TDF10: Prologue - Rotterdam 8.9km

[Freakie]

The 2010 Tour de France like the last Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana starts in the Netherlands. On Saturday July 3rd, a 8.9 km prologue through downtown Rotterdam kicks off the 97th Tour de France.

It will be a relatively easy time trial course with a limited number of turns and just two bumps including the crossing of the Erasmus bridge (Erasmusbrug), a cable stayed bridge linking the north and south halves of Rotterdam. The course starts and finishes on the south half near Zuiderpark. This is a course for pure power so Saxo Bank's Fabian Cancellara is the logical choice to win the first day and the first Yellow Jersey as he has done in the past. HTC-Columbia's Tony Martin has beaten Cancellara in two time trials this year and was just three seconds back at the slick, technical prologue at Tour de Suisse early in June.

Start Times (AEST): 12:15pm (Sun 4th) Finish 3:45am (Sun 4th)

Live Coverage on the Net can be found http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/ here.
SBS Coverage starts on

Sun 4 Jul 02:00 AM
Highlights on

Sun 4 Jul 7:30AM & 6:00PM

 

[Opportunity Cost]

It almost seems like a waste of time having such a small time trial.

 

[Freakie]

It almost seems like a waste of time having such a small time trial.

It's the traditional start to most grand tours. Allows the riders to blow out the inital pre reace nerves as well as creating small time gaps to establish the 1st yellow jersey wearer. Also allows the breakaway specialists and sprinters a chance to grab the jersey in the 1st few days otherwise you would most likely see a GC favourite in it from start to finish if the Prologue ws any longer.

 

[Eggman]

Its a good build up for the race. Lets riders, fans and everyone involved in the race to get into the feel of it.

Its still a race from day 1.

 

[bigburger]

Looks like an amazing ride around all that water.

 

[Freakie]

Start times:

