2014 Pro-cycling season thread

Maybe they decided to test everyone else today to accumulate fatigue for the later, more crucial, stages?

I'm going to start a "Free Luke Rowe" campaign though. He rode most of the cobbled classics, Paris-Nice, even the Tour Down Under and here he is riding again and he's selected for California. Give the guy a break!

Repped, on both counts. Sky so far seemed to have improved their tactics, but hit the stage racing again and they revert to type. Today it was a lesson in how not to ride. They can't dominate the peloton: other teams have learnt from them and are now savvy to their style and how to counter them, and are generally better than they have been. Plus Sky have a long injury and illness list, which would explain Rowe's schedule. They need to wait all back of the bus, and let other teams do the work, as they must have thought it a gift today. They let Sky catch the break, then attacked en masse as soon as they did.

Still they have Froome. Not Porte though, losing a minute twenty.

And how hairy is Uran Uran now? I wonder if it has an aero effect.

And Voekler is playing the luckless hero, would love to see an attack of his stick, perhaps he needs to work on his timing. No Carlton Kirby today, he would have been having kittens as soon as he attacked and awarded the win to him straight away.