Prologue – stage 3 of the 2007 Tour de France
London and Buckingham Palace have never seen a scene like this the Tour of France is in town and in 4 minutes time the first Rider will begin in the prologue time trial here on versus we’ll be live for all 189 Riders who will take their chance around the Streets of
London George in cppy moments ago warming up next time we see him it will be for real hello everybody Phil liard with Paul showing yes the 94th tour to France beginning in London and for us two Brits we are at home well let’s first of all go straight to the route of
The prologue and the tour route in general Paul well Paul Phil it is in fact an incredible day here this afternoon magical weather and a very testing course for the Riders 7.9 kmers they’re going to face and I tell you they’re going to see some of the most famous historical monuments that London
Has to offer the Riders start right on the side of the temps on the embankment to move move in land they go around the serpentine back in front of Buckingham Palace to finish in the mall and as you can see the course not really difficult at just inside of five mines that little
Ripple by the way is Constitution Hill and the course itself about as long as the Minar bridge in Michigan that’s also 5 miles and we’ve been here twice before in England but we have never had the grand dep par in the Streets of London in the 94 event history of the tour well
It’s going to be a marvelous day today and there are in fact three American riders in this race Paul who could win the prologue time trial there certainly are I have to say one of those Riders is who a man who I think is one of the fastest riders in the world Dave
Zabriski I was a winner of the Tour of France at first stage back in 2005 very aerodynamic very fast and a man looking for a win well when George hppi was presented to a large crowd in tfala square last night he said he could win the prologue we will see Levi Li pimer
He may well win today but he’s also thinking of winning the tour to France in three week first ride in the stouse as they now begin to go one by one the Riders now making their way over what is just 8 kilomet and just 5 miles as they
Now begin the rides enrio Dano is the first down for B world to an enormous year Paul take a look at that crowd it is an absolutely phenomenal crowd when I came here at Half 8 this morning I didn’t think there was going to be a big
Crowd but they’ve been rolling in all through the morning and in the early part of the afternoon and now there are people all around this 8 km course enrio Deano has the honor of opening up this prologue time trial and he of course on the arrival will start the clock as the
Fastest man but there are some big names racked up towards the top end of the start list Phil and those are the kind of guys that we’re waiting to see Dave zisy by the way the American national time trial Champion starts very early on at number 61 and I think that will be
The very big indication as um that we will get of what the fastest times are going to be well the is underway he’s the man in the hot seat he’s going to blaze a trail through the most famous street in the world I think we’ve left the prime minister’s Road Downing Street
Of going along White Hall heading into Constitution hill now it is a tough course and today unbelievably is a perfect day and for 2 and a half months we’ve had nothing but rain hailstones thunder lightning torrential floods in parts of the country today it has dawned
A perfect day for the tour to France and I know that the Lord May of London Ken Livingston Z will be pretty pleased about that listen to the crowd now as enrio Deo he’s a rider we might be talking about Paul at later on in the
Race he’s a very fast Sprinter he could win a stage of this race very fast Sprinter joins Robbie Hunter as one of the fastest men on team bow world and they will certainly be looking for Glory on the individual stages Dano is a rapid finisher he won four races last year
He’s won a race so far in the early part of this season sorry about the little bit of PR picture lockup but uh that’s because of of all the tall buildings as we skirt around this course there there is Westminster Cathedral that the Riders are going past just now and that’s
Nothing at all to do with Westminster Abbey the Riders will move in a little while not too far away from Victoria Station there you can see a passing right in front of Buckingham Palace Phil this is unbelievable to think that we’re commentating on the tour to France in
Front of some of these Monumental historical buildings of the United Kingdom well here we come Pastor the Queen’s residence now the flag flying high on pole LA and uh normally this is reserved for the tourist as they watch The Changing of the Guard well this year they’re watching the tour to France
Enrio Dano has never ridden the tour to France before although joining his career he’s won 21 races the bow world team which is a South African registered team broke into the tour on a wild card this year and that’s probably why they put him off in first off now Paul it’s 8
Kilm 7.9 let’s not argue over 100 m and it’s 5 miles now what sort of time do you think will win the race well I’m expecting an average speed of around about 54 km now 33 mil an hour so the kind of time I’m expecting to win would
Be just outside 9 Minutes 9 minutes and 5 Seconds that calculates to around about a minute 6 a minute 7 for each kilometer of the the race covered and I was talking to Chris bourman who actually is the record holder for the pr L time trial at 55 km an hour he thought
Possibly depending on the wind and the weather today a rider May well get inside of the 9-minute mark but I think that’s going to be very difficult that will be somebody like zabriski somebody like Wiggins and maybe even why not George hcap absolutely right Robbie and
We are now looking here at Oscar ferera in the start housee he’s quite an early Rider to go considering the order and Oscar Farah three times a world champion a very popular Rider here on the RAB band team he’s making his start interesting to see just how good a ride
He well we got back back there in time because Stuart Australian he was one of the crowd yesterday to received the biggest cheer of the night he’s tremendously popular he comes from Adelaide is’s the ambassador of their major race now in its 10th year the Tor
Down under and a Grady this year landed the big one he won the queen of all the classic races per Ru first Australian to do that this is a man who will be looking over the next 3 weeks to win the green jersey paa savelli here who is a very
Very good time trialist he is a prologue winner in the past not in the tour to France but he’s beaten similar guys to those who are here today if he’s feeling frisky who knows as we go back to watch the start here of the F’s deer Rider it
Be Thomas litz who is the Swedish Rider on this French team a very good time trialist himself and he’ll be looking to put in a good performance he’s a rider who has openly said he would like to try and win the best Young Riders competition he’s riding in his second
Tour of France from Sweden and uh he’s looking to try and see if he can win the competition gr’s gone down here he’s taking a big risk in one of the corners um there are not many corners on this course but ogrady must have really been
Giving it he was looking to put in a fast performance and he’s lost a lot of time as he’s crashed just outside the kilometer to go Banner well I would think we’ll be able to get a look at that again yes we here we are now he’s
Skimmed right off the end of those foam Bales just clipped them with his right foot and it took him right out of his stride that was a heavy fall very heavy fall indeed for Stuart o Grady lost everything here any chance of getting a top performance at all for Stuart o
Grady he would have been really pushing it Phil because as a man who can Sprint he knows that he had to try and get himself very close to the top times because he would have been dreaming of trying to get himself the yellow jersey for another time cuz he’s warned in the
Past he has and he was obviously trying there he wants a big tour to France there’s no doubt about that that is really sad for stuid o’ Grady I can hear the people of Adelaide gasping from afar right now now here as zabis is’s in the
Stouse now so welcome back to that too big moment for Dave zabriski here because he knows he can win this if it all goes right best time still AAL Losa 9 Minutes 23 Dave has got to get round the course faster than that the Stars and Stripes of the world of the national
Champion of uh the United States and he quickly gets the revs over you can probably hear the crowd as well they know a champion when they see one they know Dave’s background in the tour to France in yellow on the floor winning a stage he’s done everything in the tour
To France so far well as it just turns 4:00 one man who will know exactly what zabis is capable of is Britain’s own David Miller here’s what he’s got to say this course is actually made for him like really is it’s not very technical it’s it’s like I said it’s real Pace
Control real purist sort of prolog in that it’s going to be very fast and and require a lot of self-d discipline which Dave does have when it comes to prolog riding and time tring he just gets in his kind of really disciplined state of mind um and I’ve said it before I think
Dave on a Time TR bike is probably one of the most beautiful Riders he’s just made for doing it you know he’s just very solid and stiff I mean he’s not nearly as match on a road bike but you put him on a Time Tri bike I mean that’s
What he’s made for also on a very good ride because he’s still a lot of Firepower in those legs he’s gone through the best time at that 4 and a half kilometers at exactly the same time as Dave zisy it’s all now going to be
For about the final 200 me and here is zabriski in the finishing line now well zabriski comes up it’s going to be best time but will he have survived this last kilometer better than Vladimir carpage behind him zisy might know I don’t know if he does or not but now he’s turning
On the style here he’s left alone to the finishing straight now the time to beat is 9 Minutes 23 he’s going to do it convincingly I think I said 917 his time is 9:22 well he faded just a fraction down towards the end but but now that is the
New Benchmark for Dave zabriski look at the face on zabriski here but he stayed tight he stayed a aerodynamic right down towards the end just peeking underneath his helmet there to look at the Finish Line he now knows he’s got the best time but Phil he’s probably got the best of
Two hours to wait to know if he can win this well the man here who might cause a problem is Vladimir car Paul take your mind back to the time title in the T swis just two weeks ago carpet shocked uh Canela by going fast in the early
Stages and then faded is it going to happen now well the important thing about the time trial is you have to use your effort over the whole of the distance carpet so safely around that corner that took out St o’ Grady around about half an hour ago he now is looking
