Another day of carnage.
Andy Schleck big crash but back on his bike.

Did I read it right that there were no points handed out for the green today? If so then that has certainly aided Cav.
With the cobblestones tomorrow, it could get even more interesting

Quote ="onewild"Did I read it right that there were no points handed out for the green today? If so then that has certainly aided Cav. With the cobblestones tomorrow, it could get even more interesting'" Yes. Certainly a stroke of luck for Cavendish. Think the decision to not award points was wrong, personally. I can understand some of the riders wanting to take it steady on the finish after seeing 7 or more crashes in two days but I think Hushovd is right, these things will happen and all the teams were well aware of the route and potential dangers before it started. www.cyclingnews.com/news/hushovd ... sed-in-spa

Quote ="onewild"Did I read it right that there were no points handed out for the green today? If so then that has certainly aided Cav. With the cobblestones tomorrow, it could get even more interesting'" Yes. Certainly a stroke of luck for Cavendish. Think the decision to not award points was wrong, personally. I can understand some of the riders wanting to take it steady on the finish after seeing 7 or more crashes in two days but I think Hushovd is right, these things will happen and all the teams were well aware of the route and potential dangers before it started. www.cyclingnews.com/news/hushovd ... sed-in-spa

Quote ="Robbie Hunter"I say it again, no Grand Tour has any business in these northern countries and * anybody who says different. See how much you guys like hitting the deck at 60kph.'" [i*slight edit by the swear filter[/i www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/ju ... n-chavanel

Quote ="Robbie Hunter"I say it again, no Grand Tour has any business in these northern countries and * anybody who says different. See how much you guys like hitting the deck at 60kph.'" [i*slight edit by the swear filter[/i www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/ju ... n-chavanel

Agree Stu - it's cycle racing and if Cancellara and co want to organise a go slow then that's up to them but their were points on offer at the intermediate sprints and at the finish and they should be awarded to those who took them - would be gutted if I were Chavanal, copping the points and then being told "no, sorry not today we've moved the goalposts".

On a positive note good to see Tony Martin riding well this tour - one of the good young riders and whilst he's no contender for GC he should go well again this year and has a shot at getting up the road for a stage win.

Martin

He was actually the only one to be awarded any points, making it even more farcical!

Cheers GCM - even worse then. That said we've got used to farces in Le Tour in the past 15 or so years.

In the same way that we're starting to get used to Vandevelde crashing out of Grand Tours. He must be one of the unluckiest riders in the peloton.

Delage looked a mess after going face first into the barrier

I've not seen yesterdays highlights - hope I can view them online somewhere

ITV Player should have them. Try www.itv.com/tour

ITV Player should have them. Try www.itv.com/tour

Probably will be more carnage today on the pavé. It is dry though, so that's a bonus, Cancellara for stage win?

It is carnage. Frank Schleck down and not bothered about getting back into it. He's done.

Great stage today, should have the cobbles in more often. Split the race right open before the mountains and now we will surely see some attacks in the earlier mountain stages by the climbers who lost time today.

Agreed, it was good viewing today, although you never like to see someone suffer an injury like Frank Schleck. Contador and A Schleck will be delighted how they've come out of it, not to mention Wiggins.

I'm relying on the evening ITV4 highlights and it was compelling viewing last night. Great ride from Geraint Thomas as well as Cancellara.

Substantially more straightforward tonight. Only surprise was Cav's lack of dig at the end.

Got it completely wrong didn't he.

The whole HTC plan seemed to go massively wrong once Pettachi's boys went up the other side of the road, Eisel left Renshaw in front too early and thus Cav too.

Good ride from Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky - looks like they've got themselves a proper sprinter in the Robbie McEwen mould, no trains just simple wheel grabbing in the final sprint. Few years and he should be challenging for the green jersey if he can make it through the mountains.

Indeed, when he swung over to the right of the screen it seemed to catch Cav out and he just couldn't react.

Funny to see him return to the team bus, enter the front door before his helmet flew out the middle doors soon after.

Interesting to see on ITV4 the coverage of the Team Sky briefing before the race. No doubt they chose today as it would be fairly uneventful but a good step none the less. The coverage of the HTC team car afterwards was also interesting if not quite so illuminating!

Think HTC have slipped up by targetting the green jersey (and, therefore, the sprints) and the GC. Think their train this year is short by at least two riders.

I'd be tempted to tell Cav to forget the Tour for this year and go away and prepare for the Vuelta.

No problem focusing on the Sprinters jersey if you have the men to help - there's nothing wrong with the Eisel-Renshaw-Cav part of the train it just lacks a little something more.

Would hope they'll let Mick Rogers loose when it comes to the mountains though and they have a good young rider in the shape of Tony Martin.

Well it's obviously short of one in Adam Hansen.

Wonder what Andre Greipel was thinking yesterday?

Cav's got one at last.

Presumably not flicking the Vs this time?

Not this time no