TdF Stage 2: Auray - Saint-Brieuc (164.5km)

This stage is 33km shorter than yesterdays but it is already long underway. The coverage on TV here doesn’t start until a little later and with the F1 on but hopefully I can catch the end of the race. Hopefully it is a little dryer than the race here in Silverstone. It could be interesting today because after Valverde many riders have the same time so a decent attack today could see you carry the yellow jersey for a number of days.

THE STAGE
It is a very flat stage though their is a category three stage halfway through. It may help a break already away or spring a break to the finish. Still there is a long way to go after that climb and it is very flat so it could and probably should be a day for the big sprinters.

PREDICTION
Mark Cavendish. Any breaks will be realed in like yesterday but with a flatter finish I think it’ll suit the big Brit sprinter.

OUTCOME
A break of two early on later became a break of four but they never got a lead that lead you to believe the big sprinters wouldn’t reel them in by the end. In the end they were caught and it came down to the sprint finish. So much for my prediction however as Cavendish was nowhere leaving it to my prediction from yesterday, Thor Hushovd to take the win from Kim Kirchen and Gerald Ciolek on the line.

Erik Zabel managed a fifth place finish and because of no time bonus’ Valverde retains his yellow jersey for another day. The sprinters have got to be cursing this new rule eliminating the time bonus!

Category: Pro Road Racing » Thor Hushovd, Tour de France |

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