At the flam Rouge he was in exactly the same time as zabriski he’s 809 and that’s almost exactly the same time as zabriski was at this point 2 minutes ago it is going to be a second either way it’s a question of which way and Dave
Zisy might find he’s not staying on top of the leaderboard for more than about a minute here as Vladimir carpit looks terrific with those long legs the Russian here stamping it out he got the white jersey when he came to the tour to France about three or four years ago he
Held the lead the year after that but he didn’t win it as more Young Riders started to come through but right now his only concern is to get the first yellow Jersey of the toour to France he’s trying to do that by setting best times AB brisy is home with 9
22.98 you can hear the team management through the little megaphone on top of the car shouting him on and he knows now it’s a matter of a second it’s a matter of a second or two as he now concentrates he looks at the clock above the Finish Line he knows it’s going to
Take it very close but this is a phenomenal performance by carpet well there’s the time as a bris and carpet is going to beat it 96.77% run well this is it we’ve seen him on the leaderboard at half distance and is he going to topple carpet it will
Be a surprise goep is a young developing Rider who has become the champion of his country in the time trial why shouldn’t the champion be the champion of his country here today in London he’s got 5 Seconds to get to that line I don’t know
He’s going to do he’s seen the clock and he’s jumped out the saddle and he’s done it by 34 of a second pole that is very close indeed you know he saw he knows he’s got he just in fact saluted the crowd there a little wave to them he
Knew that he just got inside at this point he looked at the clock there’s a clock up above the Finish Line he knew how close he was he sprinted every last little bit of energy coming out of his body at this point throws it at the line
Stops the clock thank you very much Russia first and second whe theing th000 this man riding the Tour of France for the last time been a great animator for Dutch cycling Michael Boger former national champion in fact he helped one of his teammates Phil win the national title
Just about a week ago but here going out to the starting here’s Rick verer not a bad ride by Rick verer the holder of the record of the fastest ever prologue in a grand tour and that was in the jro dalala at the amazing speed of 58 km an
Hour we were there it was incredible that day but he hasn’t repeated it when he rides in the prologs in the tour to France as verer comes up again he was the last Rider to be named in the cof of his team and he’s just crossed the line
With the ninth best time at the moment so that means 13 Riders have now finished and that’s not a bad position for Rick forer there of Belgium man that many people think will be the winner of the Tour of France Alejandro Val as he takes in the final deep
Breaths Alejandro valde now looking to try and succeed in this year’s toour to France bad memories last year when he crashed in FIA in Belgium he never rode across the border to the finish in Holland he went instead to hospital before that he beaten Lance Armstrong to
The top of Corel in a Mountain Stage in a previous year and he rides a good time trial and if we’re going to get a big surprise in the prologue this man should deliver it I think he should deliver it he’s one time trials in the past he’s
Improved his time trialing ability as well he realizes if he wants to win the Tour to France it’s in the time trial that he needed to make his improvements and he’s certainly done that Phil just before the start this morning I was doing an interview in the park just
Across the road from here and I was telling people that I thought that Alejandro valve was going to be one of the big favorites to win the Tour to France and all around me there were Spanish supporters and they were going Alejandro Alejandro and I’m sure that they’re out there this afternoon right
Up against the barriers pushing this man forward at speeds of around about 52 54 km an hour I just hope you turn around and said Bradley Wiggins Bradley Wiggins back to them because obviously they bias that is the yellow Jersey of the toas they all want them here this is Ian Mayo
At the moment racing up towards the line no this isn’t this is CL we get it right here this is the finish of Clen coming up towards the line there’s the ti to beat of 9:15 he’s got lots of time on his side here I think he might even have
Picked up in the closing 4 kilometers as well new best time charging up them all this is Andreas Clen of Germany now who’s going to go top of the leaderboard and what a beating 12 seconds 9 3.3 you’re going to have to beat 9 minutes to win this race you are
Certainly going to have to beat 9 minutes now to win this race that was a phenomenal performance by Andreas Clen fastest man at 42 km by 8 seconds he has knocked every body for six with a ride like that that is going to be very difficult indeed to beat 12 seconds
Faster than gusev and carpets Phil that is a ride that is a ride and George hppy should have heard that because he’s about to make his run now and he knows that the time he is aiming back is 9 Minutes 3 seconds and there he is as we
Look now he’s in the start house I think he’s on his way and he should be going and once he’s eyes on course he knows now what he’s going to do for as we switch it out on course to silan chavanel in CPP is behind Now by what 7
Kmet but he knows he’s got to do 9 Minutes 3 seconds and he shaved just into second place against Hush off we are now at the start house for David Miller the rider who has won the opening stage of the tour to France in the past
It was a long time trial then and that was when Lance Armstrong came up to us and said who’s the British guy and we told him but by then he’d already beaten Lance Armstrong in the opening time trial this is a big moment for David now
He’s waited to ride this race ever since it was announced he came to London he made sure he got team selection we know he’s extremely nervous we’ve been told he is can he produce it well he’s come out of the starting house there Phil very fast indeed and listen that’s the
Loudest we’ve heard the crowd so far here this afternoon a little bit partisan I suppose I spoke to his uh his Confidant and Mentor the former Tour of France Rider from Great Britain Max shandre he said that David Miller for the last week has been as nervous as a
Firste professional well that’s a good sign in my buck because that means you come out so wound up you’ve got to let the the clock spring go and get it all out here and now it’s goodbye to Westminster Abbey now as David Miller turns his back on one of London’s famous
Sites he hugs the barries he’s searching to make this a 7.8 k course rather than 7.9 meanwhile back in the start house Alexander vuro the favorite for the toor France is chasing him now surely that’s an inspiration well that must surely be an inspiration don’t worry too much
About Alexander vorov he’s not a bad longdistance time trialist he finished third in the long time trial in the 2005 to the France but Phil that was 19 kilm not 8 km like today’s time TR will be looking for Vin kurov I think later in the tour I I’m absolutely sure you’re
Right but he’s now chasing David Miller a British favorite now and the boy who lives just over the road and probably shops down here in Oxford Street he looks very very concentrated the champion of Athens with a gold medal a silver an a bronze well this is the moment Paul it’s
Not the time to ask what he’s thinking about I would say absolutely nothing other than being the fastest man in London today as he goes down that R he grits his teeth he kicks with every pedal a light p now he knows that probably the vast majority of the crowd
Know this man they’re going to shout him around this course he’s got the gold silver and bronch medals the queen gave him the order of the British Empire because of that but I think he’d give him all back if he could win the prologue today he has got no more
Chances in his life to win the prologue time trial of the tour to France in London this is a big pressure for this man this afternoon he knows that he’s trained for that I’m absolutely convinced that since the end of the doof Liber where he won the prologue time
Trial in that event BFI this man has now fought London that’s all that’s been in his mind for the last few weeks to get himself ready for this he now knows this is his discipline this is his speciality as you said he’s got Olympic medals at this discipline he’s got World medals at
This distance this is what he wants now and because he is a Londoner he was the ambassador of this weekend here and has been very busy doing PR uh but the last couple of days he’s gone a little bit into quietness waiting for the big
Moment well I have to say I think our hopes for Great Britain are going to have to lie on the shoulders of Bradley Wiggins cuz Miller has gone through the first time check 11 seconds Off the Mark I don’t think he’ll pick that up in the
Last part of the race Wiggins now is carrying the hopes of a Nation here and what a magical start that would be Philip Bradley Wiggins can win the prolog he’s thinking a lot further ahead than the Finishing Line in the mall of the prologue time trial he’s thinking
The Finishing Line on theis in the shadow of the AR trium in 3 weeks time but he can deliv the goods in the tar we’ve seen him do it in the tour of Georgia in the Tour of California in the do Liber race this man can ride a cool
Time test and look at that his eyes fixed Straight Ahead just using his legs he kicks he’s jersey in the stouse now they only man intitled to wear it this year is the man who won the title last year Fabian canelar he won the prologue
Of the tour deu he has won the prologue of the Tour of France in the past and he’s told us he’s going to win it again today well we saw him fill in the tour of Switzerland just recently and he was absolutely flying he top and tail that
Race in the time trial won the prologue time trial and won the final time trial as well but he wants to win this he in fact yesterday said at the team presentation I want everybody to see that the world champion is the best and well the W is kicking the bike there
Paul I was hoping it wasn’t going to fall to pieces because he really did give it some strong pedal Strokes coming down that ramp quickly into his riding style here now the world champion of the time trial cusing through the Streets of London as Fabian kelal will try to catch
Up with that police escort in front if there’s anybody left in the race now who can remove Andreas Clen from the top it is Fabian Canela and maybe Moro as well well maybe Moro Moro is riding very well but Moro is not a little bit too old to
Actually get the Pace High Michael Rogers will be in the Starting Gate and let’s not forget Philip we’re talking about world champions he was three times world champion at this discipline and he is looking at being right on four for this three weeks so maybe two Michael
Rogers could do the best time trial performance he’s done in the last possible Oscar periro second overall last year last man to start the last man to go out of the start house bringing to an end the starters in the opening prologue of the to of France Rider Number
