# Stage 1 spoiler



## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

Big crash sets Contador ( caught behind crash) over a minute back. Evans, Schleck up in the front group. 

Race already providing some excitement!


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Say rather multiple crashes. First one split the peloton way back...then another one delayed he and Schleck even more @2km to go.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

Kloden, Horner all finish up with evans. waiting full results


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Jwiffle said:


> Kloden, Horner all finish up with evans. waiting full results


Actually they didn't they finished 3 seconds behind him, but Evans was trying for the stage win and not just sitting in. 

The interesting bit will be if they give Conti same time as AS and Wiggo considering his group was delayed by the crash of their group and their groups was inside the last 3 k.


UPDATE: AS and Wiggo at 6 seconds Conti at 1:20 WOW nothing like having the race bunged up by a spectator and then the race jury.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Awesome first stage. A doomed breakaway from the off, critical timing for the crash, non-drug related controversy, and an immediate shake-up of the leading contenders.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

32and3cross said:


> Actually they didn't they finished 3 seconds behind him, but Evans was trying for the stage win and not just sitting in.
> 
> The interesting bit will be if they give Conti same time as AS and Wiggo considering his group was delayed by the crash of their group and their groups was inside the last 3 k.
> 
> ...



I haven't seen the stage yet, HOWEVER, hasn't that been one of Conti's weak spots.......poor peloton placement? There is an obvious unlucky factor here, but you need to keep yourself in a place to reduce that factor. Again, I haven't seen the stage yet, so he may have been near the front and I'm just speculating at this point.


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## Lazy Spinner (Aug 30, 2009)

Like Contador is going to get any breaks or consideration during this race. I am looking forward to him losing another chunk of time in the TTT tomorrow as BMC and Radio Shack put the hammer down.


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## WAZCO (Sep 16, 2004)

[QUOTE

UPDATE: AS and Wiggo at 6 seconds Conti at 1:20 WOW nothing like having the race bunged up by a spectator and then the race jury.[/QUOTE]

1:14 will be hard to make up in TT and TTT but certainly can be done. huh?


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## jswilson64 (May 20, 2008)

32and3cross said:


> The interesting bit will be if they give Conti same time as AS and Wiggo considering his group was delayed by the crash of their group and their groups was inside the last 3 k.
> 
> UPDATE: AS and Wiggo at 6 seconds Conti at 1:20 WOW nothing like having the race bunged up by a spectator and then the race jury.


How did the race jury get that wrong? Schleck was in the lead group and delayed by a crash inside 3 km. El Pistolero was NOT in the lead group, delayed by the crash with about 5 miles to go. Jury got it right.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

WAZCO said:


> [QUOTE
> 
> UPDATE: AS and Wiggo at 6 seconds Conti at 1:20 WOW nothing like having the race bunged up by a spectator and then the race jury.


1:14 will be hard to make up in TT and TTT but certainly can be done. huh?[/QUOTE]

I don't know, but I think the TTT is too short to really make any decent time. Always fun to watch though, IMO.


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## scarecrow (Oct 7, 2007)

Contador and Sanchez are going to have to be real aggressive the rest of the race and hope Evans, VDB and the Schleks have some bad luck. Not likely to happen to all of them. It has shaped up nicely for the Schleks. It will make for a tight race to the end. I think the Giro will start to catch up with Conti in the last week and having to overcome an early 1:20 time gap will not help that.

You have to be impressed with Gilbert.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Gilbert*

clearly was in control
clearly had the stage
nice late attack by FC but no way are you going to beat Gilbert on that type of finish


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## F45 (Nov 25, 2010)

88 rex said:


> I haven't seen the stage yet, HOWEVER, hasn't that been one of Conti's weak spots.......poor peloton placement? There is an obvious unlucky factor here, but you need to keep yourself in a place to reduce that factor. Again, I haven't seen the stage yet, so he may have been near the front and I'm just speculating at this point.


