2010 Tour de France: Stage 3 News Links
Cancellara makes cobblestones look easy
THE cobbles on the mini Paris-Roubaix stage at the Tour de France today did their job and shook up the general classification. The third stage gave us everything we had asked for and more. It was an awesome spectacle. Thor Hushovd won another incident stricken stage and Fabian Cancellara took back the yellow leader's jersey.
Link:
Fabian Cancellara makes cobblestones look easy | The Australian
Garmin’s Farrar hanging in with broken wrist at Tour
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) started stage three with a broken wrist and several other injuries, notably to his knee, which he sustained in crashing on the slippery roads of the Belgian Ardennes on Monday. The American would have had good reason to call it quits, but decided to continue the race in the hope of better days.
Link:
Garmin?s Farrar Hanging In With Broken Wrist At Tour | Cyclingnews.com
Cadel Evans makes gains on road to hell
CADEL Evans today went to the Hell of the North and back to ride himself back into Tour de France contention. Evans, by virtue of finishing third behind stage winner Thor Hushovd, jumped 16 places in the general classification to be just 39 seconds behind Fabian Cancellara who reclaimed the yellow jersey.
Link:
Cadel Evans makes gains on road to hell | The Australian
Riis rejects pavé inclusion after bittersweet day
The Danish team had a brilliant day with Fabian Cancellara re-claiming the yellow jersey he had purposely given up on Monday, and overall favourite Andy Schleck making up some precious time over his nearest rivals. But they also lost Andy's older brother Fränk, who crashed in the third cobblestone sector with 40 kilometres to go and was taken to hospital with a broken collarbone.
Link:
Riis Rejects Pavé Inclusion After Bittersweet Day | Cyclingnews.com
Lance Armstrong falls to 18th overall after Tuesday's Stage 3
Lance Armstrong's hopes to go out a winner in his final Tour were damaged when he had a flat tire and lost 55 seconds on reigning champ Alberto Contador (Astana) and 2:08 to Saxo Bank's Andy Schleck and reigning world champion Cadel Evans (BMC). Armstrong's tire punctured on a section of cobbles, and although he rode with impressive power to bridge the gap to one chase group afterward, he was simply too far back to catch the leaders.
Link:
2010 Tour de France: Lance Armstrong falls to 18th overall after Tuesday's Stage 3 - ESPN
Rolland unlucky on the cobblestones
Pierre Rolland was a very active member of the seven-man breakaway that took flight after eight kilometres of stage three but a flat tyre in the penultimate pavé section detracted from his initiative during the day. The classy Bbox Bouygues Telecom riders says there's more to come, however.
Link:
Rolland Unlucky On The Cobblestones | Cyclingnews.com
Armstrong admits he was nailed on Tour pavé
A philosophical Lance Armstrong (Radioshack) faced the media at the end of stage three of the Tour de France, which saw his hopes of winning an eighth title take a dent, if not a hammer blow. The American put it best when, towards the end of a refreshingly honest appraisal of one of the most challenging days of his Tour career, he said: “Sometimes you’re the hammer and some days you’re the nail. Today I was the nail. I’ve had plenty days when I was the hammer.”
Link:
Armstrong Admits He Was Nailed On Tour Pavé | Cyclingnews.com
Tour riders enter cobblestone showdown
Tour de France riders have started the most treacherous stage of the first week — facing seven bumpy sections of cobblestones as the race heads home to France.
Link:
The Associated Press: Tour riders enter cobblestone showdown
Menchov escapes pavé unscathed
Never to be underestimated, Rabobank's Russian leader Denis Menchov is looking rock solid after four stages of the Tour de France. Unlike many of his competitors, the 2009 Giro d'Italia winner and two-time Vuelta a España champion has come through an unusually crash-plagued first few days upright.
Link:
Menchov Escapes Pavé Unscathed | Cyclingnews.com
Riders tumble like dominoes
If this were the Tour de France of a century ago, when fans of certain riders routinely sprinkled nails on the route after their grubby-faced heroes had safely passed, subterfuge would be suspected.
Link:
TOUR DE FRANCE / Riders tumble like dominoes
Vande Velde out with broken ribs
US RIDER Christian Vande Velde has been forced out of this year’s Tour de France after breaking two ribs and suffering eye injuries in the crash-marred second stage.