189 Oscar perero has done nothing this year except try to get in the team for the TOA France and the rider who won last year is going to do nothing this time out in the prologue time Tri because this is Toof I don’t think he’s
Got quite the same form as he had one year too in Strasburg as he slips away from the leaderboard well he was a great time trialist as a as an amateur in fact he was a world under 23 time trial Champion but he doesn’t really seem to
Have had the great form this season he’s there in 23rd place as all of the other sprinters F not very far off the top of the board and that’s probably going to be fairly important for him out on Corone now is Alexandro Balan as we flick back to Kristoff Moro I think the
French are looking to see whether Moro can put in a top performance here this afternoon because for him it’s going to be important if he’s going to be the best Frenchman at the end of this three weeks of racing 507 for celara ahead of Clen hppy and carpets the fastest ever
Prolog time trial 34.3 mph or 55.1 192 km an hour he must be running that very very close and uh we watch him clip this corner now takes it wide almost brushes with his shoulder here now let’s watch him when he gets toady’s Bend up the road a little ways because that’s where
Steuart ogrady came to grief back to the Finish Denny menop another man for long-term possibilities in the tour this year the Russian Rider expects to do well his time trial nothing special 27 seconds off clo it could be over half a minute when celara gets home well celara
Sitting up he almost putting the motorbikes into difficulty they can’t get around these Corners as fast as he can f they don’t realize how fast going that he’s coming right up behind that was the ogrady Ben but now he’s sprinting after those bikes who almost got caught by this flyer from
Switzerland he’s got to beat the time he’s going to go inside he’s going to go inside 8 minutes he is going to go inside of nine minutes when it comes to the Finish Line he’s inside of 8 minutes at 1 kilm to go Phil I think we are
Looking at 8 minutes and 55 seconds when this man comes up to the finish line and he doesn’t look like a man who is going to slow down at all he is looking now at the the sweeping Ben right in front of him right in front of Buckingham Palace
Cadell Evans could probably feel his breath on his neck well cadell Evans another man looking to the Future and not to the PR but that’s a great ride from cadel it’s overshadowed look at the distance the far distance of the world champion of the time trial the man who
Has won the prologue before in Belgium doesn’t seem to like winning them in France because now he’s going to win this one in London as he rides on the straight this has been a ride to save your life celara has put the icing on the cake for a Brant London organization
Today as he spins towards the line to beat the 9 Minute barrier he beat it he annihilated 8 minutes and 50 seconds no one left can do that there’s nobody left in this bike race Michael Rogers I’m sure canot do that at all because Michael Rogers is not in the top five at
4.5 kilometers Fabian kelara announced to us yesterday Phil I’m the world champion at this discipline I’ll show you I’m the best I think he’s done it there’s no doubt he has done it how long will he keep the lead because the yellow Jersey awaits in now Oscar periro is
Being blown away by the exhaust stream I think of Fabian kelara he started 2 minutes behind celara ahead of perero is Rogers they’re not going to appear as that a very very rare atmosphere I can assure you of that well I tell you what Oscar periro has not done too bad a ride
He’s only 20 seconds off Fabian canala when you know how fast kelara was going that’s a good performance at half Distance by the way he’s wearing number 11 the organization of the Tour of France this year have decided not to issue number one which normally goes to
Last year’s winner because as we all know last year’s winner is not yet decided and it’s still in arbitration so Oscar Pereira is wearing number 11 number one won’t Exist by Oscar perero totally overshadowed by Fabian celara but periro also has found the form he wants now for the long journey to the
Eiffel Tower which is 3 weeks away tomorrow well as I always say at this point of the tour field there’s still four Sundays to go before we get to the shaiz I think that’s a good performance Oscar Pereira 21st losing himself 36 seconds he’ll be happy when he looks at
The result she tonight yes he’s almost half smiling here maybe somebody told him Fabian canelar is time I can’t get over that the only man to break the 9 Minutes barriers so that is a tremendous ride by Oscar perero Big Ben ticks on quietly unassumingly he gave us a clang
Qu past 6 and we continue at 6:30 as well 8 minutes 50 8 13 seconds better than Clen and the only man inside 9 minutes for 8 km formidable H cppy in third slot Wiggins in fourth gusf in fifth these boys are champions or Vladimir carpage must be shocked now to
Be sitting in six he looks so good halfway through vinura the man with the favorite tag on him is in seventh place here newcomer 22y old Deca in eight quinata has been a great great ride to take ninth and the champion of France didn’t disgrace his New Jersey there
Vulgar in 10th David zisy probably won’t be too happy with this in the end he was best time when he finished then got pushed to Second and now finishes in 11th place champion of Spain Gutierrez is 12th the other top GD DAV Miller unlucky 13th for him and the top 15
Propped up there by another newcomer here Alberto contador m a bit further down for you top Australian cadell Evans getting one over on Michael Rogers there Rogers only finishing in 20th Place and a good ride too from Silvan chaanel the former time trial champion of France he
Was in the years5 and six their Champion loses 36 this is the moment a man from Switzerland salutes the crowd just like he did in Belgium a couple of years ago in the a Fabian celara Fabian I really think we should say fabulous celara I think you’re quite right there Phil
Because that performance today was fabulous phenomenal many sple has come to mind but he’s the only man who got inside that 99-minute Mark and he looked powerful just coming out of the starting Round one two one two one two hello and welcome as we look here at the city of canterberry now which is waiting the start of the first Sage of the to of France this is a beautiful city I’ve got nothing well this is the map here the
Whole of the route around France of course but the first two days have been spent very much around London as we look here now it’s 3 weeks today before we finish in the Eiffel Tower we spent yesterday in the prologue today we’re spending a ride of 126 miles as we leave
London and dive South and the West as we head out east rather towards the finish in Canterbury 203 km no real Hills along the way let’s have a look at some facts for you it’s about the distance in San Francisco to montere in California and it’s the first tour to France ever to
Finish in Cury so the three intermediate spins along the way and three category 4 climbed Them so we’re watching now the start of what is a a special stage these are the men we expect to be down in touch with the Sprint at the finishing line today Robbie mccuan three time a green jersey winner Tom bonan who crashed out the previously is looking for a big win now
And to hop who became the first Norwegian ever to take the green jersey in the tour to France don’t know whether he’s sprinting well enough just yet but he’s certainly shown us that he wants to be in the frame here for career toward the France stage win for him and not
Least of course the prolog in Strasburg last year well the green jersey competition is what we’ll concentrate on these early days this is how it happens you get stage points when you finish in the top five places their big points but they go right down to 25th place where
You get a single point for crossing line 25th and uh join the medium stages when there’s not so many hard cles you have slightly less points but finally you get points very important to remember that along the way you get point 64 and two at the special Sprint stages and that’s
Where you can pick them up there they are first to third at the intermediate Sprints and uh let’s go and have a look how the race has gone so far before I join Paul sh in commentary this was the start at just before 11:00 this morning in the city of London that’s Tower
Bridge the Riders cutting the ribbon there along with Ken Livingstone on the left the mayor of London and the Riders underway and the famous British infantry there with the busbies on watching the race leave very very interesting shot indeed saying goodbye to the river temps canelar the winner of the prologue
Yesterday has the first yellow Jersey as they made the way out towards the race start proper at uh Greenwich and the ride is then facing up to 126 mil a big attack early on David Miller making the move for Great Britain 13th in the prologue yesterday quickly joined
By a small group of riders but at the start it was all Miller then we went to the first wi at Gillingham and it was here where Miller was still clear on his own by about a minute on a chase group of four Riders so Miller got it ahead of
Grifco and Kinski the C the main field at this point 5 and 1/2 minutes behind the catch then came as the riders came together in the region of chattam in the Medway towns Miller wisely waiting for these riders with a lead of 5 minutes on the field and then five riders coming
Together and again another Sprint this time at the Village of teston the crowd’s totally enormous all the way along the race Miller getting the maximum points in the green jersey competition he now has 12 points in that competition all right well now we can go down to the live action on today’s route
Of of the tour def France we’re looking at the Riders here Paul this has been a most unique occasion huge crowds the gap for the first time for many kilometers coming down a little bit 4 minutes and 56 seconds uh they’re just pegged at the minute yeah I think team CSC have got
This race pretty much under control they’re not panicking at all now they know they’ve got 100 kilm to go they’ve got 2 and 1/2 hours of racing still under their belt to before they can get themselves to the Finish line and I think they are fairly confident now that
When they need to they can turn up the screws and pull this race back together again now the rider who abandoned by the way the Spanish Rider Eduardo Gonzalo for Agri turble the first Rider to give up the tour such an early stage apparently there was a touch of Wheels
He did crash and he has injured his shoulder uh we had no word of that on radio tour so uh we’re very sad for the young Spanish Rider in his first T the France pole it’s hardly started and he’s out that’s very tough indeed because
He’d only done about 60 70 km into his first tour to France and that will be a sad day for him the main field now going through the feeding Zone and you see how team CSC all up at the front end of the main field also in the dark blue jersey