The crash was very close to the front and the road was narrow. I'd say 80% of the riders were caught by it.


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## JoelS (Aug 25, 2008)

AC has been caught out by a split in the pack before. He doesn't seem to understand the how and why of pack positioning.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

"The peloton appeared afflicted by a strange torpor"
- cyclingnews.

It looked pretty damn passive and gutless to me. The first 3 guys who jumped, were let go for hours, as the rest of the field paraded along. The slow pace contributed to causing the first crash.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Aside all that, congrats to Gilbert and the Lotto boys, well played. And 'bert... learn to ride in the front.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Well that was a fun start to the 3 weeks. Not the usual sprint finish and everybody with the same time. It looks like the battle for the Green jersey is going to be fun as well. I've never seen a fight for an indeterminate sprint like that. I think this is going to be fun.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Yeah, I have to say I like the change they made with the sprint points. Nice to see that it's not just about the finish anymore.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

When Contador wins, he'll have a laugh at optimism of his critics who got carried away today. This year he is on form and he will make up the time lost today easily.

Gilbert - What can you say except that he is the supreme one day racer at this moment in time.


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## matchmaker (Aug 15, 2009)

Well, Contador knew he didn't have to count on the mercy of other teams after last year's chaingate.

But he can make it up, unless he hasn't digested the Giro d'Italia yet.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

jswilson64 said:


> How did the race jury get that wrong? Schleck was in the lead group and delayed by a crash inside 3 km. El Pistolero was NOT in the lead group, delayed by the crash with about 5 miles to go. Jury got it right.


The crash in Andys group spread across the road and stopped the Conti group while there were still chasing. It a tough call but I think one definatly effected the other.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

JoelS said:


> AC has been caught out by a split in the pack before. He doesn't seem to understand the how and why of pack positioning.


He got caught out once in a cross wind and then ****ed over by his team I hardly think that makes him poor at pack positioning. You can't really be poor at positioning and win that many grand tours. Today he was riding at the front when the chase was on and then near it when the pack bunched and the crash happened piss poor luck mostly.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

32and3cross said:


> The crash in Andys group spread across the road and stopped the Conti group while there were still chasing. It a tough call but I think one definatly effected the other.


Where does it say that the chasing group should be compensated in this situation? If there's a crash within 3km you get the same time as the group you were with. I don't think there's anything about other people from another group littering the road.


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## Cableguy (Jun 6, 2010)

matchmaker said:


> Well, Contador knew he didn't have to count on the mercy of other teams after last year's chaingate.
> 
> But he can make it up, unless he hasn't *digested *the Giro d'Italia yet.


... or if he digests something else


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

matchmaker said:


> Well, Contador knew he didn't have to count on the mercy of other teams after last year's chaingate.
> 
> But he can make it up, unless he hasn't digested the Giro d'Italia yet.


he can, if he is still on his Giro form, which is a big IF. Lets remember last year he won by 30-some seconds, so today's loss is definitely is a big deal.

And psychologically, this is a big blow.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

den bakker said:


> Where does it say that the chasing group should be compensated in this situation? If there's a crash within 3km you get the same time as the group you were with. I don't think there's anything about other people from another group littering the road.



Agree that is what the rules say. 

Regardless it should make for some good racing since Conti is not the type to give up easily.

Fun watching Evans try and go for he win when I saw him moving himself up withe 3 k to go I figured he would try something. I hope the other GC guys are aggressive as well.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

I like that Evans guy; giving it a go.


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## Special Eyes (Feb 2, 2011)

Coverage was a little wacky when FC made his move. It appeared that, with the broadcast lagging in such quick action, Gilbert passed him very close to the end, so I thought FC was second. Then it ended with him in 18th? Didn't see that happen. I guess it's hard to show it all, but there is a huge amount of cameras and stuff to catch it.


