Tour de France 2009

If the stage was 500m longer Cav would have won.

Yeah Cav should still be in Green. He has a huge lead over those in came in front of him

Interesting stage ... loved it.

+1

Amazing really - even Voeckler couldn't believe his luck there. 5 seconds later on the break and the pack would have chewed him up!

Interesting stage.

The bits of that which I managed to watch looked pretty odd.

tours shaping up pretty nicely, all the stages so far have been interesting. nice to see a breakaway surrvive, good awareness from cav to still manage a decent points finish when the win was gone, could make the difference

Another cracking stage today. Echelons, big names missing out, a break using their energy wisely and tired sprinters teams after the TTT yesterday. Voeckler was very smart today, he waited until 2 or 3 others had attacked then hit them just as Ignatiev was at the back. Chapeau.

were there any other time gaps, its not clear from the BBC live txt feed

Robert Gesink lost 9 minutes. He crashed just before the echelons and it looked like he'd damaged either his left arm or shoulder as he couldn't grip the bars with his left hand. I'd be surprised if he starts tomorrow.

The bits of that which I managed to watch looked pretty odd.

+1

When Voeckler broke away, Ignatiev, Timmer and the other riders just didn't know what to do. They were clearly totally unprepared.

"Hang on - where's he going?"
"Who?"
"The one on your left, no, your right, hang on, he's gone left again..."
"Aren't you going to chase him?"
"Are you?"
"Are you?"
"Are you?"
"Are you?"
"Are you?"
"Are you?"
"Are you?"
"Are you?"
"You chase him"
"No you"
"No you"
"No you"
"No you..."

"Oh bugger - where's he gone?"

:-)

I think they'd also just shot their bolts by attacking the break and then chasing down those attacks. Voeckler timed his move perfectly, just as Timmer had pulled back Ignatiev's latest attack with Hutcharov (sp?) looking tired. They were all knackered, basically.

Well done Tommy, his name is still written all over the road from Valloire - Galibier from that legendary-in-the-rain-breakaway-to-take-yellow-jersey in 2004.. he is from Alsace as is Arsene Wenger.. hence the german name.. Voeckler was the great hope for the French and he has been pro for 10 years, he really deserves his stage win today, hope he gets totally pissed tonight on the winnings..

Watch out for Cancellara, as a time trialist he is very wily and has lost alot of weight.. leading the peleton today at times was inspirational too.. He will need the Schleks now to drag him to Barcelona and then up the mountains.. i hope he can hold onto the malliot jaune til Andorra.

I think Contador will make a big impression in his native country tomorrow and he is a great climber also.. will Leipheimer, Kloden and Armstong make a move?? TdF is looking great this year... i would love to be a fly on the wall inside the astana trailer.. hoping they implode and cancel each other out..

Bugger missed it today.

My non-cycling friend has bet me £5 that Lance will win the tour this year......

See how big lance looks in the mountains, not a fan but I have to say he looked impressive in the ttt yesterday. Poor limpet evans, he really seems to have fucked it.

See how big lance looks in the mountains, not a fan but I have to say he looked impressive in the ttt yesterday. Poor limpet evans, he really seems to have fucked it.

what did he actually do to have "fucked it"?

what did he actually do to have "fucked it"?

Nothing at all personally, just a weak team yesterday. Giving away 2"40 going into the mountains against Contador looks like a weak hand to come back from. Same with Menchov, though you could lay the blame more squarely on him for being shite downhill in stg1 and crashing in the TTT....

Pics from Stages 1 and 2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39547647@N06/

Dov, there appears to be no need to ask if you're having a great birthday. My envy is as green as Cav's jersey.

I like Voeckler, I must be a French housewife. Showed great guts and determination to keep hold of the yellow jersey in the mountains back in 2004.

Interesting stage tomorrow, the sort pefect for people in a similar mould to Bettini.

Which reminds me, the worst Sidi advert was the one of the giant Sidi prodding Bettini on the bum while he gave a facial expression along the lines of this:

i havent seen the sidi ads. just itv with their shitty halfords ads everywhere.

The sidi ads are uniquely european and very odd indeed.. Almost as if they're aimed at children

Pics from Stages 1 and 2

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39547647@N06/

yeah you have got to feel happy for voekler. good on him.

i have no sympathy for dov though. none. good pictures dude

Bugger missed it today.

My non-cycling friend has bet me £5 that Lance will win the tour this year......

you would not have put money on LA winning the TdF this year after a broken collarbone and domestique duties in the Giro.. Admittedly, he is well placed, but it's still very open, which makes it more interesting, yes?

If LA does win the Tour this year, it wont be long before he enter polictics, setting himself up as a Republican, ridding the world of frenchness being his first motion on Capitol Hill, when he becomes Governor of Texas one day..