There not wanting to get involved in any possible accidents towards the rear is Tom bonan being very attentive that’s a sign to me that the big Belgian Sprinter is thinking about the the Finish cadel Evans also very close to the front end of the mainfield I have to say in the
Time trial yesterday pH of all of the contenders I was very impressed by the time trial of cadell Evans cuz cadell is not really renowned as a prologue time trialist but I think he’s improved his time traling a lot and probably enough to seriously think this year about a
Podium position around about 63 miles to go here 97 kilm or so uh Royal Tage Wells is the venue for the field the leaders have passed through they’ve gone through about 5 minutes ago and the Riders down there are being led through by Yen boy who is fiting around see what
Food they’ passed up there in that little bag and enjoying the crowd a tremendous atmosphere the whole route today one big smile as the Riders have seen huge crowds uh all the way along the Route 5 minutes still officially the time Gap the pelor the yellow Jersey and
The green jersey owned by the same ride at the moment Fabian celara after yesterday’s win in the time Trial so the face here of David Miller who really was determined after his time Tri yesterday you may have heard on versus him say at the Finish he did he didn’t do a great ride but he couldn’t have done better he said he finished
13th in the end but he knows now he can win a stage of this year’s race right now we’re on the coat to godur or coat to gurst or gurst Hill there’s the USA flag on the left and here comes the Cavalry right down the center as everybody just wants to get on
Television right now I don’t think it’s the top of Al Duz but I could be excused I think is that snow or Cloud up there Paul uh somehow I think that’s Cloud at the top of gurst hill as these Riders now and for David Miller he’s in the
First position he’s now going to have to be very attentive he wants to get himself maximum points if he wants any hope of trying to get himself and now this is move this has come from Freddy Freddy bishu decided he’s not fast enough to beat these guys so he’s gone
Early and they weren’t ready for that one hats off to the Frenchmen it’s still a little bit of a Sprint Miller’s got a good position tagged onto the tail but I think he’s going to be beaten by the boys who got a little bit too serious is
In the Sprint now and bishu has gone for this and he’s not going to get it because he going to be the LI gas Rider Kushi Kinski rather who’s gone over the top of him and I can’t see griffco so he must have fall on back well this is a
Good result I suppose Kinski got one point last time so he’s got four now and he’s been dropped again well what about that they’ve underestimated our little Hills in the south of England Port I think they certainly have under arrested the climbs here and you can see that
There’s another move going from the rider from Agri tuell he realized that he started it off and unfortunately for him this is an interminable Hill down here in the south of England yes because there’s no big banners on the fourth category Hill they’re not too sure where
The top is and Stefan o there’s the banner up the road might well snatch the points here but I think Freddy bishu done the right thing first tour to France for him and on his very first full of day of racing he grabs points in the king of the mountains this time he’s
Well beaten and they given up now he can have a little rest look at the crowd on the climb of G HST there is the line no Banner but there’s a definite line and he’s got it if fedie bishu gets the points rather spot the perfect day through David Miller there I
Tell you what though that hurt you can just see as he crossed the line he almost he’s already gasping for breath he really put himself into oxygen Deb there I think he thought this was going to be one of those sort of Bruton climbs which is around about a kilometer long
But this climb was getting pretty close to 2 kilm here is the other Frenchman in the Breakaway coming clear Stephan o he’s coming up to make it too yes David Miller actually seemed to be under a little bit of pressure there when the accelerations came just wish our camera
Would look back David just got one point that might be enough to give him the king of the mountains but the Tailwind there on the another new flag that was the flag of Flanders flying there with the black line on it and indicating a Tailwind up the climb good spin very
Famous Hill in club cycling down in Kent GST hill now seen it I’m going to make sure I never go there on my bike well I think one or two of these Riders wish they hadn’t gone there on their either because it was quite explosive the acceleration to get up there to the
[Applause] top well that was tremendous as the pelaton uh dropping back a little bit there 546 and Miller’s come through our picture in third frame we’ll have to wait for the result but if he got the point it might be the difference he didn’t Kinski got the point there so
That’s going to mean at the moment Kinski has got two points Miller has got three uh and that all well with bishu who’s also got three so they really need to stay away now till tenton Hill which is still about 11 M away so that might
Be touch and goal if they can contest the hill at tenton that will certainly decide who goes in tomorrow in the poka do Jersey are now taking this a little bit more serious now the time has come to reel in the five boys out front and I
Think they will I don’t think we can hold out any hope they will survive they don’t believe there’s any hope they can survive because three major team teams with major sprinters now McAn bonan and to Hush off have sent their team mates to the front to give CSC a hand and
Bring them back so that one of those three can win the day that’s the theory and as I say it doesn’t always work out but that’s the theory that’s the theory and I think the theory will be respected here once we get down to the finish line
But for the leading group of five they have survived for the final Sprint point of the day as the Riders make their way into the outskirts of tenton there is a final bonus Sprint point Point as well Miller has been uh one been completely successful so far he’s taken both of
Them out on the road and grabbed himself 12 seconds time bonus to be deducted from his overall time in this race and I think he’ll be trying to look to see whether or not he can grab the next 6 seconds as well 500 me to go for the
Sprint Miller just moving himself into an ideal position to try and grab this one I think he’s going to make a move for it he’s going to follow beu becoming his rival in this uh in this Breakaway here but watch out for grico who’s lining up just behind him he’s in his
Third tour def France 156 kajinski he’s in his first tour the France and won’t believe that there’s crowds like this all the way around the route every day Miller’s got himself in the hot seat now not the best place to be if you want to win a spint but we’re into tenton
Here now and this is one of the beautiful towns here in Kent usually a very busy bustling town you would take a long time to get down this road on a normal day but not to today in the Tour of France and B Show’s opening up and
Grifco heard him coming grico’s tried to push him over to the barriers but kazinski gone through on the other side Miller says I’m having none of that go and fight it out for yourself kusinski wins it and then I think it was probably bishu in second place with grifco taking
The third well just looking at that massive Sprint there I’m a little bit surprised maybe Miller is starting to weaken after putting a lot of effort in in the early part of this Breakaway but that Sprint I have to say there I can only imagine that they were sprinting it
Out for the money because these Riders a long way down in the overall classification and there really is a phenomenal crowd here on the side of the road probably better than we’ve seen in many many years and you notice it was Kinski and the lime green of liquid gas
That pulled them all back together but I think you can see that the cohesion has disappeared from this group now they’re starting to lose it the body’s starting to get that little bit pained and we’re probably looking at um not very much more than an hour and a quarter hour and
20 minutes to the finish so it’s getting to the very important part of the game when the leading group of five know that the writing is pretty much on the wall for them it’s a question of when will they get caught not if they will get
Caught well I know that DAV Miller would love this to just hang on out there until he gets to the last 20 km or 12 miles from oh it’s been a crash oh that’s been quite a prank now I don’t know how that happened I’ll cam it looks
Like the Breakaway oh no it’s in the pelaton same Riders but it’s in the pelaton they’ve hit a and there you can hear it there and that was a nasty break there cuz the rider going down there for team milram was in fact Brett Lancaster that’s Brett Lancaster of Australia who
Is on the right hand well we’ve been talking about the crash we’ve lost one Rider early today uh but that is by far the worst for that’s a shame well Lancaster is up just he looks okay Lancaster but that’s what it’s always about the first day on the open road
Phil the guys are all very nervous indeed and the central Islands the directional Islands used for controlling the traffic are not very handy for bike racing on the open road Island and that’s what’s making cycling much more dangerous all over Europe well that is very very sad nobody’s fault Christian m is the
Rideing red trying to get through there but that has happened in the St Michaels I think the town is where it’s happened I’ll be a little bit further down the road here near beths but look at this at the moment this is aier xio we thought it might have been Alejandro valde but
It’s his teammate who’s gone down hers whoever you are but it’s less important for the team I would like to hope that Alejandro Val riding at the front end of the main field let’s not forget he was robbed of a chance of vying for a high
Finish overall last year in the to of France when he crashed up very early on and broke his collarbone and in fact poor O valde on that occasion just about 12 months ago Phil was actually riding in around about 25th position when that crash went down so unfortunately it
Happened at the front end of the main field on that occasion not at the back obviously the Riders did not sight that Central obstruction there as they were splitting for it it was padded as you saw but Brett still managed to land rather awkwardly Brett the fastest rider
In the world in the 4,000 met team Pursuit holds the world record oh and that start a replay I needly jumped out my skin again I looked up and saw another crash I’m sorry about that everyone but I thought that was the repl as BR Lancaster landed very
Awkwardly Zio on the ground nearest camera and the other Faller here was the rider from Agri Turell I couldn’t quite see his face there but uh I hope they’re okay I think they were you probably heard the crowd applaud as the Riders rode off appreciating uh the situation
Of the day 226 now it’s time to get mats put to ride you can see his arms already started to bleed now this is why cyes have to be tough there’s no taking the rest of the day off or the rest of the week you have to not only finish every