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## Buzzard (Sep 7, 2004)

Does Gilbert in yellow actually put Cadel in green and Thor in polka dots? Weird.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

Buzzard said:


> Does Gilbert in yellow actually put Cadel in green and Thor in polka dots? Weird.


good point! Cadel and Thor should trade! :idea:


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

Man, the finishing times are crazy. looking at the results, Contador actually finished the stage BEFORE Andy, but because the crash Andy was caught behind happened at 2km,. he was awarded a better time. Contador, already slowed down by the first crash, gets slowed down again by the second to lose even more time, with apparently no amendment to that time to reflect where he would have placed had that second crash not occurred. Crazy!


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## bruce_wayne (Apr 30, 2010)

This may be a little premature, but if you think Conti was attacking a lot in the Giro, you ain't seen nuthin yet!!
How else does he try to make up the time?


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

bruce_wayne said:


> This may be a little premature, but if you think Conti was attacking a lot in the Giro, you ain't seen nuthin yet!!
> How else does he try to make up the time?



3 huge differences.

1) Conti is on his 2nd grand tour this year. The Giro had a crapload of climbing. I would expect him to be just a tad less fresh for the tour.

2) The TDF doesn't have as much climbing as the Giro.

3) The teams are stronger, the GC's are stronger, and they're all out for Conti. 

He will undoubtedly attack, but we will see some serious counterattacking and strong teamwork from the other teams.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

55x11 said:


> he can, if he is still on his Giro form, which is a big IF. Lets *remember last year he won by 30-some seconds, so today's loss is definitely is a big deal.*
> And psychologically, this is a big blow.


last year he won by a slim margin because he didnt attack schleck. well, there was chaingate, but he had several other times he could have torn the legs off andy. his real worries:
giro recovery
giro recovery
cas
giro recovery


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

this will all serve to keep the tour more interesting.


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## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

Actually, I believe the loss in time for Bert is a hidden blessing. Ensures his team doesn't have to defend yellow so early once Bert makes his brutal attack in the first mountain stage. In the Giro he had yellow too early which made it very difficult for his team.

Also note that Euskatel's Sammy is in the same boat right now and they are a team of climbers. I see an alliance already forming between the two teams. Having Euskatel put the pressure on the mountains and Bert give the riders a gifted stage is probably already up for discussion on tonight's dinner table.

As for stage 1, the real loser was Cadel Evans. He put forth a tremendous amount of energy in a long sprint finish yet only gained 3 seconds on what his main rival was -- Andy, even though Andy was technically far, far, away. A GC podium rider going hard like that on the first day isn't a very smart move when you gain so little time.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

moabbiker said:


> Actually, I believe the loss in time for Bert is a hidden blessing. Ensures his team doesn't have to defend yellow so early once Bert makes his brutal attack in the first mountain stage. In the Giro he had yellow too early which made it very difficult for his team.


absolutely. That's why we so often see GC favorites do a trackstand at the finish line for a minute or two the first days just to loose some time.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

moabbiker said:


> As for stage 1, the real loser was Cadel Evans. He put forth a tremendous amount of energy in a long sprint finish yet only gained 3 seconds on what his main rival was -- Andy, even though Andy was technically far, far, away. A GC podium rider going hard like that on the first day isn't a very smart move when you gain so little time.


Wasn't Andy and them with Evan's group until the crash? If so, they probably would have finished in the group 3 seconds back.


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## ohvrolla (Aug 2, 2009)

moabbiker said:


> Also note that Euskatel's Sammy is in the same boat right now and they are a team of climbers. I see an alliance already forming between the two teams. Having Euskatel put the pressure on the mountains and Bert give the riders a gifted stage is probably already up for discussion on tonight's dinner table.


You might be on to something there.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

moabbiker said:


> As for stage 1, the real loser was Cadel Evans. He put forth a tremendous amount of energy in a long sprint finish yet only gained 3 seconds on what his main rival was -- Andy, even though Andy was technically far, far, away. A GC podium rider going hard like that on the first day isn't a very smart move when you gain so little time.



Evans was trying to win the stage win not gain time.


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