tour of basque country (spoilers)

[roadrash]

Steve Cummings crashed in the neutral zone today and has been taken to hospital, no further updates yet, Rohan Dennis didn't start today.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just seen highlights. Yes, very tough penalty. What tyres are Scott using? I don't want them

They seemed to have gone down a series of alleys and through someone's back yard when he punctured. I expected to see riders emerging with bits of someone's washing attached to them. Looked like some really tough under-wheel conditions.

 

[roadrash]

commentator Brian Smith was saying , it may be good to watch but should gravel surfaces and dirt surfaces really be included in something called a road race.

 

[mjr]

commentator Brian Smith was saying , it may be good to watch but should gravel surfaces and dirt surfaces really be included in something called a road race.

As I've had pointed out to me when I've complained about some of what passes for roads in England (and especially road cycle routes), road does not necessarily mean paved/tarmacked.

Most of Team Lotto-Visma are riding gumwall tyres but Tony Martin has a blackwall front tyre. What happened there? I missed it.

And with 6km to go, Julian Alan Phillips and Geraint Thomas have been taken out by bike-shaped shrapnel flying off a high-speed touch of wheels near the front of the bunch. And Enric Mas too. Some riders are staying down too. Alaphillipe among them. There goes the race for him, I fear.

 

[roadrash]

Kwiatkowski also down in that crash,

max schachmann takes the stage win and another 10 seconds to add to his lead

 

[mjr]

The yellow jersey Schachmann takes the stage to extend his lead. Mas crosses the line with about a minute lost. I think Thomas may have been the torn-up Sky rider at about 30 seconds but check the results sheet for that. I'll be pleasantly surprised if Alaphillipe finishes. I think they just said Kwiatkowski wasn't in the lead group.

 

[mjr]

I think that was Ulissi, Battaglin and Hirschi in 2, 3 and 4.

 

[roadrash]

^^^^^yeah it was,^^^^ adam yetes came over in 7th place, Kwiatkowski was not in the lead group

 

[mjr]

Alaphillipe has finished according to http://live2.cyclingnews.com/ but 12 minutes down. Kwiatkowski lost less time but still probably a race-losing amount.

Top 4 now Schachmann, Izagirre, Patrick Konrad (both @33s), Dan Martin @49s, with Landa hovering ominously in 9th @1:16. Expect fireworks? Lots of team leaders now with little to lose.

 

[roadrash]

it will certainly make the next three lumpy stages unpredictable

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Any ideas why there seem to be so many crashes in this race? Weather, especially slippery or bad surfaces, narrow roads, unpredictable terrain?

 

[roadrash]

max Schachmann pips Dan martin at the line and takes another stage win and 10 more seconds , that should see Dan Martin move up to 4th on G C. Adam Yates came in 4th

 

[Adam4868]

Any ideas why there seem to be so many crashes in this race? Weather, especially slippery or bad surfaces, narrow roads, unpredictable terrain?

Not been able to watch too much of it,but from what I saw plenty of pinch points ! I think the crash yesterday was just tension,fighting for position ?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Did Alaphilippe start ? They said they were going to be making a decision overnight.

 

[roadrash]

the crash at about 6km to go was caused by one rider sliding out on a wet metal drain cover and others braking too hard behind him also sliding out