# Tour de France 2010 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 3, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387 "2010-07-03T03:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/21 "2010-07-06T00:22:55Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > Cancellara displayed some leadership and refused to race any further, thus allowing some of the main contenders to catch up with the \*peloton \*and not lose time prematurely in the TdF - an interesting move, IMHO, which is not something we have seen a lot in recent years, in which the hierarchy in the _peloton_ was all but lost. I was quite surprised Cancellara had the clout to pull this off. As you say, we haven’t seen this is sort of unified agreement by the peloton in a long time. Waiting to let the GC contenders regroup is one thing, but to persuade the sprinters not to contest the stage, or even sprint for points? Cancellara must have spent a lot of his political capital to get that result, imo. He surely wasn’t the only instigator, but was nonetheless the most prominent. Thor Hushovd in particular was clearly champing at the bit. In the end, the officials neutralized the points for the stage, which makes me wonder if that was part of what Cancellara was discussing with the race officials in their car near the stage end. Happy to see Chavanel receive due reward for his patience and endurance, though. Tomorrow’s cobblestone sectors are going to make things very interesting indeed. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/22 "2010-07-06T02:43:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Got any other predictions? 😉 lol, touché. I"m a big Schlecklet fan but I’ve never been a fan of this type of protest. Falling is part of the race. It’s unfortunate but it happens and you live with the consequences. Weird day and good for Chavanel. I’ve always liked the guy and it’s always a good day when a Frenchman has the yellow jersey - even if it won’t last. Cobbles tomorrow, I smell a split. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/23 "2010-07-06T04:24:07Z")
I predict Cavendish crashes. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/24 "2010-07-06T15:48:42Z")
Really interesting stage today over the cobbles. How unusual for the first couple stages in the Tour to have such an effect on the GC! ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/25 "2010-07-06T16:02:47Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Really interesting stage today over the cobbles. How unusual for the first couple stages in the Tour to have such an effect on the GC! Can you tell what happened to Lance today? I saw he dropped a few places and trails Contador now, but can’t really find news as to why. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/26 "2010-07-06T16:10:10Z")
> [@mkecane](#): > > Can you tell what happened to Lance today? I saw he dropped a few places and trails Contador now, but can’t really find news as to why. He punctured at some point on the cobbles, and then wasn’t able to bridge back up to Contador’s group. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/27 "2010-07-06T16:16:31Z")
Lance had a flat towards the end. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/28 "2010-07-06T16:18:26Z")
Damn those cobbles!!! Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/29 "2010-07-07T16:19:04Z")
Awesome sprint from Alessandro Petacchi today. It’s great to see him healthy, fast, and back in the peloton! ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/30 "2010-07-08T00:38:11Z")
Didn’t get a chance to watch the ending of the race…but it appears Cavendish made a mistake and went out too early. Not having the best race thus far and he seriously needs to turn things around if he wants to hang with Petacchi and Hushovd for the green Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/31 "2010-07-08T01:09:05Z")
I’m amused by the obvious conclusion about Cadel Evans to be drawn from the Giro and Stage 3 of the TdF. Much as I have followed his career closely and would love to see him win a Grand Tour, I have my doubts. Grand Tours are won in TT’s and in the mountains. Cadel is very good but not quite the best in both TT’s and the mountains but this isn’t a unique combination, so he struggles to win overall. What he needs is a a GT that has stages that combine obstacles that he is uniquely exceptional at, and the answer, ladies and gents, is before our eyes: Cadel needs stages with cobbled roads leading to the Tourmalet or strade bianca on the way to the Ventoux. I suspect Cadel may be waiting a long time for his perfect TdF route… ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/32 "2010-07-08T05:02:33Z")
Has he ever been in Paris-Roubaix? He would do good if they added a mountain bike stage. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/33 "2010-07-08T05:25:14Z")
No he hasn’t. I don’t think he’d win Paris-Roubaix. Power guys like Boonen and Cancellara win Paris-Roubaix. It’s just that as recent stages show while he may not be _the best_ on a Paris-Roubaix style course, he’s better than other GC’ers. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/34 "2010-07-10T15:38:03Z")
Well, that’s it for Fabian Cancellara, I think. Great effort by Chavenel! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/35 "2010-07-11T14:57:07Z")
And, today, that’s it for Lance. Too bad. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/36 "2010-07-11T14:57:42Z")
Lance crashes again. Not serious, but it’s gotta wear on him. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/37 "2010-07-11T15:57:57Z")
Serious enough to lose ten minutes. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/38 "2010-07-11T16:06:20Z")
Lane has looked to be laboring long before today’s stage. I suspect he realized he was done and shut it down a ways before the finish like cadel was forced to last year a couple times. It appears he’s now riding for Levi…we shall see. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/39 "2010-07-11T17:03:31Z")
Will he ride for Levi? If he has a chance here and there to make up time, I can’t see him passing it up. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387/40 "2010-07-11T17:20:30Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Serious enough to lose ten minutes. Oh, I didn’t see that it was 10 minutes. Yikes! I really can’t believe he thought he could compete at his age. I know some young guys win sometimes, but this is a sport for 25 - 34 year-olds. He’s well outside that cohort. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tour-de-france-2010/545387.md?page=3)