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2020-08-31T13:57:05.329 ZOoh, a bit of action … The lot comes to the top of the climb and Cosnefroy attacks, with an actual lead-out. Perez was on the wheel however needed to unclip – unsure what occurred there. Cosnefroy therefore gets the one remaining KOM point.
2020-08-31T13:54:31.736 Z80km to go
Cousin drags himself over the top of the Col des Lègues and does so with a lead of 3:40. Hes the hero of the day and is heading for the red dossard of the most combative rider today, thats for sure..
2020-08-31T13:47:25.710 ZThe peloton have knocked it off on this climb, not that it has ever really been on today. Anyhow, Cousins lead extends to 3:50..
2020-08-31T13:42:08.840 ZToday we have a story on Michal Kwiatkowski, with some interesting discuss the role of Richard Carapaz, the late addition to the Ineos Grenadiers lineup. The lack of Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas seemed to leave Egan Bernal as the sole leader but Richard Carapaz might be an actually dangerous option, potentially racing in a different way and giving Jumbo-Visma a real headache.
Kwiatkowski: Riding for Bernal does not mean we will not play Carapaz card at Tour de France.
2020-08-31T13:37:11.075 ZErm … The nicest thing I can state about this stage so far is that I am grateful that I am not doing live report on it.August 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T13:36:08.981 ZThe rain has alleviated and the sun is even poking out..
2020-08-31T13:35:44.168 ZCousin starts the climb. Its 6.9 km at 5.4%..
2020-08-31T13:30:08.600 Z90km to go.
Cousin is concerning the bottom of the downhill that leads to the foot of the Col des Lègues. He has a lead of 2:30 now..
2020-08-31T13:28:05.030 ZOver on ITV Chris Boardman is speaking about the undiscovered chances of hydraulic brake fluid. Take me back to the boar chat!
2020-08-31T13:19:19.296 ZOver on Eurosport, theyre speaking about their experiences of consuming boar.
” Ive never ever had good boar in France.”.
Quality fare, this.
2020-08-31T13:17:36.288 ZMarc Hirschi presents himself at Tour de France.
Satisfy the male Fabian Cancellara compares to Kylian Mbappé, Marc Hirschi, who took second on phase 2 after following Julian Alaphilippes winning attack.
2020-08-31T13:12:42.989 ZCousin is thoroughly choosing his way down this wet descent. Hes 2:45 up on the peloton now.
2020-08-31T13:12:09.809 Z100km to go.
Were past the middle now. 98km down and 100km to go.
2020-08-31T13:09:54.862 ZWere seeing more châteaus than attacks today. Its a very quiet one.
2020-08-31T13:07:40.777 ZThe rain is falling on the peloton once again now. Its an unpleasant day out there.
2020-08-31T13:02:31.434 ZIts down to 3:15 now. Theyre certainly accelerating behind. Theres no genuine incentive to catch anytime quickly though.
2020-08-31T12:56:43.968 ZCousins lead has actually come down a little in current kilometres. Its now 3:45.
2020-08-31T12:56:05.964 Z111km to go.
Deceuninck-QuickStep are still in control at the head of the peloton, with five men up there. Tim Declercq blazes a trail, if you had not currently thought.
2020-08-31T12:54:34.358 ZAfter the farcical opening stage of the Tour, which saw numerous riders crash on slick roads in the putting rain before a rider-organised neutralisation, a group of 30 riders have arranged to take more control of their own security.
The group has formed a chat with their union, the CPA, and looks to be changing any one client of the peloton.
Riders unite at Tour de France to take more control of race safety.
2020-08-31T12:51:51.664 ZThats the Cat-3 Col les Lèques (6.9 km at 5.4 per cent), while the Cat-4 Col de lOrme (2.7 km at 5 percent) lies an additional 35km away.
2020-08-31T12:49:54.600 ZThere are plenty of hills to come on this mid-part of the stage. The next classified climb is 35 kilometers away.
2020-08-31T12:46:40.650 Z120km to go.
The peloton continue to provide Cousin more rope, as the space extends beyond the four-minute mark..
2020-08-31T12:43:51.591 ZTo show how cooled its been. Were some 20 minutes behind even the slowest predicted time schedule. The typical speed so far has been 32.7 km/h.
2020-08-31T12:41:00.761 ZEven less of a risk now for the peloton, who let the gap drift out to 3 minutes as Cosnefroy and Perez are invited back. This has actually developed into something of an active day of rest, even if the undulating parcours and the rain will nonetheless add to the total tiredness..
