Tales of Le Tour, Stage 2

Photo Gallery

: Matty Goss being interviewed prior to the start of stage 2. Gossy finished 3rd in the final sprint today behind Cavendish and Greipel

: Simon Gerrans in Vise prior to the start

: As I found out thanks to various readers, the new ASO rule for the leading team is to wear these yellow helmets (and the rest of the peloton has been taking the piss out of them). When Cancellara was asked in the post-race press conference if he was “jealous” of all Team SKY’s advantages he joked, “advantages? Maybe those yellow helmets, but that’s their only advantage.” In other news, David Millar is sporting the new Giro and Koen de Kort with the new aero Uvex helmets which apparently give an advantage at 55km/hr+. Maybe Greipel would have won if he was wearing his?

: Cavendish being interviewed prior to the start in Vise.

: Sagan’s green jersey Cannondale

: Le départ fictif

: The peloton riding through the Belgian landscape

: Loads of Belgian fans at the top of the KOM in Namur. The Giro also came here in 2006.

: The peloton not in much of a hurry up the Cote de la Citadelle de Namur KOM.

: The head of the peloton featured nearly every team from 25km to 15km to go with RadioShack, Sky, Orica, Liquigas and Omega Pharma… but once Roux was reeled in, it was Orica-GreenEdge that had the most riders at the front. With 12km to go, Kittel was dropped andArgos quickly retreated from the front of the peloton.

: It was Lotto-Belisol that dominated the lead-out. Greg Henderson led the peloton from under the 1km mark and gave the perfect lead-out for Greipel who was perfectly positioned. However, he couldn’t hold off Cavendish who timed his sprint to perfection and beat him by half a wheel. Sagan finished sixth in the sprint and is now in the lead of the points classification.

: Fabian Cancellara finished 44th, in the same group as the winner, and will wear the yellow jersey in stage three as we head into France

Stage 3 Preview

Quiz

(thanks to Jamie Jowett for helping with these daily quizes)

Q. What brand of bike is the Cofidis team riding in this year’s Tour?
Hint – page 126 of the RIDE Official Tour de France Guide

Q. When did Thomas Voeckler first win a yellow jersey?
Hint – page 128 RIDE Official Tour de France Guide

Q. Who won the Alpe d’Huez stage in last year’s Tour?
Hint – page 128 RIDE Official Tour de France Guide

Race Results Summary

Tour de France (2012) - Stage 2

Visé to Tournai (208km)

2 Jul 2012

View the full race results

Stage

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	CAVENDISH, Mark	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	4:56:59
2	GREIPEL, André	GER	LOTTO BELISOL	0
3	GOSS, Matthew Harley	AUS	ORICA-GREENEDGE
4	VEELERS, Tom	NED	ARG
5	PETACCHI, Alessandro	ITA	LAMPRE - ISD
6	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE
7	HUTAROVICH, Yauheni	BLR	FDJ-BIG MAT
8	HAEDO, Juan José	ARG	STB
9	RENSHAW, Mark	AUS	RABOBANK
10	FARRAR, Tyler	USA	GARMIN-BARRACUDA

General Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	CANCELLARA, Fabian	SUI	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	10:02:31
2	WIGGINS, Bradley	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	7
3	CHAVANEL, Sylvain	FRA	OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP
4	VAN GARDEREN, Tejay	USA	BMC RACING	10
5	BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald	NOR	SKY PROCYCLING	11
6	MENCHOV, Denis	RUS	KATUSHA	13
7	GILBERT, Philippe	BEL	BMC RACING
8	EVANS, Cadel	AUS	BMC RACING	17
9	NIBALI, Vincenzo	ITA	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	18
10	HESJEDAL, Ryder	CAN	GARMIN-BARRACUDA

Sprint Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Points
1	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	78
2	CAVENDISH, Mark	GBR	SKY PROCYCLING	63
3	CANCELLARA, Fabian	SUI	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	55
4	GOSS, Matthew Harley	AUS	ORICA-GREENEDGE	52
5	BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald	NOR	SKY PROCYCLING	42
6	GREIPEL, André	GER	LOTTO BELISOL	42
7	GILBERT, Philippe	BEL	BMC RACING	33
8	RENSHAW, Mark	AUS	RABOBANK	31
9	VEELERS, Tom	NED	ARG	26
10	MORKOV, Michael	DEN	STB	25

