[N8 v2.0]

Presonal Note: I'd like to let the British people know we Americans are with you on this day...


Troyes to Nancy

Distance: 199 km/123.7 miles

Type of Stage: Road, flat to rolling

Principal Difficulties: As the race nears the Alsace-Lorraine region, the flat fields will begin to give way to rolling hills.

What to Watch For: There are no significant climbs, but the terrain and winding roads could encourage breakaways, where a 30-second margin puts you out of sight (and, hopefully, out of mind) of the main field.

Principal Protagonists: Look for the French teams to agitate here, particularly wild card Ag2r-Prevoyance, which will be looking to justify its selection over other talented teams.

How This Stage Affects the Race: Not much to speak of here; still trying to stay out of trouble and finish with the other favorites.

Local Flavor: In 1420, the Treaty of Troyes was signed here, ending (not for long) the Hundred Years' War and naming English King Henry V the heir to France.

Listen on the web: http://wmedialive.coltfrance.com/tourfrance_com

 

[DRB]

Yes I live in Nancy, France.

Anyone identify this quote...

"Cheese eatin' surrender monkeys"

Heard it yesterday but can't figure out what its from.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Current situation on the road:
Mauro Gerosa (I), Liquigas [84th at 4:22]
Christophe Mengin (F), Francaise des Jeux [142nd at 5:40]
Stephane Auge (F), Cofidis [167th at 7:32]
Karsten Kroon (Nl), Rabobank [179th at 10:03]
Jaan Kisipuu (Est) Credit Agricole [182 at 10:49]

The five escaped in a series of early attacks and joined forces by the 35km mark.

Latest time check: 7:21 at km 106

 

[N8 v2.0]

2:50 p.m. - The rain is coming down and the peloton is stretched out in single-file. The pace is hard enough to have trimmed the escapees lead to 7:21 at the 106km mark. Today's pace is still averaging around 48.7kph.

2:56 p.m. - With 90km to go, the leaders are 6:50 ahead of the peloton.

3:00 p.m. - The gap continues to come down as Lotto and QuickStep set tempo. With 86km to go, we have gap of 6:15.

We have, by the way received several very nice notes since we put up our e-mail address. One in particular made all of us laugh:

I follow your live updates religiously here at the office - helps the day pass by quick! It's almost more exciting than watching the television broadcast. When I read 'ZABRISKIE CRASHES!!' the other day, I literally jumped up in my cubicle and shouted. It earned me a few scathing looks, but it was worth it.
Anyway, just saying 'nice work'!

You mean you people follow the Tour when you should be working!?!?!?! Tsk, tsk, tsk....

3:05 p.m. - With 83km to go, the gap is holding at just around 6:15. The roads are getting wet and our leaders are picking their way through some tight turns very carefully.

 

[stevew]

I take it this would be on OLN right now?

 

[N8 v2.0]

I take it this would be on OLN right now?

Coverage started at 7:30 Central US Time

 

[urbaindk]

Yes I live in Nancy, France.



"Cheese eatin' surrender monkeys"

Grounds Keeper Willy?

 

[jacksonpt]

Man... this chick commentator is awful. Shut the hell up already...

 

[urbaindk]

What's up with all the tire puntures?

 

[N8 v2.0]

Man... this chick commentator is awful. Shut the hell up already...

I hear ya....

 

[N8 v2.0]

15km to the finish....

 

[DRB]

What's up with all the tire puntures?

The wet conditions always lead to more punctures on the road. I don't know exactly why, I just know that's the case.

 

[DRB]

Yes I live in Nancy, France.

Apparently the guy Christophe MENGIN that is leading with just a few kilometers to go with a few seconds on the group, is from Nancy.

 

[urbaindk]

The wet conditions always lead to more punctures on the road. I don't know exactly why, I just know that's the case.

Weird.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Oh man... I wish I have live video to watch.....


5km to go...........!>>!>!>!

 

[DRB]

16:46 CEST 194km/5km to go
Mengin is now on the flat, as Cioni starts to lose gas on a false flat. The peloton is coming, but it's not over for Mengin yet. He has 12 seconds.

16:47 CEST
Rogers gets to the front for Quick.Step, so they're really bringing in the heavy artillery. Mengin rides through the streets of Nancy that he knows so well.

Cioni is caught. 20 seconds to Mengin!

 

[N8 v2.0]

16:46 CEST 194km/5km to go
Mengin is now on the flat, as Cioni starts to lose gas on a false flat. The peloton is coming, but it's not over for Mengin yet. He has 12 seconds.

16:47 CEST
Rogers gets to the front for Quick.Step, so they're really bringing in the heavy artillery. Mengin rides through the streets of Nancy that he knows so well.

Cioni is caught. 20 seconds to Mengin!

Lead drops to 17 seconds...

 

[DRB]

16:50 CEST
Mengin drives towards 2 km to go, holding his 10 second lead. Vinokourov attacks!!