2020-08-31T12:39:01.855 ZSo Cousin is ploughing an only furrow on the roadway to Sisteron, where he has history …
Cast your minds back to the 2018 Paris-Nice, and one of the most glorious wonderful of shithousery in recent memory. Cousin was away with Nils Politt in the ending of phase 5, and simply declined to do a turn.
” I played with his balls a little. Thats the method I won. Im so generous in my efforts all year and I was beaten in similar scenarios many times before that I chose to navigate differently for once and see if it worked. I didnt steal this.”.
Heres our report from that day, if youre interested.
2020-08-31T12:33:04.630 ZCousin goes solo. A slightly bizarre set of situations sees Cosnefroy provide his compatriot a push to assist him introduce up the roadway. Cousin clearly wishes to take advantage of this break however the other 2 could not muster the commitment he was after..
2020-08-31T12:31:47.271 ZThe breakaway trio are taking a look at each other, soft-pedalling, apparently questioning how much to dedicate to this. The space is still slim at 2:05 and the peloton are taking it so easy behind..
2020-08-31T12:25:49.295 ZThe road dips down now for a number of kilometres however then its back into an uphill drag for the best part of 15km, taking us to the greatest point of the phase. From there, its an undulating 30km to the third cat-3 climb of the day – the Col de Lègues. And from there its primarily downhill to the finish.
2020-08-31T12:23:35.183 Z132km to go.
The peloton crest the Col de la Faye with a deficit of two minutes..
2020-08-31T12:22:21.797 ZA convincing win there for Perez, as Cosnefroy has to stay up in the last metres and view Perez rise clear. On paper, you d typically back Cosnefroy in an explosive uphill sprint however Perez is plainly the stronger of the two out there today and now has a two-point lead in the virtual KOM standings..
2020-08-31T12:20:45.701 ZPerez goes for it and Cosnefroy has to react once again, but he cant …
2020-08-31T12:20:10.158 ZCousin goes to the front to raise this snails pace, and now the banner appears …
2020-08-31T12:19:33.624 ZCosnefroy slows as he examines his shoulder to keep tabs on Perez. Cousins simply minding his own company at the back..
2020-08-31T12:18:01.995 ZInto the last kilometre of the Col de la Faye and this time its Cosnefroy on the front, switching up his techniques..
2020-08-31T12:16:12.084 ZThe peloton had actually come back to 1:30 however the pace has been knocked off on this second climb. 2:15 as it stands..
2020-08-31T12:13:45.274 ZHeres how the scrap for the KOM points played out..
⛰ After a big effort, @PerezAnthony1 is first up the Col du Pilon. He is the virtual leader of the mountain classification. ⛰ Au prix dun gros effort, Anthony Perez passe en tête au Col du Pilon. Il est en tête du classement de la montagne! #TDF 2020 #TDFunited pic.twitter.com/8wvCEiUHOsAugust 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T12:10:52.490 ZWeve got some pre-stage thoughts from the 2019 champion Egan Bernal..
” Its one of those phases that possibly does not appear so tough but you need to look out,” he states. “These phases are always the ones where something occurs– crashes, that type of thing. We have actually to be changed on, more than anything.
As for how hes pursuing the first two phases: “Good, good, excellent. Its just the start of the Tour. There is a long, long way to go, and well see how it goes from here.”.
2020-08-31T12:08:32.389 ZAfter a short descent, were climbing once again. Its the Col de Faye, another cat-3 climb that averages 4.8% over 5.3 km..
2020-08-31T12:02:17.514 Z142km to go.
The peloton crests the Col du Pilon with a deficit of 1:50 to the three leaders..
2020-08-31T12:01:16.797 ZPerez gets it. Cosnefroy struggles to get around and now goes behind in the virtual KOM standings..
2020-08-31T12:00:12.032 ZPerez opens up, Cosnefroy immediately springs into action!
2020-08-31T11:59:49.792 ZHere we go. Into the last 500m of the climb. Cousin leads, Cosnefroy sticks consistently to Perezs wheel.
2020-08-31T11:58:50.617 ZIts a long day in the saddle for a fairly slim possible haul. This climb and the other 2 cat-3 climbs deal 2 points for the first rider and 1 point for second. Combined with the cat-4 climb later on, there are a maximum of seven points available today. In the KOM standings, its presently 18-18 in between Cosnefroy and Perez.
2020-08-31T11:56:42.232 Z2000 metres from the top of the Col du Pilon and the games between Cosnefroy and Perez start. Cousin threatens with an acceleration however its back together now..
2020-08-31T11:53:11.618 ZLotto Soudal have sent out a rider to the front on the climb. The space is now 1:25 to the 3 leaders, who are 3km from the top.