Day the tour to France you have to finish within a very strict time limit otherwise you’re eliminated well you have to get right back into it as well and you can’t spend especially when the main field is starting to chase you can’t spend a lot of time on the ground
Trying to think about whether you’re hurt or not the most important thing that goes through your mind is get back onto the bike and get going and it looks to me as if the case depa team themselves there the car also had a little bit of an accident because it
Hasn’t got a back window in it and I wonder if there’s been an accident out on the course involving what 30 m or so outside the Finishing Line in the city of Canterbury 49 km they’re looking a bit tired now I don’t blame them this is
Kazinski at the back in his first toward the fast looking time little bit of disorganization now and this is how the the two Riders up front and O again who’s appeared to be tired has gone once more with his fench partner bishu yeah but I think the sad thing is that David
Miller seems to be paying for the rapid effort that he made in the first hour of racing and he’s been caught out with griffco now let’s not forget griffco was the man who was in difficulty when we went over the last climb the climb of
Godur and it seems to me as if David Miller is about to disappear from the front group and although he was very inspirational early on I think he’s losing his Mark well they sense that this Breakaway was losing its composure and the two French R decided to see just
What’s going on and the answer is they’ve caught Miller and they’ve caught griffco and they’re both going to sit back the Tour of France doesn’t end today in canterburry as those Riders well know and if you’re feeling a bit tired time to enjoy what you’ve done and
Get back into the relatively comfort of the pack because that pack will travel into town at 60 km an hour and it may even be too quick for and grico when they do catch up with them so we’ll see but this little Trio here getting themselves back together so we reduce
Now to Kinski Bish show and O and Miller has decided to call it today cuz he’s sat up throws away the bottle there griffco and they’re going to sit up and now and wait for the main field to catch them the reason he’s doing this now Phil
Is because he realizes that the legs are starting to weaken it’s no good trying to destroy yourself because this is after all really only day one on the open road of a 3-we bike race and if you’re not going to win don’t waste any the top of this small climb known as far
In common and the field are just a hatful of seconds behind them now look at it 17 seconds for the leading Riders I think it’s all over now there they are in the distance well Farthing common little climb in Kent Paul who would have ever thought it would carry quite such a
Significant part of the weekend in the Great Britain roads British roads I think this now is tilting to the advantage of David Miller because Stephan o has decided he’s going to take it clear and it is amazing how that things can change in the day on the tour
To France because early on this young man looked like he’s in serious difficulty I thought he was going to get dropped on a number of occasions he’s ridden through that bad patch that he went through and now he’s looking very strong there you’ve got it David Miller
I think now can breathe a sigh of relief because these two Riders are very rapidly back in the fold 6 km from the top of faring common be sure who could have been the king of the mountains in his first tour to France has just gone
Back into the field now the boys in yellow might well shut down now they’ve no reason to do this as far as I can see anymore well they’ve still got the possibility of of course Francisco ventoso has been a pretty good Sprinter in the early part of the Season job done
Number one is pulling back bicho he’s back in the fold and they will keep working I would expect them to to get some assistance now from Tom bonin’s team you can see the dark blue jerseys of Quick Step they’re not very far away from the front they waiting for the time
When they need to start whipping up the pacemaking well he’s stamping away on far in common here he’s about a Kil well he’s about a mile from the top of the climb pole it’s amazing he has found something very special all he’s got to
Do is just to get over the top of this climb but I think the little bit of drama at the back there was Robbie MCU was involved in that accident and Robbie MCU is chasing with a couple of teammates trying to get himself back into this race well we don’t really know
What happened back there Riders changed Wheels but it might well have been a tumble of four to five riders in that narrow road and unlikely unusual rather not unlikely unusual for Rob to ever get involved in a tiff like that he’s nearly always brilliant bike Handler but this
Now is Stephan o and he’s hoping he’s going to have the greatest moment of his life here because he he’s never worn a lead as Jersey of any color in the Tour of France and if he keeps on this what’s happening here another problem at the back here this is Mark Cavenders who’s
Also had a bit of a problem with his bike and he’s actually shouting at the side of the road there the team M manager is up alongside he’s got to stay calm he’s got to stay calm they’ll get him away quickly now there’s a problem
With the front wheel no that was a I think that was a replay wasn’t it that’s a little bit of panic for Mark Cavendish there he’s got to stay calm and get back into this race this is O making his way up to the front Mark cavish has had his problems
At the back and Robbie murin has had his problems at the back fifth to to France for o and and he has never had a leaders jersey now that probably whatever’s happened in that lane Paul we’ve had McAn stopped we think it was a fall we don’t know we’ve had Riders change tires
The PTO do Jersey tomorrow will be worn by Stephan o it might not David Miller is on the front end of the main field trying to get himself second place if David Miller in the yellow Jersey gets himself second place there he’s going to be equal on points I think he has that
Man well there was a Sonia Duval Rider there now we don’t know if that was Miller paor is this the first or the last day they to that was David Miller at the front and it looks like it was because there he is swung back now there
Was two zy Deval cross that line together he’s got the lead well we’re going to have to wait for the judge’s decision I did see the last time we caught a very quick glimpse of the front end of the main field David Miller setting the tempo but let’s not forget
You can see now team quickstep getting themselves organized I need to know right now where is Robbie MCU who was off off the back with a couple of teammates chasing to get himself back into the main field where is Mark Cavendish the T-Mobile man who was
Expected to well in this Sprint he is off the back stepan o is going to be back in the main field any moment now there he is and he will wonder he will want to know he’s trying to talk to the team manager who got second well we’re
Waiting to find that answer as well and the watch there a b change G for Mark cavage well the problem wasn’t solved well welcome to the tour to France Mark it’s your first day of a road r section of the tour and at the most crucial
Stage of the race a man who could win today for the is of man is now having to fight back into the race at just 18 km from the Finish o has gone back into the pack it’s blue skies overhead it’s blue jerseys on the front Cedric Vasser now
Racing for Tom bonen of Belgium Miller got second Miller’s on the podium tonight we just hear it in fact so it is all good news for one British Rider and a lot of wasted effort from for another right now well that was really bad luck for Mark Cavendish first day out on the
Open roads I’m sure he was nurturing thoughts of trying to get himself a victory even if he does get himself filled back into this main pack he’s going to have a very sore pair of legs this is the train behind for Robbie mccuan look at mccuan there just sitting
Behind his teammates they have all dropped back to try and Pace Robbie Muran into the main field Robbie McAn has now got less than 12 miles to get himself back into into the main field and will he then not only be able to get into the main field but get to the front
Of it serious look on Robbie’s face right now but it’s still is the man has won 176 bicycle races since he turned Pro in 1996 on the fastest men ever in the world of cycling and uh the second biggest winner in the current professional cycling circus 17 1 half
Kilomet to go the pelaton in being led by the boys in blue we’ve just gone under the 4 km to go Banner the field are virtually all together um McAn has got back into the peleton but no sign of him making progress yet 3 and A2 kilm to [Applause]
Go under that Banner Paul yes 3 km to go and our clock’s slightly out today but that’s a GPS system for you as we’re now watching here the men of Tom bonan who’ve done everything to right bonan won nine times this year he give them
All up for a win in the stage of the tour to France today as now they go around these narrow roads but this race has been so well organized now 2.7 km 1.8 m to go Lampe are confident they can take berati to the lead well looking
Over his shoulder the lampre rider is looking to see where is danieli berarti now we are being left at the front with a lot of dark blue jerseys team quickstep looking over their shoulders the man who will fire it up for team quickstep is the man who actually
Doesn’t wear the same color helmet as the rest of the team he’s wearing a white helmet Tom boan and and these guys now have got to keep the pace nice and high for another couple of minutes they’ve still got a good organization this is what you call a train in the
Sport of professional cycling four Riders from quickstep now they will peel off as they go over these final few kilometers well they’ve done their job the team domestics are out of the kitchen and working hard here now they’re doing their job for Tom boner boner will be just out of our picture
You can’t see him but he’s there with the white helmet he’s the last man in the line to be delivered to the Finish if he can win but there’s other Riders trying to break in I think that’s Oscar frer the small figure frera in the orange Jersey dodging in amongst the
Wheels now and zarbl team of mil ramama coming through well mil ramama have got a very good train they were designed this train to look after alesandro but on this occasion they’re looking after Eric zabble the old man of the sport and that’s zabble now up into fourth position they’re going to start
Climbing very surely they’re going outside the old walls of the city of Canterbury they make the sweeper now very shortly they’ll take a leftand sweeper with about a kilometer to go and then they will start to climb up towards the Finish Line a beautiful crowd it’s a
Lovely day and the Tour of France is saying its farewells to England in magnificent style here while a lonely figure of Cavendish will come in by himself this field has gone through the barriers and it is looking for a lead out at one kilometer from the Finish now
