dstrong 

diphthong

valverde...

kanedact

eddyboss

DXchulo

Sagan

I'm not going out on a limb here, but how can you bet against him?

DropDeadFred

man i really enjoyed watching everybody shut Sagan down so hard. He really does manage to get in the best position to launch out of nowhere but they read him like a book today and really worked to keep him in place. I noticed some serious shoulder and helmet rubbing when he was working his way into position. Brilliant!

Derreck

Cadel Evans took an early win on a flat stage last year. His team will be working hard to shelter him and if guys like Sagan and Cancellara can't hang through the late climbs I could see Evans taking the win just to prove he's back.

chasm54

Cant see Sky letting Evans get away. And if EBH is with him at the death I wouldn't be betting on Evans to outsprint him.

None of these climbs are very big. I can't see them creating any sort of decisive separation.

ultraman6970

Noticed the same, the problem is that he knows how the things are now. He will disrespect them all soon.

DropDeadFred

I see Sky is just concerned with making sure wiggins doesn't crash out in the first week...smart move.

back to Sagan, they are going to make him work for any win he gets from here on out, don't expect anybody other than a leakygas member to help him out.

I heard Cav was dissing on him in an interview before the race today....good.

Mithrandir

Because the entire peloton saw him sucking up Cancelara's wheel and then jumping for the win when Fabian was worn out, and won't let him get away with that crap again?

DXchulo

I don't get the Sagan hate.

(1) He's not a pure sprinter and he never had a chance on a flat stage against guys like Cav and Greipel. He's better on uphill finishes or in smaller groups where the pure sprinters have been dropped. Stage 2 didn't prove anything that we didn't already know.

(2) He's not the first to take advantage of Cancellara's attacks, and he won't be the last. Plenty of others would have done the same if they had been aware/strong enough to get on Cancellara's wheel when the attack came.

The riders all know what Sagan can do and they've known it for quite a while now. The problem is that it's easier said than done to drop him before it comes down to a smaller sprint. If Gilbert can turn back the clock to last year's form I think he could do it.

UMassAm

nice sprint

chasm54

Some rider, that Sagan. I won't be betting against him in any uphill sprint finishes. EBH and Cancellara in great form and Sagan just murdered them. He's an animal.

As for him "getting away with that crap" in stage 1, there was no crap involved. The object of the exercise in a sprint is to sit on someone's wheel for as long as possible and then jump them. It was perfectly legitimate and well done.

DXchulo

Great attack from Chavanel. That's the only way to beat Sagan on a stage like today.

Derreck

Evans was definitely trying to get some time but Wiggins was probably saved by the crash.

PatrickGSR94

Sweet, got to watch at least the 2nd half of the stage live while I was working. Gotta love dual widescreen monitors. Pretty crazy lead changes there at the end.

*edit* was watching the EuroSport live feed. Saw a commercial for some video game device that your bike sits on where you can pedal and steer as inputs to the video game. Pretty neat. Wonder if that's available in the US?

pigah

I think some people want a time trial every race.

DropDeadFred

man I hate that guy! What a d0uch3

chasm54

It's a Tacx virtual reality trainer. I think they might be offended if they heard it described as a "video game", it's supposed to be a training aid that allows you to race others, or your own previous performances, on virtual courses. But yes, a video game for the non-couch potato. They're available everywhere, and there are others, I believe. Personally I prefer the outdoors...

PatrickGSR94

lol well I only caught a quick glimpse of it, and it's basically like other video game systems like Wii or Xbox 360 Kinect where you're basically mimicking real sports using your body movements while standing indoors, in place. That would still be a lot better, I think, than a normal trainer, spinning in place on winter or rainy days.

Gallo

nice unselfish work by tour veterans Basso and Horner to reel in the attack Sagan is a beast and has not snuck up on anyone. Of course he held a wheel and then attacked for the win that is bike racing and smart racing at that. I would have liked to see Chavanel hold out for the win as the move was brilliant.The fact that Cav does not like him bodes well for fans. Cav never likes other dangerous sprinters and he will charge hard for green. Cav will also have to hold others wheels as Sky is now a man down and yellow is their goal. Cav is on his own in his quest for green. At the end of the day I think the race for green is wide open.

Morkov fried himself to keep Polka dot

They will have to rip the yellow from Cancellara

Great racing

Hopefully the crashes are now out of the way but I doubt it.

miwoodar

Does anyone know how to turn off spoilers on the NBC web package? Two days in a row and I see who won the moment I opened the site.

DropDeadFred

don't go to the page....

Caretaker

Sean Kelly (Eurosport) called this win 15k out. Said he was impressed with the way Sagan didn't panic after he punctured and just quietly worked his way back into the chasing group.

Great young talent which is what every sport needs to shake up the older guys.

miwoodar

That's not helpful. It was a serious question. I searched before asking - both here and on NBC.