Tour de France 2012

crikey Cav is good. So impressive to do greipel on the line especially as he has a serious lead out from henderson et al

^^ sagan retains it, like to see him and cav against each other

Cor blimey.

Didn't see it, was following on the twit pipe and online commentary.

Sounds like the Sky train went to shit and Cav had to get himself there...?
That the case?

cav improvised, drafted greipel, snapped left and took it by less than half a wheel, good boy!

No sky train as it's all being saved for wigo. Cav doing his thing grabbing the wheels

(& lost for words/ massively out of breath being interviewed, which is the first time I can remember)

dont think sky were trying to give cav a train. Greipel had one but cav got his wheel and timed his sprint perfectly

what sky train? there isnt one

Lovely stuff.

Can't wait to catch it online this eve

He was really "plucky ...you know"

yes, plucky, tour word du jour ;)

Ha french interviewer to Cadel "Your team mates, why are they all faster than you?"

you just cant write him off. I bet that was a satisfying win for him. get in

Who was 'writing him off'?

He's the best sprinter of his generation, and one of the best of all time, so it baffles belief that people still seem to think he's suddenly going to lose that. He may have lost a bit of weight but, frankly, he can afford to and more weight does not equal more power (if that was the case hippy would be reigning Tour winner).

To be fair, the Eurosport commentary team were speculating that he might have lost power, and none of them rated him for today.

I've still got a bit of a tremble-on!

^^ sagan retains it, like to see him and cav against each other

Sagan not in the same race? he was behind dan oss last I looked and nowhere to be seen in the final sprint. waster.

so fucking sweet seing cavendish take it after being counted out

To be fair, the Eurosport commentary team were speculating that he might have lost power, and none of them rated him for today.

I've still got a bit of a tremble-on!

yeah the eurosport commentators were writing him off. To be honest i didnt fancy him for today either.

no Sky train, EVB and Eisel after looking after him, but he hijacked Orica-Greenedge lead out, actually getting between Goss and Lancaster I think, then jumped onto Griepel and simply out-classed him. Was some nasty bumping between Sagan and Goss which left Goss playing catch-up.

I had a feeling Cav was hiding his light under a bushel and saving himself for the Stage. Two fairly half-hearted intermediates then presses the gas when it counts. Amazing to find his way to the line on his on

To be fair, the Eurosport commentary team were speculating that he might have lost power, and none of them rated him for today.

To be fair to them, he normally takes a few stages to get warmed up, I think this is the earliest he's ever won a Tour stage.

I do wonder if this idea that he's lost power was a bit of a ruse mentioned to the press by Sky to make the other sprinters think they have a chance and put their teams to work.

(if that was the case hippy would be reigning Tour winner)

But he is ...

... vicariously.

I do wonder if this idea that he's lost power was a bit of a ruse mentioned to the press by Sky to make the other sprinters think they have a chance and put their teams to work.

It was definitely designed to make things more thrilling.

I love how on Eurosport Robbie McEwen was being cagey about his tips for GreenEdge on how to win the sprint, only for a GreenEdge rider to deliver Cav to Greipel's wheel!

^ Exactly Greenedge should not be delivering Cav anywhere near Goss. Classy ride by Cav today.

The Eurosport commentators fancied Kittel so was amusing to see him get dropped off the back. maybe a few more years before he can properly mix it. Sagan is fast but clearly Goss, Renshaw, Cav and Griepel are in a different league on the flat

he hijacked Orica-Greenedge lead out, actually getting between Goss and Lancaster I think

poor form: isn't it an unwritten rule that you respect a train? what next? not waiting for a dropped chain? ruthless head-butting? no drugs?

f*ck this ungentlemanly sport.

not in a sprint train like that. you only have to respect the lines, if its possible to get in without cutting a mans wheel or dangerously/illegally hinder him its fair play