2020-08-31T11:52:34.630 ZShowers were anticipated however this is more than a shower. Its a rainstorm, with big raindrops slapping onto the tarmac..
2020-08-31T11:50:37.501 Z Its raining again … Il pleut de nouveau sur la path du Tour. #TDF 2020 #TDFunited pic.twitter.com/oPR9ZGNUKjAugust 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T11:49:35.049 ZThe peloton transferred to neutralise much of that opening phase, in what was a welcome piece of cumulative action in the absence of anything meaningful from the UCI or CPA. Heres one of the pelotons leading voices, Luke Rowe, on how it unfolded, including a bit of a telling off for Astana, who appeared to press on more than the others, resulting in their leader Miguel Angel Lopez careering into a road indication.
Luke Rowe: Astana made themselves look pretty silly.
2020-08-31T11:45:28.254 ZThis wont be a welcome sight after the tribulations of the opening day, when the rain turned the roadways into what quite much every rider referred to as an ice rink. The reason seemed to be the reality it hadnt rained for so long, and the downpour brought all the oil from motor cars to the surface, meaning riders were hitting the deck descending at a snails speed. Ideally those rains will have cleaned up the roadways and we will not have the same sort of slippery surface area skim here..
2020-08-31T11:42:51.011 ZWeather alert. It has actually started raining and the riders are calling for their capes..
2020-08-31T11:42:16.208 Z151km to go.
The breakaway trio start the Col du Pilon with a lead of 1:45..
2020-08-31T11:39:34.681 ZAnd heres a shot of Cosnefroy in the break a couple of moments back..
( Image credit: Getty Images).
2020-08-31T11:37:42.291 ZThis is Cosnefroys third day on the attack at this years Tour, out of 3 stages. The very first was a somewhat doomed solo objective on the flat run-in to Nice, the 2nd a mid-stage bridge to the break, which was slightly suprising offered he might have selected to wait and play his hand in the ending. Still, he wound up with the polka-dots..
The 24-year-old is a rising star and has delighted hunting ground at this Tour but has actually taken a scattergun method up until now. Its just hard to suppress his attacking instinct, which has actually contributed to comparisons with a certain Julian Alaphilippe. We sustained those comparisons when we interviewed him in December, discovering a young rider full of energy and aspiration..
The next Julian Alaphilippe? Benoît Cosnefroy makes his mark.
2020-08-31T11:26:42.999 ZThe gap is holding at 2:10 as Cosnefroy, Cousin, and Perez grind their method uphill. The first categorised climb is the Col du Pilon (8.4 km at 5.1%) and it officially begins in just a couple of kilometres time..
2020-08-31T11:24:04.556 ZIts Remi Cavagna leading the lot for QuickStep as they take on a downhill area. Soon, the roadway will tilt uphill for the finest part of 40km.
2020-08-31T11:10:15.689 ZYellow chain too for our race leader.
@alafpolak1s @iamspecialized bike Photo: @BeelWout pic.twitter.com/Z8EJzPbmOkAugust 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T11:08:11.264 Z ⏱ The breakaways lead stabilises at around 2 10. ⏱ Lavance de léchappée se stabilise à 2 10 environ. #TDF 2020 pic.twitter.com/13210piSIeAugust 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T11:01:20.683 ZThe break go through Vence, where a rather worrying number of fans are lining the roads. The COVID-19 headings have made method for the opening-day drama and Alaphilippes exploits, but this remains a precarious Tour. A tip that two positive cases in one group bubble will see the entire group expelled from the race. Heres the most recent on that scenario..
2020-08-31T10:57:09.401 ZThis might be a fairly unthreatening break however Deceuninck-QuickStep arent providing much rope. The space has stabilised at 2:25..
2020-08-31T10:49:44.443 ZHere was Alaphilippe at the phase start. Like last year, hes chosen black shorts and yellow bar tape.
( Image credit: Getty Images).
2020-08-31T10:42:42.608 ZMore on Bennett and his sprint rivals from four-time green jersey winner Sean Kelly, who we talked to at the weekend.
Sean Kelly on this years Tour de France sprinters and the battle for green.
2020-08-31T10:41:10.608 ZBennett was in an excellent position on the Promenade des Anglais on the opening day, however let another rider onto the wheel of his lead-out man and that disrupted his rhythm. The Irishman is such a talented rider but he does not half put pressure on himself, and every win feels like catharsis with him..
2020-08-31T10:37:51.085 ZIts an excellent circumstance for QuickStep. They havent needed to raise their heart rates up until now in the very first act of their defence of the maillot jaune, and with a break of simply three riders, they shouldnt have to sweat too much in keeping this under to control to guarantee a lot sprint for their fast male Sam Bennett..
