Tour de France - Stage 2 Review

Chavenel Solos into Spa for stage win.

Carnage again marred the opening week for the Tour with a wet day in Belgium causing big crashes in the peloton.  A breakaway had slipped 3 or 4 minutes ahead before the rain came, the chasing peloton was shredded by a flurry of crashes on the descent of the Col du Stockeu that saw almost half the field come down.

Both the Schlecks came down (Andy twice), Christian Vande Velde has broken ribs, Robert Gessink a hairline fracture of his wrist (but will continue), Robbie McEwen has a large gash on his arm, Tyler Farrar hurt his shoulder, Lance Armstrong came down as well.  

Whilst Chavenel had broken free of his breakaway companions and went ahead to claim a great stage win and the Yellow Jersey, previous holder Fabian Cancellara and other big teams brokered a deal to effectively neutralise the stage, they slowed the front of the chase group to allow all the fallen riders to catch up before crossing the line in unison.  A number of sprinters were unhappy with the situation but in the end it was Fabian Cancellara who gave up his Yellow jersey to Chavanel for the safety of everyone.  Very noble, but in my view unwarranted.  This is bike race after all, everyone has different aspirations and the bigger teams have possibly taken the chance for glory away from a whole heap of other deserving teams and riders. You would not see them sitting up in one day race.  The chivalrous act also takes the pressure off Saxo Bank, they dont have to do the grunt work early in the race to keep the jersey.

Stage 1 Result

1	Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step	4:40:48
2	Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	0:03:56
3	Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram
4	Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha
5	Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram
6	Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
7	Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team
8	Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram
9	Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux
10	Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia

General Classification

1	Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step	10:01:25
2	Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank	0:02:57
3	Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia	0:03:07
4	David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Transitions	0:03:17
5	Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack	0:03:19
6	Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team	0:03:20
7	Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana	0:03:24
8	Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack	0:03:25
9	Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team	0:03:29
10	Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram	0:03:32