Vande Velde was among three team riders, including American Tyler Farrar and New Zealand’s Julian Dean, from the team who were taken to hospital for checks after dozens of competitors crashed on the slippery descents in the latter half of the 201km ride from Brussels to Spa in the Belgian Ardennes.
Link:
Daily Dispatch Online
Flat day for Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong’s hopes for victory in his final Tour de France hit a setback yesterday when a burst tire cost him time during a jarring stage over cobblestones that was won by Norway’s Thor Hushovd in Arenberg, France. “Our chances took a knock today,” Armstrong said. “I’m not going home, we’ll stay in the race and keep trying.”
Link:
Flat day for Lance Armstrong - BostonHerald.com
Tour de France stage two injury list
Garmin-Transitions: Team manager Matt White reports the squad was one of the hardest hit, with five riders crashing, including New Zealander Julian Dean, Americans Tyler Farrar and Christian Vande Velde, who was forced to abandon the Tour after X-rays revealed broken ribs. South Africa's Robbie Hunter also crashed, while Brit David Millar hit the deck three times. Farrar crossed the line 20 minutes behind Chavanel, heavily bandaged, and along with Dean and Vande Velde, went to the hospital for x-rays immediately following the stage. Results showed Farrar and Dean had no broken bones and will continue – for now.
Link:
Tour de France stage two injury list | The Australian
Dean battered, bruised after Tour carnage
Kiwi cyclist Julian Dean has been cleared of serious injury after a crash-marred second stage of the Tour de France landed him in hospital.
Link:
Cycling: Julian Dean taken to hospital after crash carnage | OTHER SPORTS News
Déjà vu for Basso after Tour pavé
Just as Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) bested Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Doimo) on the Giro d'Italia's strade bianche, the Australian world champion won his duel over the Italian Giro winner on the pavé of the Tour de France. Although there are more adversaries for them in July, the duel is on again between the two main pupils of coach Aldo Sassi.
Link:
Déjà Vu For Basso After Tour Pavé | Cyclingnews.com
Armstrong loses ground at Tour de France
Although the 38-year-old American posted his best time trial result in five years before handling treacherous cobblestones sections with authority on Tuesday, Armstrong is already in trouble following the first three stages of the Tour de France.
Link:
The Associated Press: Armstrong loses ground at Tour de France
Wiggins employs fighting mentality on pavé
Team Sky was one of the teams fancied to make gains on the cobbles, and the British squad lived up to their billing by being one of the more prominent outfits, with Steve Cummings in the early break and another of their trio of British riders making the decisive split.
Link:
Wiggins Employs Fighting Mentality On Pavé | Cyclingnews.com
Surgery for Frank Schleck as cobbles claim another victim
A Team Saxo Bank statement read: "After the horrible crash [yesterday], Team Saxo Bank's Frank Schleck was examined at a local hospital where X-rays revealed three fractures of his left collarbone which obviously stopped the national champion of Luxembourg from continuing the stage.
Link:
Tour de France 2010: Surgery for Frank Schleck as cobbles claim another victim | Sport | guardian.co.uk
Contador makes up time on rivals on Arenberg pavé
The Spaniard lost 1:13 on Andy Schleck at the finish in Arenberg, reversing the 40-second lead he had over the Luxembourger at the start of the stage in Wanze, Belgium. Now, Contador sits 31 seconds behind the younger of the Schleck brothers.
Link:
Contador Makes Up Time On Rivals On Arenberg Pavé | Cyclingnews.com
Fränk Schleck crashes out of Tour
Stage 3 of the Tour de France from Wanze to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut was full of mixed emotions for the Schleck brothers and their Saxo Bank team. The Danish squad regained the yellow jersey through Fabian Cancellara, while Andy Schleck took vital time out of all but one of his GC rivals. However, Andy Schleck's older brother Fränk crashed out of the race with a broken collarbone.
Link:
Fränk Schleck Crashes Out Of Tour | Cyclingnews.com
Evans thrives on cobbles in title boost
Cadel Evans boosted his Tour De France yellow jersey bid in the most unlikely of places - on the perilous cobblestones that punctured Lance Armstrong's campaign. "I'm not quite built for the cobbles, but I got through it not bad - not bad for a guy who goes uphill anyway," said the Australian two-time Tour runner-up after the punishing 213km third stage from Wanze in Belgium to Arenberg in France. The effort from Evans and his BMC team was a lot better than not bad.