1 Iban Mayoz Echeverria (Spa) Footon-Servetto 16:15   
2 Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 16:16   
3 Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank 16:17   
4 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 16:18   
5 Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 16:19   
6 Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 16:20   
7 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 16:21   
8 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram 16:22   
9 Maarten Wijnants (Bel) Quick Step 16:23   
10 Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 16:24   
[B]11 Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia 16:25   [/B]12 Mario Aerts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 16:26   
13 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 16:27   
14 Dimitri Champion (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 16:28   
15 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Team Katusha 16:29   
16 Anthony Roux (Fra) Française des Jeux 16:30   
17 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Transitions 16:31   
18 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Doimo 16:32   
[B]19 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Professional Cycling Team 16:33   [/B]
20 Grégory Rast (Swi) Team Radioshack 16:34   
21 Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank 16:35   
22 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana 16:36   
23 Aitor Perez Arrieta (Spa) Footon-Servetto 16:37   
24 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 16:38   
25 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank 16:39   
26 Iban Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 16:40   
27 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 16:41   
28 Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne 16:42   
29 Cyril Gautier (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 16:43   
30 Roger Kluge (Ger) Team Milram 16:44   
31 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step 16:45   
32 Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team 16:46   
[B]33 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia 16:47   [/B]34 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto 16:48   
35 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Cervelo Test Team 16:49   
36 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 16:50   
37 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha 16:51   
38 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française des Jeux 16:52   
[B]39 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions 16:53   [/B]
40 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 16:54   
[B]41 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team 16:55   [/B]
42 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 16:56   
43 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank 16:57   
44 Benjamin Noval Gonzalez (Spa) Astana 16:58   
45 Jose Alberto Benitez Roman (Spa) Footon-Servetto 16:59   
46 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 17:00   
47 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 17:01   
48 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 17:02   
49 Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 17:03   
50 José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 17:04   
51 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 17:05   
52 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram 17:06   
53 Francesco Reda (Ita) Quick Step 17:07   
54 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team 17:08   
55 Adam Hansen (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 17:09   
56 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto 17:10   
57 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 17:11   
58 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 17:12   
59 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Team Katusha 17:13   
60 Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française des Jeux 17:14   
61 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Transitions 17:15   
62 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 17:16   
63 Thomas Löfkvist (Swe) Sky Professional Cycling Team 17:17   
64 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 17:18   
65 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 17:19   
[B]66 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 17:20   [/B]
67 Manuel Cardoso (Spa) Footon-Servetto 17:21   
68 Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini 17:22   
69 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank 17:23   
70 Alan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 17:24   
71 Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 17:25   
72 Mathieu Perget (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 17:26   
73 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 17:27   
74 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Team Milram 17:28   
75 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step 17:29   
76 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 17:30   
77 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team HTC - Columbia 17:31   
78 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Omega Pharma-Lotto 17:32   
79 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 17:33   
80 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale 17:34   
81 Alexandr Pliuschin (Mda) Team Katusha 17:35   
82 Rémy Di Grégorio (Fra) Française des Jeux 17:36   
83 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions 17:37   
84 Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo 17:38   
85 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team 17:39   
86 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack 17:40   
87 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank 17:41   
88 Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Astana 17:42   
89 Fabio Felline (Ita) Footon-Servetto 17:43   
90 Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 17:44   
91 Juan Manuel Gárate Cepa (Spa) Rabobank 17:45   
92 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 17:46   
93 Julien El Farès (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 17:47   
94 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 17:48   
95 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 17:49   
96 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram 17:50   
97 Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step 17:51   
98 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 17:52   
99 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 17:53   
100 Francis De Greef (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 17:54   
101 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 17:55   
102 David Lelay (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 17:56   
103 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha 17:57   
104 Anthony Geslin (Fra) Française des Jeux 17:58   
105 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 17:59   
106 Kristjan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Doimo 18:00   
107 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Professional Cycling Team 18:01   
108 Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack 18:02   
109 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank 18:03   
110 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana 18:04   
111 Markus Eibegger (Aut) Footon-Servetto 18:05   
112 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre-Farnese Vini 18:06   
113 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank 18:07   
114 Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 18:08   
115 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 18:09   
116 Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Caisse d'Epargne 18:10   
117 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 18:11   
118 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Team Milram 18:12   
119 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 18:13   
120 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team 18:14   
121 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC - Columbia 18:15   
122 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 18:16   
123 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Cervelo Test Team 18:17   
124 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 18:18   
125 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha 18:19   
126 Benoït Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux 18:20   
127 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Transitions 18:21   
128 Alexander Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas-Doimo 18:22   
129 Michael Barry (Can) Sky Professional Cycling Team 18:23   
130 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack 18:24   
131 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 18:25   
132 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Astana 18:26   
133 Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Footon-Servetto 18:27   
134 Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini 18:28   
[B]135 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank 18:29  [/B] 
136 Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 18:30   
137 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 18:31   
138 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 18:32   
139 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 18:33   
140 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 18:34   
141 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step 18:35   
142 Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team 18:36   
143 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team HTC - Columbia 18:37   
144 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 18:38   
145 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 18:39   
146 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 18:40   
147 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Katusha 18:41   
148 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux 18:42   
[B]149 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Transitions 18:43   [/B]
150 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 18:44   
151 Serge Pauwels (Ned) Sky Professional Cycling Team 18:45   
152 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Team Radioshack 18:46   
[B]153 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 18:47   [/B]
154 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Astana 18:48   
155 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Footon-Servetto 18:49   
156 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 18:50   
157 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 18:51   
158 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 18:52   
159 Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 18:53   
160 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne 18:54   
161 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 18:55   
162 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram 18:56   
163 Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step 18:57   
164 George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 18:58   
165 Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team HTC - Columbia 18:59   
166 Mickael Delage (Fra) Omega Pharma-Lotto 19:00   
[B]167 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 19:01[/B]   
168 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 19:02   
169 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha 19:03   
170 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux 19:04   
171 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin - Transitions 19:05   
[B]172 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo 19:06   [/B]
173 Steven Cummings (GBr) Sky Professional Cycling Team 19:07   
174 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack 19:08   
[B]175 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 19:09   [/B]
176 Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana 19:10   
177 Arkaitz Duran Daroca (Spa) Footon-Servetto 19:11   
178 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini 19:12   
[B]179 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 19:13   [/B]
180 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 19:14   
181 Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 19:15   
182 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 19:16   
183 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom 19:17   
184 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram 19:18   
185 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step 19:19   
[B]186 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 19:20   [/B]
[B]187 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC - Columbia 19:21   [/B]
188 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 19:22   
189 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 19:23   
190 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale 19:24   
191 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha 19:25   
192 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux 19:26   
193 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin - Transitions 19:27   
[B]194 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 19:28   [/B]
195 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Professional Cycling Team 19:29   
[B]196 Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack 19:30   [/B]
[B]197 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 19:31   [/B]
[B]198 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 19:32   [/B]

