Drama On The Hellish Roads Of The North

The Progress Report
The 213km third stage of the 2010 Tour de France began at 12.42pm with 191 riders at the sign on. Vande Velde (GRM) didn’t start because of broken ribs sustained in a crash in stage two, and Terpstra (MRM) abandoned because of fever. On the menu for the stage were three intermediate sprints – in Saint-Servais (Namur, at 35km), Nivelles (71.5km) and Pipaix (151.5km) – and one climb, the cat-4 cote de Bothey (at 48km). But the real talking point was the seven sectors of ‘pavé’ totally 14.15km. The first of these came with 85km to go. The final six sectors were from 44km to 10km to go.

Hesjedal Instigates Escape
At the 13km mark, Hesjedal (GRM) established the first successful escape. He was joined by five others: Cummings (SKY), Brutt (KAT), Kluge (MRM), Rolland (BTL), Erviti (GCE) and Auge (COF). By 22km they had a lead of 3’25”. The Quickstep team controlled the peloton but by 33km, Hesjedal was the virtual leader. The average speed for the opening hour was 45.8km/h. The maximum gain was 4’50” at the 48km mark. After the second intermediate sprint, the pace of the peloton picked up signicantly thanks to the Quickstep team’s efforts. The entire Liquigas team gathered behind the Belgian squad. At 75km, the six were 3’30” ahead.

Crash Leading To First Pavé Sector
At the 112km mark, the first crash of the stage occurred. Le Lay (ALM) could not continue and was forced to quit the Tour.  Shortly after this incident, the Rabobank team sent troops to the head of the peloton. Quickstep was joined by the Dutch squad on the approach to the first pavé sector. Just before the Omeignies sector Sky moved forward but RadioShack won the race to the rocks – arriving 2’00” behind the escapees. Rast led the peloton safely over the rough road.
Between the first and second sectors, the peloton was speeding along at an incredibly rapid tempo with Saxo Bank, Cervelo setting the pace. There was a brief discussion between Voigt and Chavanel at the front of the pack about 5km before the Hollain sector. After a momentary truce in the battle for position, Saxo Bank assumed position at the front and Voigt led onto the cobbles, 1’20” behind the escapees. Essentially there wasn’t a lot of damage done on the Belgian pave sectors but a lot was yet to come from the French cobbled roads.

Saxo Bank Win And Lose
The real drama began with a crash that took out Frank Schleck on the fourth sector of pavé. This splintered the peloton and ended the Tour for the rider who was fifth overall last year. It prompted Cancellara to speed ahead with Andy Schleck on his wheel. This Saxo Bank pair was joined by Evans (BMC), Thomas (SKY) and Hushovd (CTT). By then Hesjedal had dropped his escape companions and was burying himself at the front of the stage. Armstrong (RSH) and Contador (AST) were in a group that was 30” behind on the exit of the fourth sector.
By the start of the sixth sector, Armstrong was in a group that was 50” behind the stage leader and Contador’s group was at 1’00”. And then the Texan punctured. He was quickly given a wheel by a team-mate but his pursuit began, with the assitance of Popovych. Shortly after Chavanel punctured (for the first time) and his tenure in the yellow ended almost as quickly as it began. The Frenchman would finish 95th, 3’58” behind the stage winner.

Hushovd Gets His Revenge
Hesjedal was caught just after the last sector of pavé and he rode to the finish with A. Schleck, Cancellara, Evans, Thomas and Hushovd. Evans set the tempo for much of the finale and used the situation to put time between him Armstrong and Contador. In the final kilometer Hesjedal tried one last attack but that simply prompted Hushovd to start his sprint. He easily won the stage and got his revenge from yesterday when he was convinced he could have been a winner. Cancellara finished sixth from the group of six but took back his yellow jersey.
Armstrong dropped from fourth overall to 18th after losing 2’08” in the stage. Contador lost less time than Armstrong but dropped from seventh to ninth, at 1’40”. The stage winner also took charge of the points classification and Hushovd will wear the green jersey in stage four.