Link:
Evans thrives on cobbles in title boost
Payback time for frustrated Hushovd
Just a day after being the most frustrated rider of the Tour de France, Thor Hushovd's chagrin turned to joy with victory at Arenberg. After stage two, he was angered by the decision not to award any points in the green jersey classification except to first-placed Sylvain Chavanel, but Hushovd responded magnificently today by winning the Paris-Roubaix-style stage.
Link:
Payback Time For Frustrated Hushovd | Cyclingnews.com
Tour de France 2010: peloton prepares for hellish day of racing on road to Roubaix
Such demanding terrain is unknown territory for the majority of the peloton - who tend to be Grand Tour specialists or time-triallers and sprinters - and the potential for the race to be splintered asunder is right up there with a high mountain stages, which at this early juncture of the race is unusual indeed.
Link:
Tour de France 2010: peloton prepares for hellish day of racing on road to Roubaix - Telegraph
Christian Vande Velde Exits 2010 Tour de France
Christian Vande Velde, Tyler Farrar and Julian Dean were all taken to a local hospital where they were evaluated by team and hospital physicians. Christian Vande Velde suffered a left eyelid laceration requiring multiple stitches, along with two broken ribs.
Link:
Christian Vande Velde Exits 2010 Tour de France - Cycling News - Roadcycling.com
Armstrong fears carnage on first cobbled stage on Tour for six years
This year's Tour de France will cover 3,600 kilometres [2,236 miles], including some of the most fearsome climbs in the Alps and the Pyrenees. It's one of the toughest Tours in years, and yet perhaps the moment the peloton has been fearing most will arrive at about 4.30pm today, in between one bleak post-industrial town in southern Belgium and another in northern France. This is when the Tour hits the cobbles. Lance Armstrong predicted last week that there would be carnage and he wasn't exaggerating.
Link:
Cycling: Armstrong fears carnage on first cobbled stage on Tour for six years - Others, More Sports - The Independent
Riders prepare for the bump and grind of the pavé
So, after two quiet, uneventful days of the 2010 Tour de France, the riders head for the cobbles. With almost all the major contenders nursing bumps and scrapes, some more serious than others, the last thing any of them wants to do today is ride across nine miles of bone-jarring pavé. But somewill definitely be dreading the 133-mile stage three from Wanze in Belgium to Arenberg in northern France more than others. In fact, many are predicting thatit will have a decisive impact on the whole race.
Link:
Tour de France 2010: Riders prepare for the bump and grind of the pavé | Sport | The Guardian
Tour's Stage 3 Tuesday will be cobbled with peril
For the first time since 2004, the route will include cobbled roads known as pave (pronounced pav-EH), the same kind of bumpy, sometimes slippery streets that have become famous for tripping up cyclists in the annual Paris-Roubaix contest, which is regarded as the world's toughest one-day bike race. For the past three decades, the winner of the race known as "Hell of the North" gets a sett (cobble stone) as a prize for managing to avoid flat tires or worse in the ordeal to the finish line.
Link:
Bay Bikers: The Bay Area's bike blog : Tour's Stage 3 Tuesday will be cobbled with peril
More trouble await Tour riders on cobbles
Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador and nearly half of the riders in the Tour de France have hit the ground after only two stages — and the crash bonanza could get even worse.
Seven-time Tour champion Armstrong and his biggest rival Contador were caught up in a series of crashes Monday as scores of riders went down during a rain-soaked second stage.
Link:
The Associated Press: More trouble await Tour riders on cobbles
Cobbles promise more tension in Tour de France
Seven cobblestone sectors on the 210 kms third stage of the Tour de France between Wanze and Arenberg-Porte du Hainaut on Tuesday promise more tension following multiple crashes on the second. After several pile-ups on the road to Spa, the peleton refused to sprint to the finish line. There were rumours the bunch might decide to mount another protest on the infamous cobbles of the so-called Hell of the North.
Link:
Cobbles promise more tension in Tour de France | Sports | Reuters
