from were the winner came from. The thing is this, Froome just put 2nd gear and exploded going up hill and nobody was able to even match him, he even almost catch the guy who won the race but thanks to his perseverance he won the stage.

If you pay attention evans was just doing his stuff, the spanish trio was not even close to Froome, actually if it wasn't because evans and one of the saxo guys tried to catch froome, the spaghetti-man would had gone solo for the stage win. A 10km solo TT for him is nothing.

I understand that is just the 1st week but this wasnt even a super climb, the 3 spaniards had (at least last year) enough power to go with froome, they did nothing to even try, cadel as usual go to everything when he picks a wheel to follow and he did not disappointed.

[branflakes]

If you pay attention evans was just doing his stuff, the spanish trio was not even close to Froome, actually if it wasn't because evans and one of the saxo guys tried to catch froome, the spaghetti-man would had gone solo for the stage win. A 10km solo TT for him is nothing.

beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. froome is definitely strong, but let's not get ahead of ourselves....there was still 10k+ remaining when froome lit it up for a stretch. he had himself and gautier to fend off the balance of the peloton, at most 10-12s back, for the last 10k, with no climbs.....there was no chance of that happening. there was no reason for any gc contender to panic in that instance.

i'm pretty sure there is no contender who would bury himself for a 10k tt to win a stage in day 2. anyone who would has to feel their gc hopes are outside great, or thinks they're superhuman.

fwiw - i think froome will most likely prevail, but he dominated all of 1.5k so far (all still from behind another rider). let's not crown him just yet.

[slidey]

On a slightly different note, does anyone know the state of affairs with Cavendish? There was absolutely no mention of him in the final 50k's of today's stage (I heard that Greipel was probably dropped, when Roelandts came to the fore for a brief period).

[victoryfactory]

On a slightly different note, does anyone know the state of affairs with Cavendish? There was absolutely no mention of him in the final 50k's of today's stage (I heard that Greipel was probably dropped, when Roelandts came to the fore for a brief period).

Cav was dropped on the big climb. P&P reported that most of his team stayed
with him but he finished several minutes back.
This was a confusing stage to read I think.

[MattTuck]

The interview with stage winner was GREAT, I thought. Very humble seeming guy.

+1000 on this. VERY refreshing from a very deserving soul.

MIke in AR:beer:


This is the mentioned interview. http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/8399

[soulspinner]

beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. froome is definitely strong, but let's not get ahead of ourselves....there was still 10k+ remaining when froome lit it up for a stretch. he had himself and gautier to fend off the balance of the peloton, at most 10-12s back, for the last 10k, with no climbs.....there was no chance of that happening. there was no reason for any gc contender to panic in that instance.

i'm pretty sure there is no contender who would bury himself for a 10k tt to win a stage in day 2. anyone who would has to feel their gc hopes are outside great, or thinks they're superhuman.

fwiw - i think froome will most likely prevail, but he dominated all of 1.5k so far (all still from behind another rider). let's not crown him just yet.

Evans was well placed and why did Froome take off with no chance to pull a stage win. Better be careful there are a whole lotta kilometers to go this tour has some rockin racing left.................burn up early and.....

[ultraman6970]

Maybe to set an statement?? dont think he was bluffing but right now not even the pure climbers that were close to him were able to follow him, probably he wanted to get outta trouble going downhill but who knows.

[regularguy412]

Maybe to set an statement?? dont think he was bluffing but right now not even the pure climbers that were close to him were able to follow him, probably he wanted to get outta trouble going downhill but who knows.

^^ This,,, methinks. Lotsa kinks on the descent.

Mike in AR:beer: