Batista15 wrote:
I really hope Cav is ok! This pic is horrible...congrats to Swift, he is a good one for the future. Pity, that we have to wait for the showdown, Greipel vs. Cavendish.
According to Peta Todd's twitter, he has staples in his head, but wants to carry on.
Cavendish plans to fight on despite Down Under crash
British sprinter Mark Cavendish plans to continue to race the Tour Down Under despite cuts and bruises from a crash at the end of stage two to Mannum, Australia.
"I hope so, that's why I finished," said Cavendish. "We will see if these flies don't rule me out."
Cavendish kept his sense of humour despite swarming flies and a crash in the final four kilometres. He came down with HTC-Highroad team-mate Matt Goss and Sky's Chris Sutton.
HTC's and Sky's lead-out trains led the race through a left-hand bend. HTC was on the left, next to the barriers and Sky was to the right. Both teams said it was a normal incident.
"It was just a normal sprint crash," Cavendish explained.
"It always squeezes in, but that doesn't mean anything. It's just hard when you have teams of eight riders [fighting for space].
"There is no need to take too many risks, I wasn't taken risks. Bike racing isn't safe. It's just one of them things."
HTC's doctor tended to Cavendish after the stage, reportedly giving him two stitches above his left eye. Cavendish had scrapes down his left side of his body, however, he ruled out any broken bones.
"There is always a little bit of chaos in the last corners," added Goss. "It doesn't take much."
Australia's Goss followed Cavendish prior to the crash because the team was working to defend his lead. He ripped his jersey and lost the lead to Robbie McEwen, but is able to continue racing.
Brit Ben Swift won the stage for Team Sky. He took responsibly to try for the win after Sutton's crash.
The Australian took the biggest blow to his left knee. He said there is "a big hole" in it and that he will have it examined later. He plans to continue racing tomorrow.
"I was feeling really good, we were in the top ten going through that corner, then it just went everywhere. That's life," said Sutton.
"I think there was a bit of loose gravel. With loose gravel on the corner, of course you are going to come down."
Australian Bernard Sulzberger will not start tomorrow's stage to Stirling. He fractured his collarbone and will have to abandon.
If Swift keeps his good GC position all the way through the race - and really, he should be good enough to at keep with the front group over Willunga, depending how its raced - then Cavendish may look back at this crash and be pleased, when the Worlds rolls around, British points = more British riders there to help him, afterall.
The second crash was much worse in my eyes. Especially when Thomas was already on the ground and two riders totally rode into his wheel. It was one Leopard and anything red I think (BMC?)
But still both crashes very ugly.
Cut above his eye, gashes and grazes on arm and whole left side
Weening
require to stitch his arm
Sutton
gashes on both knees
T.Meyer
grazes
C.Meyer
grazes
Thomas
grazes
Tanner
grazes
Not sure about the Leopard and the dark jersey rider that crashed horrible over Thomas`bike.
It`s not sure if Cavendish will continue this night. He wants to but they want to wait until the start.
Edited by roturn on 19-01-2011 21:01
Tour Down Under - stage 3
1 Michael Matthews - Rabobank
2 Andre Greipel - Omega Pharma-Lotto
3 Matthew Goss - HTC-High Road
Well, surprise again. At least for me. For sure, Matthews is good, and a huge talent, but against those guys in a sprint? Didnt thought he was THAT fast. (but maybe there where some hills at the end, that would help him a lot). Rabobank really did one hell of a good thing, when they signed with him.
Goss back in the leaders jersey.
Edited by siwi on 20-01-2011 04:15
siwi wrote: Tour Down Under - stage 3
1 Michael Matthews - Rabobank
2 Andre Greipel - Omega Pharma-Lotto
3 Matthew Goss - HTC-High Road
4. Simon Gerrans (Aus)
5. Luke Roberts (Aus)
6. Francisco Ventoso (Spa)
7. Gorka Izagirre (Spa)
8. Allan Davis (Aus)
9. Blel Kadri (Fra)
10. Simone Ponzi (Ita)
siwi wrote: Tour Down Under - stage 3
1 Michael Matthews - Rabobank
2 Andre Greipel - Omega Pharma-Lotto
3 Matthew Goss - HTC-High Road
Well, surprise again. At least for me. For sure, Matthews is good, and a huge talent, but against those guys in a sprint? Didnt thought he was THAT fast. (but maybe there where some hills at the end, that would help him a lot). Rabobank really did one hell of a good thing, when they signed with him.
Goss back in the leaders jersey.
The Stirling stage always ends with an uphill sprint, which is perfect for Matthews.
Also, notice climbers and classics riders coming in 4th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th, etc.
I'm more surprised at how the hell Greipel managed 2nd. No surprise in Goss 3rd, though. He's good in these sprints.
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
It was a pretty tough day for us today. After the crashes yesterday both Cav and Gossy were a little bit beaten up. It was 36 or 37 degrees here and that takes its toll on everyone, no matter how fit you are.
At 81k to go, Team RadioShack had let the break go out to 5 minutes which was fair enough as they knew it was a hard finish. Johan Bruyneel has led Lance Armstrong to seven Tour de France victories so he knew what he was doing.
Unfortunately Gossy punctured with 12km to go which was pretty bad timing. There was a bit of confusion getting to him but we were finally able to swap his bike and Bernie waited and got him back up to the peloton. They made it with about 5km to go just as it started going uphill.
Roulston brought him up through the peloton as far as he could and Gossy managed to take third in the sprint which was pretty remarkable. So it was tough but it was a great result and we have Gossy back in the Ochre Jersey.
We were happy at the end of the day to get a good result and take the race lead again to honour our team-mate Carla Swart who passed away yesterday in South Africa.