It may well be Eric zaral will take on Tom Bon and I still can’t see Robin MCU from the helicopter but there is a jersey down there from his team now as we see come off this Banner here and our cameras have had to move away from us
But that looks as though zaral is not farther away zaral is lined up in third place here bonan is in fourth place benati is in fifth place the big sprinters and they’re waiting for the move and Foster is in there as well now watch out for Hunter who’s also going to
Have a dig for B World Robbie Hunter as he wobbles all over the road now and they’re chasing him down as best they can but this is going to be a win for Robbie hunter or is it the South African Rider is trying to take them to the the
Line here this will be a tremendous surprise a wildcard team for victory as Hunter grits his teeth as he gone to Robbie Hunter Robbie MCU is coming mcin the acceleration on the middle of the picture the man off the back is going to win Robbie MCU and the Man from Nowhere
Welcome home unbelievable I don’t know Paul how on Earth does that happen that’s impossible what Robie McAn has just done he was at the back of the main field with 5 kilometers to go he fought his way through that field Phi he did never gave up he never thought about
Giving up for one moment look at this picture you can’t even see a Robbie McAn anywhere at all in that picture and then all of a sudden when we pull back there is the pink jersey of the rider from predictor Lotto he was down he was out
But he’s a pro he’s a professional bike rider he waited till the last possible moment he never panicked he kept his calm like a magical poker player I can’t believe that hun Hunter thought he got it now let’s look at this again that’s Robbie Hunter on the the front look at
The speed of muan off the back off the front Tom bonan comes far far too late Hush off two they’re all trying to get him this is the man who is the fastest finisher he doesn’t win by inches does he he certainly doesn’t win by inches he certainly wanted that congratulations
There coming from Robert forer as he comes across the line what a great win as they file away now through the Camas there’s the two arm salute is it one of Amazement or is hey folks here I am as always MCU and I make that a win
About 178 in his career but as far as Robbie goes that was magnificent and as usual he’ll have a great tale to tell us there’s the Finish who needs a photograph when Robbie’s winning because that for him is his 12th ever stage win in a toy to France and I think that was
Probably the hardest one that he’s ever had to come by because he had to battle to get back into that race and I know exactly how he had to battle to get from the back of that mainfield up to the front of the pelaton in those final few
Kilometers he must have taken incredible risks to pull himself up there he must have gone up through the IDE on a number of occasions and there is confirmation the Riders now briefly touch France and then go into Belgium now as the tour to France continues a
Long ride of 169 km the sun of Britain could be replaced but not only by the enthusias of the Belgian people but by the rainclouds as well but we’re certain of a great day of racing to equal the wonderful starts we’ll concentrate on this competition today of course because
This is for the most consistent Sprinter of the race and Ronnie Robie McAn here I don’t believe he believed he was still working in a days here there he is he got 35 points gathered yesterday Hof in second place got 30 Tom bonan he’ be a
Big man today Paul with 26 he certainly will be a big man a little bit disappointed by Tom bonan but out on the road today there are three intermediate Sprint points to boinger westender and arela and there the Riders across the line can get 64 and two points but of
Course naturally the big points on the finish line from first to fifth 35 30 26 24 and 22 points going down to a single point for 25th place I tell you what Tom Boon today but F he’s got to be my man we’re in Belgium already the race moving
Away a little bit of rain at the start in Dunkirk today these are the lovely Shadows which are tucked away in east and west Flanders which is where we’re racing through today we’ve had one Sprint result he came at boing girl at 45 km in the three breakaways they’re
Still away by the way is Cedric a Ruben Perez and Marcel seberg there they are they got away 18 km in around uh around about 11 miles into the race building a lead now of 5 minutes all of these boys blazing p pioneering Paul their first tour to France Trail I think everybody
Excited after having a wonderful weekend in the United Kingdom and now that we’re actually sort of right on the continent having left France behind very early this morning these guys I think want to try and as you say blaz a trail they try to build up an advantage if they can
It’s currently up to the 5 minute Mark but I think with so many great sprinters in the race and the sprinters delight at the finish line here in Gent I think once again we’ll see a very similar scenario to that of yesterday when they get chased down towards the end
Yeah I think you’re probably right dry roads at the moment and everybody fearing the strong wind which tend to blow here but they’re not here today very strangely now we’re going to show you during the coverage uh heart beats out on the course they should have them
On us in the Sprint finish Ball but these are the Riders who have heart rate monitors today in the pelaton not all of them we’ve given them to the ones we could find at the beginning and we’ll be reading what the hearts are doing as they come towards the Finish well this
Is the beauty of England behind us now but this is a wonderful active part as far as cycling is concerned now in Belgium here as the Belgium Flags fry proudly and the crowds will be big believe me You’ got to ride now these boys are just desperate AXS here final
Throws perhaps but they’re making this pelaton keep asking themselves are we going to bring these Riders back or not are they going to spoil a brilliant day in Belgium for perhaps Tom bonan or even Robbie mccuan because he is basically a Belgian during the cycling season there down there the flotilla of motorbikes
Proximity of the Riders look at the crowds here now as if you didn’t know we were in Belgium there’s plenty of flags to prove it and they are still holding them up 15 seconds 15 seconds is really not very much at all if you want to calculate how much it is in distance
That’s around about 250 M that’s all the advantage these Riders have got and if you look at all the motorbikes and all of the cars that are moving forward that’s the race referees getting everybody out of that Gap because the race refere for know that this is about
To be an imminent catch but these Riders still they are so brave so courageous they will not give up until the last possible moment 5 kilm to go as seberg turns the gas now because the rain has stopped the humidity as you can see is on our camera lens it all brings this
Rather Eerie feeling to the Tour of France riding through the mist and this is a great move by Perez as he goes past now this is a last disch effort 12 seconds over the main field he’s got the gap five to go Ruben has gone a Spanish
Rider leading in the tour to France on a flat stage not unprecedented but virtually so and now it is again IR who tries to make amends but I’m not sure now but look at the face of cber tube they’re hesitating I think this is the
Last one he’s going to be on his own now he’s going to have to make it himself or not we are only 4 kilm from the finish and he’s holding 12 seconds well he’s holding 12 seconds he’s got got to Ride Like the Wind now if this man from the
Mountains of Spain wants to win on the flat lands of Belgium he’s looking now at just outside 4 km ago here comes a big strong seberg I said he was the strongest rider in the group he’s come across that Gap as if it was nothing but
Can he take a deep breath and get through because Here Comes her again the three men have been together the Musketeers All For One one for all as they broke away at 18 km they are now three from the end they’ve only haven’t that peleton now for 140 km but they
Might see it in just a moment the Lampe boys are here now for Daniela Berardi as well they’ve really made a meal of this they have made a very long effort to try and catch those three Riders but once those three Riders now started to attack like that Feld they will lose their
Impetus they will lose their average speed they will drop down from 45 km an hour to 42 or 43 the race on the front of the main field now needs to get organized still there’s no one team there’s a lot of pink jerseys up there that’s TMobile those will be the Riders
Looking for Mark Cavendish who had a little bit of bad luck on the roads of the United Kingdom yesterday but we’ll hope to make that good this afternoon when he’s on the road to Belgium where he had his first ever major success Cavendish is right in there the tail of
Those T-Mobile Riders he has made the right end of the split today at 3 km to go there is the ban up they’ve timed it to Perfection look over your shoulders boys well done all three of you but now get out of the way because because the
Train is about to mow you down as leaky gas also leaves the charge on the far right now is quickstep now will anybody try their luck well if Tom bonan wants to win this race here this afternoon as they negotiate that nasty little Bend
Here that’s the bend at 3 km to go I told you about it’s fairly straight now as we line up towards the Finish Line This is the circular Road around gent they’ve got that final little kick at 750 m to go but for Tom boner to win he
Needs to be launched into action they call him torpedo Tom here in Belgium and he will be right at the end of all of his teammates but floating in his slipstream you can be absolutely certain there’ll be a little man from Australia the man in the green jersey who for the
Moment we still can’t see and that is Robbie mccuan and trying to get on te’s Mark Cavendish team of Great Britain they’re the riders in the move and the blue jerseys are the jerseys of Tom boner this is going to be def finish these are the first time oh there’s been
A terrible pile up there a massive pile up on the road the Jersey has gone he will get the same time because of their International regulations they will not lose time but how many are down and who has gone down well I’m not sure who the
First man was to go down there but went very hard it looks as if there’s a green jersey gone down there as well it’s not very often you see Robbie mchu and that could be a rider from Cy Agri call that’s a little bit of chaos inside the
Last three GES T-Mobile and now has this work the other way today for Mark kavenish who is up here with the lead out as Oscar is also still in there and I think bonan may be there but I’m not sure bonan I think must be right in
There these Riders stopped at the back end of the group they know that when they come to the Finish Line because they’re inside the final 3 kilometers they’ll get the same time as the rest of the main field but the battle is on at the front this is the chaos that happens
