Chemin des Chapelles, so named for the bus-stop sized series of chapels on the roadside. Three hundred sixty four days a year, this Belgian road lies in quiet obscurity and then roars to life for the spring classic, Flèche Wallonne when the men's and women's editions race laps up the steep road as it's better known: the Mur de Huy. This year, Christian Prudhomme and his band of merry organizers have thrown the climb at the peloton, virtually ensuring that the yellow jersey will change hands for a third time in as many days.
The flamme rouge will serve more as a warning than as a relief to the riders. The Mur de Huy is punchy, averaging 9.6% over 1.3 kilometers. The race book says the climb maxes out at 13% while the town advertises 19%. Either way, it is punishing. Coming in just 5 kilometers after last in a trio of 4th category climbs, the 159.5 kilometer stage promised action.
Walking up the Mur, there was visible support for Wout Poels and Tim Wellens, as well as for Emma Johansson who raced in the women's Flèche Wallonne in April.
This curve starts the steepest ramp of the climb.
Standing at 90 meters to go, I had a great view of the climb and was able to watch the entire stage unfold on the big screen behind me.
Right from the gun, 4 riders escaped the pack and ultimately gained between 2 to 3 minutes on the peloton who were happy to let Bryan Nauleau (Europcar), Martin Elmiger (IAM), Jan Barta (Bora), and Serge Pauwels (MTN) go.
With about 75 kilometers to go, the peloton decided it was time to reign in the renegade quartet. The gap fell quickly and around the time the race was coming together with under 60 kilometers to go, FDJ's William Bonnet, riding near the front, suddenly went down on a dead flat stretch of road, taking out dozens of riders behind him. The crash was so brutal that the race was officially temporarily neutralized with neutral race vehicles moving slowly in front of the surviving riders. One Astana rider was captured on TV talking to the driver and waving his arms to display his frustration with the situation.
The result of the crash was pure carnage. Fabian Cancellara's bike, specially painted yellow in honor of the maillot jaune, did a series of aerial flips before slamming down on the road shoulder. The Swiss time trial specialist was thankfully not clipped in when this happened, but he certainly did not emerge unscathed. A few fortunate riders seemed to pop back up and get back on their bikes relatively unharmed, though most were slow to get back on their feet at all. A medic placed a neck brace on Bonnet.
Meanwhile, frustrations grew at the front of the race. The slow moving cars had now come to a dead stop, intentionally blocking off the narrow road. By now, several minutes had passed since the riders had gone down like dominos and the riders involved had rejoined the back of the peloton. The riders at the back were just happy to be on their bikes at all while those near the front were jockeying for a better position.
The neutral period continued as the lead car started up again and deposited the peloton at 50 kilometers to go. The peloton picked up the pace once the car pulled off but there was otherwise no reaction. Like a scene out of “The Hunger Games” naming the recently killed, the TV screen flashed with notifications that William Bonnet, Simon Gerrans, Laurens Ten Dam, and Dmitry Kozontchuk had abandoned. The crowd groaned.
With Johan Vansummeren, Cancellara, and Greg Henderson among those struggling to stay in contact at the back, the race at the front developed undisturbed as various teams moved to the front over the remaining kilometers. The pace lifted and the peloton tackled the intermediate sprint and categorized climbs.
A large group featuring big names hit the base of the Mur de Huy together. The cheering started before we could see anyone coming. Then slowly, a helmet inched above the road and Joaquim Rodriguez came into view.
The Spanish climber has podiumed 3 times, including one overall victory, at Flèche Wallonne in recent years and that experience netted him a stage win today.
Chris Froome finished second with the same time as Rodriguez. The strong performance landed him in yellow for the first time since winning the 2013 Tour.
Dan Martin pulled ahead in the last 90 meters to finish fourth ahead of Tony Gallopin, who now sits 26″ back in 4th place on GC. Alexis Vuillermoz of AG2R was third on the stage.
Tejay Van Garderen looked to be in great form approaching the finish while Vincenzo Nibali seemed to be putting in significantly more effort. The American moved up to 3rd on GC, just 13″ off Froome.
Nairo Quintana.
Alberto Contador finished after Alejandro Valverde and Bauke Mollema and is now in 8th place on GC, 36″ down.
Greg Van Avermaet, storming up the Mur with fellow Belgian Sep Vanmarcke close behind, wound up just 28″ back on GC in 5th.
Jean Christophe Peraud.
Giant Alpecin, grooming Warren Barguil to be a GC contender, should be pleased the young Frenchman finished 11th on a challenging day.
Showing his teeth in the final meters, Rigoberto Uran finds himself in 7th place on GC, 34″ back.
Ryder Hesjedal towed Andrew Talansky to the finish line. In the same group, Peter Sagan is now in 6th overall at 31″ behind Froome.
The big Czech rider, Zdenek Štybar, rounds out the GC top 10.
Adam Yates.
Jan Bakelants.
Sami Sanchez.
Luis Angel Mate.
One of the first riders beaten up in the crash to finish, Rui Costa's bloody legs attested to its severity.
Thibot Pinaut.
Jakob Fuglsang.
Wilco Kelderman.
Simon Geschke.
Coming in alongside team cars, Richie Porte was just ahead of Koen De Kort and Serge Pauwels, who had ridden the first two thirds of the stage in the break.
Nathan Haas.
Daniel Oss spent part of the neutralization period with a bag of ice on his face. He rode in with a bloodied cheekbone.
A full minute passed before the next group, containing Matteo Bono and Ramunas Navardauskas among others, finished.
Damien Caruso and a trio of Swiss riders: Michael Schar, Danilo Wyss, and Gregory Rast.
Winner Anacona approached Laurent Didier, ultimately passing him before the line.
Arnaud Gerard came in with Peter Kennaugh following ten seconds behind.
After winning the race's opening TT with the fastest speed ever in the Tour's 102 editions and earning the privilege to wear yellow, Rohan Dennis has suffered ever since, first missing a split in the peloton and being left by his team to fend for himself on stage 2 and today suffering badly on the way to the finish.
Luca Paolini climbed solo.
Dylan Van Baarle and Luke Durbridge led a group home.
The following group included Adam Hansen, who is attempting to finish his 12 consecutive Grand Tour. After crashing badly in a rain soaked stage 2 and reinjuring his shoulder, he must be relieved to have survived today's mayhem.
Jack Bauer.
Tyler Farrar, bearing scars of crashes past.
Truly his right hand man, Mark Renshaw finished alongside Mark Cavendish.
Alex Dowsett.
Johan Vansummeren, another victim of the crash.
Also taken down, Filippo Pozzato rode in with a grimace and his hand on his right quad.
Markel Irizar brought Fabian Cancellara–and what was left of the yellow jersey–home.
With a bag of ice stuffed in one of the many holes on his back, an understandably weary Greg Henderson plodded on to the line, finishing 14:38 behind Rodriguez.
Slated to start the 2014 Tour, sprinter Michael Matthews was replaced at the last minute after badly injuring his hand in a training crash, making him that much more motivated to preform well this year. He rode in, over 21 minutes after Rodriguez claimed victory, in visible pain, looking like he'd just barely survived a lion attack.
Matthews was the lantern rouge of stage 3. One hundred ninety eight riders started in Antwerp this morning. Four didn't make it to Huy.
Stage 4, the longest in the 2015 Tour, will include several cobbled sections. Expect more riders to abandon overnight or to leave the race mid stage unfortunately.
