Many riders fear the 2nd stage, as it is short (136km) and many height metres (3058). The riders leave Millau and ride over 4 climbs to Ganges in the Languedoc. The finish is at the summit of the Puech Pointu, a 3.9km climb at an average gradient of 8.7%.
134km to go
And the award of the first attacker in this centennial Tour goes to...... David Loosli from the Lampre-team! Together with Androni's Luca Barla, he tries to create an early breakaway.
127km to go
The peloton sets an incrediby high pace while ascending the Millau Viaduct and it breaks in many pieces. Of course, Loosli and Barla get caught, and many groups are riding all over the route. For sure, some riders will be in trouble today with the time limit.
33km to go
Lapthorne takes the most points at the 3rd climb of the day, the Col de Peyrefiche, Nuyens and Loosli follow him. But with the peloton only 2'33 behind them, they won't make it!
17km to go
While climbing Le Puech (5.0km at 7.1%), Nick Nuyens is the only rider to remain in front of the peloton. At this moment, 2km before the summit, Fränk Schleck is the first to attack out of the peloton. He has to make up for a lot of time (4'08).
15km to go
Schleck is the first one to crest the summit of Le Puech. The peloton follows at '51, with the Radio Shack boys doing the pace. The peloton explodes and many riders get dropped.
12km to go
In the descend, we see a strange counter attack by Jurgen Van den Broeck. Why waste his energy now, and not waiting for the final climb, letting the Shackies do the work?
10km to go
But then the camera picks up 1 very important rider that is riding behind the peloton: Robert Gesink! What has happened to the Dutch climber? Nothing, a bad day with bad legs and he simply couldn't follow the pace of the first group in the previous climb, so he rides 1'31 behind the peloton.
5km to go
The Radio Shack-train catches Schleck and Van den Broeck, and try to bring their leaders Nibali and Wiggins in a good position to the foot of the last climb. We try to slow things down, so Gesink can close the gap a bit. He's 1'13 behind now.
4km to go
The final climb starts with 3.9km to go. These kilometres are ascending with an average gradient of 8.7%. Jelle Vanendert does a fantastic job and brings Andy Schleck to the leading position.
1500m to go
The pace set by Vanendert is that high, nobody even dares to attack. Groups of riders are everywhere ver the road. Then with 1500m to go, Andy Schleck launches his attack. Vincenzo Nibali and Alberto Contador are '11 behind and a group with Fuglsang, Kern, Van den Broeck, Brajkovic and Fränk Schleck follows at '28. Gesink is almost 2 minutes behind, but is passing a lot of opponents.
Finish
What a great ride by Andy Schleck! The Luxembourg champion is way stronger than his opponents and wins the 2nd stage of the Tour de France.
Nibali takes the 2nd place beating Contador and Van den Broeck in the sprint at '35. Jelle Vanendert finishes in 5th at '51, just in front of Fränk Schleck.
1'46 behind his winning team mate, Robert Gesink crosses the finish line in 23rd place. He finishes in a group with riders as Cadel Evans, Roman Kreuziger, Bradley Wiggins and Fabian Cancellara, who keeps the maillot jaune by a margin of 11 seconds.
A big shock for 25 riders, as the finish outside the time limit, more than 30 minutes behind the winner. Most known riders among them are Greg van Avermaet, Sebastian Langeveld, JJ Haedo, Greg Henderson, Bernie Eisel and ...... Mark Cavendish!! No sprint wins for the Manx Missile this year!
Teams
1 Radio Shack - Nissan 15h03'24
2 Monster Energy - Subway + 2'33
3 Omega Pharma - Quick·Step + 7'32
4 Pro Team Astana + 7'45
5 Qantas Airways + 8'03
Today's winner
Word from the DS
Wow, what a mixed feelings.... First, Andy Schleck did an incredible job taking the stage win and bringing himself back in the race from yellow. Secondly, Jelle Vanendert was amazing. Absolutely amazing.
But Robert Gesink looses 1'46 to Andy and, probably more important, 1'11 to Contador and Nibali. He simply hadn't got the legs today. We know his form isn't at his best right now, but this wasn't calculated..... Now, 3 flat stages before the first mountain stage to the Col de la Core.
Edited by dienblad on 03-08-2012 23:12
Thanks guys. Completed the report. Had a great evening with my wife, the first time since our son was born. Tonight it was a restaurant, next week we'll go to the movies (think The Dark Knight Rises). Thanks to my parents-in-law that are on holiday nearby, so they can babysit now.
Oh well, those with kids know what I'm talking about
53km to go
13 riders try to prevent the inevitable to occur and form the BOTD. With Juan Antonio Flecha a it's motor, the breakaway manages to create a maximum margin of 6'30.
Already at the Intermediate Sprint in Agde, the margin has been decreased to 4'30, so Flecha, Lequatre, Docker, Poulhies, Champion, Bellemakers, Meersman, Kohler, Bazayev, Laborie, Barla, Quemeneur and Ermeti know it will be very difficult to out of reach of the peloton.
9km to go
At the neary flat roads towards the finish in Beziers, the peloton is able to develop an immense pace. The riders in the BOTD realize they won't win and get nervous, so the strongest among them decide to attack. Flecha is the strongest in this group and is the first one to try it. Only Lequatre, Meersman, Laborie and Champion try to follow him, as the peloton is only '39 behind.
4km to go
The 5 get caught by the peloton. Even considering the high pace, 3 riders try to make a surprise punch with only 4km to go: Johan Tschopp, Yohann Offredo and Lars Boom.
2km to go
Thanks to the sprinttrains of Lotto - Belisol and Monster Energy - Subway, the 3 get caught within 2km. The final is pretty tricky, as it has lots of sharp turns in it. We know it is important to be positioned very well, so we bring our train with final man Peter Sagan into it.
1km to go
We thought that the finish, with it's many corners and uphill part should suit Sagan, but he is fading even before the sprint starts. Lotto - Belisol is in perfect position to bring their man Edvald Boasson Hagen the win.
Finish
And the win goes to the 26-year-old Norwegian. He was way too strong for his opponents, being perfectly set off by Thor Hushovd and Philippe Gilbert. At a fairly distance, Tom Boonen takes a surprising second place, beating Heinrich Haussler and JJ Rojas. Peter Sagan disappoints with the 11th place. There are no time gaps among the favourites, all riders finish within the time limit.
Word from the DS
We really don't know what happened with Sagan. He simply couldn't develop the speed necessary for sprinting for the win. Hope he'll improve the next days, else the flat stages will become pretty difficult. Anyway, we know that Eddy is the man to beat in the sprints...
Edited by dienblad on 04-08-2012 19:44
Ian Butler wrote:
Maybe he just had a bad day?
The profile you updated is of stage 2, if I'm not mistaken?
I'm glad I'm back in time for The Tour!
Ow, changed it. Thanks.
Nah, had a dialy form of +1, so he should have done better... He even got outsprinted by Lars Boom, who attacked before and has Sp stats of more than 10 less.... Oh well, happens too often, that's why I hate sprints...
I've changed the socks, leg and knee warmers, and the transferts 