When there’s a mass pile up in a race like the tour to France but I tell you one thing it’s the men from Tom bonin’s team who’ve got the big lead out Eric zaral likes this kind of finish but Bonin is there in fourth position he’s
Got his three men I can see the green jersey there of Robbie mccuan in eighth position I can also see there to Hush off as well well as we approach the line now the big lead out for the man who is expected to win for Belgium but the muan
Did miss out the crashing he’s off to the left three men back Oscar FR is in there as well these are the champions FL digging deep B and Zar will have the best position Fe is going to have another go here as well zaral senses
This might be for him as our cameras cut away now they line up this is the kick for the line Bowman knows it’s there he’s waiting till the last possible minute for the move the final Lead Out by G Stegman now for Tom bonen zarell is
Digging in as well I don’t think Robbie is it is a desperate desperate finish but he takes it on the line and not only that but it is first and second I tell you what Phil did you hear the cheer on the opposite side of the Finish Line
There when Tom bonen crossed the line in first place he had a very difficult time getting that Victory but that was good teamwork by team quickstep this is a little bit of Devastation that has happened behind and what a dramatic crash that was once again it just goes
To prove you have to be right at the front end of the main field if you don’t want to be involved in any of these kind of accidents on the run into the finish this man coming in from quickstep saluting the crowd because he knows big
Tom has got the win for Belgium here this afternoon and that’s what matters to them but what damage has happened into the to the France looking longterm here the yellow Jersey was there and there the thir to congratulate bonan is the winner of yesterday Robbie mccuan as
They ask all of the press to kindly stop pushing it’s been a tough Sprint here now the regulations State when you fall in the last 3 kilometers you cannot lose time you get the time of the group you are with when you fall and of course the
Whole field was together so can chillara should keep his overall lead but the question is are they injured Michael Rogers here on the left a lot of riders I mean Phil that crash happened inside the first 25 Riders so there weren’t very many riders left standing at the
End of the day these guys just cruising to the Finish but I tell you what the Belgium will be celebrating here this afternoon well the results are saying that g Stans may have won this ball on the photo finish and maybe he was the lead out man for Tom bonum but maybe
Because of that finish Tom didn’t have the kick to get round his own teammate now that was of course the lead out man for top Robin Miku and now stean has come across to the side of Tom Bon a team Discovery Channel here Thomas VAs on the left here looks as though he’s
Hurt himself he would have been in the Sprint uh today and look at this too I don’t like the way the Canela is holding his left left arm pole that does not look good no it looks as if he went down rather heavily on that he’s holding his
Hand up that’s an indication that he’s a little bit injured he will be given the yellow Jersey this afternoon but he looks like a man who went down very hard indeed it will be be nice to go be nice to go and see the photo finish because
Stegman is a very rapid finisher and maybe Tom bonan just could not get past his own teammate well that uh will be a definite win in the camp of quickstep so there won’t be too much disappointment either way there but I also saw David Miller clearly and may not have fallen
But may have been delayed by the crash here’s the congratulations for my money it was stegman’s because it looked to me as I thought we were going to give you a replay there yes they are let’s have a look stman is the man no we’ve C away we’re not in
Control of the pictures here we go again that’s bone and second wheel now comes the time stegman’s can’t ease off because the Riders are on his wheel so he keeps the pressure on it’s up to Mr Tom here to get by him our camera unfortunately not showing the bottom but
For me it’s going to be desperately close here as they raise and look at the face of Robbie Hunter to the right Foster way off to the right McAn also washed away zaral Center left seg I stman he knows it well Tom bur was looks obvious on that pitch stman way G stman
Has won the race there’s no question about that well well well good for him well I tell you one thing I don’t think Tom boan actually could get by him there but that’s a great result for team quickstep that was a massive acceleration good job of work you can
See there in third place is Eric zabble Robbie Hunter looks like he’s going to creep well inside of the top top four there as well Hunter over on the left hand side in the red for team bow word trying to sneak up the outside of Eric
Zarell and in fact I think at the end of the day Hunter May well have got himself a nice third position Tom bonan I don’t think Phil would be very upset at all about that because he likes a win for his teammates too absolutely a win is a
Win and it’s in the camp here we are in G the first time the Finish has been here since two 1958 it was there’s G stegman’s getting a tremendous victory at the moment moment let’s have a look we can give you the results so far here they are ger stagman getting the win
Ahead of Tom bonan Philipe philipo patoo appearing for the first time in third Hunter confirming his ride yesterday by taking fourth and fu is there again McAn this time is in sixth zaral is in seventh these are the men who missed the crash again Sebastian chavanel riding
His first tour completing top 10 further down more sprinters uh in those top 15 in the 20th Place Fisher gets in these Riders now all getting the same time as the whole field will get the same time today uh they won’t lose time for falling off but can they get themselves
Back together again as we look down to the top 25 tatoo there completing the top 25 riding from M Ultra Fabian celara getting in the race lead here 13 seconds it’s the same as ever because they all got the same time David Miller holds on
To third place hint cppy on to Fourth I can hear the music yes there we are let’s go down and up comes ger Stegman kisses the sky he has won the stage here and that is a tremendous result for him Fabian celara they’re getting him ready
Round the back I hope they can get him out to get another yellow Jersey but will he be able to ride tomorrow that’s evolving news as the night goes on of course how many of those Riders will ride tomorrow but certainly this was a great out there’s where we are tomorrow
Stage three vam to compen resid of Napoleon thei this is the city of compen where the race has now come home to French soil after starting in England and visiting Belgium the battle continues for the green points Jersey but the sprinters because of time bonuses are also closing in now on canela’s yellow
Jersey yes hi everybody I’m Phil liot this is Paul sh and he has a memory problem because back in 1980 the only any other time the RAC has ever come here in compen Paul says I rode the race in 1980 I don’t remember coming here we checked the results he finished in 12th
Place that’s one story Paul today let’s talk about the Battle for yellow as well as the battle for green because it’s true the sprinters are closing in the sprinters are closing in the first few days of the tour to France over the flat stages it gives the sprinters a chance
To Grapple away and try and get a chance to wear the yellow Jersey points available today on these flat stages as you mentioned the three the big points though filler all stacked up at the finish line between first and fifth place you get 35 points down to 22
Points if you cross the line in 25th place you’ll get yourself a single point so there we are we’re now looking across the red rofes of France here now as the Riders have crossed the border there is a breakaway on it got away after only 5 kilm not surprisingly the
Riders were released by The pelaton nobody too actually to chase them down mat Lang l France de and Nicola vong from the ag2r team and they are both French Riders there’s the weather conditions 54° fahit the conditions are cloudy the wind southwest gentle one from uh 10
Mph and the peleton well they picked up the pace a bit earlier because we did get a lead of nearly 14 minutes with these two Riders at only 40 km covered uh but the tempo’s been picked up there is the man who sat down on top of the
Lot in the race yesterday Fab Canela he’s okay probably a bit stiff as Robin MCU is on the right hand side and his left shoulder he also said it’s his back which has been very stiff since the crash he had uh but he too is riding okay and he won the stage remember
Despite that crash he stepping up onto his bike again Paul well a lot of riders went down very hard indeed and I’m sure there’s still a few of them licking their winds this Mor wounds this morning because that was a very nasty crash at the first Sprint
Point of the day when we went through tor the man who went there in first place was Nicola vundi a former national French Champion ladan knew at that point was in second the main field which came across for third place were already more than 11 minutes behind LED in there by
Astral Loa up to 13 minutes after that Sprint which was after only 33 km 20 miles uh but that’s all gone now we’re heading for fono B for the next Sprint point it’s a long way down the road it’s a long lonely ride today for these two
Guys but it won’t be all day from over 14 minutes to 7 minutes and 50 seconds and uh the two Frenchmen well I think they would have hop that somebody else had attacked when they did after only 5 kmet because they’re facing up to the longest stage of the race the
Weather forecast is reasonably good although I have to say commentating here from the Finishing Line in compen it’s quite chilly uh rain is threatened but not come um but we have heard by the way Paul that where we’re going to teen in the Alps which is only a few days away
It was snowing there yesterday that’s a little bit of a worry and I think it’s also a little bit of a worry when you speak to the team manager of France deer martial gon you say now what is the chance of the success of this Breakaway this afternoon because after all martial
Gon who is from this region has got a man in the breakway he said well the chance of success today is basically zero so you may well ask why are they doing it but the reason they’re doing it is for a little bit of Glory get the
Sponsor’s name out onto TV and of course to pick up some cash points along the way way as well welcome back still at the finishing line here the Caravan continues to arrive the Riders have been in the saddle for nearly 6 hours at the moment and they’re still a good hour
Away from the finishing line here as they’re approaching the final 50 km of the day 31 mil their choice and here we go now a little bit of an attack here now and it had to come it’s a bit earlier than we actually thought would happen as they’ve now started this is
