Today's stage: Flat as a pancake stage that was expected to end in a bunch sprint did, but with a hughe crash splitting the field along the way.
Who won the stage: Mark Cavendish (UK, HTC-High Road) took the bunch sprint after his lead out trains set him up beautifully. For those who want an example of an incredible lead out, watch the final 10 km of this stage.
What matters in the GC race? Let's start with the current standings. Thor Hushovd (Norway, Garmin-Cervelo) retained the yellow jersey for one more day. Cadel Evans (Australia, BMC Racing) stayed in second and is the leader among the GC contenders. The big GC news of the day is the huge crash 38km from the finish. 6th overall Bradley Wiggins (UK, Team Sky) who finished 4th two years ago crashed entirely out of the race with a broken collarbone. In the ensuing chaos, podium contenders Levi Leipheimer (USA, Radioshack), Chris Horner (USA, Radioshack), Ryder Hesjedal (Canada, Garmin-Cervelo) and Alexander Vinokourov (Kazakhstan, Astana) were held up with all of Team Sky and many others ultimately losing 3 minutes to the front group.
What matters in other competitions?
Green Jersey (best sprinter): JJ Rojas (Spain, Movistar) regained the green jersey over Philippe Gilbert (Belgium, Omega-Pharma Lotto). Cavendish by taking both bunch sprints today moved into 3rd, and withing striking distance of the leaders.
Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains): There were no categorized climbs today and therefore Johnny Hoogerland (Netherlands,Vaconsoleil) kept his jersey. Tomorrow will bring the first check of real contenders here.
White Jersey (best young rider): Former leader Geraint Thomas (UK, Team Sky) and second place Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway, Team Sky) were both caught behind their teammate Wiggins' crash. Pre-race favorite in this competition Robert Gesink (Netherlands, Rabobank) assumed the lead.
Biggest surprise: Gilbert yielded in the sprint (and also some points in the green jersey competition) to teammate Andre Greipel (Germany, Omega-Pharma Lotto). Greipel finished 2nd on the stage.
Biggest disappointment: The big crash eliminating some of the GC contenders. Wiggins had been in incredible form winning the Criterium du Dauphine and the British time trial and road race national championships in the last month. Leipheimer had also been in good form winning the Tour de Suisse and while he is still in the race, he now trails by over four minutes.
Other items of note: Tom Boonen (Belgium, Quick Step), a former five time stage and green jersey winner, finally gave up after his injuries suffered two days ago, continuing a nightmare tour for Quick Step... Horner is at the hospital having his injuries from the Wiggins crash evaluated... The breakaway was most certainly doomed on a stage this flat – FDJ got two men in a four man break, a sure sign nobody else really cared to try.
What is coming tomorrow? MOUNTAINS!!! Well, kind of. Medium mountain stage. We have two cat 4 climbs, the first cat 2 of the race and a hilltop finish at Super Besse, a cat 3. The last time the Tour visited Super Besse, the disgraced Riccardo Ricco won before later being thrown out of the tour. The King of the Mountains competition will likely start coming into focus for the first time with the climbs. Also, a GC contender should take the yellow jersey for the first time as Hushovd is unlikely to retain the lead with the climbs. Finally, a breakaway might actually have a chance to succeed for the first time this Tour.
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