Please, join us for live blogging of Stage 1 of the 2012 Tour de France. Live coverage will begin from 8PM, with full coverage from 10PM.
Stage 1 is a lumpy loop from Liege, through Luxembourg and back to Seraing.
There’s five category four climbs on the menu today but the six or so other small hills across 198kms equals a significant amount of climbing.
Add to this, first week nerves, Belgian roads and weather and this stage is far from easy. Nobody wants to see crashes like last year, especially among General Classification (GC) contenders so let’s hope they all stay safe and focussed.
After conceding nine seconds to Wiggins in yesterday’s prologue, Cadel Evans may look to gain some valuable time on today’s 2.4km, 4.7% uphill finish similar to his efforts on Stage 1 and Stage 4 at last year’s tour.
As good as Evans is against the clock, there’s every chance he may lose up 1-2 minutes minutes to Tour favourite Bradley Wiggins across the 100kms of time trialling in 2012, so every other second where he can grab them counts.
Considering Vincenzo Nibali’s blistering ride at Milan San-Remo, he may also have a crack at today’s stage as pretty much everyone but Wiggins are in the same time trialling boat.
With Radioshack in 1000 broken pieces, and the golden fleece on his back, Fabian Cancellara may also give this one a tickle. But my money is on Simon Gerrans, breakaway companion of Nibali and Cancellara and winner at Milan-San Remo.
Other possible contenders for the stage include Alejandro Valverde, Peter Sagan and if allowed to go for the win, Evans’ team mate Phillipe Gilbert. Alexander Vinokourov may also find some final glory here too.
I’m also interested in seeing how Mark Cavendish pulls up. It’s not too interesting for the green jersey tonight, however, today’s stage resembles ever so slightly the nine times he’ll ride up Box Hill to win the Olympic Road Race – the difference being the Olympic race ends with a 20km or so flat run into the finish.
I’m guessing he’ll tuck in safely and easily with Wiggins finding protection among his team mates.
Tonight, the competitors head out on the roar for real. Please join us for live blogging of Stage 1 of the 2012 Tour de France.
DerailleurED
Roar Rookie
super finish, thanks for doing the coverage! :)
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Great finish. Looks like not much will change in the yellow and green jersey. Cancellara will still have both of those I think. Not sure about the white jersey. Morkov has polka dots. Stay tuned for more information later about the stage and classifications here at the Roar. Good night, I'm off to bed. Oops sorry, it's Sagan in green.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Evans hasn't gone any daylight between himself and Wiggins. Cancellara and Sagan playing left to right left to right. Hagen is right on their wheel. Evans is trying really hard. Sagan goes, Sagan wins!! Man crushes survive everywhere.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
1km to go, starting to flatten out. Evans leads the group behind Canecellara, Sagan and Boassen Hagan almost catches them. Cancellara continues to drive to the line.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
2kms to go. Evans is in fourth position behind Albasini, Sagan behind Evans, Nibali, Vanden Broeck, Gallopin is up there too. It's a hrad climb. Evans going for it on his own. Cavendish is out the back. Chavanel puts in a dig, Albasini going after him and looks like he has him. Cancellara goes, Sagan behind him.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Another hard right hander into the climb now. Evans is in a good spot out the front on the right hand side. Green Edge now on the front for Albasini. Where is Lotto now?
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Lotto appears to be working for Jelle Vanendert. Cantwell (Saxobank) is up there too and Nibali is on Sagan's wheel ten back. Cancellara is about 12 back. Evans is being paced back to the front was out the back. Not sure what happened. Evans back to the front now.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Nibali is up there. Cavendish still there. Technical run in here the last 4kms, roundabouts and hard turns. 4kms to go. Road starting to kick up, Lotto still working hard.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Greipel is working hard out on the front, Lotto are driving this hard. Riders going left and right all over the road. Right hander into a bridge, then a left around a roundabout to a narrow road and a bit of a climb. Vinokourov has a mechanical and his day is over.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Lotto dictating affairs now out the front followed by the Orica Green Edge train with Albasini the final carriage. 7kms to go. Cavendish is still there and is on Sagan's wheel. Cadel Evans trying to keep out of trouble too
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
The breakaway is now caught. 9kms to go.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
10kms to go. Looks like Cancellara is on his own up the front four riders back. Main group starting to string out now. 7 seconds the gap.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Morkov is riding so strongly, doesn't want to give in yet despite the gap now at 16 seconds. Back in the peloton, Garmin are moving up to the front now as are Lotto and Green Edge.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Sky not on the front and the peloton have bunched up again at the front, looking very nervy on this wide long stretch of road just now.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
13km to go and only 17 seconds the gap, BMC trying to thin things out at the front. Rabobank bringing Gesink up to the front
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Big George Hincapie of BMC takes charge out the front of the peloton. There's quite a few breaks in the peloton now, the main group putting some distance between themselves and the riders trying to get back on after the crash.
DerailleurED
Roar Rookie
Very nervy peloton right now!
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
As a result of the crash, Valverde has been delayed and is stuck down the back of the peloton. Not where he wants to be right now.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
There's a crash on the far right hand side of the peloton, not sure what happened as it looked like they were towards the middle. Karpets, Rojas, Rogers and Luis Leon Sanchez. Sanchez looks quite hurt and riding alone back to the peloton as is Rogers he gingerly gets back on his bike and rides towards the peloton but it will be a lonely ride. And just as that happens, a spectator is too far out on the road and a rider runs into them causes a bit of a pile up. This is what happens with 20kms to go and the gap falling to 28 seconds as they all seek the best position for their chosen leaders.
tourdecouch
Roar Guru
Leaders have only 25kms to go. Still have a 1.09 gap. Voeckler is out at the back of the peloton at the moment.