Sylvaiin Chavanel, winner of stage 2 (AFP/Getty Images)
It was another wreck filled day for stage 2 of the 2010 Tour de France as many of the big name contenders met the pavement. Lance Armstrong and Andy Schleck both met pavement on the historic hills and descents of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege classics. Armstrong was able to eventually catch back up to the main peloton that called it quits with 15km left in the stage while yellow jersey wearer Fabian Cancellara called it quits after his Saxo Bank teammate Andy Schlek took his dive. Sylvaiin Chavanel went on to take the stage victory while also taking control of the yellow jersey.
With one of the most hair raising and crash filled stages of the Tour in recent memory, the 2010 Tour de France is shaping up to be a nail biter to the very end. On paper, Monday’s hilly, 201-kilometer stage from Brussels to Spa offered a perfect opportunity for riders to gain time as the final 30 km was peppered with hills. Instead, the many in the peloton, including overall contender Andy Schleck, struggled simply not to lose time in the countless crashes on these rain-slicked roads and technical descents.
Lance Armstrong said afterwards it was like there was something in the road. When riders hit the ground they just kept sliding. “It was a bit surreal. Never seen anything like this. It’s funny I had a stange feeling when I woke up today. In moments like this I wonder why I came off the beach.”
Photo: Lance Armstrong rides after crashing at Stage 2 of the Tour de France. (AFP Getty)
“It was impressive,” said Yvon Sanquer, manager of Alberto Contador’s Astana team. “There were bikes, there were motos, a bit of everything, every which way. I saw bikes in one place and their riders in another. Alberto told me that once he fell, he slid for quite awhile just on his glove.”
While Armstrong and Contador both suffered road rash, neither was concerned that it would affect their performance in days to come.
“It was just impossible not to fall,” said Contador. “I went down at about 60 kilometers an hour, just when I thought I might make it past a crash. But I saw riders on the ground at every turn and knew it would be impossible.”
One of the team’s most heavily hit was the American Garmin-Transitions team. Dave Millar crashed three times, Tyler Farrar two times, Robbie Hunter two times, and Christian Vande Velde once.
Next Stage: Wanze – Arenberg Porte du Hainaut (Cobblestone) 207 km
Stage 2 Results
1. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) (average: 42.9 km/h) 4hr4 0min 48sec
2. Maxime Bouet (FRA/ALM) at 3:56.
3. Fabian Wegmann (GER/MRM) 3:56.
4. Robbie McEwen (AUS/KAT) 3:56.
5. Christian Knees (GER/MRM) 3:56.
6. Jurgen Roelandts (BEL/OLO) 3:56.
7. Thor Hushovd (NOR/CTT) 3:56.
8. Linus Gerdemann (GER/MRM) 3:56.
9. Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA/FDJ) 3:56.
10. Bernhard Eisel (AUT/THR) 3:56.
GC After Stage 2
1. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) 10hr 01min 25sec
2. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/SAX) at 2:57.
3. Tony Martin (GER/THR) 3:07.
4. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 3:17.
5. Lance Armstrong (USA/RSH) 3:19.
6. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 3:20.
7. Alberto Contador (ESP/AST) 3:24.
8. Levi Leipheimer (USA/RSH) 3:25.
9. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) 3:29.
10. Linus Gerdemann (GER/MRM) 3:32.