Stage Three Pics--Cobble Madness!

[BumbleBeeDave]

Here they are . . . WOW!

[BumbleBeeDave]

Stuart O'Grady of Australia, center right, picks up his bicycle after falling in the cobblestone section of Gruson, northern France, during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July 6, 2004. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)

Looks like these guys are gonna need a shower!

[BumbleBeeDave]

T-Mobile team leader Jan Ullrich of Germany, left, US Postal Service team leader Lance Armstrong, of Austin, Texas, center, and teammate George Hincapie of the U.S. ride through the cobblestoned section of Geraardsbergen, Belgium, during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July 6, 2004. Jean-Patrick Nazon of France won the stage, Robbie McEwen of Australia took the overall lead of the race. (AP Photo/Patrice Mollet)

Now THIS is racing! Oh to be there with a beer in one hand and one of those nig green foam hands in the other!

[BumbleBeeDave]

US Postal Service teammates George Hincapie of the U.S., center, and Lance Armstrong, of Austin, Texas, right, and T-Mobile team leader Jan Ullrich of Germany, left, ride in the cobblestoned section of Geraardsbergen, Belgium, during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July 6, 2004. Jean-Patrick Nazon of France won the stage, Robbie McEwen of Australia took the overall lead of the race. (AP Photo/Bernard Papon, Pool)

Georgie looks right at home, doesn't he?

[BumbleBeeDave]

Five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong of Austin, Texas, second left, follows his team mate George Hincapie, left, on the cobble stones near the finish line in Wasquehal during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race, Tuesday July 6, 2004. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

I don't care what the critics say--it looks great to have these guys on cobbles for at least a little distance. It looks like a REAL bike race!

[BumbleBeeDave]

U.S. singers Sheryl Crow, right, and Ben Harper, pose prior to the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July, 6, 2004. Crow is the girlfriend of U.S. Postal Service team leader and five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, of Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)

Sheryl has a good time. Who the hell IS Ben Harper, anyway???? . . .

[Dekonick]

U da MAN!

Love the pics!

[Kevan]

Th-th-th-a-a-a-an-an-an-ks-ks-ks-ks B-B-B-B-BBD! :D

[Jeff Weir]

BBD,
Great job with the pics. Keep it up please!!!

[BumbleBeeDave]

Farmers cheer the pack as it passes into France near Maulde, during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, France, Tuesday July 6, 2004. Jean-Patrick Nazon of France won the stage, Australia's Robbie McEwen takes the overall leader's yellow jersey. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Hey, isn't that Climb in the blue helmet?

[BumbleBeeDave]

The pack climbs the "wall" in Grammont, Belgium during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race, Tuesday July 6, 2004. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

What do figure the grade on this is?

[Climb01742]

bbdave--thanks a million. photos really add alot. merci!!!!!

[BumbleBeeDave]

The pack climbs the "wall" in Grammont, Belgium during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race, Tuesday July 6, 2004. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Plain old Open Pro's? . . .

[BumbleBeeDave]

Five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong of Austin, Texas, left, overtakes Michael Boogerd of the Rabobank team in Grammont Belgium during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race, Tuesday July 6, 2004. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Bet he wipes that Boogerd right off!

[va rider]

BBD, thanks for the pics, they are awesome!!!!!

Keep 'em coming.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong of Austin, Texas, left, and Axel Merckx of the Lotto Domo team, climb the "Wall" in Grammont, Belgium, during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race, Tuesday July 6, 2004. Armstrong is fifth overall, 15 seconds behind the leader Robbie McEwen. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Aw, C'mon, Lance--let him get ahead for just a second! . . .

[BumbleBeeDave]

US Postal Service team leader and five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, of Austin, Texas, rides to the registration bus prior to the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July, 6, 2004. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

"Hey, Buddy--Get that arm off my back or my bodyguard's gonna rip it off and beat you to death with it!"

[BumbleBeeDave]

Iker Flores of Spain, foreground, of Team Euskaltel-Euskadi, unlocks his front wheel to give it to his injured team leader Iban Mayo of Spain, right, after Mayo fell during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July 6, 2004. Robbie McEwen of Australia took the overall lead of the race on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Orange you glad this wasn't Lance?

[davids]

...Sheryl has a good time. Who the hell IS Ben Harper, anyway???? . . .
"Combining shuddering, groove-laden funky soul and folky, handcrafted acoustics, singer/songwriter Ben Harper cultivated a cult following during the course of the '90s that gained full fruition toward the end of the decade. Harper combined elements of classic singer/songwriters, blues revivalists, Jimi Hendrix, and '90s jam bands like Blues Traveler, Hootie & the Blowfish, and Phish, which meant that he was embraced by critics and college kids alike. Though he never had a hit album, his body of work sold consistently and he toured constantly, building a solid, dedicated fan base."

Courtesty of All Music Guide...