Mountains Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Points
1	MORKOV, Michael	DEN	STB	4
2	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	1
3	URTASUN PEREZ, Pablo	ESP	EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI	1

Young Rider Classification

Position	Name	Nationality	Team	Time
1	VAN GARDEREN, Tejay	USA	BMC RACING	10:02:41
2	BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald	NOR	SKY PROCYCLING	1
3	TAARAMAE, Rein	EST	COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE	12
4	POELS, Wouter	NED	VACANSOLEIL-DCM	14
5	SAGAN, Peter	SVK	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE
6	VICHOT, Arthur	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	24
7	NERZ, Dominik	GER	LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE	27
8	PINOT, Thibaut	FRA	FDJ-BIG MAT	37
9	GALLOPIN, Tony	FRA	RADIOSHACK-NISSAN	42
10	KRUIJSWIJK, Steven	NED	RABOBANK	43

misterF

Q1: Cofidis is on LOOK bikes, I believe
Jrobs

Look, 2004, Rolland.
http://bluehencyclist.wordpress.com/ Steven Francisco

I thought it was pretty impressive that Cav won basically by himself. Also, I think the lack of team organization (compared with last year’s HTC-Highroad team) makes the sprint stages that much more interesting. Q’s: Look, 2004 Voeckler fought really hard to hold onto yellow, Pierre Rolland won ahead of Contador and Sanchez
Tim

Q1 Look
Q3 Rolland EUC

Also, this year surely will go down as the year of the BMX Bandits stackhat.

I don’t know what is going through the mind of whomever is choosing the helmets but boy howdy they are some FUGGGGLY helmets (I’m looking at you Millar and Hansen).

No vents seems a little silly in the heat. And how much air does one want to displace?!
Tim

Voeckler: first maillot jaune in 2004, wore it for 10 days.
John

I can’t believe you’re all blabbering on about the cycling and no-one has mentioned how amazingly beautiful the PMU podium girl is…
- norm
  
  +1. Yes, more pictures of podium girls please!
  - Steve
    
    Schwiiiing!
- jules
  
  makes up for the astana girls i reckon
- Jezza
  
  Agree….. more than amazingly beautiful!
http://www.chromaticdramatic.com/ Chromatic Dramatic

Nice to have finally been to somewhere that the TdF has ridden (the citadel in Namur).

Answers

1) Look
2) 2009
3) Pierre Rolland
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  It was beautiful in the citadel at Namur. We nearly skipped it because it didn’t look at that interesting on the course profile. Glad we didn’t!
http://www.chromaticdramatic.com/ Chromatic Dramatic

Sorry… got #2 wrong… (must read properly).

1) Look
2) 2004
3) Pierre Rolland
Minimus

I love how she has her eyes closed in anticipation of kissing Spartacus. I would too (sorry hubby)!
- Notso Swift
  
  But his eyes are well and truly open, so no luck for her
- http://mrcyclingworld.com/ Mr Cycling World
  
  Haha! Looks like Fabo is about to get a massive pash
- http://twitter.com/TeeDee8 Tee
  
  Oi Minimus, Hubby here – what’s going on!
  I thought you had a thing for pale, retired, B grade mountain bikers, not Swiss time trail monsters with oil stained tree trunks for legs.
  
  And dont get me started on the company you keep here on this forum
  They’ll be words tonight I tell ya!
  Maximus
Michal

Great shots again, thank you. It’s almost like being there too :)
Craig

Giro must have just aquired the Rosebank Headway helmet patent :)
I’m sure they’ll take off again.
I’m out to the garage to see if I can find my old one….couple Giro stickers and I’m good to go on Beach Road.
- Guest
  
  Makes you wonder how Thor ever won a World Champs in his parachute like Catlike
Hardo

Wiggo’s sideburns cancel out any aero advantage of the helmet.
velobeno

Nice to see Gossy in proper headwear!
velobeno

Nice to see Gossy in proper headwear!
- DP
  
  Agreed! If only that were the choice post race as well.
ben

May be a stupid question – do the top 3 place-getters actually get on to the podium at the end of Tour stages, or just the winner?
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  Hey Ben, At the TdF only the winner of the stage and each jersey gets up on the podium. You’ll see the top 3 in one-day races. I’m not sure where this tradition comes from.
Andy_roos

I’m thinking of not watching the tour considering those ridiculously ugly helmets are being sported.