 

[Sasquatch]

It wouldn't surprise me if Contador powers this prologue tonight. Usually you don't want yellow if you're a favourite this early in. But they can always do no work the next few stages and not defend it. Leave it up to the sprinters teams to take the break back if it's non threatening.

He will go hard tonight in case he loses time on Stage three.

 

[Eggman]

Cancellara will be clear favourite. I'm tipping Evans and Rogers to be up there, as well as Wiggins who will set the pace early on.

 

[monty1104]

If Cancellara doesnt win it will be a massive upset IMO. Pencil him in, then go over it in permanent marker

 

[Freakie]

1 Cancellara
2 Martin
3 Hushovd
4 Boasson Hagen
5 Evans

 

[indieswan96]

1. Cancellara
2. Martin
3. Evans
4. Wiggins
5. Contador

Menchov to fall behind by 1 minute at least

 

[Freakie]

1. Cancellara
2. Martin
3. Evans
4. Wiggins
5. Contador

Menchov to fall behind by 1 minute at least

A minute over 8km? Only if he fell off!

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

A minute over 8km? Only if he fell off!

Did he not fall off a few years back in a TT/PL?

 

[Freakie]

Going to bed soon so I can get up at 2am and watch le tour then sleep for 2 hrs and then go for a run, then sleep again....

 

[Sasquatch]

1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Alberto Contador
3. Gerraint Thomas
4. Tony Martin
5. Edvald Boasson-Hagen
6. Bradley Wiggins
7. Lars Boom
8. David Millar
9. Andreas Kloden
10. Roman Kreuziger

 

[indieswan96]

A minute over 8km? Only if he fell off!

Did he not fall off a few years back in a TT/PL?

Hint, Hint

 

[Eggman]

1. Cancellara
2. Martin
3. Evans
4. Wiggins
5. Contador

AW This.

Going to bed soon so I can get up at 2am and watch le tour then sleep for 2 hrs and then go for a run, then sleep again....

Hahaha, i'm just pulling an all night through so i can watch the World Cup as well.

 

[blue gunslinger]

don't care if it is short
Ger V Arg and le tour
Bottle of Bruichladdich ready to keep me company
Bring it

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

It wouldn't surprise me if Contador powers this prologue tonight. Usually you don't want yellow if you're a favourite this early in. But they can always do no work the next few stages and not defend it. Leave it up to the sprinters teams to take the break back if it's non threatening.

He will go hard tonight in case he loses time on Stage three.

Plenty of Pyrenees to make up cobbles time. I really hope he does lose a chunk before the Alps to make the third week epic.

 

[Eggman]

don't care if it is short
Ger V Arg and le tour
Bottle of Bruichladdich ready to keep me company
Bring it

Hear Hear, a 6 pack of TED and a few packets of chips and i'm set!

 

[indieswan96]

hear hear, a 6 pack of ted and a few packets of chips and i'm set!

don't care if it is short
ger v arg and le tour
bottle of bruichladdich ready to keep me company
bring it

and coffee for the minor! I'm pumped!

 

[bigburger]

Hushovd to finish top 10.

 

[blue gunslinger]

Nipped out for some Grolsch to get in the spirit of things

 

[Sasquatch]

Plenty of Pyrenees to make up cobbles time. I really hope he does lose a chunk before the Alps to make the third week epic.

I know that. This is extra insurance for him.

 

[ObaMartins]

2010 TDF officially underway