But who knew he was a cycling enthusiast? ;)

[BumbleBeeDave]

Team leader Iban Mayo, of Spain, of Team Euskaltel-Euskadi, with a gaping tear in his shorts, pedals to catch up with the pack during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July 6, 2004. Mayo lost a whopping 3 minutes, 48 seconds to Lance Armstrong(AP Photo/Str)

I will NOT cry! I will NOT cry! . . .

[BumbleBeeDave]

Jean-Patrick Nazon of France, center, reacts as he crosses the finish ahead of Erik Zabel of Germany, left, to win the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July 6, 2004. Robbie McEwen of Australia, unseen, finished third of the stage and took the overall lead of the race. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

YEEEEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAAA!

[BumbleBeeDave]

Jean-Patrick Nazon, of France, reacts on the podium after winning the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday, July 6, 2004. Robbie McEwen of Australia took the overall lead on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

The Yellow Jersey is within my reach! BWA-HA-HA-HA!!!

[BumbleBeeDave]

A resident dressed like a soldier from the Napoleon era, right, watches riders in the early kilometers of the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Waterloo, Belgium, and Wasquehal, northern France, Tuesday July 6, 2004. Lion's Hill, with the sculpture of the Lion of Waterloo, is seen in background. Napoleon troops lost their last battle in Waterloo on June 18, 1815. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Is he waving at Sandy hanging from the blimp?

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . that AP sent these on the wire and I guess they could call me up and tell me to stop. But I hope they won't, because they have some great photographers and only a few of these photos are likely to see wide play. The huge majority of editors ar going to use a "money shot" of Lance . . .

BBDave

[MartyE]

BBD,

thanks for the photo's they really flesh out the stage, especially the
shots on the pave.

Marty

[Dr. Doofus]

To add:

Ben Harper is kind of Jamiroquai's evil twin, except that spastic little British midget is evil, so if J is evil, then Ben is good.

Neo-70s- kind-of-frat-boy-groove-rock...Blues Traveller without the pretension or all the wanking. Although the Doc is not a fan, Ben Harper did appear in the documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" (about their session cats...the *real* sound and talent behind those sides), which raises his power-to-the-old-school cred immeasureably.... Doc is more of an Alejandro Escevado/Jay Farrar type guy....


Cobbles:

Interesting exchange last month in Velo between Charly Mottet (one of our favorite riders of the 80s) and David Moncoutie (a whinging git) about cobbles. Pram-boy said they were only for "specialists." Mottet, all 138 pounds of him, said they were part of being a true racer, and that a mere 4km of them helped make the Tour a true all-round test.... Props to Charly....

[Dr. Doofus]

oh yeah...and Mayo fell off *before* the cobbles....

I and he hope that's not a pic of Mayo on *his* bike...he's bunched up like some dude from 1967...real tour winners don't look like a monkey humping a football on their bikes...but then again, contrast the positions of the Spanish with the Belgians or Italians...being aero isn't a priority for the goat-chasers

[shinomaster]

Dave this is the best post you have ever made...MERCI

Too bad for Mayo!! Sucks..

[fjaws]

Plain old Open Pro's?

Don't think so.........those look like sew-ups

[gt6267a]

is it me, or does Mayo's body language say, "oh, f@#$-it all" as he waits for the wheel?

[Bruce H.]

I think he is tying to see if hs can go on and what the physical damage was to his body
Not to be too crass but I guess that is two down (if you count Heras who would have been up front out of harms way if was still a Postie) and 2 or three to go in this years tour. Sad to see Mayo go out of contention though.
Bruce H.

[MartyE]

I don't think its Mayo's bike, note the location of the
race number (below the seat?).
Unless he took a teamates bike, you would think that
Euskaltel would have a better fitting bike for their
GC rider.

Marty

[TmcDet]

hard to find a race picture of Lance and the Postal team without Jan there, wonder if he knows he is a part of Telecom not USPS

[H.Frank Beshear]

for the pictures. It's neat to see. Ben Harper is a musician. He has several albums out, produced the last Blind Boys of Alabama album, and has a great voice. Worth a listen, very nice stuff. Frank

[shaq-d]

bbdave, awesome pics.

dudes, mayo's young, he'll be fine in future years..not this year *grin*

the tour's shaping up though..the pave's was/is awesome.

sd

[Kevin]

BBDave,

Great pics. Thanks.

Kevin

[xcandrew]

That's probably Mayo's bike. :bike: The bars are scraped up and the number 31 on the seat is probably his number. I think the team leader's numbers usually end in 1. What's wrong with his position? It looks like it's in the normal range for a lot of riders nowadays (really low bars). He seems to like really small frames which I think is dumb, but he rides his position and his bike, I ride mine. Here's an even smaller frame that he used last month:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/jun04/dauphine/index.php?id=stage4/cycling-fra-dauphine-may-21

[Russell]

....Who the hell IS Ben Harper, anyway???? . . .

He is a smokin' lap steel, blues-rock player.