2020-08-31T10:36:02.791 Z189km to go.
That leaves us with a three-rider breakaway (Cosnefroy, Perez, Cousin), followed almost 3 minutes later on by a peloton where the race leaders Deceuninck-QuickStep are now setting the pace..
2020-08-31T10:34:40.811 ZNaesen stays up and wanders back to the bunch. He wasnt truly interested in that small break and will conserve his legs for another day. It appeared his role was to merely make certain Cosnefroy didnt miss it – not that it was a difficult break to make it into..
Signing Up With Cosnefroy and Naesen are Anthony Perez (Cofidis) and Jérôme Cousin (Total Direct Energie). Perez is second in the KOM standings, connected on points with Cosnefroy, so this looks like a battle for the polka-dots on the 3 cat-3 climbs we have on the menu.
2020-08-31T10:23:56.206 ZIt looks like Naesens trying to assist out polka-dot jersey user Cosnefroy, his AG2R colleague. And now the peloton locks up. Its a four-rider breakaway..
2020-08-31T10:22:55.947 ZOliver Naesen leaps throughout..
2020-08-31T10:22:31.195 ZThe flag is waved and here come the attacks. Total Direct Energie and Cofidis on the move..
2020-08-31T10:22:06.297 ZChristian Prudhomme rises through the sunroof and is about to wave us underway.
2020-08-31T10:18:58.559 ZThe départ fictif is offered! The 3rd stage is a go! Le départ fictif de la 3ème étape est donné! #TDF 2020 pic.twitter.com/xfunENzrRdAugust 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T10:15:06.127 ZWere off!.
The riders are on the relocation, tucked behind the race directors automobile as they head through the brief opening neutralised area..
2020-08-31T10:12:41.190 ZThe riders are collecting on the start line. Alaphilippe, obviously, is in the yellow jersey. Stage 1 winner Alexander Kristoff, who handed it over the other day, is now in green, while Hirschi is the best young rider in white and Benoit Cosnefroy is in the polka-dot jersey after another random attack took him to the top of the mountains classification yesterday..
Everybody knows about Alaphilippe, everybody understood he was going to attack on that climb, and everybody knew he was going to win. What many people didnt understand is Hirschi would be one of the 2 able to follow, and what numerous individuals do not understand is much about the Swiss 22-year-old at all – consisting of Adam Yates, going by his post-race interview.
Marc Hirschi introduces himself at Tour de France.
2020-08-31T10:01:30.428 ZOn the way to phase three. And what an unbelievable location we have for todays start. The Allianz Riviera arena of @ogcnice_eng #TDF 2020 pic.twitter.com/vLGe1IIa46August 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T10:00:41.735 ZIt definitely hasnt been the gentlest of introductions to a Tour de France, and while many expect a sprint at the end of the day, this is far from among those flat opening-week processions..
The opening half of the phase looks like a proper slog, with the Col du Pilon and Col de la Faye coming together and the road continuing to rise thereafter. The Col des Lègues will put the sprinters in more trouble once again, however what swings this back in their favour are the 70 or two gently downhill kilometres ahead of the run-in to Sisteron. It must suffice ground for some organised teams to produce a bunch gallop, however it will once again be one objected to with tired legs.
2020-08-31T09:48:18.843 ZBefore we start, why not catch up on the other days action? We have an in-depth write-up and picture gallery, plus all the outcomes and standings at the link listed below..
Tour de France: Julian Alaphilippe wins stage 2.
2020-08-31T09:46:42.622 Z++ pic.twitter.com/SeYFEAwR7VAugust 31, 2020.
2020-08-31T09:42:57.743 ZThe pre-stage podium ceremony is well underway, and its CCC who are being presented to the void at the minute. The riders will roll out at 12:10 local time, with the race proper getting underway around 10 minutes after that.
2020-08-31T09:40:15.504 ZGood early morning and welcome to the Cyclingnews live race centre for stage 3 of the Tour de France. Todays stage takes us 198km north west, to Sisteron.
2020-08-31T12:39:01.855 ZSo Cousin is tilling an only furrow on the roadway to Sisteron, where he has history …
Cast your minds back to the 2018 Paris-Nice, and one of the most glorious examples of shithousery in recent current. 2020-08-31T12:33:04.630 ZCousin goes solo. 2020-08-31T12:25:49.295 ZThe roadway dips down now for a couple of kilometres but then its back into an uphill drag for the best part of 15km, taking us to the greatest point of the stage. There is a long, long way to go, and well see how it goes from here.”.
Everyone knows about Alaphilippe, everybody knew he was going to attack on that climb, and everyone understood he was going to win.
