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Stage 3: Wanze – Arenberg

By Ian Cleverly • 6th July 2010 08:54am • Posted in Rouleur

Wanze – Arenberg Porte du Hainaut

“My Tour has been finished by bad luck. I’ve worked a year preparing for this race.”

Just two miles of cobbles in 2004 proved enough to ruin Iban Mayo’s race, along with Christophe Moreau and, predictably, the crash-prone Denis Menchov.

Today the peloton covers 13.2km of the rough stuff before reaching the finish in Arenberg – although they avoid the famous Arenberg trench, sadly. Throw some rain in the mix and we could see conditions like Paris-Roubaix 2002, where Hincapie flounders and Museeuw powers on alone.

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Comments

Paul Etherington

6th July 2010 01:28pm

I'm not insensitive to the riders plight yesterday, but i'm siding firmly with Wiggo: They knew the stage details and they should have the skill and nous to deal with the prevailing conditions, excepting that there may indeed have been oil or something on the road. Moaning about it afterwards makes them look vaguely pathetic. It's a pain in the arse to crash and my sympathies go out to those injured yesterday, but that's cycling. I've crashed plenty on tarmac and off road, and whilst i don't look forward to it, i don't fear it: grazes heal, broken bones mend. I don't reckon for one second it will put any of them off coming back next year. Wiggo had it absolutely right, Armstrong was pragmatic, Hunter sounded like a whinger.
Be bold guys, it's why we love you!
I realise i may provoke some criticism or worse for this post, but it's the TDF not flower arranging. (No offense to horticulturalists!)
;-)

Joe Hall

6th July 2010 06:15pm

Nice comment, thanks Paul. Whilst it was great to see Chavanel ride for the stage win like that, the drama would've been amplified by the big guns risking it a bit by chasing on…
Think they were saving themselves for today… A pretty awesome stage, good to see them putting down the secateurs and pick up/lay down the hammer over the pave.

Stefan Rohner

6th July 2010 10:10pm

well said Paul. I just dont understand Saxo Bank, yesterday all had to wait, today full power, not waiting for anybody.. ;)

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