Stage 3 - Wanze > > > Arenberg Porte du Hainaut - 213 km
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wanze ---> Arenberg Porte du Hainaut - 213 km
•Km 48.0 - Côte de Bothey - 1.4 km climb to 3.4 % - Category 4
(Graphics - letour.com)
Stage 3 - Wanze > > > Arenberg Porte du Hainaut - 213 km
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wanze ---> Arenberg Porte du Hainaut - 213 km
•Km 48.0 - Côte de Bothey - 1.4 km climb to 3.4 % - Category 4
Stage 3 - Wanze > > > Arenberg Porte du Hainaut - 213 km
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Plain - A sporting perspective
A frightening stage
We have decided that on the day when we return to the Nord department, cobbles will be on the menu. However, unlike in 2004, there will be four big sections over the last thirty kilometres, to avoid huge gaps opening up and also to provide a more exciting finish. In total, there will be 13.2 kilometres of cobbles. Some riders have difficulty negotiating them and there is always the possibility of punctures or falls... This stage will frighten everyone and the race favourites may lose precious minutes. This “genuine classic” may be favourable to riders like Armstrong or Evans. And let’s not forget that there are some teams who will, on the face of it, not have a role to play in the general standings, such as Quick Step, and who will have a stake in creating all sorts of chaos…
(letour.com)
June 27 post:
On this the third day of the Tour, we'll have the first KOMs of the race.
It's not typical to have a very early flat stage that could have a big impact on the general classification.
Stage 3 will feature seven sections of pavé (4 of them over 2 km long) totaling 13 km in the final 30 km of the stage normally reserved for the cobbled classic, Paris-Roubaix. As most people know by now, the hopes of several GC contenders were dashed on the cobbles during a similar stage back in 2004. To help avoid an Iban Mayo like catastrophe, Alberto Contador spent time this spring with Belgian Peter Van Petegem to help him hone his technique on riding over "the stones."
There are some differences to 2004. This year's pavé is closer to the finish so the impact on the GC is more limited, but the sections are harder. Not as hard as the Arenberg Trench used in Paris-Roubaix which this stage nicely avoids, but harder than 2004. — Steve
Paris-Roubaix winner Fabian Cancellara will use the cobbles of stage 3 to either help grab the overall race lead or to strengthen his hold on the Yellow Jersey.
(steephill.tv)
The Stage starts at 12:41 pm local time (Warze is 6 hrs ahead of US EDT).
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