2008 Tour de France Stage 13 - Friday, July 18: Narbonne - Nîmes, 182km

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Stage 13

Cavendish will win Stage 12 so he might hand this one to Ciolek if Ciolek is in a good position.

Cavendish will win Stage 12 so he might hand this one to Ciolek if Ciolek is in a good position.
No. This is not the Tour of (xx) after some crazy mountains with a sprint out of a corner.

Cavendish will have to do it himself again. But someone (QuickStep?) might get the idea to box him in, and if Columbia don't get their leadout better than today, that should not be too difficult, todays improvising won't work every time.

Rather hot, not too much wind tomorrow in Nimes, it seems. But Evans sure would like to get rid of that jersey for a while, CA won't be too keen (Hushovd was really ill today, as usual, penicillium since the rest day, take my word for it), so a break would have a good chance.

To be fair Cavendish did that in the Giro after 2 wins.

Live tracker here:
http://www.ubilabs.net/tourdefrance/

182km
Wind still from West, North/West so maybe tail wind most of the way and sea breezes off Mediterranean not a factor.

Columbia work hard for this.

Cavendish now has 3 wins, so he may work for his team-mate Ciolek and give Ciolek a win as a thankyou for helping him out. Ciolek may be on his wheel and if he's any good, he will go straight past Cavendish. This is out of Cavendish and Ciolek and I see a 1, 2 here.

1. Cavendish
2. Ciolek
3. Zabel

Good luck!

your talking shit grater, cav wont lead ciolek out.

Absolutely. This is not Super Happy Nice Land with Sprinkles, this is world standard cut throat competition where you maximize your chances to the hilt. Cavendish is untouchable in the sprint right now so Team Columbia will be doing everything to put him into position for the win.

Expect Team Columbia to be prominent in any breakaway chase downs today. The rest are either going take their chances in the sprint (hasn't worked so far), or try to break Cavendish before the finish line. With a tail wind and fairly flat terrain I don't see that happening.

Columbia work hard for this. Dude, I understand that you're a big fan of Columbia, but please try to be realistic in your comments!!! :rolleyes:

Niki Terpstra (Team Milram) and Florent Brard (Cofidis) have an 8 minute lead over the peloton.

Not sure why they're bothering.

Not sure why they're bothering.TV time for their sponsors.

Go Cavendish! He's got to be the hot favourite for today given his recent form.

TV time for their sponsors.

Ah. Yes of course. Think I'll just leave it today and come back for the last 300m.

Ah. Yes of course. Think I'll just leave it today and come back for the last 300m.
Holy CRAP, how did that Gerolsteiner rider not just die?

Kraus (Gerolsteiner) banged into a traffic signpost at the end of a traffic-circle, and the bike was totalled (top tube snapped!). He seems to be ok though fortunately (as in he is able to stand up).

Edit: TFF, he went over the signage, and also managed to separate from the bike and so was very very lucky!

Win #4 for Cavendish! That dude is incredible! Followed by McEwen and Feillu.

Win #4 for Cavendish! That dude is incredible! Followed by McEwen and Feillu.I wish coke-head Boonen had been riding so Cav could have kicked his arse too. :D

Win #4 for Cavendish! That dude is incredible! Followed by McEwen and Feillu.If Versus/Phil don't quit with the Cavendish/USA references, I am going to blow a fuse. Yesterday they showed a graphic with his name in first, and an American flag following Columbia. Today, Phil said somehing to the effect of "Cavendish carrying the flag for the Americans?" It is really farking stupid....he rides for an American team in license only.

If Versus/Phil don't quit with the Cavendish/USA references, I am going to blow a fuse. Yesterday they showed a graphic with his name in first, and an American flag following Columbia. Today, Phil said somehing to the effect of "Cavendish carrying the flag for the Americans?" It is really farking stupid....he rides for an American team in license only.
There is the freaking graphic again!