Stage 3
Wanze – Arenberg Porte du Hainaut
Distance: 213 kilometers.
Four fewer riders and a change of all jerseys except the Polka Dot, in a stage designed by dentists, proctologists, orthopedists, and the makers of tires – there were cobblestones. Lance Armstrong already said he would be taking no chances on this stage, as he has been attacked by cobblestones before.
1 Fabian Cancellara (Sui-SAX-013) [Yellow]
2 Geraint Thomas (GBr-SKY-039) [White]
3 Cadel Evans (Aus-BMC-121)
4 Ryder Hesjedal (Can-GRM-054) [Red numbers]
5 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra-QST-131)
6 Andy Schleck (Lux-SAX-011)
7 Thor Hushovd (Nor-CTT-095) [Green – 63 points]
8 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz-AST-009)
9 Alberto Contador (Esp-AST-001)
10 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel-SIL-101)
11 Nicolas Roche (Irl-ALM-081)
12 Johan Van Summeren (Bel-GRM-058)
13 Denis Menchov (Rus-RAB-191)
14 Bradley Wiggins (GBr-SKY-031)
15 David Millar (GBr-GRM-057)
16 Roman Kreuziger (Cze-LIQ-044)
17 Luis-Leon Sanchez (Esp-GCE-161)
18 Lance Armstrong (USA-RSH-021)
19 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe-SKY-037)
20 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Esp-GCE-169)
83 Jérôme Pineau (Fra-QST-135) [Polka Dot – 13 points]
Half of Luxembourg’s Tour effort is out, as Andy Schleck’s brother, Frank, had to withdraw, but Canada, Australia, and Ireland are moving up to the big time with 3 Brits.
Update: The orthopedists got Frank Schleck – broken collarbone from the cobblestones – while Lance lost a tire.
4 comments
Hey, it’s good to see that regardless of the mess going on down there, you look up once in a while and follow your favorite events. You need your diversions right now. USA not looking so hot in this event either! At least the French will be happy.
P.S. I’ve been under the weather, but just checked in again and read the post about your sea turtles. D*mn. This nightmare is SO beyond anything we’ve ever experienced in this country. People just don’t know yet. But I’m rambling again – this post is for another subject but I suppose occasionally that happens.
Frankly, I can’t write about the oil too often as I have to take a break for some of the things I do for anger management. Sports is fairly mindless, and I don’t take them seriously.
I actually do a lot of computer things off line to get the data into a format that I want to use in posts.
From what I see the East Coast is looking very HOT, with a lot of people who are not used to triple digits having to deal with them. I hope you’re far enough back from the coast that you don’t have to deal with them.
Yes, having to move the turtles was painful, but it was their only chance, because if they hatch out they’ll head for the sea grass which will be polluted. New sea turtles have a very high mortality rate at the best of times, and these aren’t the best of times.
Yeah, it’s hot for this elevation – 96 degrees. But it wasn’t the heat that felled me. It was Lyme.
Ah, the joys of rural life.
And, yes, you gave the turtles the only chance they’ll have. They don’t look delicate but they really do have a very delicate thriving mechanism that doesn’t do great with changes. Man, I hope they make it. How many do you think got transported to the new area?
We have a few cases of Lyme around here, mostly in the north county as there are deer populations in our state forest, and the huge national forest on the air base. We also get all of the mosquito borne diseases, except malaria, so far.
The clutches are usually over two dozen eggs, so there must have been 500 moved from Walton county alone – loggerheads and Kemp’s-Ridleys, Their shells are soft when they hatch, so they are ready prey for sea birds, as well as the bigger fish before they reach the relative safety of the sea grasses.
When you total up the entire Panhandle, the number will easily reach thousands, and I assume some will come from Alabama as well.