Cofidis who decided to open up The Fray time to reel in perhaps the two Riders out in front and decide who is going to be in the mix for what would be a bunch Sprint I think we’re saying goai shab the town that was totally destroyed in
The first world war and has been rebuilt as has its famous Church St peters’s we’ve had a glimpse of that during the coverage and two R is going clear lias third placed yesterday with Filipe Pato are the two leaders here and they will continue to see fre Willams
I thought it was I thought it was Charlie walis looking to get himself off the front but this man Freddy Williams just a little bit bigger than Charlie Wiis joined by the coffee dish Rider coffee dis is a team from the north of France and obviously they were given the
Nod by the team management to try and get out on the front and start the aggression they’re not being given very much of an advantage there though as we go through the corn fields there over on the left hand side or maze as you can see the mainfield is taking this pretty
Much more seriously than the two Riders have been out at the front of the race for a long time and and the Gap you can see is all of a sudden starting to tip down very rapidly the two Riders at the front of the race and he’s explained
That in fact the two Chasers are now only 39 seconds behind the two leaders and he said to them that hold on wait for these two guys to come they’re strong Riders once you form an alliance with them we may well have a situation here where we can out Sprint and outperform the
Sprinters I’ll tell you what they aage speed Paul it’ll go up now a little bit pip but today is 33 km an hour just over 202 M an hour and normally you would expect to be racing on these stages at around 40 45 km now but the two Riders
Up front and they’re in the distance and there they are and here comes the help now this is what they’re waiting for four Riders together who knows what will happen this man his race finishes about 25 km before the end all Stefan wants is
To be over the top of that hill in the first three positions and he will go on on the podium tonight as leader in the king of the mountains I’m surprised to see David Miller hasn’t sent his team to the front to try and defend that
Position because he’d said as far as he was concerned he could keep the lead in that competition all the way down to the Alps and if he wanted to do that he need to take the responsibility now but they’re gambling on the fact that the teams of the sprinters are going to do
The majority of the pacemaking and I think really that’s been the the situation of the race today everybody’s been sitting back waiting for the sprinters teams to come forward and do all of the work we’re heing 3 minutes 5 Seconds now for the pelor and back that’s fedy Rodriguez
Number 47 he’s got his left leg bandaged he’s probably got bandages where we can’t see them either under his racing Jersey CU he had the last for caros sastra here number 31 that indicates that he’s the leader of his team and he’s basically I think up alongside the
Team car taking on board drinks you’re allowed to do this up until 30 km to go through the end and Carlos sastra a fairway down in the overall classification at the moment but I’ll tell you one thing I have a feeling that Carlos sastra will climb up once we get
Into the mountains they’ve made it all together four riders in the lead and they go up very very quickly when they wanted to now there’s a difference in the tempo all of a sudden lanu and rogi will work with these Riders now and there’s four teams no there’s three
Teams represented as well up here so this is going four teams represented so that means four teams will won be chasing back in that main field now also a pointer and look at the difference in the pace Now 52 km to go well this completely and utterly changes the
Physiy of the race so we talked about two men who were starting to weaken who’d been at the front of the bike race for an awful long time now they’ve just received reinforcements for two Riders who’ve been sitting in the main field all day sheltered from the wind one man
Who’s got a serious need to stay clear until they get to the big climb of the day the only climb of the day that’s the man on the front now in the red jersey of coffee this Stephan o looking over his shoulder wants some help and assistance from these guys and they’ve
Actually got a pretty nice Advantage 3 minutes this now indicates 5 kilm to go 3 miles to go 34 of a minute three miles to go 3/4 of a minute yes Paul is just a chance we usually talk a minute every 10 kilm but this is the last 5 km of the
Day they are going very very quickly now the peleton are racing in excess of 55 km an hour the boys up front probably slightly less at 52 go I don’t want to lose any the RO 5 seconds with 5 kilometers to go to of riding they look
To me as if they’re on schedule here to C kilometer to go to the Finish but they still can’t give up Fredick Williams there keeps looking at the other guys saying come on we need a little bit more energy we’ve got a chance here to create
The surprise but if they look over their shoulders now pH it will be a gap and what they will see it’ll be a black heaving Mass behind them which is the Pon trying to pull back their prey well there is the 4 kilm for the Pelon it
Looks down there now we’ve got Cy agrial leaky gas batoo showed us yesterday Quin also spin is a good spinner but he crashed yesterday and now we have the credy agrial boys on the front creeping up on the outside little bit of pushing and shoving now because the Sprint a
Kilometer think well how am I going to have a little bit more energy to look after my man Williams now has seen the chance this is a big chance for Williams he’s tried to go off the front and he’s got himself a slight Gap the balloon
Though by niol V in second place he’s a serious Pro he’s been around for a number of years he’s been the French national champion in the past he knew this was a good move and he scrambled across the Gap there the other two Riders I think have given up the ghost
But no they haven’t o has seen this as his last ditch effort to try and get himself a stage victory for copis there’s the coming back Nicolo vandi is going and the other two are clawing the back the field be our vision very quickly but we’re headed for 2 kilm
They’ve left the catch even later than yesterday and we all know what happened yesterday this is a huge effort by freder Willams of Belgium and the three Frenchmen have nailed him back and Paul that peleton is not close enough they are not there yet it’s 24 seconds that
Big acceleration by Williams there in fact has stretched out the advantage again they’re inside of 2 km to go 2,000 m is all these guys are looking field I don’t see how they can cross that Gap now at and they’ve looked over the shoulders vog he’s looked over don’t e
Up now because the race is here the only way the main field are going to catch him if those guys start playing that tactical maneuvering of slowing down and waiting to see if they can save a little bit of energy on the charge of the line because the main field won’t Williams
Has gone again it was 20 seconds at 2 km to go Williams has got the strength but he can’t get rid of the Frenchmen and they are like sandbags to him he wants to throw them out and Float to Victory well if I’ll tell you what if Stephan o
Wins this stage he only has to win by 18 seconds and he’ be the yellow Jersey of the race as well and we’re getting very close to the Finish now we’re not there yet we’re racing down through the banks of the river send through compen we swing away it might be against the
Riders it is slightly uphill over the cobblestones couple of nasty Corners as we come up towards the Finish Line they’re starting to panic now they’re looking over their shoulders they know the main field will not give up their’s the main field it’s looking at about 200
M they’re not too far now they’re going to start to line up they’re not far away from the flam Rouge and then the long straight to the Finish Line this is very dangerous for these guys but it’s more dangerous for the men behind there’s the kite and these are the peleton here
They’re on the cobblestones they may totally have misjudged this today a brilliant move those two Riders strengthened by two more if they win they’ve been in the lead for 231 km and the pelaton pass under the flam Rouge we will quickly switch to the leaders well you can see now on the
Front Lampe everyone’s panicking the main the leading group of four Riders they’ve absolutely started to mess around this is the cat Mouse tactics this will lose the race for them they’ve got to keep going somebody now has to take the responsibility but faan kelar I do not believe this the strength of the
Race leader has gone after them himself to save his yellow Jersey from o and Canela has taken off there’s confusion behind Quick steps at when is Tom boner going to make his move is Mark Cavendish right on the front there these boys vogan he looks over they’re going to
Give it to the yellow Jersey this is going to be a huge Pleasant what a ride by kelara he suddenly sens he can win the stage from absolutely nowhere they’ve wiped them out on the line of the stage of the Tour of France 400 m
300 M kelara the strong man of the time trial has ritten them off his wheel he is going to come up to the line here now the move behind as robbing McAn kicks McAn and Robbie Hunter Hunter now Bon on the left canelar zarbl on canel’s wheel
And it looks as though we got celara zabal on the line Napolitano bonan they all got beaten by the yellow Jersey that’ll serve him right well that serves him completely and utterly right kelara was sitting in the right place waiting for the move he saw his opportunity he’s
Not really a great Sprinter but he’s a great man over the final kilometer he saw that move look at this zal’s face is scrunched up in agony Napolitano a little bit further back but look at the concentration the style of Fabian Canela in the front at this point Eric zarel
Knew he was not going to do it anymore and Canela waves his arms in the air in Victory saluting the yellow Jersey what a way to win well that was an end to a very strange day of racing but what a brilliant brilliant win by calara the world time trial champion
Showed them how he can ride a road race the race behind him that’s zable and mcan’s run was spoiled by Robbie Hunter there little bit bonan was on the far right Eric Zara gets second Napolitano third and bonan there will take fourth but what strength to ride from the front
Of the peleton reach the Breakaway and beat him on the line I can’t believe this neither can his team that really was a great move there you have to have guts and courage to make a move like that this man is gasping for oxygen now we were worried about him losing his
Lead with about 5 km today with the 22nd time bonus he’s going to keep that yellow Jersey now Phil for a few more days and not have to worry about the sprinters he’s now going to look at a 33 second lead with that 22 time bonus
Instead of 13 seconds so that’s what you do and what a great delivery this time yesterday he was sitting on the road and then riding in looking as though he was out of the tour with a damaged wrist today saluting the crowd in compen and
He beat all the sprinters to do it that was a fantastic finish