Stage 3: Cambridge to London, 155km. Flat
A rest day for the vast majority of the peloton after yesterdays chaos and a chance for a couple of men to go up the road and get their sponsors names on the television for a while before being reeled in for the sprinters to have their day on the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. And who else should win but Marcel Kittel.
This was a traditional first week of the tour kind of stage and I reckon the riders were delighted to see it. It's just a shame that Cavendish is out of the tour now for it looks as though he's the only man capable of taking the sprint to the big German. Peter Sagan tried but once Kittel got up to full speed the Slovak had no chance of coming off his wheel and around him. It was all too easy. It was like Belfast at the Giro all over again, only this time the Mall in London in the Tour.
Kittel will be hoping his Tour lasts longer than his Giro, though anyone else hoping to take a win from a bunch sprint might be hoping otherwise. You get the feeling this isn't the last we'll see him win and tomorrow when the race heads back to its homeland there's a stage tailor made for him once more.
And once again the crowds were out in force. Watching the peloton charge through the streets of London was like a flashback to the London 2012 Olympics all over again. This three day stop to start the Tour in England has been a huge success. Four million are reported to have turned out over the two days in Yorkshire and another million today for the stage to London. I don't know how they can tell this, but the exact figure doesn't matter. It was the biggest turn out of fans to start a tour ever and as riders would say, it was like the crowds on Alpe d'Huez for the entire route. Things got a little testy when a few fans with their camera phones took advantage of the up-close-and-beside-the-action view that only cycling can provide, but for the most part it went off without a hitch.
And so now with that party over the race should settle itself down as the riders board planes, boats or high speed trains destined for north-east France. The Tour is going home to where the Tour is a more common sight and I get the feeling the riders will be looking forward to a few days of peace and quiet along the road sides!
Result:
1. Kittel (GIA) in 3h 38'30"
2. Sagan (CAN)
3. Renshaw (OPQ)
4. Coquard (EUC)
5. Kristoff (KAT)
6. Van Poppel (TRE) all s.t.
Overall:
1. Nibali (AST) in 13h 31'13"
2. Sagan (CAN) +2"
3. Albasini (ORI)
4. Van Avermaet (BMC)
5. Froome (SKY)
6. Mollema (BKN) all s.t.
