STAGE 2 - Les Essarts (TTT)

Stage 2 news
All eyes fixed on time trial in Sunday's action Some of the biggest guns in the Tour de France peloton will be on show on Sunday when the destination of the yellow jersey could be decided for the coming week. Stage 2 is a team time trial around Les Essarts and although big time gaps are not expected - it is only 23km and over mainly flat terrain - whichever team wins is likely to see one of its riders pull on the fabled yellow jersey. "We're very excited about the time trial stage on Sunday," said American George Hincapie, whose BMC team is one of several who will ride newly built hi-tech bikes in the hope of stealing a march on their rivals. BMC, whose leader is former two-time yellow jersey runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia, are not alone. http://www.thenational.ae/sport/other-sport/all-eyes-fixed-on-time-trial-in-sundays-action Thomas' white jersey could soon be yellow heading into TTT For the second year running, Sky Procycling's Geraint Thomas has pulled on the white jersey for the best young rider at the Tour de France but the Welshman admits that it was a proposition he hadn't given proper thought to. Thomas finished 6th on this Saturday's opening stage to Mont des Alouettes, six seconds behind stage winner Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto). The Sky fastman was caught up in the second crash which splintered the peloton in the lead into the finish, 2.2 kilometres out but no damage was done. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/thomas-white-jersey-could-soon-be-yellow-heading-into-ttt Garmin ready to give it hell in Tour de France TTT Thor Hushovd sprinted to third behind Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Fabian Cancellara (Leopard Trek), while Tyler Farrar took fourth in the day's intermediate sprint. However Christian Vande Velde, Ryder Hesjedal and Tom Danielson were all caught out by a crash within the final 10 kilometers that also affected 2010 Tour winner Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard). "It's the first day of the Tour de France and crashes happened. They just happened to occur at the front. It's on to tomorrow," team boss Jonathan Vaughters said at the finish. "We're going well but this Tour for is about day-by-day. We were third and that's great but we just have to focus on tomorrow and when that's done we'll focus on the rest day. We've got 12 or 13 chances to win a stage and we're going to try and take every single one of those chances. We won't get caught up in the emotion of just one stage." http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/garmin-ready-to-give-it-hell-in-tour-de-france-ttt
Tour de France - Stage Two guide: Time for the TTT Short, flat and with only the odd bend, this team time trial will be enough to propel someone new into yellow, but should not see the kind of time gaps which often appear in longer versions on the discipline. A shorter route was preferred by race organisers so that some of the main contenders would not find themselves out of contention at such an early stage of the race. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/03072011/58/tour-de-france-stage-guide-time-ttt.html Tour de France Stage 2 - the team time trial Team Sky, loaded with former track cyclists including Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins, has already made it known the second stage could be their best opportunity to don the yellow jersey - if the British outfit doesn't already have it. That being the case, it will be a case of "race on" on the back of what is certain to be a rugged first day. Les Essarts is part of the Vendee department, famed by the Vendee-Globe round-the-world boat race, and last hosted a stage in 2005 when Tom Boonen pipped reigning world champion Thor Hushovd in the sprint. http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-stage-2-the-team-time-trial/story-fn948g5y-1226085942971 Saxo Bank-SunGard first off in team time trial Alberto Contador and Saxo Bank-SunGard will be the first to take off in the stage two team time trial. Nearly two and a half hours later, Omega Pharma-Lotto, with yellow jersey Philippe Gilbert, will be the last team to leave the starting blocks in Les Essarts. http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/saxo-bank-sungard-first-off-in-team-time-trial

I hate I'll say this, but what a [censored] ride by Leopard.
They did score good time, gained more seconds on Contador, but keeping Schlecks off the turns is just faggish. It sure makes sense to save team leaders, but do that in regular stages. In TTT let them pull for themselves! They are the ones who'll get the most of victory.
I can't remember another example of this kind of strategy.

I am disappointed by Leopard. I was hoping, at the beginning of the season, that they're going to justify their signature - true racing, but so far they've just showed some tactical oversights and nerdy approach to races.

I don't expect them anymore to set the race on fire on coastline to Cap Frehel, or to shred the group in pieces before Plateau de Beille and Galibier. They'll play it safe thinking that what they have is enough, and that Andy will be able to keep current advantage.

This is now going to be a really interesting race with Contador the best part of two minutes down. He'll need to really attack in the mountains as i'm not sure he could claw it all back in an ITT against Schleck. And more so would have no chance of putting that much time into say Evans or Wiggans in the ITT. I know its a long way off, but the race is now alot more interesting.

Here is a silly question, asked seriously, that maybe someone can help me with. When the teams were on deck for the TTT, they were spinning to warm up, but they had white "things" in their nostrils. What were they, and what do they do? If it's a new breakfast cereal that you can eat through your nose while you ride, I'm in!

i think you are referring to the cotton swabs soaked in stuff like vick's vapo rub?