16:50 CEST 197.5km/1.5km to go
Vino gets a bit of a gap but Bortolami chases behind him. O'Grady right there.

Mengin has five seconds.

 

[DRB]

16:52 CEST
Mengin crashes on the last corner! And most of the peloton crash into him. Cancellara misses it, but Vino doesn't quite. He is chasing the Swiss rider.

The sprinters are all down.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Wreck!!!!

 

[DRB]

It was Bernucci not Cancellara

16:53 CEST 199km/0km to go
Bernucci drives to the finish and Vinokourov will take second. Excellent ride by the Kazakh. Bernucci celebrates! What a finish!

16:54 CEST
McEwen and Boonen ride in together with Rodriguez and Chavanel. Armstrong will lose time to Vinokourov, but the rest of the peloton should get the same time. Mengin's crash completely threw the peloton off. Vino and Bernucci were lucky to avoid it.

 

[manziman]

As soon as they previewed that turn to come, I knew they put the cushioning in the wrong place. Of course they all crash into the gate. Good job to Bernucci.

 

[N8 v2.0]

How does the sprint winner gain time against the race leader? I thought everyone got the same time..???

 

[jacksonpt]

How does the sprint winner gain time against the race leader? I thought everyone got the same time..???

yea... I understand the whole peleton getting the same time thing... but how/when do they decide to start giving riders different times? Does the lead at the finish line have to be a certain amount? Do they have to be leading going into the last km? How's that all work?

 

[motomike]

How does the sprint winner gain time against the race leader? I thought everyone got the same time..???

they weren't wheel-to-wheel at the finish. There was a 2 sec. gap to Vino, then I think 4 sec from Vino to the rest.

 

[Westy]

How does the sprint winner gain time against the race leader? I thought everyone got the same time..???

Time bonuses.

 

[I Are Baboon]

How does the sprint winner gain time against the race leader? I thought everyone got the same time..???

I don't think it really matters. The sprinters have no chance at all in winning the Tour anyway.

 

[DRB]

You get the sametime as the group that you were with when the crash occurs. In this case the peleton was a few seconds behind Vino and Bernucci at the time of the crash.

 

[N8 v2.0]

they weren't wheel-to-wheel at the finish. There was a 2 sec. gap to Vino, then I think 4 sec from Vino to the rest.

Ah... so it was not considered a 'sprint finish' then... I see.

 

[Westy]

I think Vino is going to be a real threat to Armstron this year. The past few years Lance has only been able to defend in the mountains but kills on the TT's. If Vino can make time in the mountains it will probably come down to the last TT on the second to last stage.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

The wet conditions always lead to more punctures on the road. I don't know exactly why, I just know that's the case.

Water lubricates the object that punctures the tire.

 

[Hawkeye]

Water lubricates the object that punctures the tire.

Oh boy does that open the door to a lot of comments.

"did you get a package you weren't expecting?"

 

[slowSSer]

Man... this chick commentator is awful. Shut the hell up already...

hmm. bad or worse than Bob Roll's pronunciation of "tour day france" ?

actually, bob's pronunciation has been a source of amusement for me- every time bob says it, the fiancee cringes. kinda funny to watch!

 

[jacksonpt]

hmm. bad or worse than Bob Roll's pronunciation of "tour day france"

lol... that's a tough one...

 

[Wumpus]

Time bonuses.

Finish 1st - 20sec 2nd - 12sec 3rd - 8 sec

Intermediate sprints 1st - 6sec 2nd - 4sec 3rd - 2sec

 

[Wumpus]

Water lubricates the object that punctures the tire.

Or maybe trash sticks to the tire instead of just rolling over it.

 

[Hawkeye]

hmm. bad or worse than Bob Roll's pronunciation of "tour day france" ?

actually, bob's pronunciation has been a source of amusement for me- every time bob says it, the fiancee cringes. kinda funny to watch!

I really think he does that on purpose.

On the first day he actually said

"DA tour Day France"

and

"Da tour Day Lance"

I doubled over laughing.

 

[N8 v2.0]

hmm. bad or worse than Bob Roll's pronunciation of "tour day france" ?

actually, bob's pronunciation has been a source of amusement for me- every time bob says it, the fiancee cringes. kinda funny to watch!

You mean "Tour Day Frants"...

 

[slowSSer]

I really think he does that on purpose.

On the first day he actually said

"DA tour Day France"

and

"Da tour Day Lance"

I doubled over laughing.

hey, bob's a good sport about it- remember last year's OLN ads with Bob trying to sound like Phil? really funny.

"coming down like a grand prix motorcar"

 

[DRB]

I think Vino is going to be a real threat to Armstron this year. The past few years Lance has only been able to defend in the mountains but kills on the TT's. If Vino can make time in the mountains it will probably come down to the last TT on the second to last stage.

IF Vino can make time in the mountains???? What makes you think he can do that?

I think that this race is in for a big Discovery smack in the face on Sunday (stage 10).